Hello
Southern Paws Inc. is a NJ based Non-Profit 501c3 organization that works very closely with southern rescue groups and shelters to provide needed homes for dogs in the southern United States.
Ashley's Story
Southern Paws Inc. was founded by Ashley Gardenier, whose compassion and determination remain the driving force behind our mission.
In 2013, while volunteering with a rescue connected to the Humane Society of Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, Ashley traveled to Louisiana for one of their events. What she witnessed there changed everything.
Rows of dogs filled the runs—animals who, just weeks earlier, had homes, families, or at least familiarity. Now they waited with no clear future, cared for by exhausted rescuers who were doing everything they could with far too few resources. The financial strain was enormous; the number of heartworm-positive dogs alone was staggering. The overpopulation crisis in the South was unlike anything Ashley had seen. She left knowing she couldn’t walk away without helping.
Within days, Ashley partnered with a team from HSL to launch the Heartworm Sponsorship Program. In just three months, they raised enough money to treat every heartworm-positive dog on the property—giving both the animals and their rescuers room to breathe again.
But she wasn't done yet.
Soon after, Ashley was invited back to Louisiana by Johnna Harris, a leading officer at HSL, who was in the middle of a major cruelty investigation and needed help transporting dogs north to safety. Ashley didn’t hesitate. On that trip, as she and Johnna talked for hours, Ashley learned about one of the biggest hurdles Southern rescues face: transportation costs. Northern rescues wanted to help. Dogs had places to go. But sending rescues spent every last dollar just getting animals there, leaving them financially drained after every trip. The cycle was endless—and devastating.
Johnna had an idea:
What if they adopted out a few dogs from each transport themselves? That revenue could go directly back into transportation costs, making life-saving trips more frequent and financially sustainable.
And with that, the Trans-pup-tation Program was born. Ashley partnered with Jessica Cameron, became the HSL Northeastern Liaison, and began adopting dogs from every transport. Soon transports were running monthly—and hundreds of dogs were being saved.
After a year of dedicating every spare moment to this work, Ashley realized rescue had become a full-time job—without the paycheck. When she told Johnna she either needed to be paid or find other work, Johnna laughed and said, “I wondered when this was coming! Girl, you’ve earned it.”
With that first paycheck in hand, Ashley walked into the bank and opened Southern Paws Inc.
In its first year, Southern Paws saved 100 dogs.
We now save over 500 dogs every year.
Today, Southern Paws partners with sister rescues across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, providing transport, funding, vet care, supplies, and anything else we can to lighten their load. These partners have become our family. We collaborate year-round and visit at least once annually. We continue to run our Heal Our Hearts Heartworm Sponsorship Program, which has now provided life-saving treatment to more than 100 dogs.
In 2019, our team suffered a tremendous loss when Johnna Harris—mentor, partner, and one of the brightest lights in our organization—passed away from cancer. Her spark started this entire journey, and her legacy lives on in every life we save. Though she is no longer physically with us, her mission is woven into the heart of Southern Paws.
Every dog we rescue is another reminder of her love, her passion, and the work she inspired us to continue.
