Pup Culture Rescue is a female-led team dedicated to saving dogs and educating the community on the importance of adoption.
Our Mission
We believe that every pup deserves a loving home and every individual deserves a loyal companion. Our personalized approach ensures every adopter is united with their perfect match. Through outreach and education we are committed to preventing dogs from abandonment and easing the stress on our shelter system.
Pup Culture Rescue is a female-founded 501(c)(3) and foster-based dog rescue operating out of Los Angeles, California.
Meet Our Team
Victoria Lily Shaffer
CEO & FOUNDER
Victoria (@victorialilyshaffer) launched Pup Culture Rescue in October 2021 after writing her debut publication, Pup Culture: Stories, Tips, and the Importance of Adopting a Dog. She is passionate about combining her advocacy for animal welfare with her experience in entertainment, aiming to create content that inspires and educates viewers about responsible dog parenting and to #AdoptDontShop. Her home is the epitome of organized chaos, often housing puppies, dogs with special medical needs, and behavioral cases (on top of her own diverse trio!)
Riley O’Day
CO-FOUNDER & HEAD OF OUTREACH
Riley (@rileyoday) has been involved in dog rescue since age eleven when she fostered her first puppy — but her love for animals stretches back as far as she can remember. While working from home during the pandemic Riley fostered dozens of neonatal and medical cases. This ultimately prompted her career shift from tv/film casting to veterinary medicine. She returned to school and graduated at the top of her class with an Associate’s degree in Veterinary Technology. She is currently working remotely with PCR while she works as an Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Technician in Chicago. Riley is always expanding the pup cult[ure] by making partnerships with brands like The Dodo and BarkBox paw-sible!
Alex Kirshner
EVENT MANAGER
Alex (@awesomejewkitty) recently moved to Los Angeles from Chicago. She was featured in BizBash’s “40 Under 40” for her work in Experiential Marketing for SiriusXM and Pandora and is now working for Disney’s FreeForm on the West Coast. When she isn’t planning killer events, Alex enjoys watching movies with a glass of wine and her 13-year-old Yorkie mix, Lovi, by her side. Alex is particularly passionate about rescuing senior dogs who have been abandoned by their owners, uprooted from the only homes they have ever known, and who are often overlooked in shelters. Alex is the comedian of the PCR women and we are so happy to have her expertise and humor on board!
Maria Perez
RESCUER
Maria is a crucial member of our rescue, always going above and beyond for dogs in need. Her dedication stems from a personal connection to the plight of abandoned dogs in East LA, where her family owns a factory. She regularly goes out of her way to rescue strays and neglected dogs, even in the most challenging of circumstances. Maria's selflessness extends beyond her tireless work for our rescue. She frequently opens her home to dogs in need, providing them with a safe and nurturing environment until we can step in. Her generosity and kindness have touched the lives of countless dogs and humans alike, and we're lucky to work with her every day.
Ashley Perez
VOLUNTEER
Ashley has been with Pup Culture Rescue since the very beginning. Not only did Ashley adopt a German Shepherd from us, Stella (formerly known as Raven), but she is a mainstay in our weekly operations— driving dogs to and from vet appointments, fostering, and assisting at events. We thank Ashley for her unwavering commitment to our rescue's mission!
Catherine Heath
PROJECT MANAGER
A Chicago native who now calls LA home, Catherine thrives in the creative realm as a photographer, website designer, and a seasoned production assistant for high-profile events like the Grammys and the Oscars. Beyond her professional endeavors, Catherine seamlessly integrates herself into the heart of Pup Culture's mission. Whether she's executing creative decisions for our space or passionately sharing our dogs’ stories with prospective adopters, you’ll find her popping up everywhere that our rescue does. Known as the ultimate Pup Culture cheerleader, she enthusiastically champions our rescue to the public by telling people all about why our rescue is so meaningful. Catherine is excited to bring her creative energy to several upcoming projects at our first physical space in Pasadena!
Karen Treptow
TRANSPORTER
Whenever PCR pups need a ride, Karen always steps in to save the day. Rescue missions often move extremely quickly, needing dogs to travel to the vet and/or their foster home with very little notice. Her passion for rescue is clear when she pulls up in her car outfitted with donut beds and cozy blankets before spending hours in LA traffic for our dogs. We couldn’t do it without you, Karen!
Michelle Vaca &
Hector Avendano
FOSTERS
We have lots of amazing fosters, but not many who are able to foster consistently. Michelle and her husband, Hector, have been fostering PCR pups since May 2022 without a break. Whenever there is a dog in need, Michelle and Hector take them in no matter their medical needs, size, or breed with the same enthusiasm. They even adopted their foster, Tallulah, after she was returned twice. We are so grateful for Michelle and Hector, and know all her former fosters are too!
Eileen & Chris Mastro
FOSTERS
Eileen and Chris’ dedication to Pup Culture Rescue proves that distance does not interfere with your ability to foster. They live two hours from Los Angeles and drive in regularly to pick up their foster dogs. Eileen and Chris’ experience and passion for dog rescue is evident. They are incredible trainers, teaching their fosters how to walk perfectly on a leash from day one, solving food aggression with ease, and overall building the dog’s confidence and manners before they get adopted. When adopters come to meet their new companion, they spend multiple hours going over training and transitioning. If it weren’t for Eileen and Chris, many dogs wouldn’t be thriving today.
Lindsay Logan
WEB & CONTENT DESIGNER
Lindsay first got involved with rescue work during the COVID-19 pandemic. In between careers and seeking dog companionship, she began volunteering to provide care and transport for rescues. Shortly after, Lindsay quickly fell in love with her lab mutt and adopted him as her own. As a passionate animal advocate and tech professional, Lindsay designs Pup Culture’s internet personality to help connect as many dogs to their furever families as possible.
