Story and photos by Doug Petrowski

Much to her parents’ dismay, Brier resident Diane Swanberg had a big heart when it came to animals. “I was always the kid who brought dogs home with me,” she reminisces. “That didn’t go over too well.”

Now, as an adult, Swanberg is still bringing dogs home.

Swanberg, along with her friend Lissa Payne, run Forever Home Dog Rescue, a new non-profit organization that places abandoned and unwanted dogs with pet lovers.

Swanberg had been involved with another Seattle dog rescue organization before deciding to branch off on her own. She brings plenty of experience and personal contacts with her as she launches Forever Home Dog Rescue.

“When our friends heard we were starting a dog rescue, they were very supportive and jumped in to help,” Swanberg said.

At the group’s first dog adoption event earlier this month, half a dozen volunteers joined Swanberg at Pet Adventure in Mountlake Terrace to share their vision, accept donations and show off a few dogs available for adoption.

The dogs included Sophie, a two-year-old Aussie/Basset mix that was born blind and deaf. She was seen at the event playing with and snuggling up to Righty, a larger mixed breed. Also at the event was Missy, a miniature Pinscher that arrived at Forever Home Dog Rescue just four days previously.

One of the volunteers for the organization is Diane’s own husband, Barry, who may have been the catalyst for Diane’s initial interest in dog rescue. “When we were empty-nesters, we considered being foster parents,” Diane reports. “Then Barry took me to a dog adoption event, and we were hooked.”

As Forever Home Dog Rescue takes in dogs for adoption, they first go to volunteer foster homes. With their limited number of volunteers, the Swanbergs themselves end up fostering some of the dogs that are waiting for adoption. They even formally adopted one of the dogs they were caring for — Duke, a five-year-old Pomeranian mix.

The Swanbergs currently have six dogs: two of their own and four in foster care, in their home.

Forever Home Dog Rescue plans on conducting dog adoption events monthly at Pet Adventure in Mountlake Terrace, in addition to other pet stores around Snohomish County.

You can find more information here on the organization, how you can support them or how to foster or adopt one of their dogs.