Saving dogs with CAMO Rescue

I first learned about CAMO Rescue when I photographed Mac for a national publication.  Then in 2020, Holly Dool (President and Founder of CAMO Rescue) and I teamed up for a calendar contest fundraiser that became a wild success.  And finally I got to visit with Holly in person and check out the new kennel facility under construction in Magnolia, Texas.  I’m so impressed by Holly’s dedication to standing up for what’s right, and I’m willing to bet the thousands of dogs and families she’s impacted over the years would agree.  Let’s meet the heart and soul of CAMO Rescue:

Tell me about CAMO Rescue and your motivation for starting a rescue organization.

Holly: I actually never intended to work in rescue, but sometimes you never know where life will lead you.  Back in 2013, I moved to Odessa, TX - during my second week there, I stopped by the city shelter to introduce myself as a rescue person and volunteer to help out.  I was met with indifference by the staff, and as I walked through the shelter, I was dismayed to see an overcrowded and outdated facility.  One particular little white terrier caught my eye – she was shaking and trying to hide under the food and water bowls amidst 4 other dogs.  I adopted her that day, and that’s how CAMO began.

You said the shelter was overcrowded.  Can you tell me more about the conditions of the Odessa city shelter?

Holly: Many kennels held up to 4-5 dogs.  None of the dogs received vet care or vaccinations, so disease was rampant.  The shelter was still using gas chambers to euthanize, which had been outlawed in Texas earlier that year.  Probably the biggest sign of poor management was that the shelter had a euthanasia rate of 83%.  It was heartbreaking to see the terrible fate of so many animals, and the lack of empathy from the staff.

Wow, that’s appalling.  What happened next?

Holly: I regularly visited the shelter, adopted dogs, vetted them, and rehomed them.  Before long, my house was filled with foster dogs waiting to go to their forever homes, and CAMO (which originally stood for Caring for the Animals of Midland/Odessa) officially became a 501c3 non-profit organization.  I also volunteered with a group called Speaking Up For Those Who Can’t to photograph and network the at-risk dogs with local rescue groups and potential adopters.  And I lobbied for shelter reform with the City of Odessa. 

CAMO is now primarily based in Houston - Can you tell me what CAMO is like today?

Holly: Yes, CAMO moved with me when I moved back to the Houston area.  We have a team of volunteers in Dallas, a few in San Antonio, and we network with volunteers, shelters, and rescues all over the state of Texas.  Many of CAMO’s dogs come from the Palm Valley Shelter in Edinburgh.  To date, CAMO has rescued and rehomed close to 6000 dogs (about 1000 of those in 2020 alone). 

That’s amazing!  How do you do this?

Holly: CAMO has over 100 foster families who care for the dogs while they’re waiting to be adopted.  In addition, what people might not know is that about a third of my time is spend networking and rescuing animals into other rescue groups besides CAMO.  It takes a village, and there’s lot of hard work and sleepless nights that go on behind the scenes.  We try to take on the less-adoptable dogs: the injured, ill, old, and seeing the transformations is truly rewarding.

Is there a particular rescue story that’s touched your heart?

Holly: Yes, two actually.  The first is Shelby, a little yorkie rescued from a Houston shelter.  She was underweight, heartworm positive, and completely paralyzed.  Her story & fundraiser went viral, and after months of physical therapy, she completely healed.  Now Shelby’s spoiled rotten and has a larger wardrobe than I do!  The second transformation is Mac. [Ed. note: you can can see more of Mac’s story here.]

There’s a BIG project under construction now.  Can you tell me more about CAMO’s new kennel facility?

Holly: Thanks to the generosity of CAMO’s supporters, we secured a 2-acre piece of land in Magnolia, Texas and are currently building a kennel facility there.   The finished 36x80’ building will have 30 kennels, a lobby, groom room, vet room, a quiet room, and a meet-and-greet room.  The rest of the property will have a caretaker’s home, fenced outdoor play areas, and several quarantine buildings.  We’re still about $100k away from our total fundraising goal for this project, and hope to have it operational by May 2021.

How can people get involved with CAMO?

Holly: The work of a rescue organization is never done.  In order to continue saving dogs, we rely heavily on donors, volunteers, and adopters.  We greatly appreciate donations for the kennel project, and if you’re interested in opening your home, you can apply to foster, or apply to adopt.

Thank you Holly for sharing with us.  The kennel facility is making great progress, and I look forward to the grand opening!  To learn more and get involved, you can find CAMO Rescue at:

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