Who We Are

  • Trash to Treasure is a foster based, volunteer run, 501(c)(3) tax exempt canine rescue based in the Finger Lakes of NY. Our mission is to rescue dogs facing euthanasia or abandonment and provide them with safety, stability, medical care, behavioral support, and the opportunity to heal and thrive in foster homes. We believe every dog deserves dignity, patience, and a second chance.

  • We follow what we call our CATER system.

    • Compassion Over Convenience: We do not discard dogs for being difficult or inconvenient.

    • Accountability: We recognize that most “problem dogs” are the result of human failure.

    • Transparency: We are honest about a dog’s needs and place dogs only in appropriate homes.

    • Ethical Rescue: We rescue responsibly, never beyond our capacity to provide proper care.

    • Respect for Life: Every dog is treated as an individual worthy of patience and dignity.

  • We envision a community where no dog is discarded for being misunderstood, inconvenient, fearful, injured, or imperfect and where “tough dogs” are given the time, structure, and compassion they need to become valued companions.

Our Story

This whole thing started with two humans who fell in love not just with each other, but the house full of critters that came along for the ride.

What began as two people with a deep love for animals, slowly turned into a passion project.

Founder and President Molly Collins has been an animal lover her entire life. Never missing an opportunity to pet a dog or gain a cat’s trust, she could always be found on the floor with an animal instead of making small talk with its owner. She fell in love with a man whose big, soft heart only grew with each animal she brought through the door. One of our favorite stories was when she brought a wine box of feral, hissing, bottle fed kittens home and stated, “Mind your business…” as she passed him by. He simply smiled, chuckled, shook his head, and went on with his day.

Molly lost her beloved soul dog in 2024 and was crushed not knowing how to carry on. Due to her other dog Swampy’s deep depression during this time she had no choice but to get up, lace up her boots, and get outside for a game of fetch with him. This lead to the realization that he needed a friend even though she wasn’t sure she was ready. She hooked up with a local rescue who had the perfect fit for a “foster to adopt” situation. Little did she know, history was being made right then and there…

Miss Dodie Marie Dixon arrived just a few weeks later… covered in scars head to toe, a broken jaw, and a shattered heart. Humans had absolutely ruined her. There wasn’t an ounce of trust or confidence in this girl. She wouldn’t leave her crate, had to be physically placed outside to potty, and had zero interest in human interaction. It took just one day for Kyle to look at Molly and say “We’re keeping her right?” Dodie’s fate was set in stone and she would NEVER live another day in fear or question whether she would be beaten within an inch of her life.

Fast forward a year and Dodie is the absolute light of their lives. She is thrilled to see them everyday when they get home, loves and plays with every single dog that passes through their doors, is absolutely enamored with cats, enjoys children, and wiggles head to toe for a walk. She is the most incredibly brave dog ever and they couldn’t be more obsessed with her.

Dodie was the fire that lit this rescue up. Molly has since worked with multiple rescues, fostered many, many dogs, and learned an incredible amount in a relatively short span. It was time to fulfill her own dream of running a rescue. Time to help the Dodie’s of the world. Time to buckle down and do some damn good.

Trash to Treasure Canine Rescue was born out of necessity, compassion, and love. We strive to give a voice to the voiceless and advocate for the ones left behind, mislabeled, and tossed to the side like trash. We believe every dog is a treasure and we’re here to prove it. So stay tuned, the best is yet to come.