ABOUT
Mission &
History
Barely A Dog Rescue was founded by Vanessa De Prophetis in 2025, also known to millions as Girl With The Dogs. Vanessa’s love for animals began at a young age and grew into a lifelong commitment to their care and well-being.
In 2011, Vanessa became a professional pet groomer and went on to build a successful grooming business. Throughout her career, she worked closely with pets and their owners, forming deep connections and witnessing the realities many families face behind the scenes. In 2020, she began sharing her grooming work online, quickly reaching a global audience through her Girl With The Dogs social media channels.
While grooming thousands of pets over the years, Vanessa noticed a heartbreaking pattern. Many animals were suffering from preventable or treatable health issues, not because of neglect or lack of love, but because their owners were struggling to afford veterinary and grooming care. Time and time again, she saw pets living with pain, discomfort, or worsening conditions simply due to financial barriers.
Unable to turn animals away, Vanessa often dipped into her own savings to help cover essential veterinary costs and provided grooming services free of charge when owners were in need. What began as quiet acts of compassion became a consistent and overwhelming responsibility.
After years of doing this on her own, Vanessa realized that individual help was no longer enough. She needed a sustainable way to support both pets and the people who love them. That realization became the foundation of Barely A Dog Rescue - a mission-driven organization dedicated to providing financial relief for essential pet care, while also rescuing small dogs, placing them into foster homes, and preparing them for healthy, loving adoptions.
Barely A Dog Rescue exists to bridge the gap between love and affordability, ensuring that no pet has to suffer simply because help felt out of reach.
