Rags To Tags Rescue & Sanctuary

Ivy was dumped during covid. She lived in an abandoned lot, far from people for at least a few weeks. Shelters were full, rescues were inundated.
My husband & I put a plan in motion - it took recon, the smell of Whataburger every am, a day care & some luck!
She had a routine & a route to steer clear of people - roam at night, eat from a dumpster behind a restaurant & the food neighbors were leaving for her. She had a 4+ acre lot with some dense trees to hide in.
Early one morning, after LOTS of hours of recon with the window down & the smell of Whataburger, my husband & I corraled her into a daycare playyard, before the sun came up (pure luck!). The day care mgr kept everyone inside (lots of little eyes watching from inside 🥰). It took roughly 3 hours of watching her pace, pant & check for escape routes until she just gave up.
I sat in the middle of the grass as she approached. I could hear her breathing, sizing me up (my heart was racing!). She watched me, she got closer & I felt her nose in my hair. She sniffed then crouched & jumped back - expecting me to move but I just sat quietly, no eye contact. She stood up, walked closer, & sniffed my cheek, and sat next to me. I could see her trembling. I slowly put my hand out on her back. She flinched but stayed close. I ran my hand down her trembling back. She stayed close. She moved closer & put her muzzle in my hand & closed her eyes. She knew she was safe. ❤️ She was absolutely exhausted.
That was just the beginning of her story. She had a microchip & it was registered. Her full story is on our website - its sad, but a happy ending ❤️.
Www.ragstotagsrescue.com

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This is Lacy's story in a nutshell. This little 30lb, timid little dog was brought to me for help in 2021. Every bone protruded & she was limping.

After a visit to multiple doctors, including a hip specialist at TX A&M, the decision of what to do to help her was left to me - FHO (salvage surgery for her dislocated hip) or a THR - total hip replacement. We decided FHO, but she was so young & still gaining weight so we held off until she was closer to 10 months.

Both hips had been broken at the growth plates & healed, but one was dislocated when it healed. Her pelvis had been fractured & part was broken off. She had dragged her broken body around - burned, raw foot pads told me she was healing without any help. She found her way to a kind lady that brought her to me.

This was long before Rags To Tags Rescue & Sanctuary - I was just someone that helped when I could. The community stepped up with financial backing & advice - I asked anyone that listened, for advice.

Meanwhile, this broken little girl was running & splashing in the mud puddles - learning to trust & the question I kept asking the vets..."how do I know if she's in pain?"

She taught me so much about the desire to live life to the fullest - pain comes & goes - but life goes so fast, enjoy every minute!

TikTok · Rags To Tags Rescue&Sanctuary

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTBXSrfYn/

The den dogs ❤️

TikTok · Rags To Tags Rescue&Sanctuary

🐾 We Need the Community’s Help — Two Dogs, Two Needs, One Small Rescue at Capacity (Rags To Tags Rescue & Sanctuary - we are a 501c3 Nonprofit)
There is no end to the requests for help, and we do our best to step in when no one else will. This isn’t a pity post — it’s a call for community support.
Over the past few months, life has hit hard. Chuck lost his job in January, and we’ve personally funded most of our rescue work for years. My mom passed away this year, and while I was in Maine for her service, our 15 yr old Chow mix, Bear, had a cyst rupture requiring surgery or euthanasia. Stress isn't quite the word I'd use! Hailey managed the dogs, the storms, the anxiety cases, and got Bear to the vet for surgery. Thankfully, Bear made it through! My daughter stepped up like a champ managing it all with me gone, but it was costly.
Meanwhile, the rescue funds are $0. We’ve been covering everything from our personal savings with no fundraisers for 2026 because it's just been that kind of year. My mom's passing hit me hard. We have a fundraiser planned in August, but that is still months away.
Right now, two urgent situations need us — and we can’t do it alone.
🐶 1. Koko — Senior Service Dog Left Behind After Tragedy:
I met Barbara at a Circle K near Trinity a few months ago. She feeds five strays at her job because no one else will. One had been hit by a car in front of her store - she was heartbroken. She asked me for help when she saw my RTTRS shirt. We brought her some donated food for the strays, when she told me she had taken in a senior dog who was about to be sent to animal control after a horrific situation. You can read more here: https://www.givesendgo.com/koko?utm_source=share
Koko’s story is tragic. She’s old, arthritic, and struggling with the steep steps at Barbara’s RV. Chuck is going to build her a smaller version of a wheelchair ramp to help Barbara get Koko outside easier - for both of them. We are also sending food, but she needs vet care, bloodwork, skin treatment, and heartworm prevention.
Barbara has the big heart, but not the resources. We want to support her so she can keep helping Koko and the strays who depend on her.
🐕 2. Blue, The Cattle Dog — Dumped, Injured, Terrified, and Out of Options:
A cattle dog was on the run in my neighborhood for at least two months. Dumped, terrified, and untouchable. The neighbors have been texting me sightings for more than a month. He finally trusted enough to be closed in a barn & Hailey, Chuck & I were able to get him in a crate. He is a behavior case - something we specialize in but we are at capacity at our house. We are working on solutions at the new sanctuary site, but everything costs more and more money that we simply don't have.
He has broken bones (metacarpals) in his wrist, needs long‑term behavioral rehab, and of course he’s heartworm positive. Another rescuer and I have split the costs so far: sedation, vaccines, microchip, X‑rays, meds, neuter, flea treatment. She is managing his housing, but that is limited to 2 weeks. If we step in to help, we face more unexpected expenses - a secure kennel build with fencing and heartworm treatment.
❤️ How You Can Help
We are stretched thin - emotionally, physically, and financially-but we refuse to turn our backs on dogs who have no one else.
Your support will help us:
* Build Koko’s ramp to go in & out
* Cover vet care and meds for Koko
* Provide food for Barbara’s strays
* Build a secure kennel & run for the cattle dog (Blue)
* Help cover the costs incurred for Blue already
* Fund his heartworm treatment and ongoing care
Every dollar helps us continue the work we’ve been doing quietly for years - helping the dogs no one else sees.
If you can give, share, or pray, we are grateful.
The dogs are eternally grateful!
I set up 2 separate GiveSendGo fundraisers for Koko and Blue:
Koko's: https://www.givesendgo.com/koko?utm_source=share
Blue's: https://www.givesendgo.com/blue-has-a-long-road-to...
or you can visit our website to donate directly (www.ragstotagsrescue.com)
Venmo:
Cash app: $ragstotagsrescue
Stripe (various secure donation options): https://buy.stripe.com/cN2dRq5bjgBj6nCeUU
We are 100% volunteer. We give of our time, energy and money. Can you help?

We are finally doing a bigger fundraising event and everyone at Rags To Tags Rescue & Sanctuary is so excited! The venue is beautiful (it's normally a wedding venue!)

Mark your calendar:
DATE: Saturday, August 22, 5pm-9pm
LOCATION: The Reserve on Cypress Creek
(https://www.thereserveoncypresscreek.com)

If you are interested in attending, tickets are available at go.rallyup.com/rttrs2026. There will be a buffet dinner, a silent auction, a DJ keeping everything popping, games & prizes! I hope you will consider coming to support our rescue efforts and the future plans for the sanctuary! Please share this with friends and family. There are limited tickets - so purchase early!

Paws on the Prairie 2026 Fundraiser Join me in supporting Rags To Tags Rescue & Sanctuary: https://go.rallyup.com/rttrs2026