Our mission
Our primary goals are the rescue and rehabilitation of homeless animals in need, educating our community on proper pet care, and participating in community youth outreach programs. Key components of our rescue mission:
- We spay/neuter every rescue dog to help end the cycle of unwanted litters.
- We treat every dog as if it were our own — with respect, love, and dignity.
- We maintain the highest standards of veterinary care, housing, training, and compassion.
What does NBS stand for?
NBS has a two-fold meaning. The first is No BS. Animal rescue is an emotionally charged venture — lives are at stake daily, and almost everyone in this industry is an unpaid volunteer giving from the heart. That passion can fuel drama, name-calling, and back-stabbing between groups. We choose not to participate. We focus our time and energy on the dogs we're rescuing, stay emotionally and mentally balanced for the dogs in our care, and encourage our fosters, volunteers, and board to build positive, healthy relationships with other rescues.
The second meaning is Non-Breed Specific. We believe every dog should be judged on its individual merits — not on breed characteristics, media portrayal, or public perception, but on how the dog actually behaves. We focus on small-breed dogs because, when our three founders started with only two foster homes, we determined we could foster 2–3 small dogs or one large dog at a time — so we maximized lives saved. Along the way we became proficient at conditions that more commonly affect small dogs (luxating patellas, dental disease, etc.) and fiercely aware of how many small dogs wind up in shelters with their lives in danger. We accommodate larger dogs when our foster homes have the space.
Are you no-kill?
At NBS Animal Rescue we do everything to rehabilitate a rescued dog medically and behaviorally, just as a regular dog owner would. We are foster-based and do not have an open-admission facility. The term no-kill technically only applies to organizations with a physical facility that are 100% open admission. That said, we never euthanize for space — our euthanasia decisions are the same as a loving owner's: quality of life due to medical or behavioral state of mind only. We believe in and support the No Kill Movement.
Rescue, rehabilitation & medical protocol
NBS has strong working relationships with several in-state shelters and rescue groups to network dogs facing euthanasia into open foster homes. We also accept owner surrenders when the current owner is acting in the dog's best interest. Our operation is 100% volunteer-based with 100% of available funds supporting our primary mission.
We seek the advice of qualified positive-reinforcement trainers and animal behaviorists on a regular basis. Through positive reinforcement, consistency, patience, and expert support, most canine behavioral issues can be corrected or successfully managed. All adoptable animals are placed in family foster homes where they immediately begin learning sit, down, stay, come, walking nicely on a leash, and greeting strangers properly. Certified trainers and behaviorists are on call to evaluate behavior and offer training advice.
Every animal goes through a structured medical care procedure to ensure it is healthy and up to date on age-appropriate veterinary care. No animal is placed for adoption until it has passed a thorough wellness exam by a licensed veterinarian. We partner with the Animal Clinic of Sterling Heights, Rescue Veterinary Hospital, and Wilson Veterinary Hospital, and adoptive families receive a complete veterinary history.
Every animal adopted through NBS receives:
- Spay or neuter surgery
- Microchip insertion
- Bath, nail trim, and ear cleaning
- De-worming for internal parasites
- DHPP vaccine
- Rabies vaccine (age appropriate)
- Heartworm test (age appropriate)
- Heartworm preventative
- Flea / tick preventative
Some animals require additional surgery or specialist care. NBS has fundraised for bladder stone surgery, double luxating patella surgery, and extensive dental work for many dogs. We believe each animal's quality of life and prognosis for a pain-free future should guide decisions about surgical procedures, specialist care, or, in rare cases, humane euthanasia.