In 2017, a dog owner did a very responsible thing: she acknowledged she was unable to provide the specific health care her English Setter needed, and she reached out to a friend of hers who was a long time SWESR volunteer for help. This call wasn’t as obvious as it sounds. You see, her dog came from a breeder of bench (show) Setters. Most responsible breeders, this one included, have buyers sign a contract ensuring a dog will be returned to the breeder if the owner is unable to keep them. This dog owner was honest with the breeder that she had contacted SWESR for help with her dog. Several other English Setter owners also contacted the breeder to vouch for SWESR as a reputable and responsible rescue organization that would absolutely ensure the best outcome for this dog. The breeder was persuaded, allowing almost two-year old Riley to come into rescue.

SWESR is fortunate to have wonderful and dedicated volunteers, many of whom have been with the organization since its inception. Susan is one such volunteer, who has fostered, forever fostered, and adopted more dogs in her adult life than she can count. A dozen? Absolutely. Two dozen? Yes. Three dozen? More? Highly likely. So many have gone in and out of her home, but here are the stories of two special dogs with very different stories, both of whom made the same indelible mark on Susan’s heart.

Dolly, whose original name was Birdie, was the product of a casual backyard breeder situation. When she was 8-weeks old, her owners gave her to family friends. This new family had a fairly chaotic life. From the time of her adoption Dolly spent up to 9 hours a day completely alone. The family did have a 5-year old child, who may have been Dolly’s only consistent human companion. Overall, though, this family had no idea how to care for a dog. They were neglectful. She had minimal human interaction, no training, no veterinary visits, no preventative health care, no safety. Understandably, Dolly was bored and lonely, and she acted out accordingly. She was a wild child. She escaped from them whenever she could. She chased cars, a behavior that constantly placed her in danger.

Harvey came into rescue after being found as a wandering stray in Texas. He was brought to an animal shelter which is where SWESR found him. During Harvey’s vetting he was diagnosed as Chagas positive, so he spent some months with an experienced SWESR foster in Texas who provided him a settled home while he began Chagas treatment and could decompress from the stress of being a stray.

Sydney is a big, beautiful 12-year-old registered bench setter who came to live with us in February 2024. Sadly, Sydney’s owner had developed dementia and it became clear to her family that she could no longer care for Sydney. SWESR was asked to help find a new home for Sydney. Her breeder flew in from several states away to coordinate her transfer to our care.

Many of our readers will be familiar with Ranger. The black and white dog with the two distinctive black eye masks, as of this writing he is the dog on the cover banner for Southwest English Setter Rescue’s (SWESR) Facebook page. Anyone with SWESR calendars from years past will have seen Ranger gracing a monthly page. His markings are naturally stunning, and, let’s be honest, it helps to have parents who know their way around a camera.

Misty’s story is one of love, resilience, and the unbreakable bond between a family and their dog. It all began when Misty, a sweet little English Setter puppy who happened to be born deaf, was surrendered by her original owners when she was 3 1/2 months old. They didn’t want her because they felt that she would be unable to hunt due to her inability to hear.

Fate had better plans for Misty. She found her way into the loving care of her Southwest English Setter Rescue (SWESR) foster mom, Sherry. Sherry is a kind and caring woman with a heart of gold who would train and care for Misty until she could find her forever family.

Mary and her husband Mark live in the Blue Ridge mountains in North Carolina. They have owned six Llewellyn Setters over the years, four of which are SWESR alumni. Rio and Tracee are their most recent SWESR dogs.

Solomon’s story really begins with a Setter named Harry. Martie and her husband had adopted Harry from a North Carolina shelter during the Pandemic. They had recently lost their elder dog and felt their lives were simply not complete without a dog with whom to share it. Harry proved to be quite a handful and seemed to have enough energy for three dogs, so Martie decided that he needed a friend to romp with. Smitten with English Setters, Martie brought home an eight week old female puppy. She named her Ginsburg. Raising a puppy with energetic Harry kept Martie quite busy, but nevertheless, life was good.   

When Randy and Kathy’s 15-year-old, 85-pound Irish Setter crossed the Rainbow Bridge in April 2020, they could tell their 54-pound red Setter rescue, Sorcha, was grieving her companion. The entire family wanted a second dog, and they decided to “downsize” to an English Setter.   

Phillip was five years old when he came into rescue. He’d been a family dog, but his family wanted more from him than companionship. He’d failed hunting school twice, and his family determined he didn’t fit into their idea of what they wanted from a dog. Thankfully, they contacted SWESR so Phillip could find a home who would love him for who he is, and not for who they wanted him to be.

In 2015, Alan and Cheri lost their beloved Irish Setter Riley. When they were emotionally ready to open themselves up to another dog, they decided to foster as they wanted to help a pup in need but weren’t sure they wanted to commit to adopting again. The Irish Setter organization had no dogs available, but after looking on-line, they discovered Southwest English Setter Rescue (SWESR).

SWESR Lucy came into rescue in 2021 as a 3-year old, after her hunting guide owner passed away. She’d been kept outside, in a kennel, and it was apparent she’d never been in a house before. She didn’t like loud noises, and a gruff voice from anyone (not even directed at her) sent her like a pancake onto the floor in fear.

While searching for a companion for her Irish Setter, Bailey, Carol came across the website for Southwest English Setter Rescue (SWESR). She scrolled through the pictures of available dogs and read their descriptions. She saw Lukie’s photo and was captivated. Well, maybe, she thought.

Nine and a half year old Thunder is a handsome English Setter who lived his entire life outside. He was used as a stud dog and was provided no medical care at all. The only time Thunder was allowed inside was if the weather was literally freezing cold, at which point he would be carried into the house and placed inside a crate until the morning. Can you imagine? His paws had never touched an indoor surface until he was surrendered into rescue in late June 2024.

In May 2017, SWESR was notified about a 7-year old blind English Setter in an Oklahoma shelter. Kai was rescued quickly and went to a foster home. His foster mother took him to a canine ophthalmology specialist, who diagnosed Kai with a degenerative eye condition called progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). It is not painful, but there is no cure.

Patch came into our lives at over fourteen years old, a senior dog with a lifetime of hard work behind him. Surrendered to SWESR from a hunting ranch, he had lived in a pen with other dogs without toys or a family to call his own. His health was poor, and his spirit was worn, but Patch yearned for love like no dog we’d ever seen before. His desire for human companionship and love was insatiable.