Imagine yourself in crisis, and forced to seek emergency housing. Circumstances like domestic violence, medical emergencies, and addiction can contribute to this need. But against all odds, you find a safe place willing to take you in. Sadly, your beloved pet is not allowed to come with you. What do you do?
Harmony Dog Rescue has been quietly making an impact on both human and canine lives as it works to create a solution to such a dilemma. This nonprofit, dedicated solely to providing emergency boarding for dogs in crisis, is filling a critical gap in the community. Their mission? To ensure that no one has to surrender their beloved pet due to unforeseen emergencies.
Founded by Tim Lydon and his partner, Molly McAleer, this organization serves the greater Pittsburgh area, including the seven counties surrounding Allegheny. Unlike other shelters, they focus on temporary foster care, aiming to reunite pets with their owners once a crisis has passed.
Lydon and McAleer understand that life is messy and that emergencies don't adhere to a strict timeline. While their official contract offers 40 days of boarding, they often extend this period because, as Lydon tells Pittsburgh City Paper, "Very few things are just black and white." This flexibility is crucial for people trying to get back on their feet.
They currently operate Harmony out of their Wilkinsburg home, where they can only take in two to three dogs — the pair credit their foster volunteers as the "lifeblood" of the organization. So far, they have received weekly applications from people looking to temporarily open their homes to a pup or two.
"I just think people see how important it is, what we're doing because everyone knows someone who had to go to rehab or had to leave a difficult situation … and that shouldn't be the reason why you lose your dog,” says Lydon.
One of the most compelling aspects of their work is the community they've built. With nearly 30 volunteers and counting, they operate almost like dispatchers, connecting dogs in need with foster homes. Their volunteers come from all walks of life, united by a shared love for animals and a commitment to the mission. As Lydon puts it, "Dogs transcend a lot of hatred and division in society."
Years ago, Lydon discovered he was destined to care for animals in some capacity while working on a 40-acre dog sanctuary in Ireland. "That was the first person I ever met who dedicated her life to dogs. And for me, that wasn't strange," Lydon recalls, "I was like, oh, this could be me. If I ever get land, this is my life 100%, so I kind of gravitated toward dog rescue."
Lydon became aware of emergency boarding services while working at a local animal shelter. The shelter offered an emergency boarding program and received calls a few times a month from people who needed help but didn't want to surrender their dogs. Due to a lack of space or capacity, Lydon saw too many people being turned away. That's when, Lydon says, "A kind of light bulb went off," and he and McAleer decided to start Harmony.
However, the journey has been challenging. The demand for this service can be overwhelming, forcing Lydon and McAleer to turn people away due to limited resources.
"We could clone ourselves two or three times and still not meet every request,” says Lydon. “We get calls and texts every single day. We knew we were filling a gap, but we didn't realize how enormous this gap was."
The work has also opened their eyes to broader issues affecting the community. Research shows that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise in the country’s unhoused population and an increase in domestic violence, and the need for Harmony’s services has never been greater.
Lydon and McAleer eventually want Harmony to follow a structure similar to Light of Life Rescue Mission, which offers an aftercare program to people once they've left the shelter. Lydon thinks it would be beneficial to provide a check-in service once the dogs are reunited with their humans to ensure everyone's needs are being met.
Despite the hurdles, the organization remains steadfast in its expressed mission of working “to ensure dogs are not left behind in dangerous situations, prevent them from being surrendered to shelters, and ultimately reunite them with their people." They are continually seeking more foster homes, but also need other types of volunteers and donations of supplies like dog crates, food, and leashes. Every bit helps ensure that pets and their owners can stay together, even in the most challenging times.
"What we say is, everyone's good at something. Some people are good at social media, cooking, whatever it may be." Lydon continues, "[If] you believe in our mission, just reach out, and whatever you're good at, we'll find a way to incorporate that."
