Who we are

Lilac City Pup Project started as an idea in March of 2025 by a group of volunteers actively involved with dog rescues in the Spokane, Washington area. Our founders observed firsthand the overwhelming need for programs that help alleviate overcrowding in local shelters by transferring vulnerable dogs (like pregnant dogs and young pups) to foster homes.

It is no surprise that animal welfare agencies across the country are straining to provide care for the animals they intake. According to Shelter Animals Count’s 2024 Annual Report, 2.9 million dogs entered the shelter system last year, adding to the many already in their care. Two million dogs were adopted, with 27% of adoptions performed by rescues. Sadly, over 334,000 dogs were euthanized for a variety of reasons including health issues, behavioral concerns, or not having the personnel to care for them (often the case with pregnant dogs or young puppies). Alaska, California, Oregon, and Washington combined have 1,711 rescues and 440 shelters serving an estimated total human population of fifty-two million. These states also have some of the highest rates of human and dog homelessness in the nation. Rescues are a vital component in saving the lives of dogs and completing families through adoption, and our region needs more rescues to meet the substantial need.

Research showed that while there are many dedicated groups saving dogs once they end up in shelters, there was an urgent need to prevent dogs from ending up in shelters in the first place.  When we came together to form Lilac City Pup Project (LCPP), we decided to expand our focus beyond rescue to address the reasons dogs are surrendered or abandoned. We identified areas where we knew we had the aggregate skills to make an impact by building successful and enduring human/canine relationships. This involves preparing puppies to live in homes by giving them the life skills and socialization needed to thrive in our communities. It also includes training support for our adopters and working with community partners to fund spay and neuter surgeries for pets.

LCPP’s goal and exempt purpose is to rehome vulnerable dogs and keep others from ending up in shelters in the first place. We strive to better the lives of these dogs through rescue, foster, and adoption services; provide education and training to dog owners and empower them to build successful human/canine relationships; and support the community through partnerships helping owners retain their dogs through behavioral and medical intervention.