Heidi's Legacy Dog Rescue  is dedicated to the rescue and placement of unwanted companion dogs.  Based in Tampa, Florida, Heidi's Legacy has helped thousands of companion dogs find loving forever homes. These are wonderful loving animals that often only need love, compassion and training to make them an incredibly awesome family member and best friend.

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Who We Are

 

 Heidi's Legacy was established in 2002 as an all breed rescue in honor of Heidi, a marvelous German Shepherd that was abandoned by her original owners and left to die in the country.  Sadly Heidi died shortly after her arrival with us but we have dedicated our lives to saving others just as lovable and just as deserving as Heidi was. Read Heidi's Story.

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Heidi's Legacy is a nonprofit, 501 (c) (3) charitable organization staffed entirely by volunteers that LOVE and RESPECT dogs.  If a life can be saved, we will do what needs to be done.  Our goal is to save as many lives as possible so they can enrich the lives of their new adoptive families as they do ours. 

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 The dogs In our program  begin with a quarantine period of no less than 14 days. During this time they are watched, loved and cared for and socialization is begun. All their medical needs are addressed; all dogs are altered, given age appropriate vaccines, dewormed, heartworm tested and given flea control. If they have any medical condition, we have it taken care of.  If they need behavior training to make them adoptable, they get it. Whatever needs they have, we take care of to make them adoptable. 

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Too often, we see dogs who have not been socialized, so we begin that process immediately. Our dogs live in our foster family homes as part of the family, interacting with everyone and everything. They are not living in crates stacked upon crates, or left outside in kennels. We evaluate our dogs before they are adopted and identify any areas that may need improvement so that they are well adjusted and ready to be placed in a loving home. 

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Our foster homes are a temporary step toward a better life. We brush up their house manners and see that each dog  learns the basic skills needed to get along with others. The most precious gift we can give to the dogs in our program is a safe home... that its okay to trust again and to love again.  We encourage each new forever family to continue the socialization and training process once the dog is settled into their new home.