Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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By Tanda Gmiter | MLive

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GRAND RAPIDS, MI - When she's not working her 9 to 5, Janelle McFarlane is working with area animal shelters, taking in dogs that need a little extra TLC. She places them within her network of foster families so they can get ready to be adopted into permanent homes.

But a couple times a year, the founder of Hearts of Hope dog rescue makes a 6,000-mile trek to make sure some needy pups overseas will get a better chance at a new home in Michigan. She's worked with Animals Lebanon in Beirut since 2011.

In the last week, she and a friend returned with 12 dogs she'll get ready for adoption. The batch includes five shaggy puppies.

Doing this long-distance rescue work just reinforces what she already knows: People in Michigan have big hearts when it comes to bringing rescue dogs into their families.

"A lot of people ask me, 'Why Lebanon?' Or, 'Aren't there enough dogs here that you can rescue?' We mostly rescue dogs from West Michigan, but help wherever we can," McFarlane said. "If we can help, we always will, regardless of their ZIP code. That's been my philosophy since I started this rescue."

She likes working with Animals Lebanon because she said the group has fought to create laws in that country to protect animals from abuse. But it's a tough task to get dogs into new homes there.

"It is still very difficult to adopt out mixed breed dogs that are rescued off the street. The dogs have no future there. That's why most of Animals Lebanon's rescues are transferred internationally."

The Beirut group covers the costs for these dogs to be flown to the U.S.

The new dogs should be placed up for adoption soon. Check Hearts of Hope's Facebook page and its website for details.

Below we're sharing some of the photos Lynae Marie Photography took during the Beirut trip, and details on the dogs.

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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As with every pack she brings back, McFarlane said this one is a mix of playful puppies ready to fit right into a family, and a few special needs cases that will need some extra care before finding the right home.

Here are the backstories on a couple of the special cases:

TIO:

"Tio survived a mass poisoning. When people didn't want the dogs in the area they were living, they threw poisoned chicken into the streets, killing more than 40 dogs. Animals Lebanon not only rescued a few dogs who were lucky enough to survive this attack, but they gathered up the remains of all those dogs and gave them a proper burial. I can't even imagine. It's my worst nightmare. These are amazing human beings."

"Tio is the sweetest soul. He was so shut down when Animals Lebanon found him. It took a while for him to smile again, but he's the happiest boy now and will make someone a wonderful family member. "

AIDEN, DIVA, LILY and AQUA:

"Aiden was shot in the head and living in garbage. Diva and Lily had broken bones likely from being hit by cars. Aqua was rescued along with her five young puppies before being killed. All of these dogs deserve better and I'm grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in their lives. I'm always amazed at how much love they give after people have been so horrible to them. It truly reaffirms what we are doing here."

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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Photo courtesy of Lynae Marie Photography

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This week Hearts of Hope welcomed 12 new dogs into our rescue from our friends Animals Lebanon in Beirut, Lebanon. 5 of those dogs are these adorable 4 month old pups (plus their mom!) With these new additions we REALLY need your help with supplies: - Dog food (both puppy and adult) - Treats for training as many of these dogs are learning crate training and basic commands for the first time! - Small collars (these new pups completely wiped us out!) - Toys, toys, and more toys!!! Donate by going to our Amazon Wish List at https://smile.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/99FNYNLGR81A/ref=cm_go_nav_hz or email us at rescueofhope@gmail.com if you have items you want to donate! Keep an eye out for when these pups become available for adoption - www.rescueofhope.com #Donate #AmazonWishList #HeartsOfHopeDogRescue #AdoptDontShop #RescueDogsRock #UntilThereAreNone #ChangingLivesSince2011 Posted by Hearts of Hope Dog Rescue on Friday, October 12, 2018

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