Freehold's Shore Saves Animal Rescue helps at-risk dogs find their forever homes

By:  | April 12, 2025 |  Philanthropy | 

By Rebecca King

Lola was all but forgotten when Shore Saves Animal Rescue saved her.

The sandy-brown Weimaraner mix had been in a shelter for two years – more than half her life – and was nearing the point when she would be euthanized to free up space for another pup in need.

Don’t let that scare you – this story has a happy ending. Shore Saves stepped in, a 100% volunteer-run and donor-funded rescue based in Freehold. With the extra attention and specialized care Shore Saves was able to give her, Lola’s true personality was able to shine.
 

Enter Jay Cardiello – personal trainer to the stars (we’re talking the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Kendall Jenner). Cardiello wound up adopting Lola, giving her her forever home.

It’s stories like this that give Sarah Fine, one of the founders of Shore Saves, the motivation to keep working hard on behalf of the dogs in the shelter’s care. Every now and again she’ll get pictures of Lola living the life of the rich and famous – a pampered pooch who you’d never suspect was overlooked for years.
 

There are dozens of stories like this Fine could tell – ones about Bella, a dog found lost in a pink raincoat who has been waiting for her forever home for over a year. Or Zeke, another “longest resident” shelter save, who Fine says is a “doll.” Fortunately, for Bella, Zeke and all of the other four-legged residents in Shore Saves’s care, this rescue specializes in matching dogs with their perfect owners.

Quality Care for Local Dogs

Shore Saves was founded in 2021 by a group of New Jerseyans who had previously worked or volunteered at county shelters.
 

“We realized the need for a shelter that aligned with our values,” said Fine.
 

While county shelters are vital institutions, they’re burdened with limitations Shore Saves has been deliberately configured to avoid, explained Fine. Shore Saves also almost exclusively focuses on local dogs in need. The organization works closely with New Jersey county shelters — occasionally extending its reach to Philadelphia or Manhattan — to bring in dogs that are being overlooked or need more space to thrive. According to Fine, its focus is on quality of care and one-on-one attention.

“There are dogs right in our backyard who need our help,” said Fine. “It’s not a sustainable practice to be shipping dogs all over the country.”
 

For example, in June 2024, when a woman living in Brick Township was found guilty of hoarding 135 dogs, Shore Saves was able to step in and provide aid. Currently at the shelter is Millie, the only dog left from the hoarding situation who hasn’t been adopted. Fine says she is “smart, funny and affectionate – just looking for the right person.”
 

The timing of Shore Saves’s opening is also significant. It was founded right after the adoption boom of 2020 when folks were working from home and eager to adopt a new four-legged friend. Fine said many shelters were “almost empty” at the height of the pandemic. However, when people started heading back to work, many realized they didn’t have the time to care for them and returned their pets to the shelter.
 

“Shelters were being flooded with very needy, anxious dogs who had never been left alone,” said Fine. Shore Saves came along at the right time to find new homes for many of those dogs.

In 2024, Shore Saves rescued 30 dogs through adoption, housing at their small shelter, and placements in foster homes.

Meet the Dogs

Many of the founders and volunteers of Shore Saves also help out at county shelters, which means they get to know the dogs there and are better able to asses which would benefit the most from an environment like the one offered at Shore Saves.
 

“A lot of the dogs we pull in are the longest residents in the shelter,” said Fine. “They don’t necessarily show well in a very loud county facility.”
 

Being able to provide a home more suited to their needs is important, as, “there are a lot of at-risk dogs that are getting put down because there’s just no room for them in shelters,” explained Fine. At Shore Saves’s facility, the kennels are spacious, and the dogs have extra-long runs to play in. The shelter isn’t overcrowded, and soothing jazz music plays from the speakers. Each dog gets “living room time,” walks in the woods and yard and at least four hours a day of one-on-one time with a volunteer.
 

