Karen Martiny sits at her desk, a photo of a small dog in a wheelchair hanging on the wall behind her. The dog is Buffy, Karen’s own rescue, whose determination set her on a path toward a life spent helping animals in need. Today, Karen is the founder and executive director of Animal Rescue of the Rockies.
After adopting Buffy, Karen and her husband began volunteering at a local shelter, spending time with dogs and cats waiting behind kennel doors. It was there that she realized something was missing: a place where animals could receive one-on-one attention and experience life in a home before finding a family of their own. That idea became Animal Rescue of the Rockies.
Rather than opening a traditional shelter, the organization embraced a foster-based model. The goal was simple: give animals a safe place to recover, receive individualized care, and learn what a loving home feels like while they wait for a permanent one.
“You’re saving two lives,” Karen says. “One is the pet you’re fostering, and the other is the space you’re opening up in the shelter so another animal can come in.”
Over the past 23 years, Animal Rescue of the Rockies has helped thousands of animals find forever homes, placing between 1,800 and 2,000 pets each year. None of it would be possible without the foster families, volunteers, and community members who make the work possible. Opportunities to help range from staffing adoption events to driving transport, assisting with administrative work, and supporting fundraising efforts.
Behind Karen’s desk, Buffy’s photograph serves as a daily reminder that lasting change can begin with something small: one dog, one family, and one decision to help.
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