In November 2019, the founders, Wendy Sanguinetti and Carol Dougherty made a trip to San Felipe to buy a winter home. While in San Felipe, they visited the local shelter only to learn that 58 dogs there had been abandoned. With some dedicated volunteers trying to figure out where their next meal was going to come from, Wendy and Carol decided that what was needed was a new start, a new home.

After purchasing their house, they came back down to San Felipe in December and 3 days later bought the 2 properties in the Ejido for the future home of the San Felipe Dog Rescue, otherwise known as the PUPPY PALACE.

The property came with a small house and a trailer. The trailer would be used for our permanent caretaker and the building of the kennels for mothers and litters started almost immediately. This would not be just a typical shelter. Each mother and litter would have their own space and a play area just for them. It would be a home where the juvenile and adult dogs would be able to run free instead of being locked up in kennels. A place where their bodies and hearts would heal.

Puppies began arriving almost immediately, even before the kennels were finished. In January, we moved all the dogs from the old shelter to our new facility and our rescue was in full swing.

In July 2020, Wendy and Carol purchased another lot and house beside the shelter and decided this would be the San Felipe Dog Rescue future veterinary clinic, named Passionate Paws.