Meet the Hounds
Now that you know about The Helpful Hound Fund, it's time to meet the hounds who inspired it all.
Mae Belle - The Hound Who Changed Our Lives
Mae Belle was adopted from Main Line Animal Rescue. At the time, we needed a very specific dog. We already had dogs in our home with unique behavioral needs, and we were hoping to find a dog who could one day become a therapy dog so we could continue serving our community.
When we arrived at the rescue, they told us, "We have 117 dogs, and I can only show you two."
Well...okay then.
The moment I met Mae Belle—then known as Twyla Mae—she knew she was the one. Gene wasn't convinced and thought they should keep looking. Thankfully, I won that debate.
As it turned out, Mae Belle was exactly what we needed. She changed our lives forever and transformed us into the hound people we are today.
She certainly had her moments—especially when thunderstorms rolled through—but beneath it all she was endlessly sweet, loving, and devoted. She became the perfect companion for our family, our lifestyle, and our mission of helping others. Mae Belle went on to become a certified therapy dog and testing support dog through Comfort Caring Canines, bringing comfort and smiles to countless people.
We lost her to cancer five short years after she joined our home. It left a hole that only another hound could fill. Welcome Liberty Belle.
Liberty Belle - The Teacher
Liberty Belle was adopted from Morris Animal Refuge in Philadelphia.
On the drive to meet her, we played "the name game." We wanted a name that honored both Mae Belle and the city of Philadelphia. We think we found the perfect one.
Liberty Belle came home with us shortly after that meeting.
Living in the human world wasn't always easy for Liberty Belle. She struggled with many everyday situations and required far more patience than we ever imagined. She spent a short time training with a local Search and Rescue team and also became a certified therapy dog through Comfort Caring Canines.
Over time, we realized she was happiest and most successful with the support of her canine friend, Magic, and her human, David (yes Dave’s namesake).
Although she didn't have the same long-term community impact as some of our other therapy dogs, Liberty Belle gave us something equally valuable—she inspired The Helpful Hound series. A “Trick” series dedicated to showing her unique talents. I began teaching her tricks that challenged both her body and her incredible mind to help build some much needed confidence. Before long, Liberty Belle could fetch the mail, help load the dishwasher, do the laundry, and perform countless other tasks.
More importantly, Liberty Belle taught us lessons no training book ever could. She taught us patience. She taught us grace. She reminded us that success doesn't always look the way we expect it to. For those lessons, we will be forever grateful.
If she wasn’t meant for community service, who was? Welcome Dave!!!
Dave - The Helpful Hound
Dave—known throughout our community simply as The Helpful Hound.
There is something truly special about this little foxhound mix. People are simply drawn to him.
Big, burly men blow him kisses as he hangs his head out the car window. While visiting Brooklyn, New York, strangers stopped us constantly to ask about him—even with dogs everywhere. No matter where he goes, Dave has an incredible ability to make people smile.
Dave was adopted through a collaboration between The Ronnie Stanley Foundation (RSF) and Renee's Rescue in Baltimore.
The mission of the RSF is to match people in need with dogs in need. We were honored to become the first family they approved to adopt as a therapy dog hopeful whose primary mission would be serving the community at large rather than a specific individual.
The RSF helped launch our work and training with Lakeland Elementary School. Although every visit meant a four-hour round trip, those early days remain among the most meaningful and memorable experiences of our journey. We will always be grateful to everyone who believed in us and helped make those moments possible.
Today, Dave is a certified therapy dog with Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs and has completed more than 100 therapy visits at Pennsylvania Hospital and The Hospital for the University of Pennsylvania. He has earned his Grand Champion Trick Dog title through Do More With Your Dog!, his AKC Elite Performer title from the AKC, and the complete suite of AKC Canine Good Citizen titles, including Advanced and Urban Canine Good Citizen certifications.
At just three years old, his story is still being written.
We have no idea where this journey will take us next, but we're grateful for every step, every detour, and everything in between.
I never imagined having a partner like Dave by my side. Not a day goes by that I don't thank the universe for bringing him into our lives. He reminds us daily why The Helpful Hound Fund exists—that one dog can change a life, inspire a community, and create a ripple effect of kindness that reaches far beyond what we ever imagined.