Five dogs sitting in a row, one in the middle, named Olivia, wears a scarf and a big, toothy grin.
Connie and Carl Fleck love photos like that ? the pictures illustrate why they run Canine Companions Rescue Center out of their home in Independence Township.
‘They touch your heart,? said Connie, who has been rescuing dogs from animal shelters for the past 30 years. ‘That’s why we do it.?
‘It’s the dogs. We love dogs,? Carl said. ‘The feeling you get when a dog goes home with a family with kids and other dogs, and they send you pictures ? that makes it all worthwhile.?
The Flecks, who have three dogs of their own, work with volunteers, animal control agencies across the state, and members of the community.
‘We have 35-40 active volunteers who help with housing animals, adoption shows, and training,? Connie said.
Volunteers provide foster care for dogs until they are adopted, and they also use kennel space in Metamora. They also counsel and educate new dog owners, and train dogs in social skills.
They list dogs on Petfinder.com, show them every Sunday, 12-4 p.m., at Petco in Lake Orion, and attend events such as Pet-A-Palooza, Aug. 1-2 in Auburn Hills.
‘That was a big event ? we adopted out 31 dogs,? Connie said.
They rescued and adopted out about 1,700 dogs so far. Most dogs are adopted within a couple weeks, she said.
‘We try to make it as easy as we can ? we’re accessible by cell phone and email,? she said. ‘We help people find the right dog, one that best fits their lifestyle.?
They work with agencies across the state, including Detroit, Tuscola County, Muskegon, and Gladwin, as well as some in Ohio. Some come from animal-cruelty cases, others were abandoned. When receiving dogs, they keep them for seven days to check for illness, and test them for sociability and temperament.
‘They’re rescue dogs ? we don’t know their backgrounds,? she said.
They usually have to name the animals, recently going through French names, such as Pierre and Jacques, or whatever seems fitting, such as Elvis for a hound dog.
Adopted animals can be returned to the center for full refund within 30 days.
‘We want to give the dogs a chance,? Connie said.
Connie has been a counselor at Clarkston High School for nine years, and Carl is retired from the auto industry. They moved to Independence Township from Oregon 15 years ago.
They started working in dog rescue 30 years ago, when their first dog as husband and wife died.
‘That was very painful,? she said. ‘We decided to help at the local dog rescue in Illinois ? that’s where we’re from.?
They and their daughter volunteered a couple times a week.
‘It was kind of addictive,? Connie said. ‘It’s the most rewarding thing I’ve done, apart from my family.?
They founded the non-profit 501(c)3 corporation in 2004.
‘All of us love dogs,? she said. ‘It’s like a calling, that’s kind of the way we feel about it.?
Adoption fee is $185 for all dogs, puppy or adult, mutt or pure bred.
‘We value all dogs the same,? she said.
Fee includes spay or neuter, vaccinations, and age-appropriate puppy shots. Local vets including Advanced Pet Care and North Oaks Animal Hospital in Independence Township, and Lakeville Animal Clinic and North Oakland Veterinary Association in Oxford, help with costs.
‘They charge fees far below normal,? Connie said. ‘That helps us tremendously.?
Fees are also used to pay transportation costs and charges by animal control agencies.
‘There’s often a fee charged by animal control,? Connie said.
No money goes to employee salaries, she said.
‘We have no paid positions, it’s totally volunteer,? she said. ‘I don’t know how many hours we put into it. It’s a fulltime job for my husband, who’s retired, and fulltime for me during summer.?
For more information, call 248-834-9419, email ccrcdogs@ccrcdogs.com, or check www.ccrcdogs.com.