Our Philosophy
Our Mission
Almost Home Animal Sanctuary (AHAS) 501(c)(3) is a nonprofit rescue in southeast Pennsylvania dedicated to rescue, rehabilitation, and re-education. We provide a safe and loving space for pets while they heal, grow, and prepare for their forever families.
Our Story
AHAS was born out of love for Ruey, a rescued Neapolitan Mastiff who gave years of joy, companionship, and love. Because of Ruey, and dogs like her, we founded this sanctuary to honor giant-breed dogs—Molossers—and all animals who often get misunderstood.
Over the years, AHAS has expanded to help dogs of all sizes, exotic cats, horses, and humans. We are especially proud that we can now offer dog training from our expert canine behaviorist to help recent dogs with problems from losing their homes.
What We Do
Dog Training
From leash pulling to aggression, we fix problem behaviors by teaching you how to speak your dog’s language. Our proven methods build calm, stable dogs—and confident owners.
Rescue & Adoption
Our rescue focuses on more than just finding homes—we build lasting relationships. Each animal is fostered, evaluated, and trained to ensure they’re truly ready. We carefully match pets with the right people.
A Note From The Founder
AHAS was founded in 2003 by Tara Wahl
AHAS Founder Tara Wahl
I grew up immersed in a world of animals—from riding my horse and taming stray kittens on my grandparents' farm to living alongside a menagerie of big dogs and fluffy cats at home. From an early age, I was deeply connected to the way animals communicated with one another—on the farm, in the stables, and in everyday life.
In both undergraduate and graduate school, I studied psychology, which gave me the chance to combine my academic curiosity with my lifelong passion for animals. Throughout those years, I worked directly with both humans and animals, building a foundation that would shape everything I do today.
To feed my soul during school (and well beyond), I volunteered with many nonprofits that served people in various ways. But when I joined a dog rescue organization, something clicked on a level I hadn’t felt before. While fostering was incredibly fulfilling, I was disheartened by how often I heard volunteers say, “I like dogs more than humans.” That sentiment didn’t sit right with me. I quickly realized that helping people was just as important to the success of every adoption and long-term placement. That belief became the driving force behind creating my own rescue—one that values both sides of the leash equally.
In 2003, I founded Almost Home Animal Sanctuary as a private organization built on the pillars of rescue, rehabilitation, and re-education. We began with a focus on large-breed dogs but soon expanded to include dogs of all sizes, exotic cats, and even the occasional horse. Our foster care model has remained at the core of what we do—because it allows us to transform lives from the inside out, one home at a time.
As our organization grew, AHAS was taking in more dogs with behavioral problems which required us to rehabilitate and stabilize them prior to finding new homes. Working with hundreds upon hundreds of unstable dogs, who exhibited behavioral issues including severe aggression with bite histories, has enabled us to identify patterns in dog behavior and misunderstandings between dogs and their owners.
Our mission has come full circle as we have been able to apply our education with the years of experience to form a coherent training approach that has proved remarkably successful. We now work with dogs of all breeds with a spectrum of problems, as well as owners, shelter staff, volunteers, and anyone seeking to better understand their dog.
- Founder Tara Wahl
Why Choose Us?
What sets us apart isn’t just what we do—it’s how we do it.
Five-Paw Reviews
Don’t just take our word for it—hear from the families whose lives (and walks) have been transformed. These stories speak to the power of understanding, connection, and training that actually works.
We went from dreading walks to loving them.
“I used to come home from walks mentally exhausted, afraid of how my dog would react. After just one session with AHAS, everything changed. Now I look forward to our walks—and even seek out new challenges. The techniques are simple, logical, and incredibly effective.”
- Kelly G.
Training Client
Not aggressive—he just needed the proper training.
“We were told our puppy was aggressive and that it would only get worse. After working with AHAS, everything changed. I can now push my daughter in a stroller with our dog walking calmly beside us. He’s not aggressive—he just needed proper training.”
- Amy R.
Training Client
“This was such a great experience."
“Tara was incredibly knowledgeable and observant—not just of our dog, but of us as owners. We left our session with so much confidence in what we’d learned and how our Great Dane responded. It was truly one of the best training experiences we’ve ever had.”
- Brian & Joann P.
Training Client