By the time you read this, Hazel will already be on the road. This adorable little Texas puppy is one of 20 rescue dogs traveling from Clifton, Texas, to Wisconsin as part of the latest iHeartDogs Rescue Road Trip with our incredible partners at Bosque Animal Rescue Kennels (BARK).
While the overnight drive is long, it represents something far more important: a fresh start. But for Hazel, getting on that transport van took an entire community.
Hazel Has Quite A Big Story For Such A Little Pup
It all began in Corpus Christi when a breeder surrendered her to a local animal shelter when he couldn’t find a buyer. Like many shelters across Texas, this one was already stretched beyond capacity with more dogs arriving than leaving. Thankfully, Renée from Little Charlotte’s Rescue knew that Hazel deserved another chance.
When Renée learned BARK was preparing its next transport to Wisconsin, she sprang into action. She coordinated volunteers, arranged travel plans, and worked with rescue partners across multiple states to make sure Hazel could join the road trip north.
The first leg of Hazel’s journey happened in the air!
A 17-Year-Old Stepped Up to Help
Bruce Fowler III is only 17 years old, but service to others is already shaping his future. He is currently pursuing appointments to the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
As part of that process, he is seeking a congressional nomination. Despite the demanding application process, Bruce chose to spend part of his time helping a puppy he had never met.
Along with his best friend, Jackson, Bruce volunteered to pilot a small plane to transport Hazel from Arkansas Pass, TX, to the Clifton area, where Alexis from BARK was waiting to pick her up. And her arrival couldn’t have happened soon enough. Within days, it was time for Hazel to board the Rescue Road Trip bus to Wisconsin.
Bruce’s simple act of kindness became one more link in the chain that carried Hazel from an overcrowded Texas shelter toward a brighter future.
Why These Rescue Road Trips Matter
Hazel’s story is one of thousands. Animal shelters across Texas, and many other areas of the United States, continue to face overwhelming overcrowding, with healthy, adoptable dogs waiting for homes that simply aren’t available locally. Meanwhile, rescue organizations and shelters in states like Wisconsin often have both space and families eager to adopt.
That is why BARK’s Rescue Road Trips save lives. By transporting dogs to areas where adoption demand is higher, these dogs have the opportunity to find loving families much more quickly while also creating desperately needed space in Texas shelters for the next animals waiting for help.
Hazel is now traveling alongside 19 other rescue dogs, each with a unique story, and each heading toward the same destination: hope.
Your Support Keeps The Rescue Wheels Turning
Every successful Rescue Road Trip is powered by people who care. It takes shelter advocates who refuse to give up on forgotten dogs. It takes volunteer transporters who donate their skills to drive and fly pets to safer communities. It takes foster families who provide safe places to land. It takes volunteers who give their time to help animals in need.
And it takes compassionate supporters like you.
Your generosity helps fund the fuel, veterinary care, food, supplies, and transportation needed to move dogs from overcrowded Texas shelters to waiting rescues, fosters, and adoptive families in Wisconsin, Colorado, and beyond.
If you’d like to help make future Rescue Road Trips possible, you can shop for the cause or make a donation here.
Want to help rescue dogs every month? Join the Hero VIP Club to provide ongoing support for lifesaving transports, emergency medical care, food, and rescue efforts for dogs who need it most.
Dina Fantegrossi
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