Pet Angels Rescue

Pet Angels Rescue

A loveable stray at a metro area shelter has a good chance of finding a home. In rural Oklahoma, it’s a different story. Shelters are underfunded and crowded, and many pets never make it out. But Dana Huckaby Puckett, founder and president of Pet Angels Rescue, is on a mission to change that.

Located just north of Edmond, the no-kill shelter focuses on rescuing pets from rural areas. Pet Angels welcomes dogs, cats, even rabbits and horses. Puckett has taken in many litters of puppies, and she has a soft spot for animals with special medical needs. 

At Pet Angels, the pets are vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and treated for any health problems. All the animals live in climate-controlled indoor-outdoor kennels, where they get plenty of love from volunteers. 

“To see them come in the way they do, abandoned and neglected, and then seeing them thrive with just a little love and attention—it’s amazing,” says Tiffany Smith, the secretary of Pet Angels’ Board of Trustees. “I tear up just talking about it.”

Pet Angels has been turning neglected animals’ lives around for almost 20 years. It all started when Puckett decided to foster dogs from the pet store where she worked. She soon expanded to rescuing high-risk animals from shelters. In 2017 Pet Angels opened a brand new adoption center, and last month it held its first-ever charity event, “A Cause for Paws.” (Look for this fun event to repeat next fall.)

Animal lovers who want to get involved have plenty of options. Pet Angels welcomes donations from individuals and organizations. There’s an ongoing need for volunteers, especially adults who can help during the day. 

Smith would also like to see more people work to change state laws that affect animals, including toughening spay and neuter requirements and budgeting funds for animal welfare in rural counties. 

Until that happens, Pet Angels will stay focused on helping pets find loving homes. Their team screens adoption applications carefully to make sure there’s a good match between pets and families. Open adoption days, held three Saturdays per month, are celebrations for staff and visitors alike. 

“People love coming here,” says Smith. “This is a happy place.”

Visit Pet Angels Rescue at petangelsrescue.org or find them on Facebook. Located at 10374 S. Coltrane Rd., Guthrie, OK. Open Wed.-Fri. by appointment. Upcoming adoption days are November 3, 17, and 24.