About Marin Mutts Dog Rescue
Our Story
Each wagging tail at Marin Mutts has a story to tell. A senior terrier mix, trembling in the corner of a concrete kennel, scheduled for euthanasia after his elderly owner passed away. A mother dog and her puppies, found abandoned in a rural area, hungry but resilient. A shy shepherd mix, overlooked at a busy shelter for months due to his fear of loud noises.
These are the faces that inspired our small rescue's beginning. Marin Mutts Dog Rescue emerged from the recognition that even in affluent Marin County, dogs fall through the cracks of the shelter system. Our small band of dog-lovers couldn't turn away from those pleading eyes.
What began with a single foster home and one anxious shelter dog has evolved into our small but mighty volunteer-run rescue, operating out of our living rooms, garages, and hearts. Though small in size, we're determined in spirit, focusing on quality of care rather than quantity of rescues.
The Dogs We Serve
Every dog that comes through our program has a unique story. There was the three-legged cattle dog who learned to run again after being fitted with a prosthetic, bouncing around his foster home with renewed joy. Or the bonded pair of senior Chihuahuas who trembled whenever separated, now enjoying their golden years together in a loving home.
Some come to us shut down from neglect, their spirits broken but not beyond repair. Others arrive boisterous and untrained, simply victims of circumstances beyond their control. Many bear the physical and emotional scars of their past lives – the healed fracture in a leg, the nervous flinch at sudden movements, the cautious approach to new people.
With patience, veterinary care, and foster homes that understand the language of dogs, we witness remarkable transformations. The fearful dog who wouldn't make eye contact now offers his belly for rubs. The resource-guarder who once growled over food bowls learns that meals will always be provided. The unsocialized puppy becomes a confident companion.
Who We Are
We are a small, close-knit team of dedicated volunteers – regular people with day jobs and families who carve out time because we believe every dog deserves compassion. Our rescue operates without a physical facility, relying instead on a network of foster homes throughout Marin County.
Our team includes:
• Violet Ryder-Smith
• Matthew Ryder-Smith
• Thea Ryder-Smith
As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization, we operate with transparency and fiscal responsibility, ensuring that donations directly benefit the dogs in our care.
What Sets Us Apart
- Individual Attention: As a small rescue, we know each dog in our program by name, personality, and quirks. One volunteer keeps a journal documenting a shy retriever's gradual comfort with eye contact, celebrating each small victory.
- Dog-Centered Approach: We let each dog set the pace for their rehabilitation journey. A terrier mix who arrived fearful of men was placed with a female foster for months before gradually being introduced to male volunteers in controlled, positive settings.
- Matchmaking Focus: We believe successful adoption isn't about finding homes quickly, but finding the right homes. One patient dog waited eight months for the perfect match – a family who understood his need for routine and quiet spaces.
- Forever Support: When a previously confident dog began showing anxiety months after adoption, we connected his family with a behaviorist and covered the consultation fees, preserving a placement that needed just a little extra help.
Our Impact
Though small in size, our impact is measured in transformed lives:
- A senior pit bull, deemed "unadoptable" at his previous shelter, flourishing in a home with children who read to him every night
- A blind dog learning to navigate his world through scent and sound, his confidence growing daily
- A formerly abused dog learning to trust again, his cowering posture gradually replaced with playful bows
Every success story reminds us why our small rescue exists: not to save every dog, but to make a world of difference to each dog we save.
© 2025 Marin Mutts Dog Rescue Inc.
Registered 501(c )(3). EIN: 33-2614290
Email: [email protected]