6 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

DANA M.- PRESIDENT / INTAKE & FOSTER COMMITTEE COORDINATOR
TAYLOR C. - PRESIDENT-ELECT / SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR 
STEPHANIE S. - TREASURER / ADOPTION COMMITTEE COORDINATOR
PEGGY R. - DIRECTOR / FOSTER & MARKETING COMMITTEE VOLUNTEER 
CARLENE N. - DIRECTOR/ ADOPTIONS COMMITTEE VOLUNTEER
PAUL N. - DIRECTOR/ADOPTIONS COMMITTEE VOLUNTEER
ANGELA H - DIRECTOR/JR BRAT COORDINATOR

                                    

  

                                    FOUNDERS

    ANNE F. - FOUNDER 

Anne's husband told her since she had her dog, a Toy Manchester Terrier, he wanted his dog - a Basset Hound. She Googled Bassets and wasn't onboard. They shed, they drool, they're hard to train. "No!," was her firmative answer. 

Well, we see who won that argumet. 

She ended up bringing home a 60-pound male Basset from a local shelter. He kept fighting to climb into the front seat while she was driving. Anne just knew they would wreck the car. (She learned to restrain him while in the car after that episode.) At that point, she wondered what in the world she had gotten herself into! 

Then her heart was shattered when in a short two-and-half-years later, Quincy crossed over to the Rainbow Bridge due to health issues. She kept crying, “I need a Basset to hold!” She had been bitten by the Basset bug. She and her husband applied to a Basset Hound rescue. Within a week, they got Dessie nka Karlie. That is how she met Carol Niles Jones and Janet Dean. To show her appreciation, she started volunteering and fostering for the rescue in January 2006. She has been in rescue ever since. Prior to BRAT, she served on the board of yet another Basset rescue. She and her husband have fostered more than 100 hounds over the years. She claims her rescue work is Quincy's legacy. She couldn't save Quincy, but she could save others.

In 2011, it was evident another rescue was needed in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex because too many Bassets were still dying in area shelters. She and two other volunteers (Carol Niles Jones and Julie Dorsey) founded BRAT. On May 15, 2011, they brought in their first two dogs, Bennie and Charli nka Addie. BRAT has saved over 245 dogs in a short five years. Since that time, she has served as President, Past President, Secretary, and currently as the Treasurer. She is the Coordinator of the Financial Compliance Committee, Coordinator of the Volunteer Committee, and serves as a mentor to new foster families.

 CAROL J. -  FOUNDER 

In 2004, driving home from work, Carol slammed on the brakes. In the middle of the road, was a filthy, flea-ridden, starving Basset Hound. He came running towards her when she got out of the car. She could tell from his appearance that he had been on his own for quite a while. She put him in her SUV and took him home. She did her due diligence in trying to find his owner. She went from door-to-door and called all the shelters. No owner. He wasn’t chipped or had on any tags. She took him to the vet and had him all fixed up. She named him Fred. Now what? A friend of hers had a Basset. So, Carol called her. She agreed to take Fred when her senior hound with cancer passed. That took nine months. Once Fred left, Carol felt empty and alone. Even though she had other dogs, it wasn’t the same. She had been bitten by the Basset bug. She heard about a Basset Hound event. She and her husband attended. Oh my! There were over 300 hounds. She was in heaven. She felt like she had squatted down and loved on all 300!  Carol spoke to a volunteer and offered to foster and volunteer. She’s been in rescue ever since. She and her husband has fostered more than a hundred dogs. She’s lost count. And she’s foster failed (adopted) more than she would like to admit. She and Aubrey took on the hard cases for rescue and adopted them if they had behavioral issues and couldn’t be adopted by the public. To this day, she misses Fred.

In December of 2005, she completed the adoption of one of her fosters, Dessie, to Anne Fifield. That January, Anne started volunteering and the two ladies worked together and formed a strong friendship – one that lasts to this day. When Bassets were still dying in the local Dallas-Fort Worth shelters, they knew that something had to be done. In May 2011, Carol, Anne, and Julie Dorsey, started BRAT. She has served on the Board as President-elect and has been the past Coordinators for the Social Media, Adoption, and Fundraising Committees. She continues to be a volunteer in the Intake, Adoption, and Marketing committees. She remains as a guide to BRAT as they move forward.

 JULIE D. - FOUNDER

Soon after getting married in 2003, Julie and her husband bought a Basset Hound puppy, Johnny, from a reputable breeder. Johnny got them hooked on the breed. They learned that Bassets are like potato chips - you can't have just one. They've had several over the years and currently have four.

She started volunteering with Carol Niles Jones in the adoption committee in 2006 after she adopted Willow from another rescue.  Willow was Anne's foster dog. That links Anne and Julie to this day. Julie began fostering after losing one of her Bassets.

In 2011, Anne reached out to her to see if she would like to make BRAT a reality. Julie jumped at the opportunity.  She fostered for us. BRAT dog, Bailey #10, was in horrible condition and the vet didn't think he would survive. Julie and her husband took him home and into hospice. Bailey surprised us all. He fought hard and to this day he's with Julie as a rambunctious and mischievous hound.

She has served on the Board as Secretary and was the Coordinator of the Admin committee. She continues as a loyal supporter of BRAT to this day.