Key to Lion's Heart Rescue was founded in January 2018 in honor of Lion, a dog who made a tremendous impact on so many lives. Lion was dumped at a very high kill shelter where his time was up. Without knowing his past, he was pulled by a rescue and placed into a home. Lion was then moved nine times over the course of one year in an effort to find the right home. Unfortunately, the second to last move was that one that forever changed his soul. Just like people, dogs have a breaking point, and Lion had reached his. He had been through more in one year than any dog should ever have to go through in a lifetime. His last move was to a home where he was loved and cared for by a handful of people, his advocates for many months. Unfortunately, it was too late. The pain and suffering he had endured in some of his previous places was more than Lion could overcome. The light in his eyes was gone and he was suffering. In the arms of the people who loved him dearly, we whispered our goodbyes and told him how much we loved him. Humans had failed him. As we kissed him goodbye, we promised Lion that we would do our best to ensure no dog would ever have to endure what he had in his last year. At that moment, we dedicated ourselves to unlocking hope for all dogs by giving a little piece of our hearts to every single one that we can save.
Mission and Vision
Key to Lion's Heart Rescue is a 501(c)(3) rescue. Our mission is to help save lives of animals that are in shelters or abusive and neglectful situations and give them a chance in life as well as educate the community on animal welfare. We are a foster and volunteer based rescue and rely solely on donations and fundraising to care for our dogs.
Through our foster program, we provide a loving, nurturing, and safe environment for all our animals and address all their needs. We provide all our animals while in our care with vaccines, microchips, heartworm tests, and spay/neuter surgery when age-appropriate. We provide rehabilitation and training to those in need and work with all our dogs to prepare them for adoption into responsible and loving homes.
Through our outreach program, we aim to educate the community and our youth about the importance of animal welfare, proper nutrition, and the importance of spay/neuter. We work with the youth by going into schools and inviting students to participate in our community fundraisers and events. We want them to be a part of the mission to end cruelty and the overpopulation of animals in shelters. It is our youth who will help change the future of animal welfare.
Specialization
Other specialization
Adoption Policy
We have several requirements in place for adopters to ensure we are finding the absolute best homes for our dogs! Please make sure you meet all the requirements below prior to applying to adopt. Adopters must be at least 23 years of age.Professional training is required within three months of adopting.If adopting a puppy under six months old, spay/neuter is the adopter's responsibility and must be completed by the time the puppy is six months old.If you are away for longer than 4 hours at a time, you would not be a candidate to adopt a dog younger than 6 months. All current pets in the home must be altered, up to date on the rabies and distemper vaccine, up to date on an annual heartworm test, receive an annual wellness exam, and receive monthly heartworm and flea/tick prevention AT THE TIME YOUR APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED. Failure to pass the veterinary check will result in an immediate denial of your application.We only adopt one dog into a home at a time. We ask that you take time to bond with and train your new dog for at least six months prior to adopting another dog from us.We accept adopters from Maryland, DC, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. We accept adopters from other East Coast states on a case by case basis.An in-person meet and greet between the entire applicant's family, including any resident dogs, and their dog of choice is required prior to completing an adoption. We cannot complete same-day adoptions and require two visits to the foster home to complete the adoption - once for the meet and greet, and a second to pick up your dog of choice.
https://www.adoptapet.com/shelter/102087-key-to-lions-heart-rescue-derwood-maryland#featured
Testimonials
See all testimonials"We drove 3 hours to adopt from this rescue. They do not just allow anyone to rescue, they are diligent and very careful in their decisions so they know these pups will lead a fulfilling and happy life. We were grateful to have been chosen to adopt with them and still stay in touch 4 years later. They care endlessly for their rescues, raising money for surgeries and medical expenses to help save innocent doggy lives. I love seeing the miracles they make happen through dedication and community support."
— leah w.
Adoptee, Supporter
"Key to Lion's Heart makes adopting do easy while making sure the best matches are made. We have adopted two pups through them. They are kind, caring, fast, efficient and overall the best rescue we've ever worked with!"
— jennifer s.
Adoptee
"Best rescue!"
— malissa c.
Adoptee
"I fell in love with this organization by observing their commitment and reliability. I am a Pitty mom and can’t say enough great thing about how passionately they advocate!"
— taciana y.
Supporter, Fan
"Key to Lions heart does wonderful work in getting the pups that need the most support, the help that they need by having such a wonderful base of fosters waiting to take dogs and until they are adopted. I was able to get my dog, Dasher, from a wonderful and loving foster family! Best rescue!! ❤️"
— patrick b.
Adoptee
"Great dog rescue, they were very involved when I was adopting my dog. From training to what things to buy for her and even remembering her when I showed up to events."
— anthony a.
Adoptee
"I adopted my dog from here! Very straightforward process. And i’m loving every moment with my dog Rosie!"
— kelly f.
Adoptee
"They do a great job"
— phyllis h.
Fan
"I have fostered six dogs with KtLH, failing with one. The staff is friendly, helpful and giving and are dedicated to pulling high-risk dogs from shelters, saving them from death. I have my baby Roo bc he was on a euthanasia list at 4 months because the shelter was full. I can’t imagine not having this old furry soul (at 1.3 years old) in my life."
— megan b.
Volunteer / foster
"KTLH is a lifesaving organization. We are very thankful for KTLH and our awesome pup Rocco."
— blue.
Adoptee, Volunteer / foster, Supporter, Fan
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David Adams is a man of many passions, but his love for dogs stands above all. He is not only a dog lover, but also the founder of an innovative platform called Sniffspot. This unique platform connects dog owners with private property owners who are willing to rent out their space for off-leash playtime. While the idea of Sniffspot was initially conceived by his wife, Rebecca, David has been the driving force behind its remarkable success, tirelessly overseeing its growth and development.
David's dedication to providing safe and enjoyable spaces for dogs to play, explore, and socialize is evident in his unwavering commitment to Sniffspot. He strongly believes that dogs need ample space and opportunities to stretch their legs and have fun. As a result, he has worked tirelessly to build a network of private property owners across the country who share his vision and are willing to offer their space for the benefit of dogs and their owners.
Despite his busy schedule, David always finds time to indulge in his passion for the great outdoors. He loves nothing more than exploring new hiking trails and embarking on thrilling outdoor adventures. Whenever he is not working on Sniffspot, he can often be found hiking or visiting multi-acre fenced sniffspots with his two beloved dogs, Soba and Toshii. He is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys the fresh air, breathtaking scenery, and the sense of freedom that comes with being in nature.
David is based in Salem, MA.
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