Natalie Garcia founded MaeDay Rescue in 2010 after her beloved dog, Maggie Mae was killed in a car accident. At the time Natalie was building her career as a TV host and on air talent. But after the accident, she dedicated all of her time to fostering - to honor the memory of Maggie Mae.
Natalie also started our sister store, MaeDay Outpost, located on the edge of Silverlake, with her wife Maria. Natalie currently has 3 dogs, one very mischievous cat, and a constant flow of fosters.
After the tragic & sudden passing of her previous rescue dog in 2017, Tara vowed to get more actively involved in rescue to honor her beloved pup Manny. Since she had been admiring the work that Maeday did, she began to help with fundraising & fostering to heal her heart. She has now fostered over 30 dogs and currently serves as the Vice President of Maeday. Tara is very involved in the day-to-day operations of the rescue including medical care/vet appointments, adoptions, and liaising with various shelters to help more dogs in need.
Even though she’s had some challenging cases, she adores fostering and thinks it is such a beautiful & rewarding experience. Gatsby (2018) and Parker (2020 - @parkerthestreetdog) are two of her favorite foster transformation stories - she saw them change so much & loved being a meaningful part of their journeys. When she’s not helping dogs, Tara works full-time in the entertainment industry and loves traveling with her dog Hamilton (who you may recognize as a long-time Maeday foster bro - He’s perfectly patient and loves fostering just as much as his mom!).
Emily started volunteering with MaeDay in 2017 and has since fostered dozens of dogs, several of whom felt like "the one that got away." Despite a preference for non-shedding dogs, Emily finally found a soulmate in Alfie, who sheds a lot, and she has convinced several of her close friends to adopt MaeDay cats and dogs as well. Now her couch is covered in wiry white hairs, her social circle is filled with MaeDay alumni, and her days are spent in zoom meetings where her coworkers are used to the sound of dogs barking in the background.
In addition to serving as secretary on the MaeDay board, Emily is a marketing director at Emerson Collective, a social change organization.