What is Griffin's Legacy?
Griffin’s Legacy: Raising Baby Sharks is a special hospice and medical rescue program in collaboration with Southern Paws Inc., created to provide love, dignity, and extraordinary care to puppies and young dogs under two years old facing severe medical, neurological degeneration, and terminal cardiac conditions.
These are the babies most rescues and shelters struggle to place—those who need specialized care, constant support, and compassionate fospice homes. Through Griffin’s Legacy, we step in when others cannot, ensuring every Baby Shark knows safety, adventure, and unconditional love for the time they have left.
Each puppy is given:
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Personalized medical care with daily hydrotherapy, sensory and physical therapies (2–3x per day), and bi-weekly veterinary monitoring to keep every Baby Shark comfortable
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Specialized accommodations and equipment
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Emotional support and comfort
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A personalized Bucket List of Adventures to fit a lifetime of joy into the limited days they have
We believe every dog deserves a full heart, even if they cannot have a full lifetime.
Why Baby Sharks?
Griffin taught us that even fragile puppies can be fierce little fighters.
During a hydrotherapy session, Griffin’s tiny shark life vest helped stabilize him so he could walk and play in the bathtub. From that moment on, he became our very first “Baby Shark”—and his legacy was born.
Sunrise at the beach became Griffin’s signature adventure. And from that single moment of joy, an entire program grew.
HOW IT WORKS
RESCUE + INTAKE
We take in hospice puppies under two years old who struggle to find placement elsewhere due to both limited rescue options and
the emotional difficulty of fostering a
medically fragile puppy.
DAILY CARE + THERAPIES
Hydrotherapy, sensory therapy, and physical therapy 2–3 times a day, with bi-weekly veterinary check-ins to ensure comfort and quality of life.
BUCKET LIST ADVENTURES
Each Baby Shark receives a personalized list of joyful experiences.
MEDICAL + END-OF-LIFE CARE
Funds support medical needs, equipment, and compassionate end-of-life care.
Baby Shark Book Series
Our Assistant Director, Shannon Rodenberg, has written a heartwarming children’s book series inspired by the Baby Sharks and their journeys.
You can explore the book series and support the program through our online shop.
Proceeds from the books support the Griffin’s Legacy program.
MEET THE BABY SHARKS
CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO READ EACH STORY
How You Can Help
Griffin’s Legacy exists because of compassion, community, and the belief that every life matters.
You can support the Baby Sharks by:
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Purchasing the Baby Shark book series
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Donating toward medical care and equipment
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Sharing their stories
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Support a fospice foster
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Sponsoring a Baby Shark’s journey
Do you know a Baby Shark who needs us?
If you have a hospice puppy or young dog under two years old with severe medical, neurological, or cardiac conditions who is struggling to find placement or care, please reach out.
👉 Contact us at BabySharks@southernpawsrescue.org to see if our program fits your Baby Shark's needs.
Together, we can turn short lives into powerful stories of love.