A little dog named Rufus not only changed the life of his owner Rande Levine, but the lives of countless other dogs as well.
Inspiration is one way you can describe it. Or maybe purpose. But however it's defined, Rufus helped Levine, 39, make the world a better place. This dog and his soulful eyes reminded Levine of how many other dogs were out there, just waiting for their happy endings. After much planning and thought, Levine founded the Los Angeles-based Karma Rescue in 2003.
"When Karma Rescue began, we realized it really was about karma, and the great feeling one gets when a homeless dog finds its safe and loving home," she said.
Levine explained that she took this leap in order to help death-row dogs get a second chance and the ability to teach the world their compassionate lessons. Many of the dogs in shelters, especially in Los Angeles, are larger, older and often part or full "bully breed" like pit bulls. None of this adds up for easy adoption, or for encouraging people to look for their next pet at the local shelter.
Karma changes that. Rescue volunteers pull dogs out of shelters at the 11th hour, no matter their appearance or pedigree. Most of the dogs are larger breeds and (about 95 percent) are taken from the Los Angeles shelter system. Karma rehabilitates the dog, teaches him manners, helps defray the public's misconception of certain breeds, deals with ignorance regarding spaying and neutering, seeks the perfect forever home for the dog and never, ever gives up hope or gives up on the dog. Levine and her volunteers do this day in and day out, immersing themselves in an environment that would be quick to destroy even the strongest of us out there.
What keeps Karma from crumbling under the strain of it all?
A purpose.
"Until the 8 million animals a year getting put to sleep drop to zero, we will have work to do," said Levine. "Until people all spay and neuter their animals, and backyard breeders end. Until all the abuse ends. This is what keeps us all going."
Hundreds of dogs are euthanized each week in the Los Angeles shelter system, and many are perfectly adoptable. Overcrowding, combined with breed misconceptions, make it tough.
"The problem is that people get these dogs for the wrong reasons and have no clue on how to raise them," Levine said. "People do not know how to treat or understand the breed they have. The pit bull, or bully breeds, are just that: bullies, they have strong willpower. These dogs need rules, they need exercise, they need to know leadership, and they need affection.
"People adopt these breeds because they are the cutest puppies in the world, but they turn out to be big dogs with strong personalities. [Yet] they are very simple, too. If you give them what they need, they are the happiest dogs in the world, the most gentle, and the most loyal and balanced. They are excellent learners; they just need the direction. And if you don't give it to them, they will take their own direction."
Karma tries to annihilate the myths surrounding these dogs, while spending much effort to find perfect matches between their rescues and potential adoptive families.
"We rescue them to place them in the right homes that can provide them with the direction, boundaries, understanding their needs," said Levine. "We set them up for success, so that people hopefully one day will see [these dogs] in a different light."
As does Karma. From the joy of seeing a death-row dog now romping with his loving family, to falling in love with one themselves and taking him home to their pack, Levine, a Los Angeles-based senior media buyer, does what so many others only talk about doing: make a difference.
Tune in tomorrow for a Q-&-A with Rande Levine.
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