“The dogs often come in skinny and unsure,” she said. “Sometimes they’ll even be so anxious they injure themselves. Incredibly quickly, they thrive.”
 

A former resident named Sadie had one of the biggest transformations Fine has seen. When her owner became homeless, she gave Sadie up to some people she knew who already owned a few dogs. However, those dogs wound up attacking her, and when her former owner came to check on her, she found that Sadie was severely injured. She brought Sadie to a county rescue, and Sadie eventually wound up at Shore Saves with a drain in her wound and a cone on her head. After a few months of care, she was adopted by a Shore Saves volunteer. Today, Fine said, she has “the most beautiful black coat you’ve ever seen,” and even gets along with the cat she lives with.

A Labor of Love

As a completely volunteer-run and donor-funded rescue, Shore Save relies on the generosity of the community to stay in business.
 

“We’re very grassroots. It’s a real team effort and a lot of coordinating to make it work,” said Fine. Volunteers bring their own unique skills to the rescue, and the team will work with any volunteer based on their interests and comfort levels. Some, said Fine, are great at taking pictures of the dogs and creating cute, eye-catching social posts to help get them adopted. Others prefer to spend their time cleaning the shelter. Some are community-minded and help with running fundraisers and reaching out to businesses to secure donations. And, of course, there are those who just like to hang out with the dogs.
 

“We make opportunities for all types of people,” said Fine.
 

Having no staff on payroll also keeps costs down, which is important, as the rescue relies entirely on donations and grants. Most of their costs go toward vet care, keeping the lights on, and occasionally hiring a professional trainer to teach the volunteers about dog handling.

Fine’s own commitment to helping dogs in need goes back to her childhood. Her father, a former police officer and one of the founders of Shore Saves, used to take home any of the stray dogs he or his fellow officers came across.
 

“We were the stray dog home,” said Fine, who now has a nine-year-old Pit mix of her own named Penny. “That stuck with me.”
 

She has been volunteering at shelters since she was old enough to help out. Now, as a founder of Shore Saves, she works as the media liaison, writes grant proposals to help secure funding, and reaches out to businesses to solicit donations and sponsorships for events.

“It’s a wonderful community,” she said. “It’s worth every sleepless night.” 

Get Involved

There are several ways to do your part in helping Shore Saves’s dogs in need.

Fine said they’re happy to work with volunteers to accommodate their skills and scheduling needs. And perhaps the easiest way to help is simply by following Shore Saves on Instagram at @shoresaves. The more followers they have, said Fine, and the more shares they get, the more likely their dogs will be adopted.
 

“Fostering is also a huge help, especially for those dogs that need a little bit of extra attention,” said Fine. Fostering is completely free — the rescue provides food and medicine for the dog and can even take them to vet visits, depending on your comfort level. Donations of money, food, toys and even unused pet medication also come in handy for the shelter.
 

Shore Saves has regular events to help with fundraising efforts, as well. Its Rescue Pawlooza event is coming up on May 10 at Bar Anticipation in Lake Como. The night will include gift basket raffles full of goodies donated by local businesses and more to raise money for the rescue.
 

Of course, the ultimate way to help is by seeking out Shore Saves if you’re looking to adopt.
 

“People think you’ll only get Pit mixes from a shelter,” said Fine, “but we really have all sizes and breeds. From Morkies to Mastiffs to Chihuahuas. We even had the most beautiful Golden Retriever recently.”
 

The stereotypes against shelter dogs – that they’re misbehaved or unhealthy – have been “disproven time and time again,” said Fine. “These dogs are wonderful, and they make great family companions.”
 

Not to mention, finding your new best friend at Shore Saves means you’re actually doing two good deeds.
 

“We always say, when you adopt from us, you’re saving two dogs,” said Fine. “You’re saving the one you adopted and opening another spot at our shelter for another dog.”
 

Go to shoresaves.com for more information on adoptable dogs and volunteer opportunities.