BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — As 2025 comes to a close, Tri-County Animal Rescue is marking a year defined by volume, urgency, and the kind of cases most people never see.
The nonprofit said it spent the year pulling dogs and cats from backyard breeders, hoarding situations, neglect, abandonment, and imminent euthanasia lists. Many arrived injured or sick. Some were seniors. Others were nursing mothers with newborn litters. All needed immediate help.
Rescue leaders say the work did not slow down as the calendar turned toward December. In the past month alone, the organization took in 63 dogs from locations ranging from the Bahamas to Boca Raton. Another 45 cats were rescued within Palm Beach County. More than 100 animals in a single month.
That pace, they said, has become the norm.
Alongside rescues, the organization pointed to the role of the Lois Pope Pet Clinic, which provides low-cost veterinary care to the community. Thousands of affordable visits over the year helped families keep pets healthy, prevented surrenders, and addressed medical issues before they became crises.
Those services are often the difference between a pet staying in a home or entering the shelter system.
Among the animals rescued in recent weeks is a dog named Waffles.
According to the organization, Waffles spent her life used solely for breeding. She lived confined to a pen, suffering from painful skin and ear infections and left with almost no hair. When she was no longer profitable, she was discarded.
Rescuers say her condition reflects what many breeding dogs endure behind the scenes—animals rarely seen once the puppies are sold.
On the final day of the year, Waffles was placed into safety. The group said she is now warm, receiving medical treatment, and no longer fending for herself.
While the story has a hopeful turn, rescue leaders cautioned that cases like hers will continue into the new year. The demand for intakes remains high, and medical care, transport, and recovery come with ongoing costs.
The organization credited supporters, donors, fosters, and volunteers for making the year’s rescues possible, calling each save a shared effort that stretches from the moment an animal is pulled to the day it finds stability. Please see the Tri-County Animal Rescue website for information on how to donate, volunteer, or sponsor.
As 2026 approaches, Tri-County Animal Rescue says the need is unchanged. The animals keep coming. The work continues.
Source: Tri-County Animal Rescue Facebook post, December 2025
is waffles still needing a home?🥹💗💕
I have been writing to adopt waffles called and emailed for two weeks now I’ve owned smush face pugs bulldogs etc all my life please message me I have been emailing the shelter and called today