Meet Sean McIntosh of Moving Mountains Animal Rescue

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean McIntosh. 

Hi Sean, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
In August of 2018, I received a call from a good friend who lived in Louisiana stating that her county shelter was about to put down a 4-month-old black lab by the end of the day because they simply had no room. Knowing Colorado was much more dog friendly she tearfully pleaded for my help to take her. As I silently sat in my car trying to think of what to do, I knew without a doubt we had to save this puppy, so with no clear plan I called her back and simple said “go get her right now!”. We saved her with only an hour to spare. And as soon as we did it was as if God, Universe, or whomever you believe began “moving mountains” for us to get this sweet puppy to safety. We found a low-cost vet, a transporter stepped up, fosters appeared effortlessly, and most amazingly she was adopted into the perfect home only 5 days later. That friend in Louisiana and I began helping more dogs in similar dire situations often with the same miraculous support. I expanded to helping two other county shelters in Louisiana and soon added two shelters in Houston as well. After about 9 months I decided to make things official and founded the foster-based rescue called Moving Mountains Animal Rescue, a play on words recounting how a higher source helped “move mountains” and also “moving dogs to the mountains of Colorado” from the southern states. Today we remain a foster-based system, meaning all the dogs in our program go directly to foster homes. Our team consists of 5 board members, 3 directors, and an ever-growing number of volunteers. We have shifted our program in the past year to now supporting local Colorado shelters with similar missions of saving dogs from high-risk shelters in southern states. In order to create more available space in these local Colorado shelters, we partner with them to transfer dogs into our rescue program, where they are placed into foster homes, continue to receive any needed vet care and are ultimately carefully adopted into incredible loving homes. It has been quite the journey for our rescue but an amazing one nonetheless. All made possible by the kindness and good hearts of wonderful people who simply want to make a difference for dogs in need. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
As with many things the pandemic had a major impact on the rescue. We struggled to find transporters willing to drive even halfway from Louisiana or Texas to Colorado. Our foster network in the south dwindled as very few people wanted to take on the extra stress of a foster dog. 

Financially we definitely hit a few hurdles as well. We rescued an amazing dog from Houston in 2020 who unfortunately required a minor but very costly surgery. We were forced to use all our rescue funds as well as needing to spend a few hundred dollars out of our own pockets. We had no regrets and this dog is now living her best life just south of Denver, but it did force us to immediately halt further rescue efforts until we restored funding and other resources. 

As you know, we’re big fans of Moving Mountains Animal Rescue. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Moving Mountains Animal Rescue (MMAR) is 501(c)3 foster-based rescue that goes beyond just saving dogs. We have built a program that strongly and consistently promotes health, training, and personal connection with our rescues both prior to and after adoption. We treat every rescue that comes into our program as if they were our own and carefully ensure each dog is a perfect fit for adopting families and vice versa. 

Unlike other rescues who may focus primarily on saving as many dogs as possible, we differ in selecting dogs more intentionally, being more hands-on with every dog, and providing the max amount of care while in our program so they can enter an adopted home as their best selves. The extra upfront care takes extensive work and dedication from the MMAR team but we have seen the extraordinary benefit in the end. The love and companionship is taken to a new level when a rescue dog is well prepared for their forever home. 

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
The one book that gave personally me the courage to start the rescue was The Alchemist. Taking chances, following the doors that open, and learning from the journey. Go for it and see what happens, you never know. 

Contact Info:

• Email: mmar.dogs@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mmar.dogs/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/movingmountainsanimalrescue