(lively music) - Hearts 4 Paws saves dogs facing euthanasia by providing foster care, medical treatment, training, and adoption support.

Joe Simmons joins us now with Rosalie to explain how fostering creates life-changing opportunities.

Welcome and thank you for being here.

- Thank you for having us.

- So tell me about Hearts 4 Paws.

Why is there such a need for this here in Utah?

- Because there's so many dogs that get unfortunately surrendered because somebody moves on to a different place where they can't bring their animal or they pass away or they become homeless in some way, shape or form.

And if they end up in a shelter, shelters do a great job, don't get me wrong.

But putting them in a shelter is similar to like a doggy prison a little bit.

It's kind of a cold environment.

And so we try to rescue as many dogs as we can, get them in a loving, warm home so that people can bring the best out of them and then they're just in a foster program until they find their forever home.

- And I hear that it not only changes the lives of the dogs and animals involved, but also the volunteers and people who are on that side as well.

- Yeah, that's how I became the spokesperson for Hearts 4 Paws.

I was initially a foster and we've probably saved just with fostering hundreds of dogs over our time.

Maybe I'm exaggerating, (laughs) but quite a few.

Makes a big impact on us.

It's always hard to see them go when they get adopted, but we know we're doing what's right by them and all the fosters in our organization feel that sense of purpose when they become a foster, for sure.

- Tell me a little bit about your pal here, Rosalie.

- Yeah.

Rosalie is a sweetheart.

She's a Chorkie, so it's a Chihuahua Yorkie mix.

So she has that terrier in her kind of wiry hair, really sweet.

What you see is what you get.

Very much a couch potato.

She's very affectionate.

She's good with everybody, dogs, cats, kids.

And so she's looking for a forever home and would be an amazing companion.

- And you guys host events, what, monthly where people can meet dogs and foster, see if they want to foster them?

- Yeah, once every about every other Saturday.

So twice a month typically.

Sometimes more, sometimes less, just kind of depends on time of year and the weather and stuff.

But yeah, but we can always set up a private meet and greet if people go to our website or give us a call and we can do that as well.

- All right.

I love that.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

If you would like to learn more about Hearts 4 Paws, just head to hearts4paws.org for more details.

I'm Liz Adeola and thank you for watching Contact.

(lively music) Philanthropy, Arts, culture.

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Hi, I'm Liz Adeola, the host of Contact, a show that connects you with local events and organizations that serve your community.

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