Meet the FBR Volunteers
If you are a volunteer, please send in your volunteer bio to missybutler@cfl.rr.com
Sandra
I've been with Florida Boxer Rescue for about 10 years now but my first rescued Boxer, Flash, was 18 years ago.....before FBR existed. I was told about a Boxer who had been tied to a tree for 2 years and beaten daily and was now in a foster home in Tampa. I went to meet this skinny, frightened boy and it was love at first sight.
My duties for FBR include answering the toll-free 888 telephone number 7 days a week, performing home visits prior to adoption, transportation of Boxers to and from vets, checking and posting voice messages after hours, fostering, and working on fund raisers in my area.
In addition to FBR, other animal groups I support: Hillsborough County Animal Services and Big Cat Rescue.
Previously I was very active in the Junior League of Tampa and volunteered at the Humane Society (cleaning cages, washing bowls, exercising dogs, fund raisers) and at Lowery Park Zoo ( I cleaned the manatee pools, raked the buffalo pen, cleaned the otter area, and chased around the pig to apply his sunscreen for the day!!!)
As far as my "Boxer loving history," it all started when I was 2, with my first Boxer and very best friend, Honey. I also grew up with a Doberman and in college I dog sat with a Schnauzer for a year, but Boxers have my heart....always will.
Janet
Hello, my name is Janet and I am a foster flunkie! I joined FBR after we adopted Simon in Sept. of 2003 (handsome white boy in picture). I decided I needed to do something more worthwhile with my life. I've worked fulltime, raised three children (all grown) and have a husband. It was time I did something for helpless Boxers. Looking at Simon after I adopted him, I just couldn't believe someone could do this to a Boxer or any animal for that matter. Someone just dropped him off at a Petsmart and walked away. Just left him, no looking back.
I joined FBR as a volunteer in March of 2005 and started out doing CUR runs which I have renamed "Florida Boxer Rescue Limo Service." As time went on I became an area code coordinator in Oct. of 2005. I still do my CUR runs, but am also a liaison for Best Care Animal Hospital where some of our Boxers are vetted. I work with some shelters and animal control facilities in my area too.
Fundraising is always fun to do - you meet a lot of people who don't know about the breed or that there was even a rescue organization for Boxer dogs. I also participate in the educational booths at Petsmart. We educate on vaccines, heartworm prevention, and the importance of spay and neuter. If this was done more often, there wouldn't be so many unwanted animals everywhere you look. We use these educational opportunities to also discuss reputable breeders and the effects of backyard or casual breeding or purchasing an animal from a pet store.
While Veronica handles Southern Pinellas
County, I handle Northern Pinellas 
and Pasco Counties, including call backs, home
visits etc... As I stated earlier I am a foster flunkie! Skylar came to
us via Quail Hollow Animal Hospital, which is another animal hospital
that vets many of our Boxers. I was just to be a temporary foster home,
but three days later, I called the prez and told her the check and
contract were in the mail!! Skylar is my fawn girl in the picture. She
was adopted in July of 2005.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
~Janet, Simon, and Skylar
 |
 |
Terri
I have been a FLBR volunteer, for 4 years. I have a male and female boxer of my own and have fostered many. They come sick, injured, and with broken spirits, and each one takes a piece of my heart. I do home visits with my male boxer, August, whom I adopted from FLBR, three years ago, as a puppy. My interests are in reading as much as I can about a holistic approach to animal wellness, and constantly striving to understand canine behavior.
 |
Theresa
I am a working mother of two human children and I currenty have two fur children and four feathered. I just joined the FLBR on November 2010, but I have been rescuing dogs for about 25 years. My family and I adopted our first boxer from the FLBR in 2003. She was a beautiful girl that the FLBR had named "Rumor". We picked her up from Deland, Fl. where Anita was fostering her. Unfortunately she has crossed the "Rainbow Bridge". Of the twelve or so dogs I rescued, I have taken in seven to my/our home. Our most recent and eighth dog was on January 30th, when I happened upon our second boxer. He is pictured here with my Dal gal, she was adopted from the SPCA of Pinellas in 2000.
I volunteered for CUR runs, transports and helping with events such as "The Boxer Bash" I look forward to helping Boxers for years to come!
