DunRealTuff (a 501(c)3 registered nonprofit) was established in April 2023 to advocate for companion animals and to educate pet owners about animal welfare. We work locally in Worcester County to keep loved animals at home by providing education and financial assistance.Our belief is that no family who loves and cares for their animals should be forced to surrender or euthanize a pet because of economic hardship. All animals deserve to live a long and happy life at home with families who love them and enjoy spending time with them. By preventing unnecessary surrenders, we will also reduce additional strain put on animal rescue organizations and shelters that are already faced with overcrowding and limited resources. This will allow these organizations to focus on taking care of the animals they already have and placing them into loving homes.
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Help us keep loved pets home, and help others find their own.
Who is DunRealTuff?
DunRealTuff was founded in honor of Duncan, a beloved horse whose competition name inspired this nonprofits name. Caroline Gilbody started the organization lovingly in his honor.
Duncan came into Caroline’s life in August 2010. Years of friendship would follow and many long days were spent together practicing, competing, and taking care of one another. In all of their years together, Duncan was always consistent: he was forever full of light and love. When he moved home, a new friend came into Duncan’s life: Calvin.
Calvin was a craigslist rescue and he quickly became part of the family. The sudden passing of both horses in April 2022 affected Caroline profoundly and left a vast emptiness she thought nothing could fill.
The decision to start a nonprofit came, in true Caroline form, quickly and on a whim. One day, she was told a story which would leave its mark:
After a friend’s dog escaped and was hit by a car, the dog had to be put down, but not because there was no other option, but because there was not enough money. The owners could not afford to pay the vet bills for the treatment and ongoing care their beloved pet would need to survive. Instead, they saw no other alternative but to end their dog’s suffering and euthanize him.
While retelling this horror story to her family, Caroline was confused and wondered why there was no one who could offer some assistance or help with the upfront costs in situations like this.
Following the losses of Duncan and Calvin, Caroline felt unfulfilled and lacked passion in both life and in work. She was looking for a way to honor what she had lost and everything seemed to click when she heard of the poor dog that had to be put down for financial reasons. A fire was reignited and the planning process began. DunRealTuff was created to support families and help other animals live long happy lives so that no one has to say goodbye a day too soon.
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Meet the Team
Gina
Caroline
Beau
Duck
Ryan
Max
Helping animals has been a lifelong endeavor for Caroline beginning at the young age of 8 years old. As a child, she would take care of friends’ and neighbors’ pets, donating the money she received to the NEADS organization. She found it enjoyable to help both people and animals in this way.
As the founder of DunRealTuff, she is excited to honor her beloved horse Duncan and dedicates this organization to his memory. Caroline has a BA in Photojournalism and Business Management from Assumption University (Worcester, MA) and is the owner of her own photography company. Caroline Gilbody Photography will be donating a portion of the profits from all pet shoots to the DunRealTuff nonprofit.
Ryan has always been an animal lover, but after becoming a dog-dad to two very good boys, his passion for helping other pet owners really took off. It wasn’t until this point when he really understood the true cost of owning an animal and the importance of being financially able to give them the life they deserve. Realizing that people want to have the love of an animal in their life but might not have the luxury of financial prosperity, Ryan appreciates the importance of pet insurance; surgeries for animals, just like those for humans, are not cheap. He hopes that his impact at DunRealTuff goes beyond financial support, to financial literacy for pet owners everywhere. Ryan has a BA in Business Management from Lesley University (Boston, MA).
Gina has always had a passion for animals, specifically horses where she really felt at home and not only competes but also coaches others to help build the bond from rider to horse.
Gina studied and pursued a full time career in Law but spends her free time caring for her horse, Max. Having taught and known Caroline and Duncan for over 15 years she was excited to join the cause.
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At Second Chance Ranch Rescue, we want to help our community to prevent surrenders, rather than just solve them. The alarming need for rehoming of dogs, especially those who are misunderstood is why we started Second Chance Ranch. At the Ranch, all of our dogs receive conditioning, love, socialization, and basic training to help develop their skills, confidence and capabilities while they wait for their forever home. Second Chance Ranch is focused on finding the right match between you and our dogs and will invest all the time and effort needed to do so.