Long Beach volunteers at K9 Kismet Dog Rescue have helped place hundreds of furry, four-legged friends in safe, loving and permanent homes, and provided the support needed to keep them there.
K9 Kismet has been a volunteer-run, foster-based dog rescue since 2015. Volunteers work with the local community to provide stability, medical care and second chances for the dogs that need it most, according to the nonprofit’s website.
Its mission is to provide those second chances through rescue, community outreach programs and collaborative shelter initiatives. K9 Kismet. officials say, believes in compassionate rescue, especially for dogs who might be considered less adoptable because of age, health, emotional state or breed.
“Eleven years ago, we were just a small group of people who wanted to help some dogs,” Nici Daniels, executive director of K9 Kismet, said in a written statement. “It’s pretty surreal to look back at everything that’s happened since. We’re incredibly proud of the hundreds of dogs and families we’ve been able to help over the years, but more than anything, we’re grateful.”
Reaching 11 years, Daniels added, is a celebration of every foster, volunteer, adopter, donor, trainer, veterinarian and community partner who has believed in the nonprofit’s mission.
And in recognition of its 11 years in the community and to raise money for its various programs, K9 Kismet will host a fundraising event this weekend, called “Paws, Pours, and Piano Wars.” The evening will include a performance by the Killer Dueling Pianos, food, drinks, and raffles.
“This is our first big party-style fundraiser, so we’re especially excited about it,” Daniels said. “We hope it will be a chance for our longtime supporters to celebrate what we’ve accomplished together, and give us a chance to make some new friends.”
Throughout the years, the nonprofit has changed the way in which it helps, the executive director said. Traditional rescue and foster care are still a huge part of what it does, but now the nonprofit has also created programs focused on keeping pets with the families who already love them and preventing dogs from entering the shelter system in the first place.
K9 Kismet Dog Rescue Director Nici Daniels with Levi, a rescue dog up for adoption, at the local nonprofit’s Long Beach Gives Day event on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, at the Zoom Room. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
The K9 Kismet Dog Rescue pose with one of their rescue dogs up for adoption, Levi, during their Long Beach Gives Day event on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, at the Zoom Room. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
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K9 Kismet Dog Rescue Director Nici Daniels with Levi, a rescue dog up for adoption, at the local nonprofit’s Long Beach Gives Day event on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, at the Zoom Room. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
K9 Kismet has programs that provide pet food, supplies and veterinary care to families facing hardship, helping them keep the pets they love at home, Daniels said. It also works closely with the municipal shelter, Long Beach Animal Care Services, supporting on-campus enrichment and foster efforts, as well as initiatives that give long-stay dogs a better chance at being seen and ultimately adopted.
The nonprofit’s DIESEL Project, for example, supports shelter dogs who struggle in kennel environments, pairing them with professional trainers, and giving them structured guidance to help build their confidence and move forward toward adoption, according to its website.
“The program provides professional training and additional support to LBACS long-stay dogs while also investing in the shelter volunteers who work with them,” Daniels said. “So far, 15 dogs have gone through the program, and all 15 have been adopted. Along the way, shelter volunteers have received hands-on training and practical skills they can use to make a difference for countless other dogs.”
Other programs include the K9 Kismet Amigos Program, which provides lifesaving care for dogs whose families need financial assistance during a medical emergency, and Forever Fosters, which provides homes for dogs with terminal or ongoing medical needs. Through that latter program, the nonprofit covers supplies and veterinary care to ensure comfort and quality of life for the dogs.
Through these various programs, as well as adoptions and fosters, K9 Kismet has helped more than 500 dogs find homes, according to its website.
“For us, growth has never been measured by how big we become as an organization,” Daniels said. “It’s measured by the dogs we’re able to help, the humans we’re able to support and the difference we can make in the community we love.”
This weekend’s fundraiser, meanwhile, will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at the music and event space At the Top, 105 W. Broadway, in downtown Long Beach.
Tickets, which cost $75, are limited and must be purchased in advance. To do so, go to givebutter.com/pawspoursandpianowars.
Proceeds from the event will help K9 Kismet continue its work for dogs in the community, and help provide veterinary care, food and supplies; training and behavioral support; and other resources that support dogs in the community.
“Medical care is one of our biggest expenses,” Daniels said. “We frequently take on senior dogs and dogs with complex medical needs, the ones who are often overlooked at the shelter or harder to place simply because helping them comes with a higher price tag. We help remove that barrier.
“Every donation gives us the ability to say yes more often,” she added. “Yes to the surgery. Yes to the senior dog. Yes to the family trying to keep their beloved pet at home. Yes to the shelter dog who just needs a little more support to get their chance. Community support is what makes those yeses possible.”
If someone is unable to attend Saturday’s event, there are other ways to support K9 Kismet Dog Rescue. Donations and volunteers, for example, are always welcome, Daniels said, but one of the greatest needs right now is foster homes. To learn more about how to become a foster home, visit k9kismet.org.