On Saturday, the quiet block outside the Palos Heights Public Library, 12501 S. 71st Ave., was filled with wagging tails, wet noses and wide-eyed smiles as Traveling Tails Dog Rescue hosted an outdoor dog adoption event that brought families and animal lovers together for an afternoon of second chances.
The event was led by Jennifer Fischer, a Palos Heights resident, Shepard High School German teacher and president of Traveling Tails Dog Rescue, who has spent the past six years working to save dogs from abuse, neglect and abandonment. For Fischer, the mission is deeply personal.
“Rescue is truly my passion,” Fischer said, crouching beside Twix, a 4½-month-old cattle dog mix hoping to find a forever home. “There is nothing more rewarding than finding a loving home for a dog in need. The need is great and times are really tough.”
Founded in 2019, Traveling Tails Dog Rescue is a foster-based nonprofit dedicated to finding homes for dogs from across the United States and abroad. While many of the organization’s rescues come from states like Tennessee, West Virginia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, Fischer and her team have also worked with partners in Bahrain, Kosovo, Qatar and Aruba to save animals from dire situations.
“The overseas situation is even more heartbreaking,” Fischer said softly. “These dogs are in direct danger of being shot, poisoned, hit by cars or tortured. That is why we help them.”
International rescue work, however, has become more challenging. In recent years, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ban on importing dogs from 113 countries has made overseas rescues slower and far more expensive.
“We’ve started working with our partner in Qatar again, but it’s very slow going,” Fischer said. “With the new CDC regulations, we can only bring in two or three dogs at a time, and only every few months. But we’re not giving up.”
Saturday’s event showcased five adoptable dogs, each with a story that pulled at the heartstrings of visitors.
Twix and his brother, Snickers, both 4½-month-old cattle dog mixes, drew plenty of smiles with their playful energy. Champ, an 11-month-old shepherd mix rescued from Kosovo, wagged his tail nonstop as families stopped to greet him. Cooper, an 8-month-old Husky mix with piercing eyes, quickly became a crowd favorite. And Rex, a gentle 10-year-old Pomsky surrendered by his previous owner due to allergies, melted hearts with his quiet sweetness.
Families sat cross-legged on the grass to meet the dogs, children giggled as puppies nuzzled their hands, and volunteers shared stories of each animal’s journey.
“This is great to be able to sponsor a local group and all of the amazing work that they do,” Beth Stevens, Head of Circulation at the Palos Heights Public Library, said.
Fischer echoed Stevens’s sentiments by saying that every adoption represents a life that’s saved.
“Thousands of good dogs are being euthanized in shelters around our country daily because no one wants them and they can’t handle being locked 23 hours a day in a kennel,” Fischer said. “It’s absolutely heartbreaking. The dogs who pass through our care are some of the lucky ones.”
Traveling Tails relies entirely on volunteers and foster families to care for its rescues until they’re adopted. Without those fosters, Fischer said, the organization couldn’t continue its work.
“If we have a foster or adopter for a dog, we will help,” she said. “That’s our promise.”
Despite the challenges — from stricter CDC regulations to the overwhelming number of surrendered pets in the U.S. — Fischer and her team refuse to lose hope.
“These animals don’t have a voice,” she said. “We are here to be that voice. Whether they’re from Tennessee or Bahrain, every single one deserves love, safety and a second chance.”
By the end of the afternoon, several adoption applications had been submitted, filling Fischer and her team with renewed energy to keep going.
“Every adoption reminds us why we do this,” she said, glancing around at the families laughing and playing with their potential new companions. “We rescue because we believe in hope. And hope is something every living being deserves.”
For more information on Traveling Tails Dog Rescue or to learn how to adopt, foster or donate, visit [TTDR’s website] or follow them on social media.
bless you for taking care of God’s animals ..you are much needed and there’s so much still that needs to be done to help animals. Thank
you for being a part of that.God bless you! And he will..traveling tails you are a blessing to God ..
We adopted from Traveling Tails last September and Jen and her crew made it a wonderful experience! We now have our amazing pup, Fred, and he’s been the best addition to our family!! So grateful to Traveling Tails for caring and helping save so many loving pups!!
I live in Lansing, MI and was able to adopt the sweetest pup! Once known as Cedar, I gave her the name of Piper where she lives with an older pup, Haven and what a bonded pair they are! Haven is always looking out for her new sister. They travel well together in their double wide car seat and love running around in the back yard. Traveling Tails is remarkable and truly cares about placement. I will refer my friends to them when they are ready for a new pup! Thank you for all you do Jennifer, Pam and others involved.