Downtown Dog Rescue began in 1996 with one man, Benny Joseph, and his dogs. Living on Skid Row, Benny loved his dogs deeply, but like many people experiencing poverty and housing instability, he faced barriers to accessing veterinary care and other resources. Helping Benny meant helping his dogs. That simple realization would shape the future of Downtown Dog Rescue.
As we worked alongside more families, we saw a pattern. Many pets were not suffering because they were unloved. They were suffering because the people who loved them could not access affordable veterinary care, transportation, pet food, or other basic resources.
Over time, Downtown Dog Rescue expanded its work from helping individual pets and families in crisis to building programs that address the barriers preventing people from accessing veterinary care and keeping their pets.
Today, Downtown Dog Rescue operates a community veterinary clinic in Maywood. It provides spay-and-neuter services, vaccinations, wellness care, microchipping, adoption services, pet food support, and community outreach throughout South East and South Central Los Angeles.
We believe access to veterinary care should not depend on income or circumstance. Through our pay-what-you-can model, partnerships with veterinary professionals, and support from donors and community partners, we are building a lasting community resource in an area where access to veterinary care is often limited.
Thirty years later, the lesson Benny taught us remains the same: when we help people, we help their pets. When we help pets, we help families.
