Who is New Beginnings?
At New Beginnings International Sporting Dog Rescue, our mission is to be a lifeline for abandoned, neglected, and abused sporting dogs—particularly Setters, Brittanys, and other Spaniels, Pointers and Retrievers—whose voices go unheard in places where help is desperately needed.
We focus our efforts on rescuing these extraordinary dogs from harsh conditions in Greece and other countries where hunting dogs are often discarded or mistreated. Through compassionate intervention, we provide safe shelter, vaccinations, medical treatment, and the rehabilitation they need to heal—both physically and emotionally.
Our ultimate goal is to give each dog a true second chance by placing them in loving, permanent homes across the United States, Canada, the UK, and Europe. Every dog we rescue is a life transformed—from abandonment to belonging, from hardship to home.
Why do we rescue dogs internationally?
Sporting dogs (also known as Bird Dogs or Gun Dogs) were originally bred for hunting all types of birds and often have a strong prey drive and high energy levels. They are used all over the world for hunting, field trials, nose work, and even agility. In addition, they are sweet, friendly, and affectionate by nature and are typically very loyal to their owners. Despite their heritage, not all bird dogs end up being skilled hunters, as some of them do not have either the prey drive, energy level or fitness level required for hunting, and some of them may also be gun shy and fearful of loud noises.
Many cultures, particularly in the Mediterranean where we rescue a large number of our dogs, do not view bird dogs as companion animals or family members. In these countries, they are often viewed solely as “tools” to be used and are often mistreated and/or abandoned when they are no longer considered useful for their intended hunting purpose. Many dogs are found in appalling conditions with inadequate shelter, insufficient food, and little or no medical care. They are often found stray and starving, sick or injured and untreated. Unfortunately, because these breeds are not considered family members, they have very little opportunity to get adopted as family pets within their native country. Small, under-resourced groups of caring, dedicated individuals work tirelessly to rescue these abandoned bird dogs and connect with New Beginnings International Sporting Dog Rescue and our volunteers, praying that we will take them in and transport them to countries where they have a chance to be adopted and live as loving companions and members of the family.
In the United States, there are multiple rescue groups and humane organizations working to save and rehome abandoned dogs in all parts of the country. There are many breed rescues focused exclusively on Setters, Brittanys, and all the Sporting Breeds here in the United States, while many countries abroad lack even basic animal welfare programs or organizations. The many American sporting dog breed rescues have the resources to meet the need for rehoming abandoned setters domestically. Given the dire situation of abandoned setters and other sporting dogs throughout the Mediterranean, we focus our effort in helping to save these setters, and bring them to the United States where they have a chance for happy lives and a future as companion dogs.
At New Beginnings, every journey matters. Every life counts