 |
Cheryl
Hello to all my fellow Boxer Lovers! My story starts at Petco, where I was shopping one day and I came across a beautiful boxer boy and his owner (they were shopping too). My husband and I stopped to talk with the owner and pet the beautiful boxer boy. I told her we had just lost our girl after 12 years and that I had her brother as well who had passed 3 years prior. She introduced herslef "I volunteer with Florida Boxer Rescue, my name is Paulette and this boy here is Bones." I told her I had found the website before and had been looking, she told me to go back in and apply, that she would watch for my application. It was a few weeks, maybe even a month or two, before I did. I adopted my boy from FBR in 2008 and have always followed the available boxers online since. I followed and read all the bios so much that at last year's Boxer Bash, I knew the names and story behind many of the Boxers there. My husband told me then I should get involved with FBR because I enjoyed the dogs so much. I always thought I would want to keep every boxer that came through and I did not want to put myself through that. I thought it would be heartbreaking for me. I am a nurse, one day a family member asked me "How can you do this job, isn't it heartbreaking to you?" My reply of course was "Never, I love helping people, it is my calling. Of course I get attched but that is what makes a good nurse. However I can help people get through their illness makes me happy to know I could be there, even in death." Those words rang through my head. I realized how selfish I had been by not working with FBR and helping the Boxers in any way I could. I focused on how sad it was that so many animals needed a home, when the reality is I can help them til they find that home. I cannot adopt every boxer that comes through rescue, but I can foster, volunteer for a fundraiser or education booths. I can pick up a boxer and help it get to a foster home or to a vet. I can raise awareness in my community and my job about pet overpopulation, spay/neuter, puppy mills, etc. I became so excited and submitted my application to volunteer. Guess who the coordinator of my area is...Paulettte! I began volunteering with FBR and I am so glad I did. I encourage anyone who loves this breed to do so. Together we can make a difference! |
Holly & Michael
We rescued our
first boxer in November 2009. She was not placed with a
foster family before we adopted her so she was still very thin and shy.
As she recovered and blossomed we learned more about rehabilitating
boxers than we ever imagined we would and we loved it. We haven't
stopped since. For us rescuing boxers is a family affair. Primarily we
all participate in the rehabilitation, training and placement of the
fosters and volunteer our time at fund raising events. But more than
that each family member helps in their own way.
Holly creates and coordinates events and draws in new volunteers.
Michael handles vet runs and provides the muscle setting up and
breaking down at events. Caitlin entices friends to come out and help
at events and creates YouTube videos. Sadie also enlists friends to
help at events and does amazing work training the fosters to do tricks.
Coburn assists with crate training. Even our cat, Noa helps to train
the dogs to be cat-friendly.
The longer we work with the organization, the more we love it. These
dogs are worth every bit of the effort and we are better for knowing
them.
 |
Jessica
Hello. My name is Jessica and I am a volunteer in
the Orlando area. Shortly after my husband and I adopted our
2nd
dog in 2007, a pretty white boxer girl we named Heidi, I became a
volunteer. In the beginning, I mostly helped with the
transporting of dogs and worked to organize local dog events for FBR.
Since then my volunteering duties have grown. With
my
occupation as a graphic designer, I help with design needs for FBR
(logos, banners, brochures, merchandise, flyers for events, and
anything else we might need). I also maintain our Twitter and
Facebook pages. In addition to that, I process/work
applications
and conduct home visits in the 407 area. I try to help out
with
fundraising events and work local events - when I can. Like
many
other FBR volunteers, I am a member of the Foster Flunkies Club.
Flunking fostering on my first attempt, whoops! In
2009 we
welcomed another FBR alumni named Sawyer into our family. I
am
proud to be a volunteer with FBR, an organization that over the last 10
years has changed the lives of so many boxers. Without FBR,
many
of these dogs would never know what being a part of a family and truly
being loved is like. Thank you FBR.
 |
Krista
Hi all! My name is Krista and I am a proud volunteer in the 239 area for Florida Boxer Rescue. My fiancé and I got our first Boxer, Delilah, on an impulse when we saw her at the fleamarket of all places. She is now over a year old and is spoiled beyond belief. We got our boy, Brewski, a few months ago from the Miami-Dade shelter and he’s now 1 year 9 months old. Who could leave a face like that? Although we hate to admit it, our house is run by the fur kids. We love coming home to their wiggles and Boxer slurps!My main responsibility with FBR lies in the fundraising category. I enjoy organizing events and educating the public on this awesome organization. I also help out with CUR runs when I can and am starting to help with the adoption process. I’ll do whatever I can to help FBR place more Boxers in their furever homes! I am so grateful for having found such a great organization to be a part of.
 |
Gwendolyn
I have been volunteering for Florida Boxer Rescue since 2003 when I started doing CUR runs. Since then, I have cleaned the kennels in Deland (back in the day), worked with applicants and home visits, application processing, returning (407) calls and emails, as well as working with owner surrenders and Orange and Osceola County Animal Services.
My boyfriend and I first adopted Pogo from FBR in 2000. I was very surprised when I found out about Florida Boxer Rescue and such a need for a Boxer rescue. Since then we adopted Princess in 2003 and I found having two Boxers was easier than just one.
Two years later I met Nori while cleaning the kennels. I quickly learned having three was not as easy as having two. Pogo and Princess have since passed away. Nori is a therapy dog and loves to hang out with the kids at the Nemours Childrens’ Clinic and Give Kids the World. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with lymphoma in July (2010). We immediately pursued chemotherapy along with holistic & eastern medicine. She is a happy girl today, and that’s all I can ask for.
I was elected to the FBR Board of Directors in August (2010). I am very fortunate to be able to work with such a great group of individuals and thankful for the opportunity to serve the Boxers.