Building Futures Together
Supporting lifelong canine well-being through care, education, stewardship, and purpose.
Building Futures Together
Supporting lifelong canine well-being through care, education, stewardship, and purpose.
Welcome to New Purpose Canine Foundation
Where Second Chances Become New Purposes
We believe every dog deserves more than survival—they deserve stability, care, and the opportunity to thrive. Explore our mission, meet the dogs behind our work, and discover how purpose can change lives.
Our Mission & Impact
Lifelong Commitment, Lasting Purpose
New Purpose Canine Foundation was established to support lifelong canine well-being through care, education, stewardship, and purpose.
Inspired by the challenges facing dogs and animal welfare organizations throughout rural Oklahoma, we are building an organization centered on lifelong commitment, responsible stewardship, and meaningful education.
Through community partnerships, public awareness, and purpose-driven initiatives, we work to strengthen the relationship between dogs, people, and the communities they share.
Our mission is simple:
Supporting lifelong canine well-being through care, education, stewardship, and purpose.
Canine Well-Being & