About SDR
Small Dog Rescue (SDR) is an all-volunteer group committed to the rescue, rehabilitation, and placement of dogs 20 pounds and under. Dogs are fostered in volunteers' homes so they can be loved like a family member until they are placed in a suitable adoptive home, determined by a review of a written application, a criminal background check, several reference consultations, and a home visit. SDR is a no-kill rescue, resorting to euthanasia only when a dog is either suffering from an untreatable medical condition or considered dangerous and not responding to rehabilitative training efforts. SDR is a 501(c)(3) Federally Tax Exempt Organization and Non-Profit Tax Exempt Incorporated Organization.
Mary Roubinek
Founder and Liftetime Director
Mary started volunteering with other rescue groups years ago, and thought it would be an achievement if she started a dog rescue of her own. She did all the paperwork for the IRS and officially opened Small Dog Rescue of Minnesota in June of 2002. She is proud of the rescue and how it has grown as well as all of the volunteers who donate their time to run this rescue. She knows and appreciates the hard work that goes into fostering a dog and the commitment it takes. Mary and her hubby Mel share their home with furbabies, 3 birds, and 1 fish. She welcomes anyone to come aboard and be a part of Small Dog Rescue of MN.
President and BOD Chair
Dallas has been with SDR since 2007 and has become addicted to saving the lives of small dogs. She appreciates the concrete difference that she can make for individual animals because much of her work as the program director for the Animal Rights Coalition is based in education and outreach and she rarely gets to interact with the animals whose interests she represents. She and her husband are parents to two rescued dogs and two rescued cats: Max is a beagle who spent the first three years of his life alone in a backyard and was hit so hard it left half of his face paralyzed, and Warren is an affenpinscher whose former guardian died and no one in the family wanted him. Their senior cat came from a woman who was leaving her battering spouse and needed a safe home for him, and their second cat spent nine of his first eleven months in shelters or foster care before coming to live with them.
BOD Secretary
Carrie and her husband, Eric Biese, joined Small Dog Rescue of Minnesota in 2006 as a foster home and have fostered over 20 dogs. Carrie has been an adoption advocate since the early 1990s when she adopted a 1-year old male tabby cat, Leo. In 1999, Eric & Carrie adopted Vern, a 5 year old rat terrier with epilepsy. Today, they share their home with Belle, a 9-year old rat terrier, Randy, a 3-year old Chihuahua-Corgie, and two cats, Sylvester & Missy.
When not working with foster dogs, Carrie spends her time as the Software Quality Manager for Healthland, a leading nationwide provider of information systems for small community hospitals. She is also the Founding Board Chair and Volunteer Development Manager of Gilda's Club Twin Cities, a community meeting place providing emotional & social support for anyone touched by cancer.
Vetting Coordinator
Kelly has been with SDR since 2007 and has opened her home to over 20 foster dogs. Since adopting their first rescue dog, Rusty, in 2005, Kelly and her husband have become dedicated to helping dogs in need. She has three rescue dogs, Rusty and Jess, both Miniature Pinschers, and Lily, the Miniature Schnauzer. Kelly is a Certified Veterinary Technician and in her free time she likes to help out at her local no-kill animal shelter.
Becca Stiles-NogosekRochester Area Coordinator
Becca Stiles-Nogosek started volunteering with Small Dog Rescue in January 2009. She stumbled upon SDR while perusing Petfinder.com. She immediately began fostering and couldn't wait to bring a Small Dog Rescue presence to her community in and around Rochester, MN. Becca loves the advocating for little dogs who so greatly deserve it, and working with others who do, too. Becca is a fulltime student at Augsburg in Rochester pursuing her degree in special education and also teaches theatre classes at the Rochester Civic Theatre. She is a Paraprofessional for the Rochester School District specializing in working with students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Developmental/Cognitive Delays. Becca is a doggie momma to Dandi, a boston terrier mix, and Jaspar, a Basenji Mix whom she adopted from SDR in May of 2009.
Treasurer
Tammy has been volunteering with SDR since winter of 2007. In addition to serving as the treasurer on the Board of Directors, she is also the foster volunteer coordinator. She came to Small Dog Rescue after her doxie passed away - not sure if she was ready for another dog. She decided to start with fostering and adopted her first foster dog - she and her daughter and their beagle all loved him. She has lost track of how many dogs she has fostered to date. Tammy's mom adopted one of our special needs chihuahuas and she is passionate about the work SDR does. When asked why, Tammy says, "The volunteers all show so much dedication and love for these rescue dogs. I'm always amazed at how everyone works together to get them from one place to another and to find these dogs their forever homes. To receive pictures a month after a dog has been adopted out and see the happiness in that dog's eyes is the best feeling in the world for me."
Technical Advisor
Dan has been volunteering with SDR since November of 2008, when he and his girlfriend Nicki adopted Skittles the beagle. Dan provides IT support for Small Dog Rescue, and also built and maintains SDR's website. In addition to Skittles, Dan and Nicki also belong to Elvis the pug and Neely the puggle. When not working with SDR, Dan is a technical project manager at ProVation Medical in Minneapolis. When not dutifully petting Skittles every time she demands it, Dan spends much of his time chasing Neely the sock thief, and acting as the "lap" for Elvis the lap dog.
Legal Advisor
Candice Ciresi is a local corporate attorney and ordained minister. A highly decorated Gulf War veteran, she served as a mechanic in the United States Air Force. She is a national speaker on achieving balance, coping with fear and finding faith; and has worked with adolescents and the elderly through various churches and missions for over two decades. Her more significant pursuits include bare feet, laughing so hard that milk comes out her nose and being with her family. It is these latter pursuits and the joy they provide which allows her to keep her life in physical and spiritual balance.
