Our Story

One night in May 2005, Susan Wallace was awakened by her barking dogs and the smell of gasoline. A man who had cleaned her carpets two days before had returned, now in a meth-induced rage. During his senseless attack, Susan's throat was slashed, her home destroyed by fire, and two of her beloved dogs, Molly and Scooter, were killed.

Miraculously, Susan survived. During her long, painful recovery, Susan searched for a way to turn her grief into positive energy, to honor the life and loss of Scooter. She discovered that giving a second chance at life to abandoned dogs — especially those on Death Row in a shelter — somehow helped Susan's heart heal from Scooter's loss.

Scooter's Pals, founded in 2008 by Susan as a life-affirming tribute to Scooter and Molly, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to saving as many dogs as possible from needless death. It has evolved into a dynamic group of volunteers who share the belief that keeping our companion animals safe, giving them the care, love, and respect they deserve is an effective way to help build a better community.

Since 2008, we have rescued and adopted out more than 1,800 dogs and a few cats. Each one has been given medical care, fostered in a loving home and, if needed, given professional training to prepare for family life. An additional 200 dogs are re-homed in the community before they reach a shelter.

Scooter's Pals was founded on the belief that as caring, responsible humans, we must take action to lower the painful number of animals destroyed each year by human neglect and apathy. The entire staff at Scooter's Pals is completely volunteer with no salaries, no administrative costs, no expense accounts or frills.

We are a last-chance dog rescue organization. Our mission is to save and aid dogs that have been abandoned and often abused or neglected. We save them from needless death in a shelter. We provide medical care and rehabilitation if needed. We find them safe and loving homes. We give them another chance at life.

Scooter's Pals cannot do this alone. We need your help and YOU can make a difference. You can join us on Facebook and share our work with others. You can foster, adopt, assist and support, donate or help raise funds. You can save lives.

Blessings for all you can do,

Susan Wallace, Founder