Meet our Volunteers | Pug Partners of Nebraska

Kristi

President|Board Member|Treasurer|Adoption Coordinator

My husband and I fell in love with pugs in 1992 with our first pug Bubba.

A few years after Bubba, we started searching for a pug to join our extended family and came across a breeder who turned out to be a horrible puppy mill living in a kennel without proper veterinary care. The last pug on the property quickly came home with us where we gave her vet care, TLC, and found her a perfect home.

I began volunteering with Pug Partners in 2009 by helping at an event. I volunteered to take home a pug that had been at the vet awaiting a foster home. Bubby never left and we had 10 great years until his passing in 2019. Since that time, I have made it my mission and passion to help pugs in need. Starting with Pug Partners in 2009 as a volunteer, Adoption Coordinator in 2011, President in 2016, and Treasurer in 2018 has been nothing but a blessing. I have been given the privilege to lead Pug Partners in a quest to help as many pugs as possible. I am very proud of this rescue and its many dedicated volunteers that I not only call volunteers but friends/family. To be owned by a pug is a privilege and that is why do our absolute best in selecting new homes for pugs in need.

Get in Touch

Terra

Vice President|Chairwoman of the Board|Foster Coordinator|Intake Coordinator|Media Coordinator

I’ve been working with Pug Partners as a foster and volunteer since 2010. I fell in love with pugs at a young age and vowed as soon as I was on my own I would get that Pug I had always yearned for.

I’ve been working with Pug Partners as a foster and volunteer since 2010. I fell in love with pugs at a young age and vowed as soon as I was on my own I would get that Pug I had always yearned for. Rocky is the first Pug to own me and he only deepened my love for the breed. In 2010 I volunteered to foster my first puppy mill survivor, Zoe whom was quickly a foster failure and the rest was history. I have since gone onto become the volunteer coordinator, foster coordinator and intake coordinator and also serve on the Board of Directors for Pug Partners. I attribute everything to Zoe, who opened my eyes to a whole new world and helped me find my purpose.

Each day in rescue can be truly trying, but thankfully we have an amazing group of volunteers and we all stick close together and go on to conquer each day and embrace the next. I look forward to being a part of Pug Partners for years to come!

Get in Touch

Kim

Board Member|Medical Coordinator

I've been with Pug Partners since 2010, starting as a foster. I stumbled upon Pug Partners' Facebook page one day, found they were in need of help, so I offered, and the rest was history.

I've been with Pug Partners since 2010, starting as a foster. I stumbled upon Pug Partners' Facebook page one day, found they were in need of help, so I offered, and the rest was history. My very first foster was a puppy mill pug and I knew from that point on, that I was going to make it my personal mission to help as many pugs as I can in anyway possible.

I became the Medical Coordinator in 2017 because the health and well-being of our pugs are important to me. In addition to the medical component, I love to help our pugs as many ways as possible. I am excited to be a part of Pug Partners! It is extremely rewarding!

Get in Touch

Kelly

Board Member|Webmaster

I married into my first pug, Izzy, who is such a lovable girl that I decided to help other pugs in need as a volunteer. As a foster pug mom and a board member, I love to help every pug find their forever home.

Get in Touch

Larry

Secretary

I live in Lincoln with my wife LuAnn and our dogs and cats. I work at UNL in the libraries and LuAnn is an RN. Both LuAnn and I help in other areas (events, transportation, etc.), when our schedules allow, as needed.

I first fell in love with pugs in June 2007. After the death of one of our Pekingese (she was hit by a car), we were looking for another Pekingese and came across a pug. Although we did not get that particular pug, I was smitten by the look of the pug and we ended up getting Bandit (a PekePug) who was 10 weeks old at the time. I became totally enamored with Pugs at that point and Bandit became totally spoiled. My wife, LuAnn, grew up with a pug and was already a fan of the breed.

We started the Lincoln Pug Club in June 2008 (and joined the Omaha Pug Club as well). We now have a second pug, Adrienne, who we got from Pug Partners and a corgi mix (Molly) plus 2 cats.

