“Saved Me” is not only the name for a small shelter on Third and Poplar streets in Northern Liberties, but also a large inspiring motto for people who are not indifferent to animals’ life.

“Adopting a dog or cat you are saving their life and giving them a chance they would not have,” said Dr. Jacqueline Opalo, a veterinarian who works at Pet Mechanic. “We welcome all injured or sick dogs and cats here to give them the best services and help they need.”

“Saved Me” is non-profit organization that has existed for three years and saved many dogs and cats lives from being euthanized at the Animal Control (ACCT) and other city’s animal shelters due to a limit of space. This organization provides all the dogs needs from food and medical care to a healthy environment and ready to play volunteers. “Saved Me” takes care of their animals 24/7 and provides high-quality animal services helping them to find their new home.

Unfortunately, very often dogs become victims of people’s abuse or get lost running in the hot sunny day and become stray or simply being abandoned. Then Animal Control (ACCT) takes their turn and returns lost dogs to their owners and determines the fortune of abandoned and abused animals.

“We help all dogs and cats with different conditions, who need medical help and quite often the city shelters can’t afford to perform difficult surgeries, so we step in”, said the Executive Director of “Saved Me”, Ray Little. “One of our favorite and loved dogs is Olivia, a one-year-old husky-mix, who is disabled, having only 3 legs.”

Olivia, was found astray in December 2015 by the ACCT with a left-leg injury in her hind limb, according to ACCT rescue crew.

“This dog was in pain, the leg was swollen; it seemed she was hit by a car or other accident. The leg wasn’t fixable and the best decision doctor came to is to remove the leg”, said Little. We had many cases like that, when animals being neglected needed a surgery or medical assistance, we helped them.

“Saved Me” successfully partners with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Animal Control (ACCT) and other shelters, including the veterinary wellness center “Pet Mechanic” to rescue as many dogs lives as possible and enrich the quality of life of abused, abandoned and neglected pets.

“Kennel situations are very stressful for dogs: some dogs handle it well, some do not, other dogs settling more quickly, older dogs tend to have more problems settling into this environment, said Bernardett, volunteer and the board member of “Saved Me” shelter. “We just try to gauge that extra and what kind of attention they need, before they will be adopted.”

“Saved Me” is open for any type of donation whether its food, money, medical or cleaning supplies. Their volunteers are a great resource for the shelter that keeps the Saved Me mission on going. For now there are 100 volunteers involved in this process.

“What we do here: we rescue animals as they come here after being abused, skinny and sick. We guide them to help, we work with them, feed them, treat them, groom them to prepare for adoption”, said David Bresin, “Saved Me” employee. “When people come to adopt them, animals have changed and it is hard to recognize them.”

‘Sugar’ after nine weeks had given birth to her puppies

Animal shelter “Saved Me” not only saves dog’s and cat’s lives through adoption, they also have a great social volunteer program “come to play and walk the animal” that is available for public.

“This is a mutual benefit for both: it helps dogs to be more social and adaptive to people and all the love and emotions volunteers can get from pet-friends”, said Little.

Being number one in the community with 1008 adoptions just in 2015 “Saved Me” continues to grow and actively engages the public to the lives saving process.