Lauren Gonsalves
2025-03-10 · 5 min read
When you hear that Unconditional Rescue specializes in senior and disabled dogs, you might expect a sad story. You'd be wrong. This Laguna Beach nonprofit is one of the most joyful places you'll ever visit.
When you hear that Unconditional Rescue is a place to adopt senior or disabled dogs, you might be expecting a slew of sob stories that will pull on your heartstrings and bring tears to your eyes. If that's the case, you've come to the wrong rescue.
Unconditional Rescue isn't a place to feel sorry for special needs and senior dogs — it's a place full of the excitement and joy of bringing home a new member of the family.
How It Started
This special rescue all started with a pup named Carlo.
"The journey to the idea of Unconditional began when we adopted Carlo, a stray pug with a missing rear leg," said Amy Mack, Unconditional Rescue's co-founder. "Carlo taught us that disabled means different — not sad or limited. In fact, he was the most exuberant and wildly personable dog we had ever had. Carlo inspired us to dig more deeply into the plight of senior and disabled dogs, and sadly, we found out that our misconceptions were common."
Upon realizing the crisis that shelters face with their difficulty finding homes for these truly awesome dogs — less than 1% of animal rescue organizations are focused on senior and special needs dogs, and these pups are the fastest-growing shelter population in America, typically the first to be euthanized and last to be adopted — Amy and her husband, Julian, decided they needed to do something.
Four years later, Unconditional Rescue is a thriving nonprofit that rescues senior dogs at least 8 years old and dogs that have a physical condition that will make them disabled for the rest of their lives.
It's time for the world to stop feeling sorry for these friends or thinking that they're going to be too much work. Adopting a senior or special needs dog shouldn't be a charity act. It should be as fun and exciting as getting a puppy — because it really is.
The Laguna Connection
"The culture of Laguna Beach is just so dog-friendly and animal-loving," Sabrina said. "I like that Laguna is not afraid to do things its own way, and that's really what we're trying to do."
"The Laguna Beach community is absolutely central to our mission," Amy added. "Nothing extraordinary gets built without a community, and we are so fortunate that Laguna is home to people who want to make an impact."
A New Kind of Adoption Center
For now, these pups are cared for by fosters until they can be adopted. That is set to change once Unconditional Rescue opens its adoption facility in Laguna Hills. Unlike most shelters, Unconditional Rescue will have a homelike setting that is crucial to bringing these pups out of their shells and letting their personalities shine.
Another benefit is its sister entity, Rise Pet Health — a 20,000-square-foot, technologically advanced, multispecialty veterinary hospital with 24/7 care. With medical care being the number one expense for most rescues, having that covered is invaluable.
Finding Your Match
Chief Operating Officer Sabrina Neas had these tips for finding your new best friend:
- Are you an outgoing person who'd like a dog that gets lots of attention and starts fun conversations? A dog in a wheelchair would be perfect for you.
- Are you a young professional who is really busy but still wants a canine companion? A sleepy senior dog would be a perfect match.
- Are you inspired by videos of humans with indescribably strong bonds with their dogs? You would enjoy having a blind dog.
Visit unconditionalrescue.com to sign up for the newsletter and learn about adoption.
Photos by Darren Walker.
