It's a really ruff life!

An East Rockaway dog rescue and adoption center is seeking donations to help them care for the animals, and loving home for them, from residents as the summer approaches.

Ruff House Rescue, on Davis Street in East Rockaway, is asking its animal-loving neighbors to give whatever they can to the shelter. They are currently accepting monetary donations, and have requested that residents also bring supplies for the dogs at the center, including wet and dry dog food, paper towels, bleach and other cleaning supplies.

“We are not proud here,” said Diane Indelicato, who helps run the center. “We’ll take anything that our donors are willing to give us, whether its cleaning supplies, food, toys, money, whatever it is, if it can help our dogs, we’ll gladly take it.”

The center first opened seven years ago to rescue stray dogs and unadopted pets from kill shelters that would otherwise have to put the dogs down. A registered 501c(3) organization, the center is staffed and run entirely by volunteers, and is financed and supplied by donations.

“Those are really crucial to us, because we’re not receiving funding like a county or town shelter is,” Indelicato explained. “So really the only funding routes we have are to ask our friends, people who support our cause, to chip in with whatever they can.”

Ted Glaessgen, an East Rockaway native and a graduate of East Rockaway High School who now lives in Florida, is one of the rescue’s frequent donors. He said is he happy to contribute to the cause, even from a distance.

“What they do there is absolutely fantastic,” Glaessgen, who has two rescued dogs of his own, said. “They really work hard to make sure those animals are treated right. I really love what they are doing, so I try to send them a donation every few months, depending on what they need. Sometimes its food, sometimes money, whatever it is they’re looking for at that time.”

Summertime fundraisers

Ruff House is seeking help with more than just supplies, however. Indelicato said the rescue will be holding events throughout the summer designed to help the center cover its expenses, and help find dogs new homes.

“We really do ask for everything,” she said. “That includes donations, as it does take some cash to allow this place to operate.”

To that end, the center holds fundraisers throughout the year, with most of their events being held in the upcoming warmer months.

“Each year we have a garage sale, and that is usually a lot of fun and a big success,” Indelicatio, who added that the garage sale raises thousands of dollars each year, said. “One of our volunteers offers her house for it each year, and we’ve done very well with it in the past.”

The sale is held each year on Memorial Day, and this year’s event raised more than more than $1,200, according to organizers.

Ruff House’s next fundraiser will be held on Sunday, July 12 at Pop’s Seafood Shack and Grill in Island Park. The annual “Beach Barking Fundraiser” is the center’s biggest fundraising event of the year. Tickets for the event, which will include unlimited food, soda, wine and beer are $25 and can be purchased online at the center’s website.