Murphy
Adopted 2024"He arrived a frightened shadow. Eight weeks of patient foster care later, he was a confident, tail-wagging companion ready for his family."
— Sarah K., Foster
Fullerton, California · Est. 2008
Giving every
animal a second chance.
We rescue abandoned, neglected, and homeless animals — funding the medical care, foster support, and family matching it takes to give every dog a real life.
501(c)(3) · EIN 26-3647040Scroll to explore ↓
Our Mission
Chapter 01
Compassion in action for the animals who have nowhere else to turn.
Founded by a small group of volunteers who refused to look away, Barks of Love has grown into a community of hundreds working to give animals a real second chance. We pull dogs from overcrowded shelters, take in surrenders, and rescue strays — funding veterinary care, behavioral support, and foster placement for every single intake.
We believe rescue is more than rehoming. It is medical care, behavior rehabilitation, family education, and lifelong support. Every adopter joins a community committed to responsible, compassionate guardianship — for the life of the animal.
Mission Statement
Barks of Love Animal Rescue rescues abandoned, neglected, and homeless animals in Southern California and provides each one with the veterinary care, foster housing, behavioral rehabilitation, and family matching required to place them in a permanent, responsible home.
Vision Statement
A Southern California where no healthy or treatable animal is euthanized for lack of space, where adoption is the first choice for every family, and where responsible, informed pet guardianship is the community standard rather than the exception.
Charitable Purpose
We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization (EIN 26-3647040). All donations are used exclusively to advance this mission — veterinary treatment, food and supplies, emergency intake and transport, spay/neuter, foster support, and free community humane education. No donor receives goods or services in exchange for a gift, and no member of our board or leadership receives a salary.
How donations are usedImpact
By the numbers.
Seventeen years of relentless rescue work — made possible by donors, fosters, adopters, and volunteers like you.
01
4,200+
Animals Rescued
02
3,850+
Adoptions Completed
03
320+
Active Foster Homes
04
18,500+
Volunteer Hours / Yr
What we do
Six programs.
One promise.
From the first rescue call to the day a family takes their dog home — every program is designed to honor the entire arc of an animal's life.
Explore programs- 01
Animal Rescue
We pull at-risk dogs from overcrowded municipal shelters, intake owner surrenders, and respond to community calls about strays and neglect — 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
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- 02
Foster Care
Our hand-vetted foster network provides safe, individualized homes where rescued animals decompress, heal, and reveal the personalities that lead to perfect adoption matches.
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- 03
Pet Adoption
Every adoption is a conversation, not a transaction. We match animals to families based on energy, experience, and lifestyle — built to last a lifetime.
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- 04
Medical Rehabilitation
From routine vaccinations to orthopedic surgery and parvo recovery, our partner veterinarians give every rescue the medical care they deserve — no compromises.
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- 05
Community Education
Humane education workshops in schools, scout troops, and community centers teach kids and adults what compassionate, lifelong pet guardianship looks like.
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- 06
Volunteer Program
Hundreds of dedicated volunteers — drivers, fosters, photographers, event captains, fundraisers — make every single rescue possible. There is a role for everyone.
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In the field
"We don't decide who is worth saving. Every life that lands in our care is worth all of it."
— Founding statement, 2008
Happy tails
Success stories.
Luna
Adopted 2024"Surrendered at five years old when her family moved. Luna proved that older dogs adapt beautifully when given the chance."
— The Marquez Family
Shiro
Adopted 2025"Pulled from a hoarding case — undernourished and terrified of touch. Shiro now sleeps in the bed and demands two walks a day."
— Pavel R., Adopter
Trust & transparency
Verified, accredited, accountable.
We are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit publishing audited annual reports, IRS Form 990s, and a public board roster. Every donation is processed through PCI-compliant providers.
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501(c)(3) verified
EIN 26-3647040
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Candid / GuideStar
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Secure giving
PCI-compliant donations
All-volunteer board
No executive payroll
Tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law SSL-secured site & encrypted forms Annual 990 published publicly
Adopters, fosters, partners
In their own words.
4.9 average · 780+ reviews
"We applied for Murphy on a Tuesday and met him in a foster home that Saturday. The team's honesty about his history, his quirks, and his needs made us trust them immediately. Three years in, he's the best dog we've ever had."
Sarah & Michael K.
Adopters · Murphy, 2022
"Our shelter was at capacity and a senior dog was scheduled for euthanasia. Barks of Love had a transport coordinated within four hours. That dog is now in a loving home in Long Beach. That is who they are."
Officer J. Alvarez
Municipal Shelter Partner
Where it goes
Your dollar at work.
As an all-volunteer organization with no facility lease, no executive payroll, and no fundraising agencies, nearly every dollar flows directly to the animals in our care.
- $25Vaccines for one puppy
- $50A full month of premium nutrition
- $100Spay or neuter surgery
- $250Emergency veterinary visit
- $500Life-saving orthopedic care
- $1,000Full rehabilitation: rescue to adoption
Latest updates
Published rescue and impact reports.
Updated monthly with intake numbers, veterinary spend, and adoption outcomes straight from our records. Last updated June 28, 2026.
Rescue Report · June 28, 2026
June rescue report: 41 animals intake, 37 adoptions finalized
Summer surrender season arrived early. Here is exactly where our June intake came from, what it cost to treat, and how many animals went home.
Read reportImpact Report · May 15, 2026
Spring 2026 impact report: where every donated dollar went
A line-by-line look at the first quarter of 2026 — intake, medical costs, adoption outcomes, and our 92/6/2 allocation of donated funds.
Read reportCommunity · April 11, 2026
Free vaccine and microchip clinic served 214 pets in Fullerton
Our largest community clinic to date delivered free core vaccines, microchips, and spay/neuter vouchers to families across north Orange County.
Read report