Final Victory Animal Rescue

17/10/2026

WE DID IT! 👞🎉🐾

7,700 pairs of shoes collected!!!

That's 308 bags of 25 pairs each, now headed to Funds2Orgs in Orlando, FL, where they'll be processed and sent to developing countries to support families in need. 🌍

Once the bags are weighed, we'll receive a check for every pound collected. Those funds will go to support our nonprofit animal rescue with caring for approximately 300 animals and constructing our new building.

And judging by how our shoe crew felt loading that truck... it was a LOT of pounds! 💪

Our original goal was 160 bags. We passed it, so we set a new goal of 250... and then blew that out of the water, too! 🚀

A HUGE thank you to our shoe coordinator, Robin (AKA Sneakerella), who went above and beyond to make this fundraiser such a success. We absolutely could not have done it without her!

And thank you to everyone who:
👟 Donated shoes + encouraged others to do the same
👟 Hosted a collection box at your business, neighborhood, or church
👟 Picked up full boxes to bring to FVAR
👟 Helped count pairs and bag them up
👟 Showed up to load the truck this morning

The people of the Midlands really came together to help cats and dogs in need, support families around the world, and keep SO many wearable shoes out of landfills. We are incredibly grateful for this community! 🐶🐱

📣 Please note: Our shoe drive is now complete, and we are no longer collecting shoes. If you have new or gently worn adult shoes (or clothing) in excellent condition, please consider donating to Thrifty Paws in West Columbia! They donate proceeds from their thrift shop to local rescues like ours. 🐾

16/10/2026

It’s Final Victory Friday, and we’re wrapping up another week with some exciting updates from our alum + preparing for a busy weekend!

🏡 Our team would like to send a huge thank you to our adopters who have joined our Final Victory Alumni Families Facebook group to stay in touch. Seeing these sweet familiar faces living happy, healthy lives is so rewarding! We appreciate the opportunity to stay connected and build community.

💻 If you are looking to adopt a cat or dog, fill out an adoption application on our website. We'd love to set up a meet and greet to help you find your match. Maybe your new canine companion or feline friend will even be featured in our next Final Victory Friday post!

We can’t wait to see who finds their Final Victory next! 🎉🐾

15/10/2026

Happy birthday to Bri!!! 🥳

She works behind the scenes managing our rescue's Petfinder account and dog adoption bios. Posting, updating, and managing 200+ profiles at any given time is no small feat! Our team is so grateful for the work she does to keep things organized and help our dogs future families find them. ❤️

It would be the best birthday gift ever if our top 5 longtimers found their people!!! Bri has a soft spot for those who are overlooked and continue to pop up on her list. She'd love to never have to update their profiles again beyond marking them as ADOPTED!

Read more about each of them and apply to foster or adopt:
➡️ finalvictoryrescue.com

14/10/2026

Let's get these animals into homes where they belong! 🐈🐕‍🦺

We are full to the brim and having to turn away more than 50 cats + dogs in need almost every single day. 💔 We are currently closed for intake as we care for the 300 who are relying on us. Dogs are unfortunately 3-4 per kennel right now as we are desperate for fosters to help.

📱 Already approved fosters, text Stephanieat 803-983-5649 to schedule a foster pick up!

Browse available cat + dog bios on our website and apply to foster or adopt:
➡️ finalvictoryrescue.com

is based in West Columbia, SC, with rescued cats and dogs at our facility and in nearby foster homes.

Local adopters enjoy a trial adoption period to make sure it's a good fit for all before finalizing. We also transport to approved applicants in the northeastern US and Canada, and welcome out-of-state adopters to travel to us or arrange private transport. 🗺️🚐

Once your application is approved, we'll schedule a virtual or in-person meet-and-greet. We'd love to help you find your match. ❤️

14/10/2026

14/10/2026

It was not a typical Wednesday morning for Ag Science 8th graders at Lakeside Middle School! Six adoptable puppies from Final Victory Animal Rescue visited to wrap up a study of dog breeds. 🐶

Students worked in small groups to note dogs' physical features, get to know their energy level and personality, and interview FVAR staff to learn more. They recorded observations about the pups' paws, coat, ears, tail, coloring, and size.

The work will continue this week as students put together their photos, videos, observations, and experiences to help promote the dogs for adoption. We can't wait to hear what breed mixes they came up with! (Some of these pups have us stumped, too.) Students will use the information they've learned about breed types to help predict the best home fit for each dog. 🏠

In addition to educational benefits, the mental health impact was evident. Middle schoolers, teachers, counselors, office staff, admin, and any one who saw the puppies was thrilled. We saw lots of smiles and heard lots of laughter, "aww," and some "this was the best day ever!" It was a privilege to bring joy to the school for a unexpected midweek pick-me-up.

As an added bonus, the young dogs got LOTS of exercise, leash practice, socialization, play time, and enrichment before snoozing on the car ride back to the rescue. The confidence and growth observed in just two hours was incredible to see!

Thank you to Mrs. Larmon, Mr. Pittman, and the Lakeside Middle School administration team for inviting us out to be a part of such a productive and memorable project. We look forward to continuing our partnership! 💚🐾💙

13/10/2026

Give a rescue dog a little time away to unwind with you! 🐶💤

A few days going from a kennel to a couch means less stress, better sleep, and a chance for a dog to show off their true personality. That makes a HUGE difference when it comes to finding their forever family!

Fall break is bringing lots of pets back to our facility, and our small team could really use a hand. 🙏

Even fostering for ONE week would be a HUGE help! Fostering helps the animal you take home AND helps us care for everyone else. We currently have 286 animals depending on us!

Short commitment. Big impact. (And, of course, we welcome longer commitments, and bigger impacts, too!)

Please reach out if you have any questions!

💻 Apply to foster at finalvictoryrescue.com
📱 Already approved? Text our foster coordinator, Stephanie, at 803-983-5649 to schedule your pickup!

13/10/2026

Thank you to Blake Carlton for an amazing Pawlenciaga Fashion and Dog Show! 🐾✨👗

We loved bringing our adoptable dogs out to walk the runway alongside local designers and models. The dogs, the fashion, and everyone involved were eclectic and absolutely beautiful. It was such a unique, fun event!

Proceeds from the event benefited the host, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia, and Final Victory Animal Rescue.

A huge thank you to everyone who put in months of preparation to make this happen, to our incredible volunteers, fosters, and to all who came out to support this local event. We couldn’t do it without you! 👏