Tim Lydon is a man with a plan that is just starting to come into fruition. The co-founder of the fledgling Harmony Dog Rescue, a rescue devoted to providing temporary foster care for dogs whose owners are fleeing violence and abuse, just took in the organization’s first two dogs in October.
He and his fiancee, Molly McAleer, have been working on this idea for several years. His life experience led him to this calling. “I went to a small liberal arts school. … I graduated and traveled for about 10 years, and I taught English and worked on farms. I ended up at a dog sanctuary in Ireland. [The owner] turned her horse farm into a dog rescue.”
She had 40 acres and functioned totally with the help of volunteers. Seeing that example gave Lydon the realization that a mostly volunteer organization could work.
To make their new rescue a reality and prepare for what’s ahead, Lydon says, “We have been on a listening tour, [talking to] other rescue founders, lawyers, accountants to figure out how to do it right.”
He also has worked at Humane Animal Rescue. It was there that the idea crystalized to focus initially on helping victims of abuse by fostering their pets. Part of that is cutting through the bureaucracy that currently stalls people from getting help.
“I was surprised that there weren’t any organizations dedicated to emergency boarding and temporary foster care,” he says. As a result, “We are prioritizing domestic violence victims.” Responding immediately to those in need and removing obstacles for getting help is Harmony Dog Rescue’s mandate.
The public does not understand the link between domestic violence and animal abuse, he says. “Many times a victim won’t leave a pet [in the home] because they are afraid of what will happen to the pet if they go.” Add to this that shelters usually will not take in pets, leaving victims in a difficult situation. As a result, Harmony Dog Rescue has developed a partnership with three domestic abuse shelters. “We just went to them and asked how we could help them serve this mission,” he says.
Right now, the Wilkinsburg-based organization has the capacity to take in about 12 dogs total, but it hopes to increase that number. Recently a mentor of Lydon’s gave the organization access to 7 acres in Harmony, Butler County, with the stipulation that it be used as a rescue operation.
The three- to five-year goal for that land, says Lydon, is to build a kennel on the property so they don’t have to refuse anyone help. Lydon hopes to break ground on a building there next year.
The fledgling organization has big dreams, but it is learning to walk before it runs.
“We have volunteer dog walkers, we have transportation volunteers and we have our fosters. … Next year at this time we hope to have a volunteer number that is exponentially larger.”
Building a robust volunteer program can take time. Lydon emphasizes that Harmony Dog Rescue can use help in all sorts of positions, so anyone who can’t physically foster an animal can do other things. The rescue has a social media presence and is reaching out in more personal, face-to-face ways. “We want to make connections. … We want to build neighborhood networks,” he says.
The organization will also have to figure out the parameters of its coverage. “We say the Greater Pittsburgh area, [and] that could include all seven counties,” he says. But Lydon has already gotten calls from as far away as Philadelphia and Kentucky. “We are mindful of mission creep.”
Back to the first two fosters: The couple have two dogs that belong to a homeless woman who was living in a tent, but now she is in rehab and looking for pet-friendly housing. Her story illustrates the way domestic violence, addiction and homelessness all are interconnected, says Lydon.
In such a divided society, Lydon sees animal welfare as an issue that unites people of all stripes.
“Pets transcend all the bitterness in our society. They transcend hate. … I can’t think of any other topic that unites people so quickly and easily. We think that dogs bring people together. They heal people. I sincerely believe dogs can heal society. “
Anyone wanting to help can call or text Tim Lydon at 412-565-9789. He can be reached by email at info@harmonydogrescue.org or via a Facebook message (Harmony Dog Rescue) or Instagram (@harmonydogrescue). The organization’s website is www.harmonydogrescue.org.
Susan Banks was a copy editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette who was on strike from October 2022 until she retired at the end of 2023. Email her at klebergardens@gmail.com.