About Us

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Dibs before

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Dibs painful paws & long nails

Dibs after

Dibs after care in rescue

Rescue: (1) to free or save from danger or harm. (2) To free from confinement, danger, or evil. (Merriam-Webster)

Above & Beyond English Setter Rescue: (1) Saving English setters from confinement, abusive, dangerous, or cruel situations. (2) Committed to “life” saving decisions for English setters at risk of euthanasia regardless of age or condition. (3) Passionate people bound by a common mission to save, rehabilitate, and re-home English setters in need. (4) To educate the public about the English setter breed, care and training.

Above & Beyond English Setter Rescue (A&BESR) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit charitable organization committed to saving English Setters. Since 2004, our efforts enabled over 1,500 homeless setters to find their way into loving forever homes. Our adopted dogs reside in 49 of our 50 states, DC, and Canada. There are A&B foster homes in every geographic region of the country.

The setters rescued by A&B are often found in shelters, as strays, no longer wanted because they do not hunt, or turned in by families who are no longer able to care for their setter. Once in rescue, our foster homes work with each dog to determine temperament, personality, and best type of home situation for their foster’s needs. All dogs receive basic vetting: spay/neuter, vaccines, and parasite testing /treatment.  Many rescued setters have significant medical needs which require advanced medical care for heartworm disease, tumors, untreated breaks or fractures, etc.  A&BESR provides for all medical care.  Once restored to health, our setters are available for adoption.

Over the years, our intake, fostering, and adoption policies have evolved as the rescue has grown. One guiding principle has never changed “We are deeply committed to saving English setters.”

Rescue means different things to different people. When A&BESR discovers there is/are English setter(s) within hours of being killed we do our best to commit immediately, regardless of whether a foster home is available. We will temporarily board a setter to save his or her life. Many setters in these urgent or life and death situations are young adults or moms with pups too young to wean. Without an immediate commitment many die a cruel and painful death.

The volunteers of A&BESR are passionate about and believe in what we do. A&BESR invites you to join us in continuing our mission to save English setters in need.

Contact us to learn more!

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Jake before

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Jake infected skin before

Jake after-small

Jake after in rescue

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Emma's infected skin before rescue

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Emma's over grown nails

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Painful Emma before

Smiley Emma after

Happy Emma after being in rescue