Melonie Jackson holding Charlotte (left) and Alexandra Saunders (holding Marlow), co-founders of Hugs For Harry in Orinda, share a loving moment with two of the senior dogs their rescue cares for, continuing the legacy of the pit bull who inspired their mission to save the most vulnerable dogs.
When Hugs For Harry was co-founded on March 31, it wasn’t with puppies in mind – but with a battered, toothless pit bull named Harry, a survivor of a dog-fighting ring whose bruised body and broken spirit inspired a mission meant to save many.
“The moment I met him I knew he was my happiness and sunshine,” said co-founder Melonie Jackson, fighting back tears. “He went to different [adoption] events with me … people loved him … he got so much attention and love.”
Jackson said Harry had no teeth, a scarred face and a “huge heart.”
Through her love and care, Jackson said, Harry slowly “blossomed into a love-bug, a gentle soul who radiated sweetness.”
His goofy torn mouth – what Jackson called “a smile” – and his infectious spirit rallied the community, raising donations and changing opinions about pit bulls.
But while Jackson was hospitalized one week, shelter staff euthanized Harry. When she returned, he was gone. Later she found his body in a freezer bag.
“I promised him I’d do something wonderful in his name,” Jackson said. “Harry I love you still.”
That promise led to Hugs For Harry, a 501(c)(3) non-profit rescue shelter located at 19 Orinda Way, Suite J, that specializes in saving senior, special-needs and hard-to-place dogs.
“Our hearts ache for the senior, the special-needs, the overlooked, abandoned dogs of the Bay Area – the ones who have been deemed ‘too old,’ ‘too fragile’ or ‘too much’,” the organization’s mission statement reads from hugsforharry.org.
In addition to Jackson, the non-profit team includes co-founder Alexandra Saunders and ambassador and chief hugs officer, Dina Azim.
Jackson, who lives in Danville and helps run the rescue while also caring for her blind sister, said the shelter is not a typical kennel, but a home – a sanctuary where dogs sunbathe, receive daily love and individualized attention.
“The dogs … sunbathe and people are there seven days a week, all day,” she said. “Each dog is treated special – we know every single hair on their bodies.”
Hugs For Harry focuses on the most vulnerable canines: seniors, dogs missing limbs or with serious health or behavioral issues. Once rescued, the dogs receive medical care, nutrition, spay/neuter surgery, veterinary check-ups, training and evaluation; and – most importantly – love.
Jackson said the biggest challenges for senior dogs are often their medical needs and the lack of adopters willing to give older dogs a chance.
Money raised from fundraisers, like a recent sneaker-drop event held in December at the rescue, goes directly toward vet bills and ongoing care.
One of the biggest efforts comes from local resident Eileen Lee, who retired in 2023 from the City and County of San Francisco and now runs a senior-dog–focused project called Dinking for Dogs.
Lee organized the recent sneaker fundraiser at Hugs For Harry.
“The sneaker event was held at Hugs for Harry and we collected over 200 sneakers,” she said.
Dinking for Dogs, she said, is a mission-driven small business designed to help senior dogs through recycled sneaker drives.
“Dinking for Dogs is a business that I created to help senior dogs, primarily through collecting sneakers,” Lee said. “We ship the sneakers to companies that recycle/reuse (or sell to thrift stores) sneakers and 100% of sneaker fundraiser proceeds go to the organizations that rescue dogs. In the future, we plan to sell merchandise online and create a social media presence.”
The name, she said, comes from pickleball culture.
“‘Dinking’ is a term used in pickleball and the reason we are ‘dinking for dogs’ is because – just like pickleball has been a literal game changer for the senior community – we are trying to tie in how the pickleball community can help senior dogs by donating sneakers and buying merchandise,” she said. “Basically, ‘seniors helping seniors.’”
For Lee, the passion comes from personal experience and a longtime commitment to senior dogs, including her own 14-year-old dog, Tuggles.
“I saw a posting for Hugs for Harry and contacted them to set up a sneaker collection,” she said. “We started collecting sneakers about two years ago and have collected over 4,000 (or more) sneakers and donated about $3,500 to a senior dog rescue in San Francisco. The goal of ‘Dinking for Dogs’ is to get more exposure for the plight of senior dogs … and raise money to help our senior friends.”
Hugs For Harry, Jackson said, relies heavily on grassroots efforts like Lee’s.
“Funds go mostly to vetting work that is very needed,” said Jackson.
The sneaker drive not only brought in supplies but also introduced new supporters to the rescue’s mission. Jackson also owns two dog-grooming shops that help financially support the shelter.
Those interested in helping can donate money, supplies or gently used items such as dog beds, crates, blankets or toys. They can also foster, volunteer or adopt. Hugs For Harry also hosts adoption events nearly every weekend.
“We’ll post on the rescue door for all to see. Also on Nextdoor and Facebook (hugsforharrydogrescue),” Jackson said.
Lee said both Hugs For Harry and Dinking for Dogs would welcome more volunteers.
“Hugs for Harry could always use volunteers to help with the dogs and Dinking for Dogs could always benefit from people collecting sneakers from their social networks,” she said.
For those who missed the December event, another opportunity is coming soon.
“We will be having another sneaker collection at Hugs for Harry on Jan. 10,” Lee said. “Donate and discover the great work that Hugs for Harry is doing and, possibly, go home with a new best friend.”
Looking ahead, Jackson said her long-term vision is to help more people understand that senior dogs deserve loving homes for the rest of their lives – they’re “little miracles just waiting to shine in a new home.”
For Jackson and her staff, Hugs For Harry stands as “Harry’s legacy, a living promise that no dog is too old or too broken to find love — and that every dog deserves a chance.”
For more information, call 925.852.1316 or email hello@hugsforharry.org and on Facebook, Dinking for Dogs or email DinkingforDogs@gmail.com.
Rescue dogs are safe inside Hugs For Harry’s Orinda shelter, a sanctuary dedicated to rescuing senior, special-needs and hard-to-place dogs – giving them medical care, comfort and the love they deserve.
