Since 2010
Saving Animals & Finding Homes
A message from our founder
It All Started with Jethro
“Some time ago I gave a donation to a national animal welfare organization. I was then overwhelmed with letter after letter describing the plight of homelese, abused and unwanted animals. I read each and every letter I received. The more letters I read, the more disturbed and saddened I became. It was then that I knew I needed to personally get involved to make a difference. Even though I have rescued a number of dogs that are now a part of my family — we are limited to the amount of animals we can personally care for. However; as a community, there is no limit to the number of animals that we can help.”
–Eileen Gideon, Founder of Uniting 2 Save Animals
Our History
In 2010, Eileen Gideon’s family gave her the gift of an adorable bloodhound puppy for her birthday. She named him Jethro. When Jethro had his first vet appointment, Eileen discovered that he had some hereditary health issues. Jethro, it turned out, like many puppies, had come from a pet store that purchased their puppies from an Amish puppy mill. This discovery led Eileen to begin researching puppy mills, breeders, and the overwhelming number of pets in shelters and rescues in need of homes.
The more Eileen learned the more she realized she needed to become actively involved. Eileen founded Uniting 2 Save Animals (U2SA), a 501(3)c organization dedicated to decreasing the number of unwanted, homeless pets in our area. Between 2011 and 2022, U2SA provided over 3000 free and low-cost spay and neuters to those in need, as well as assisting with dozens of veterinary bills for local rescues. In 2017, U2SA began funding the Happy Hounds Prison Dog Program in Hagerstown, MD. This organization provides positive-based reinforcement training and behavior modification for dogs at risk of euthanasia as well as dog handling skills and training for Inmates they can use to obtain employment post-incarceration. In early 2022, Jethro passed away and U2SA was renamed Jethro’s Happy Hounds House in memory of Jethro. Jethro’s changed focus to providing more direct assistance placing homeless dogs in adoptive and foster homes as well as supporting our rescue partners with food and veterinary expenses.
What Drives Us
Our Mission
Our mission is to reduce the number of unwanted, homeless pets in our area. Jethro’s Happy Hounds House provides:
- financial assistance to our rescue partners to cover food and veterinary expenses
- training and behavior modification to dogs at risk of euthanasia through our financial support of the Happy Hounds Prison Dog Program
- facilitation of adoptions and foster placement for our rescue partners through our outreach.
Adopt A Pet
Make a Donation
Volunteer
Save a Life
Why Adopt?
Adopting saves 2 lives
When you adopt a dog from a shelter or rescue, you are actually saving two lives, not just one. You are saving the life of the dog you take home as well as the life of the dog who replaces your dog in the shelter or rescue.
adopting saves money
Most pets from shelters and rescues are already spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and many are even trained!
fight against puppy mills
Adopting your dog from a reputable shelter or rescue reduces the demand and support for puppy mill operations. Puppy mills continue to operate today through deceptive means, either selling puppies through online ads, at pet stores, or at markets. Puppies that come from these operations are kept in terrible conditions, neglected, and oftentimes have many health problems.
dogs of all ages available
Some people decide to buy a dog from a breeder because they want a puppy or a young dog, without realizing that there are dogs of all ages in rescue centers.
Continued Support
When you rescue a dog, the rescue or shelter will give you guidance and support throughout the process and after. When you buy your dog from an online breeder or store, you have no continued support.