We became involved with Pug Partners, having met many of the Pug Partners people at the Omaha Pug Club meetings, in January 2010 when we fostered our first pug for Pug Partners. We have become more involved over the years, leading to my current position. Both LuAnn and I really enjoy working with Pug Partners and all the dedicated volunteers who have helped Pug Partners save so many pugs!

Get in Touch

Andy

Volunteer Coordinator

In 2012 I began looking for my first dog. I had developed a love for Pugs since I had a good friend who had one and their mentality and behavior fit me so well. That search for a pug led me to my pug Grace who was 5 months old when I rescued her from a puppy mill in Kansas.

During this search I had gone and looked at another breed of dog and found the living conditions at this house to be horrible. There were hundreds of dogs in a double wide trailer. Shortly after rescuing Grace I also found out that my former neighbor a few doors down was a Co-owner of a pet store and involved with Pug Partners. As I began frequenting her store and learning more about PPN and Puppy Mills it reminded me of the home I visited in my search. It was at that time I decided I wanted to dedicate some of my time to helping the cause for these great dogs.

I began working with Pug Partners of Nebraska in 2013. I started out trying to assist with online needs, events, and donating items I could produce to raise funds. I have continued to help in anyway possible since then. In 2020 I accepted the role of Volunteer Coordinator. I continue to try and learn more about the role and its functionality. I am hoping the next 6-12 months to be able to grow this role and find way to make it more efficient and effective.

I am now also engaged to be married and have had the joy of watching Grace win over her new mama and her step brother and sister(humans), as well as step brother cat(not sure he has completely given in to her love…but they are making progress). The changes in my work and life the last 2 years we are hoping to try fostering soon.

I never imagined the impact a “Dog” would have on my life. Looking back at it now...Grace has changed me far more than I her! I am a far better person because of her. I look forward to doing as much as I can to help other pugs experience the joy of family, as well as giving other families the chance to learn what I now know!

Get in Touch

Misty

Vetting Assistant

I fell in love with the pug breed when I got my first pug (Puggy) when I was 19 years old. I didn't know much about pugs back then, but quickly found Puggy in a pet store pretty beat up and wanted to save him. Thus my pug obsession began and education with pet stores, puppy mills and rescues. Puggy changed my life and our bond deepened to a level I've never known as he grew into his senior years and had many medical issues. When I lost him in 2013, my world was shattered. I never imagined a life without him. That's when I knew I needed to always have a pug and help other pugs in need. My husband and I went on to rescue 3 more pugs that same year to try and fill the void Puggy left in our hearts and home.

I discovered Pug Partners of Nebraska in 2015 through another rescue I worked with in Nebraska. I have adopted from them and have grown a deep admiration for their organization and the wonderful volunteers that run it. I have been fortunate to get to volunteer and work with them in fostering, some intake duties and working with the vetting manager. I love the work we do and it helps me give other pugs a life they deserve without having a million pugs in my own home at once.

Jessica & Matt

Founders

Jessica and Matt fell in love with pugs when they got their first pug puppy Rocky in April 2005. Later that year, they became active with the Omaha Pug Club and their love for pugs grew exponentially. In 2008 the opportunity to foster a pug in need came and they took in their first foster pug, Lily. Lily was a puppy mill survivor who didn’t know anything about ‘real’ life. Grass, stairs, the TV were all new things to Lily. Within a month of fostering, they knew that their life would be the same without Lily in it. So they adopted her. Soon they learned about more and more pugs in need and with the help of Megan and Si Hollibaugh, started up Pug Partners of Nebraska.

Since then with the help of our amazing volunteers, Pug Partners of Nebraska has rescued over 600 pugs. For Jess and Matt the most rewarding part of doing rescue work is seeing families cherish the joy of owning pugs. Pugs are such caring, loyal, funny dogs that they believe everyone’s household would be happier with pugs! Without the support of our wonderful donors and volunteers, Pug Partners wouldn’t be able to help so many needy pugs and make so many families happy. From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for all your support!

Whitney

Co-Founder

I helped co-found the rescue in 2008 with my sister (Jessica) and love helping Pug Partners rescue pugs in need.

Get in Touch