Shellac is a brave and loving mom who, along with her six beautiful puppies, joined our program in June of 2024. Her puppies have all found wonderful homes in upstate New York, but Shellac’s journey has taken a different path. During her spay appointment, it was discovered that she has a severe heart murmur, and X-rays revealed a very enlarged heart. Upon further testing we have found out she has Chagas disease. Shellac's resilience and gentle spirit make her a truly special dog deserving of all the love and care we can provide as a sanctuary dog so she can live the rest of her life loved and happy. 

This handsome boy wandered up to a Good Samaritan's farm.. he was skin and bones and exhausted. They reached out to us for help and we quickly said yes (who cant resist a senior!?) He's such a happy boy! We've had a couple cancer scares from testicular cancer and lung cancer but the boy isn't ready to give up yet!

He LOVES food and does the cutest hop to tell you he's ready for a treat!

Gingerbread… aka.. Gingy…has come a long way!! She is beautiful and she knows it!! A bit about her.. We saved her and her sister from the shelter in Brookshire at 8 weeks old back in 2019.. She was adopted shortly after… She was well cared for and loved.. Her adopter went into hospice at 52 years old and the adult children didn’t want her.. So she came back to us in 2023!! It was initially traumatic for Gingy.. it took weeks to win her over.

She has been living with Tammy and learning ranch life!! 

She was severely let down by humans in her past.. her owners neglected her as she was skin and bones when we first got her from the Gardenia shelter. Owners had come forward but all agreed to not let her go back to the horrid conditions.

Well NO more.. She has gained weight and doing great at her amazing foster home. Now she can enjoy her golden years knowing what safety and love is!! 

The world is a scary place for her. We first rescued her and her two pups out of the Gardenia Shelter March 2023... Day one in her foster's house she cried non stop trying to climb up the walls / out the windows to get away. With the help of Brookshire Vet we gave her time to decompress… Fast forward a year and, while she’s still not considered a "normal" dog, she’s slowly learning to trust, loves playing with toys and admires the other dogs (especially Jetta another sanctuary dog).

Have you seen the movie 50 First Dates? Starlight is the epitome of that movie. Every day you may feel like you make some progress, by the end of the day she'll cuddle on the couch with you and give you lots of sweet kisses... but by the next morning you may have to start all over again. She absolutely loves to run and play with the other Sanctuary dogs and enjoys life although she's weary of humans. She's chosen her spot to stay here with us!

This pretty older gal was saved from “the list” at Harris County Shelter.. She is safe now with our great foster Lisa!! She’s an easy going gal.. she is good with cats.. good on the leash and in the car.. she’s kinda bossy with some dogs.. and good with others but she barely has any teeth so it can be quite entertaining when she thinks she can get bossy haha! Love this girl! She gets to enjoy her Golden Years loved and happy and safe!

Alcova was born into our rescue... her mother was Wyoming. All siblings and mom were adopted but she was always the shy one. She warmed up to Tammy but didn't do well at events, scared of strangers especially kids. It even took her a few months to warm up to Julia but she finally has. Due to her fearful nature she has found her forever home at the Belles Buds Sanctuary home!

Lane was found with Lissie and 3 others in Eagle Lake. She was the last one caught as we had to get a trap set for her... she came to live with Julia on the Belles Buds Ranch and even saved her "brother" McKay's life when he went through Heartworm treatment (he was one of the others rescued from Eagle Lake but has since been adopted!) 

Although weary of humans she's bold around other dogs and even acts as part of the Alpha "Mean Girls" protecting HER crew.

Lissie was found loose in Eagle Lake with 5 dogs total... one was VERY friendly, the others were all pretty timid. We were able to catch them and they were all fostered out. Lissie and Lane the two rat terriers of the crew have been the most shy. Our amazing foster Paige and her family have been fostering Lissie and have made AMAZING progress with her and have agreed to be their forever sanctuary home as it'll take her lots of time to adapt to a new home. She's a dogs' dog and has become besties with their other Belles Buds adopted dogs!

Pooke was originally one of our Cowboy Pups that we rescued in October 2021, the litter unfortunately fell ill with Parvo and Pookie was one of the slower ones to recover. He stayed on the ranch longer than puppies normally do and it started getting harder and harder to let him go (especially since he'd HIDE under tables at events) when we realized he found his home already on the Belles Buds Sanctuary!

Kage was formerly one of the "Midnight Pups" litter. This goofy, thick boy has blended in so well at the Ranch that there was no way we could let him leave the Sanctuary! He's so funny with his slow "zoomies"... if you see him run you can't help but get a smile on your face!

Puffers or "Hot Rod" was brought to Belles Buds "mistakenly" when a transporter was picking up a litter of puppies but the finder threw him in too! No regrets though.... as this boy has found his home at the Belles Buds Sanctuary! He unfortunately had been shot in the leg AND had an ACL tear so the vet recommended amputation. Our little tripod boy is loving life at the Belles Buds Sanctuary! 

