Annual 'All Heart Pet Rescue Walk-a-thon'

Annual 'All Heart Pet Rescue Walk-a-thon' A North Bay pet rescue group says September is a busy time of year, seeing an influx of surrendered animals. Brittany Bortolon reports.

On September 7, All Heart Pet Rescue held its annual walk-a –thon in North Bay to raise donations for all the animals it takes in.

The shelter says over the last 25 years it has helped over 2000 dogs find loving homes.

All Heart Pet Rescue says surrenders hit a peak in the summer because most people move away or plan for vacation.

Shelter owners say when an animal is surrendered, it can take a toll on their personality, but in the right home, the outcome could turn out positive.

"It's all about patience, it's all about time, it's about persistence, it's about not giving up," said Kathy Jeanneault, All Heart Pet Rescue.

Kari Van Mierlo adopted her dog Nuka from All Heart five years ago.

She says the transformation from how feral she was in her early days is unrecognizable today.

"She was possessive of her food and the water dish and stuff like that. She was a tiny bit dog aggressive, so she's really come a long way," said Mierlo.

"It's the best feeling…  I can't even describe it. To see the success and feel the love… it's the best feeling," said Jeanneault.

If you plan on rescuing a dog from All Heart, they have a unique way of matching the pet to the perfect home.

"You come to me, you tell me what you want, what you have at your home, and I may have 30 dogs at the time, and I will direct you to two that will fit you situation," said Jeanneault.

All Heart Pet Rescue has been taking in animals for over 25 years.