​​If you love dogs and cats, you have arrived at the right place. 
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Here, you can learn how to foster or adopt a dog or cat, volunteer to help our organization, discover the kinds of materials & equipment we need to maintain the care for our animals, donate money, & look at some really cute pics of some amazing canines & felines!

The Hands to Paws Team

Meet the team behind Hands to Paws Rescue. We also have as wonderful a group of foster parents as you will find anywhere in the world!  They tirelessly provide our dogs with the love and care needed to prepare them for their forever homes!
Kristin Pierce brings a wealth of experience and dedication to animal welfare as the Director of Hands to Paws Rescue. A Navy veteran, she relocated to the CSRA from California in 2010 with her cat, Glinda. Her love for felines began in childhood, with her first cat, Butterscotch, joining her family as a cherished birthday gift.
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With a vision centered on collaboration, Kristin is committed to addressing the unique challenges of animal welfare in the CSRA. Her goal for Hands to Paws Rescue is to foster partnerships with local rescues, animal services, and community resources, recognizing that collective efforts are key to making the greatest impact. Emphasizing the importance of spay/neuter programs, she aims to strengthen relationships within the CSRA and beyond to create a more compassionate and sustainable future for animals.
Born and raised in a small farming community in Missouri, Lin Akeson has always had a deep love for animals, with a special place in her heart for cats. Even as a child, she was drawn to strays, often coaxing them to follow her home. With a remarkable knack for taming feral cats—especially those seen as a lost cause—her natural connection with animals became clear early on. Her grandmother often predicted she would one day have a house full of cats, and she wasn’t wrong.

After graduating, Lin relocated to the CSRA in 1992, where her passion for animal rescue continued to grow. In 2018, she experienced the heartbreaking loss of her beloved Persian rescue, Mystic. Although not quite ready to adopt again, a visit to a PetSmart adoption event led her to volunteer as a foster, sparking a new chapter in her journey.

In 2020, Lin established a sanctuary farm in Appling, where she cares for several rescue animals. The following year, she joined the Hands to Paws team as the Adoption Coordinator, helping countless animals find their forever homes.
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Dedicated to reducing the stray population in the CSRA, Lin is passionate about educating pet owners on the importance of spaying and neutering. Through her role, she continues to make a lasting impact on the lives of animals and the community.
Mel Mathis has always had a deep love for animals, sharing a home with both cats and dogs. Their journey with pets began with a stray cat named Zombie, whom they cleverly convinced their mom to let them keep by gradually coaxing the feline into their home.

Mel discovered Hands to Paws during a trip to PetSmart and quickly signed up to be a foster. Over time, their involvement grew, and they now play a critical role in managing social media, paperwork, foster coordination, the online record system, and assisting with medical tasks.
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A lifelong learner, Mel is passionate about educating pet owners on responsible animal care and loves helping pets find loving homes. When not working with Hands to Paws, they enjoy gaming and daydreaming about one day becoming a homesteader.
Kat Ellis - Exiting Director
Today I officially stepped down as president of Hands to Paws.
I've been blessed to have been able to start the rescue in 2015 !
I've had many wonderful volunteers, Fosters and supporters along the way.
We have placed numerous cats and dogs into wonderful homes over these years! Oh, and the occasional rabbit, guinea pig, maybe a bearded dragon or two…
Kristin will keep you informed as for changes, but over the past year Kristin and others have acted in the role of coordinators and assumed most of the tasks involved in administration of the rescue during this time.
I have given over most responsibilities to these coordinators and I’ve tried to stay more in the background so there would be an easy transition. I know the Rescue is in capable hands!!!
I hope that you will continue to support the Rescue and the new president.
I will still be on board assisting with various tasks like fundraising, event planning, helping to support dog adopters/fosters with training needs as time allows and of course, working with the hands to paws rescued dogs that are still boarding at Graced Kennel!