There are only a few good reasons to set an alarm for 3 a.m. and helping save 53 dogs is definitely one of them. In September, we partnered with CASA Transport and Ollie Dog Food to do just that. Together, we helped transport dogs from overcrowded shelters in Tennessee to partner rescues in Illinois to increase their chances for adoption. A journey the CASA team makes every single week!
The transport is only the outcome, countless hours of planning, coordination, and hard work go into making it a reality.
CASA’s President, Laura, and Outreach Director, Brittnie, devote countless hours to partnering with shelters and rescue organizations to coordinate safe journeys for dogs traveling north in search of new homes. They work tirelessly to respond to calls for help, whether it’s relocating animals facing low adoption prospects or medical challenges. The dogs on these transports come from a variety of backgrounds, some are rescued from local shelters, while others are surrendered by breeders once they’re no longer able to have puppies. They hear a lot of sad stories and see suffering first hand- what keeps them going is knowing that the best part for these dogs is yet to come.
Health Certificate Day
The day before transport, the Mutt Dog & Ollie teams lent a hand at the CASA Clinic to make sure every dog on the journey received a clean bill of health from a veterinarian. Health Certificates, paperwork, and final clearances are all essential steps to ensure each pup is ready to travel. Getting 53 dogs examined in one afternoon is no small feat but the CASA team runs like a well-oiled machine; with the added support of a veterinarian from the Ollie team, every dog was fed, walked, watered, and fully vetted within just two hours. None of it would have been possible without their incredible volunteers. If you can believe it, CASA has no full-time employees, just a passionate, dedicated team doing this work purely for the love of it.
One of the most exciting things about Health Certificate Day was getting to meet every single animal who would be riding along on the transport to Illinois. Of the 53 dogs (and 4 kittens!) who made the journey, 28 were Chiweenies who had been rescued just that week from a hoarding case outside of Nashville. They were in heartbreaking condition, overgrown nails, emaciated bodies, eye problems, and clear signs of long-term neglect. Despite everything they’d been through, they just wanted to be held. They kissed our faces and wagged their tails nervously while we cleaned their crates, held them for evaluation, and walked them in the yard.
I like to think they knew they were headed somewhere good.
Transport Day
Before we knew it, the day had come. We were up before dawn, walking dogs, cleaning crates, and loading vans. It’s far from glamorous, but rescue work doesn’t always look heroic. Sometimes it’s early mornings, dog poop, cold air, and coffee in one hand while you clip leashes with the other. But every small action adds up.
That morning, we loaded two vans- one made complete with the 28 Chiweenies we met the day before. In most hoarding cases, shelters and rescues have to take the dogs in small batches because there are simply too many at once. But transport organizations like CASA can take them all in one trip, transporting them safely to multiple partner organizations who are ready to give them the care they deserve.
Once the vans were all packed and rolling, the stillness of the early morning gave way to the rhythm of the drive. Fifty-three dogs, each with a different story, were tucked safely in their crates. For four hours, the convoy moved north, a quiet caravan of hope. Every mile brought these dogs closer to open arms, soft beds, and loving homes. And for us, it was a vivid reminder of why rescue transport matters: because geography should never be the reason a dog doesn’t find a family.
The Hand-Off
Our destination wasn’t a rescue center or a shelter, it was an AMC movie theater parking lot in Illinois. Because like Nicole Kidman says, that’s where the magic happens. Shelter teams were already waiting when the vans arrived. One by one, crates were unloaded, leashes were handed over, and 53 dogs stepped out to meet the next part of their journey.There were tears, wagging tails, and the kind of quiet joy that only happens when you know you’ve changed something real.
CASA Transport is Changing Lives... and you can help too!
The Mutt Dog has partnered with Nashville-based Eric & Jessie Decker and their brand, Kittenish, to continue to support CASA, beyond the transport. When you rep our Country Soul, Rescue Goal collection, we will continue to send 50% of proceeds back to support their life-changing rescue work.
Since its founding, CASA Transport has helped save more than 11,000 animals (dogs, cats, and even chickens or geckos!). They do it not for recognition, but because it needs to be done. They’re a special breed of human who will do whatever it takes to change a life- and believe us, it takes A LOT. It’s not just the long hours, hard work, and sometimes dangerous circumstances, but also the emotional weight of carrying these animals' futures.
We’re endlessly grateful to CASA Transport for letting us join their mission, and to Ollie Dog Food and Eric & Jessie Decker for partnering with Mutt Fund to make it happen. But most of all, we’re grateful for the 53 dogs who reminded us that love and second chances are always worth the early wake-up call.