Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Samantha Anderson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Samantha, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

North Texas Australian Shepherd Rescue was born out of seeing brokenness inside of the rescue community. I knew that I could do things differently and save more lives if I was willing to put in the work, connect with the people who were passionate about animals, and not be willing to compromise integrity for glory.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up as an animal lover in small town Southeast Missouri where corn, soybeans, cotton, and cows take up more land than actual people. My first job was on a local dairy farm where everyday after school I was in charge of getting fresh milk to the calves and ensuring that their area was clean for the evening. In the early summer of 2016 I came to DFW for my now husband who is a native Texan. I got my start in the rescue community through a group of women who were taking on a city government because of the condition of their animal shelter and the quality of care the animals were receiving.

The deeper I got into animal advocacy work, the more I started to see just how bad things had gotten in the state of Texas and the lack of education revolving around the problem.

Fast forward to Summer of 2016 and I was introduced to the Australian Shepherd. To say that it was love at first sight is an understatement. It was in that moment that I knew my future would include one of these beautiful dogs.

Did I do research to know what I would be getting myself into… NO! Was I willing and able to do the work to ensure that any animal I brought home would be given the absolute best life I could provide… YES!

My husband and I struggled when we brought Hadley home at the beginning of 2017, but the thought of her ever ending up in a shelter was the thing that moved the needle for me. I spent a few years learning about the breed, working with other people in rescue to learn proper ways of training them, finding the best ways to bring awareness to our community members about the animal overpopulation crisis in Texas, building relationships with other organizations that are passionate about animal welfare, and in December of 2020, North Texas Australian Shepherd Rescue was born.

The Mission of NTASR is to Rescue, Rehabilitate, and Rehome Australian Shepherds in North Texas and surrounding areas. Since 2020 we have saved over 2,000 animals from being euthanized in local shelters, placed 1,200 animals into their forever homes, and networked over 10,000 animals that have been transferred to our partner rescues across the country.

It’s my goal to bring awareness to lack of animal welfare legislation, guide communities to resources available to deter more animals from ending up in shelters, shed light on puppy mills and offer education about the unethical breeding of Double Merle puppies.

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

We have really tried to stretch all of the dollars as far as we could, but the reality is, if you are making money in rescue you’re probably doing something wrong. There have been stretches of time where we didn’t have money in the bank to pay vet bills and as the President I would take my paycheck and that would be the money we would have to run on until there was enough in our account again.

For example, we’ll take Anne Marie. Anne Marie had over $7,000.00 in medical expenses yet her adoption fee was still only $350.00. That $6,600.00 difference had to come from adoption fees, corporate giving programs, and supporter donations.

In rescue it’s feast for a season and famine for the next, you just never know when the next big medical case will happen or when a benefactor will make a substantial donation. We have come close to closing our doors a few different times, but when push comes to shove animal lovers have always stepped up to help keep the doors open and the rescue going.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

My strong determination and unyielding attitude have been crucial in helping me achieve success in animal rescue work.

In Animal Rescue everyone has an opinion and you have to have thick skin, a true desire to help animals, and a willingness to be the villain in the eyes of people who aren’t trying to solve the problem at hand.

More times than not, I have had to completly shut out the noise to find a path forward that would be the best outcome for the animal. It’s not always going to be the popular thing, but I’ll always do the right thing to ensure the animal in my care receives the absolute best chance at a healthy and long life in their forever home.

Have I gotten it wrong? Yes!
Have I regretted a decision? Yes!
Have a second guessed myself? Yes!

I’m certainly not perfect, but I will show up and do the work that is needed to make a change that is impactful and lasting in my community.

I’ve also been very lucky to have what I consider to be the very best administrative team. Each member on the team brings with them passion, willingness to learn, and a true desire to see meaningful change happen.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ntxaussierescue.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ntxaussie/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NorthTXAussieRescue