Quiet cafe music, a conversation between two friends catching up and the grinding of coffee beans swirl together to create the auditory environment of Philz Coffee as you sip your drink and study. But, a new and unfamiliar sound takes over the background noise: the barking of puppies. Philz Coffee’s Del Mar location hosts a pet adoption event outside their storefront in collaboration with A New Life Rescue every second and fourth Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to noon.
In partnership with the San Diego Humane Society, A New Life Rescue brings dogs to Philz Coffee from across North America.
“We pull from the high kill shelters up in Riverside, Apple Valley and DeVore,” Vanessa Garcia, who works at A New Life Rescue and helps to run the Philz Coffee event, said. “A lot of our rescues also come from south of the border, so not just Tijuana, it’s also Mexicali [and] Tecate. Pretty much anywhere there is a need, we’ll take [dogs] in.”
A New Life Rescue is built on fostering and allowing people and employees to really know and care for each dog they rescue.
“We solely survive on fosters, and we are always looking for more,” Garcia said. “We really get to know our dogs; that’s the benefit of adopting. I can tell you what kind of home each dog will do well and thrive in.”
The rescue is 100% volunteer-run and is currently searching for new foster homes and volunteers.
“We’re always looking for fosters,” Garcia said. “[Also] volunteers, if someone wants to come and cuddle puppies for a couple of hours on a weekend, it is a great way to help. We have something for everyone.”
What started as a one-time thing quickly became a recurring event due to its popularity.
“We honestly started as just doing a pop-up, a lot of our fosters are in the area, and [Philz Coffee] offered us the space,” Garcia said. “We were having successful adoptions here, so then we started doing them twice a month.”
Philz Coffee provides a sense of community for A New Life Rescue.
“We love Philz,” Garcia said, “They’re so welcoming and wonderful, they are really invested in the community, it’s a really great environment.”
The pop-ups also create a sense of community and connection for customers.
“I don’t own a dog, but being able to see all the puppies, get a coffee and hang out with my friends made me feel really connected,” Grace Kim (10) said. “It really felt like [Philz] was putting in an effort toward the community.”
After hearing that all the puppies were rescued, Kim felt motivated to adopt one.
“When I found out all the dogs were rescued from shelters or bad situations, I felt a lot of sympathy for them,” Kim said. “I really was inspired to adopt.”
Garcia’s mission is to destigmatize foster dogs and encourage rescuing.
“We get these dogs sometimes from pretty horrible situations,” Garcia said. “With rescue dogs, there’s a lot of stigma about them. Some of these dogs have been through an excessive amount of trauma, but what’s wonderful about them is, even though they’ve endured a ton of trauma, they are still so loving, and helping these traumatized dogs is a major benefit of going through a rescue.”
For Kim, the event is an ideal weekend activity.
“I would totally recommend stopping by for anyone looking to adopt, but also just for an activity to do on a Saturday morning,” Kim said. “Get a coffee and play with puppies, it’s a great combo.”
