Today we’d like to introduce you to John.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born in in Mexico, but grew up in Connecticut.
17 years ago, I got sober. Even though I had an MBA and was doing well in my career, I realized that one of my problems was I was unfulfilled. I decided I was going to learn how to train dogs and start a business.
Training dogs, quickly grew to training and boarding. I needed room so I left downtown and bought the land here in northeast Harris County. Built kennels, put in a dog pool.
I had always rescued dogs but I made enough with the business that I could support the 2 or 3 rescues I had here at any given time. But I filed for a 501c3 as I started taking more rescues, pickig dogs up off the streets.
COVID ruined my training business, nobody was traveling so no boarding and people didn’t want strangers in their homes, so no in-home training. The dumped dog problem, however, business was booming……
So now all my kennels are filled with rescues and I only to training in-home. I have rescued hundreds of dogs over the years.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
COVID ruined the business enterprise. Houston itself is a terrible place for animals, so much neglect. These were my main issues. Luckily I made great friends here and had many contacts still in the corporate world I have been able to raise funds for the non-profit – pay the bills, keep the lights on, get food and treats and vet care for the rescues.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Jade’s Legacy?
I am a one-man show, dog rescue. I save the dogs, get them socialized and house trained then adopt them out. We have an adoption event about once a month, local strip malls, businesses, water park, city parks, even microbreweries.
Most proud that I am able to do the work to get the dogs sweet and adoptable, and I have not had a single dog returned.
Houston has an animal neglect problem. I would like the readers to know that there are hundreds of small independent rescues like Jade’s Legacy, and for people to look to theses rescues when looking for their next best friends.
What are your plans for the future?
No expansion plans, really, except to build out a couple more kennels for overflow. Would love to be abe to take dogs that are in a life and death situation – puppies on a road, dogs set for euthanization at the city animal control, etc. Right now I cannot because every kennel is filled.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jadeslegacy.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jadeslegacydogs/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076505288218
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-mcdonald-777a14/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP7lg1h_6OSxy_43bMi8bJQ
