• A dog lying on rocky terrain overlooking a vast desert landscape with mountains in the distance, in black and white.
  • Black and white photo of a rugged mountain landscape with a winding road, large rocks, and hikers walking along a trail.
  • A dog kennel with several dogs inside and outside, some lying on the ground, in an outdoor area surrounded by chain-link fences and a metal building.
  • A black and white photo of a speaker and a woman on stage in a large wooden barn-style venue with an audience seated at round tables, some clapping and others watching attentively.
  • Two dogs interacting in a desert landscape; one dog is standing on its hind legs, placing its front paws on the second dog, which is in a wheelchair, with a small dog walking in the background.
  • A puppy lying in a soft dog bed, chewing on a large bone while looking towards the camera. The scene appears to be indoors with wooden and stone furniture in the background.
  • A black-and-white photo of a small aircraft with people boarding or disembarking, surrounded by pet carriers on the ground.
  • Three dogs standing on a rocky desert landscape with sparse vegetation and mountains in the distance, under a partly cloudy sky.
  • A man in work clothes gently petting a dog on the head in a backyard with a shed, wheelbarrow, and other outdoor items.
  • A dog with a scruffy coat lying on a patterned blanket with a toy, licking its nose.
  • A woman lying on the floor next to a German Shepherd dog inside a kennel, with metal cages and a staircase in the background.
  • A police officer standing next to a police dog, with another police dog inside a cage on the back of a police vehicle, on a desert road with mountains and rocks in the background.

West Texas is an inconvenient place to be an unwanted dog.

One Tail at a Time - West Texas (OTAT-WTX) is based in Marfa, TX and works across hundreds of miles of rugged, remote borderland - there’s frequently no cell service, no water, almost no retail, no medical services. Virtually everyone lives off the grid down winding dirt roads. There’s not much for local economy; people are generally just making ends meet. It’s not hyperbole to suggest that there may be more pets than people.

In this wild place, full of predation and environmental extremes, we help homeless and unwanted dogs in communities with no shelter access while simultaneously working to turn high-risk, low-enrichment shelters into places of hope.


ADOPT

We are excited to be part of your journey to find your new companion! We have a national adoption program and pride ourselves on making thoughtful, successful connections. All OTAT-WTX pets are well-assessed; most become available for adoption after settling into foster homes where we learn loads about them. You can learn about our adoption process here.

FOSTER

Fostering saves lives. The more homes we have, the more pets we can help. We always have a list of dogs and cats who need a temporary home. We match pets and fosters, provide all supplies, and have an incredible community to support our foster program. Fosters are our most precious resource!! Learn more about fostering here.

DONATE

Running an animal rescue here - when the vet is 100 miles away, where many local shelters have no budget for veterinary care, and many dogs come in in poor physical condition - is incredibly challenging. Donations make everything possible! More information about what your contribution means to our pets is available here.

SPAY/NEUTER SUPPORT

If you are a resident of the West Texas region and would like to apply for financial support to spay or neuter your animal, you can do so via the following form here.

A dog with a spotted coat sitting inside a kennel behind metal bars, looking directly at the camera.
What is rescue success? FACT: It’s not how many dogs you save, it’s how many people you inspire to help. We are in awe of the capacity of @austinpetsalive, whose network of helpers defies even the most hopeful imagination. They connected
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Happy 9th Birthday, @otatpdx! We are thrilled to celebrate our amazing sister rescue in Portland! For 9 tail-wagging years, OTAT-PDX has been rescuing animals and transforming lives of both the dogs they help and the people who adopt them! Over the 6

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