Every Pet Project Profile: Austin Boxer Rescue

Last year, Texas-based Austin Boxer Rescue (ABR) rescued a staggering number of boxers: nearly 500. When you think about it, that’s more than one a day. 

“Many of them are owner surrenders,” says Carol Eskew, the organization’s fundraising coordinator. “Some of them come in from people who are in over their heads and can’t afford to keep them anymore. Some are from owners who pass away and their family members don’t want them. Some are just dumped and left homeless.” 

Austin Boxer Rescue is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving Texas boxers from such situations. ABR provides its rescues with medical needs, nourishment, and housing; they also assist in finding their rescues permanent homes. 

Here at Virbac, we know that many rescue organizations like Austin Boxer Rescue depend on donations. That’s why we started the Every Pet Project, a program in which we randomly reward two animal charities a month with $2,500 - all to help them make an even bigger difference in the lives of pets in their care. 

Austin Boxer Rescue is among the charity organizations that received an Every Pet Project donation. The funds were donated in December 2020, and they could not have come at a better time. Founded in 2005 by Jennifer Pope, who now serves as President, ABR initially focused on the Central Texas area. But over the past two years, the organization has expanded its footprint to the Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth areas.

“Two of the biggest initiatives we completed this year were merging with Lonestar Boxer Rescue of Houston and starting a new chapter in the Dallas-Fort Worth area called DFW Boxer Rescue,” Pope says. “Since Austin Boxer Rescue is operating both Lonestar Rescue and DFW Boxer Rescue, the area we cover now includes three of the largest metro areas in the country. As a result, we’re working to find homes for more dogs than ever, making us one of the biggest animal rescues in the state and one of the largest breed-specific rescue groups in the U.S.''

The larger the organization’s footprint, of course, the greater the need for donations.  

“Without donations, we couldn’t do this,” Eskew says. “I can’t stress how crucial they are.”

Every pet, everywhere, deserves a life of care. To nominate your favorite animal charity - an organization that works hard to make sure pets are cared for and get the protection they need for a happy, healthy life - please visit our Every Pet Project page. For more information about Austin Boxer Rescue, please visit their Facebook page.