Local nonprofit helps dogs find their forever home

Pia Maso is hoping that Cody, a lovable 17-pound Chihuahua mix, finds his forever home this weekend.

Cody, who’s nine (a senior in dog years) came from California, where he had been “severely neglected,” says Maso, the founder of the nonprofit Barney’s Furry Friends. He had rotten teeth and a skin condition that left him oozing blood and pus. Since then, vets have treated his infection and given him medicated baths. They found out he has a lot of allergies (including to things like poultry), so he’s on a special diet.

He’s been fostered for two months (the average foster time is two to four weeks) and he: “just needs a few more eyes on him,” Maso says. “He’s a sweetie.”

Cody, along with three to four other dogs (Dasher, Mickey, Jeremiah, and possibly Rocky) will all be at Bosley’s in Westwood Mall in Coquitlam this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for an adoption event, put on by Barney’s Furry Friends.

Kurtis Cooper, the owner of Bosley’s in both Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, says they try to do these adoption events biweekly. On average, about 20 people come in to look at the dogs. About four to five dogs get an adoption application.

How it all began

Maso started Barney’s Furry Friends two years ago, after she had fostered and adopted two dogs of her own. The second dog was Barney, who “was completely broken” when she took him in.

“He went from being terrified of absolutely everything to flourishing into the most confident, happy dog,” she says.

Unfortunately, Barney has since passed on. But Maso says that pup was the inspiration behind the organization.

She began with just one dog, reaching out to everyone she knew to find a foster. She paid out of pocket for the vet bills, then found a forever home. The next month, she got two dogs adopted.

The volunteer-run organization facilitated the adoption of 32 dogs in 2023, its first year of operation. In 2024, that number grew to 150.

Now, they try to do a rescue once a month. After an initial vet-check in California, the dogs are shipped up in a bus or van, where Maso and her volunteers find foster homes for them in Coquitlam and near-by cities.

Maso helps find homes for Californian dogs due to the vast need and because there’s more small to medium, which are easier to home. Canada-based dogs tend to be large, and a lot harder to home.

“It’s not that I don’t want to rescue within Canada,” she said. “People live in condos, in townhomes — very often they want smaller dogs, and there’s so many smaller dogs in California.”

All foster’s get a goody bag with everything they need for the dog, from food to a leash to toys and even an Apple AirTag (if a dog has a tendency to bolt). 

A foster bring the dog home and take them to the vet within the first week for things like neutering, vaccines, deworming, or removing ticks.

Maso said they have a trainer to help if a dog has any behavioural issues.

Fosters then take the dogs to adoption events — including the one on Saturday — and are there to answer any questions from potential owners.

“And then we find them homes, and then we’re able to do it again,” Maso says.