Thrift shop helps fund nonprofit A Home 4 Spot’s dog rescue

Every day, dogs are sent to local animal shelters where employees determine their fate. If they’re sick or injured, the chance to show off their faces inside a kennel for a potential home is diminished, putting them more at risk to be euthanized.

Few organizations focus on these death-row canines. Medical bills often pile up fast enough to view them as a lost cause, but for members of the nonprofit A Home 4 Spot, that’s exactly who they target. To offset the high medical costs, they opened up Dog Junkies, 4611 N. Rancho Drive.

“The store serves as a thrift store where people can donate gently used items, and we sell the items to help raise money for our dogs in need,” said Rebecca Anderson, shop manager and social media director for the organization. “We’re the largest medical rescue in Las Vegas. We spend more money on medical procedures than anyone else. Last year alone, we spent $127,000.”

The store started last year as a drop-off location inside a warehouse on Valley View Boulevard. It opened its new location earlier this month in Northwest Wellness Center’s former site. The red Chiro Doc sign still marks the spot.

Although the store is only 1,500 square feet, plenty of items can be found, including clothes, kitchenware and toys. Anderson said they mainly focus on vintage items and antiques.

“We have so many high-quality donations for great deals,” Anderson said. “When we receive an item, what we do is find its regular value and cut that price in half. We want to give people the best deals so that they keep coming back.”

The store prides itself in that it’s also dog-friendly and invites people to bring in their pooches to find the perfect leash, collar or dog bed.

Currently, the store has B.B. Simon dog collars for $40 to $60, less than half the price they generally run.

Other finds include designer brands such as Anne Klein, Coach, Lucky Brand, Guess and Gap, with clothes ranging from $2 to $20.

“Last year, we raised $33,000 by selling donated items,” said Diana England, president and founder of the nonprofit. “This year, we hope to increase that number to $50,000. That provides extra income for medical procedures and other project ventures.”

The nonprofit typically has 100 dogs in its care seeking adoption, according to Anderson.

“We pull most of our dogs from the local shelter’s transfer list,” Anderson said. “These are dogs with minor to major medical issues that literally only have three to five days to live before they are euthanized. That’s the hardest part about this line of work — we pick who lives and dies today.”

The nonprofit’s adoption fees for dogs range from $150 to $350, which includes spaying or neutering, temperament training, health checks, shots and a microchip.

The store takes all forms of payment and provides tax-deductible receipts for all donated items that are accepted.

Volunteers are available to pick up donations if needed.

“Not only are people helping a great cause, but they’re getting an extraordinary deal,” Anderson said. “We encourage people to do some spring cleaning and come down to the shop to donate items and support us. A lot of people ask why we spend as much as $4,000 in one dog. It’s because it’s the right thing to do. It just comes down to that.”

Visit facebook.com/AH4SDogJunkies or call 702-889-1900.

To reach North View reporter Sandy Lopez, email slopez@viewnews.com or call 702-383-4686. Find her on Twitter: @JournalismSandy.