Foster Volunteers are Urgently Needed
By Anita Todd

LAKELAND – It might sound like an oxymoron, but any dog that checks into the Polk County Bully Project (PCBP) is truly a lucky dog. At this one-of-a-kind facility, dogs become part of a family. They are fed, housed, given medical care when needed—and above all, they are loved unconditionally.

“These dogs are never in danger of being euthanized or ending up on the streets again,” said Angie Lorio, co-owner of PCBP. “They will never be abused, neglected, or starved. Once they’re with us, they’re safe for life.”

That lifelong commitment is more than just a promise—it’s in writing. “When one of our dogs is adopted, the new owners sign a contract stating that if they can no longer keep the dog, it must be returned to us,” Lorio explained. “We’ve driven all the way to Texas to bring one of our dogs back.”

PCBP continues to check in on their adopted dogs long after they’ve left the facility. And if a dog ends up in an unsafe situation, the organization has no hesitation about pursuing legal action to ensure its return.

Lorio and her partner, Shannon Medina, founded PCBP in 2019 with one mission: to save bully breeds from being euthanized and help them find loving homes. The project began in a small, all-volunteer office—but the need quickly outgrew the space.

“We saw right away how critical this work was,” said Lorio. “So we started searching for a larger facility to rescue even more dogs.”

Thanks to community fundraisers and generous individual donors, the team was able to lease a larger building. But even that space wasn’t enough to meet the overwhelming demand.

That’s when a local philanthropist—who happened to own a bully breed himself—stepped in. He purchased property and built a massive, warehouse-style facility specifically for PCBP. The organization now pays just $1 a year to use it, along with covering the property taxes.

“It’s incredible,” Lorio said. “Because we don’t have to worry about rent or a mortgage, we can focus every dollar on what truly matters: the dogs.”

Currently, there are more than 230 dogs at the facility, with additional dogs in foster homes.

They receive dogs from a variety of sources: individuals who can’t or won’t care for them any longer, the Polk County Animal Shelter, or from homeless situations.

“There are a few homeless encampments around the area, and we go out into them,” Lorio said. “The last time, someone called us about a dog that had been chained to a tree for five days. Two days ago, there was a dog who had been hit by a car, and someone had duct-taped their fractured leg.”

Medical care—especially emergency care and sterilization—is PCBP’s biggest expense. TLC Pet Snips, Inc. in Lakeland performs spay and neuter procedures at a reduced price, but costs still add up, as every dog they take in must be fixed. A veterinarian based in St. Petersburg also visits Lakeland twice a month to perform surgeries for free.

Although the organization has around 20 paid staff members (both part- and full-time), much of the day-to-day work is carried out by dedicated volunteers. Laundry alone is a major task, with eight to 10 loads washed and dried daily. Dogs must be walked, fed, loved, and their living areas cleaned.

They adopt out about 800 dogs a year but are careful about placements. According to their website, bullyprojectrescue.org, through local adoption and rescue partnerships, they are giving this misunderstood breed a real chance at a happily-ever-after.

“We aren’t going to put a dog in the community that we feel might be a problem,” said Lorio. “In our history, there have only been two of those, and they have a permanent home here with us.”

Lorio is quick to give credit to the community for the facility’s success.

“Don’t thank me. It’s the people in this community and surrounding counties who keep this place going,” she said. “These people pay attention—you wouldn’t believe the incredible amount of support we get.”

That said, the need for foster homes is urgent. Foster families take home the dog, along with their food and any prescriptions they might need.

“We pay for everything for the fostered dogs,” Lorio said. “Right now, I could foster out 120 dogs.”

She added that about 50 percent of fosters end up adopting the dog themselves.

“When you adopt, you save two lives,” said volunteer Norma Sanchez. “The one you adopted, and the one who takes its place at the rescue.”

The PCBP is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) rescue organization—and it’s not just for bullies. Any dog is welcome there.

To learn more, volunteer, foster, or adopt, email [email protected].