Georgie is one of 27 Pyrenees rescued from a hoarding situation in Georgetown, Texas. We split with several other Rescues across Texas to help save them. Georgie is the most protective of the three living on the Belles Buds Sanctuary Ranch. She will alert the others if a strange animal approaches. She's slowly coming around to the Humans as well and actually letting a few pet her! Especially her favorite human Jeanne (Tammy's mom!)

Goliath is another one of the 27 Pyrenees rescued from Georgetown. Goliath is the biggest "baby" of the three living on the Belles Buds Sanctuary Ranch. He will be the last one you see as he prefers to hide out underneath the barn, in the feed room, or in front of the air condition in his "private suite" in the Garage. 

Sigh Simon - the untouchable - has been with us since November 2020 and still doesn't like human touch. He LOVES to play with the other dogs and will curl up on top of his foster fur-siblings (especially his BFF Jetta). Ironically, he often thinks 'he's big man on campus' when new fosters come in... He simply doesn't want to be pet or held by a human.  

Dax the "chi-devil" came to Belles Buds from Waller County Animal Control She has quickly chosen her humans and does not want anyone else nearby as she does NOT like strangers coming over haha! 

Stan the Man knows his name!! He was rescued out of Harris County as an owner surrender but the owner clearly neglected him... he was HW positive, intact and full of fear aggression. 

​

He's now friendly and loving at his foster home but if you take him away his insecurity and anxiety spikes. Needless to say, he knows his "safe place" so he's happy at his Belles Buds Sanctuary Home. As of October 2022 he's officially Heartworm Negative going through the Slow Treatment!

Simba was an owner surrender because they couldn't care for his medical needs. He had an old injury in his hind and back that was causing him to chew his leg and tail raw. Our amazing foster agreed to take him in and we helped him with vetting including regular Lazer Therapy. He's recovered amazingly, walking great and loving his Fospice home thanks to Robbie!

Ember's story is one you definitely want to hear! She is one of Belle's Buds proud Ambassadors!

June of 2019 Ember was saved by fire fighters... owners said they didn’t want her (shortly after lighting the apartment on fire!). One of the EMT/firemen is a friend of ours and asked BBR to help... she had a long road of recovery going through the hyperbaric chamber at Gulf Coast Vet... Thanks to GCVS, the Johnson Family and her amazing foster (and eventual adopter) Amy she is happily loving life!

Tink was picked up from the shelter in Fort Bend County. Belles Buds pulled her from the shelter thinking she was either pregnant or full of worms. Well, turns out it was 120 hair ties! During the surgery, they also found out she has a hole in her heart. Her life expectancy was anywhere from six months to only a few years. Our amazing Belles Buds foster Ashley has taken her home as a Sanctuary Dog. 

Jetta is a sweet beautiful, gentle giant. She’s special needs because she moves "freely" due to double hip dysplasia... vets believe she was born without hip sockets... she shows no signs of pain and actually is just more flexible in her movement! We call her our fun filled Gumby.... or maybe Pokey?

Unfortunately we also believe she was overbred and caged up before we got her as she is scared of almost everything. She’ll run and hide at every "new" movement. She’s definitely learned love and trust and is now a care free happy go lucky girl in her Belles Buds Sanctuary Home. 

After being returned from an adopter, Charm lost all trust in strangers. We don't know what happened.....

She would only let Tammy and Julia near her. Over time she is starting to warm up to regular visitors but if anyone new comes by she will keep her distance by waiting and watching from the woods until the stranger leaves. It has become apparent that she's found her home where she feels safe on the Belles Buds Sanctuary Ranch!

Sweet Xena was abandoned by her "owner" who was a student at Prairie View A&M that had left her behind when she went home over Holiday break. Animal control picked her up and after her "hold" was up Belles Buds knew we needed to help! Little did we know that she'd fit right in and have found her happily forever after at the Belles Buds Sanctuary. 

Cayenne was also an "original" save out of Third Ward... brought home in June 2018 shortly after BBR was founded in April 2018. She was originally dubbed the garbage girl as her mouth reaked of trash... haha! She had quickly blended in and stolen Julia's heart and is here to stay! 

Dandy was one of our original "saves"... when BBR was first getting established Tammy and Julia were also fostering for other rescues including Houston K911 (THE inspiration to start BBR, thank you Anna!)

Lily and her three flower pups were being fostered by Tammy &Julia... two of the pups were adopted and ready for transport to Washington but Lily (mom) and Dandy (pup) were held back... Lily because she had heartworms and still needed treatment (who has since been adopted by our amazing President of the Board... and Dandy because she still had a bad case of Demodex Mange. The Ladies at BBR asked Houston K911 if they could transfer the two into BBR ... little did we know that Dandy would stay here forever as she is Panda and Xena's therapy dog! Hah!

We jokingly say he adopted Tammy... he lived on the Sugar Hill Ranches going back and forth between homes but after a few months realized that he had found his home on the Belles Buds Sanctuary... Prince Perro now has his own throne... often found napping in his very own bedroom (where he often even gets brought breakfast in bed).