San Diego’s
Scrappiest
Dog Rescue
The Animal Pad (TAP) is a San Diego-based, all-breed, all-need dog rescue. We pull dogs from risky situations in SoCal and beyond, and off the streets of Mexico, get them healthy, get them loved, and find the right furever home. Not the fastest applicant. The right one.
We’re 100% donation powered. Fueled by compassion. All heart and some mild profanity.
We started in 2010 because someone had to.
Millions of dogs are euthanized in U.S. shelters every year. The streets of Baja California are full of dogs who've never known a couch, a name, or a person who actually showed up for them.
We saw it. We couldn't unsee it. So we built a rescue network across the border, trained a team of
volunteers who treat this like the second job they never get paid for, and haven't really stopped since
We're not a shelter. We're a foster-based family which means every TAP dog lives in a real home while they wait for their forever one.
Our mission is to form a safe space for dogs experiencing crisis and neglect, and to build a community of compassion through education, rescue, rehabilitation, and adoption. Our community of volunteers and fosters strives to ensure that all dogs get a fighting chance, and believes that no case is too extreme to be helped, meaning our rescue is full of perfectly imperfect dogs who can’t wait to meet you.
By the Numbers
10,094
10,094 dogs saved since we started
1,982
We spayed + neutered 1,982 animals at our free Baja pop-up clinics in the past year.
350
volunteers powering our mission (and handling the not-so-glamorous stuff 💩)
100+
active foster homes saving lives… and occasionally sacrificing a shoe or two.
Foster-Based. Vet Cleared. Ridiculously Thorough.
Every dog we rescue gets vetted - vaccines, spay/neuter, microchip, medical clearance - before they ever meet an adopter. We spend the money needed to get each dog healthy without blinking, because that's just what you do.
Then they go to a foster home with a human who texts us updates and sends us pictures and it’s never too much. And when the dog is ready, we match them with the right family who is obsessed with them.
Join the Pack
TAP runs entirely on volunteer hours, foster homes, donor dollars, and the occasional person who shows up with a trunk full of dog food and no explanation. Every rescue, every vet visit, every happy adoption is the TAP Pack doing its thing.
We're always looking for more - more fosters, more funding, and more people who want to do something real about the dogs still waiting. If you've got a skill, a connection, or just a lot of love to give, there's a place for you here.
Dog People Start Young
TAP offers two programs, that get kids hands-on with rescue dogs - building empathy, learning animal safety, and honestly just having a great time. Led by Missy Christenson, a TAP volunteer of 6 years with a masters in education counseling.
Camp Tappy Tails
A week-long camp for dog-loving kids entering grades 1-6 in fall 2026. They’ll learn about rescue, dog behavior, and safety - plus make toys and treats, do dog-themed crafts, and read to the kennel dogs.
Questions? Email Miss directly at Mlw.theanimalpad@gmail.com
Party with the pups
Got a dog-obsessed kid with a birthday coming up? TAP is the venue. Two hours of hands-on dog activities, decorations included. Way better than a bounce house.
Good Dogs are Made.
Not Born.
Here are the tools we trust for new fosters, fresh adopters, and anyone whose dog just ate the couch.
Online training ResourcesA variety of free and paid educational resources for all types of training needs across videos, webinars, and courses.
Local in-person trainersA list of in-person training support in San Diego, CA.
Non-Local in-person TrainersVirtual/Remote trainers & out of San Diego. Access individual, specialized training from anywhere in the world!
Upcoming Events
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Bilbo's 4th Birthday Bash
May 19th
4:00PM - 8:00PM
Pizzabilities Santee
9420 Cuyamaca St #100
Santee, CA 92071 -
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Speed Dating with DateNight AI
May 19th
6:00-7:00PM
Online -
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Paws for the Cause
May 30th
1:00 - 4:00PM
ABC Veterinary Hospital Pacific Beach
2032 Hornblend Street,
San Diego, California 92109 -
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Pups & Padres Fundraiser & Adoption
May 31st
10:00AM - 1:00PM
PB Shore Club
4343 Ocean Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92109 -
![Illustration of a small, white dog with large ears, pink inside ears, and green eyes, standing on black background.]()
Camp Tappy Tails Week 1
July 6th-10th
10:00am - 2:00pm
TAP HQ
4620 Avocado Blvd,
La Mesa San Diego -
![Cartoon illustration of a pink pet food bowl filled with white kibble.]()
Camp Tappy Tails Week 2
July 13th - 17th
10:00am - 2:00pm
TAP HQ
4620 Avocado Blvd,
La Mesa San Diego -
![Cartoon illustration of a dog wearing red sunglasses, with a white body, green tail, ears, and legs, and black spots on its back.]()
Camp Tappy Tails Week 3
July 20th - 24th
10:00am - 2:00pm
TAP HQ
4620 Avocado Blvd,
La Mesa San Diego -
![An orange dog collar with a green heart-shaped tag hanging from it.]()
Camp Tappy Tails Week 4
July 27th - 31st
10:00am - 2:00pm
TAP HQ
4620 Avocado Blvd,
La Mesa San Diego
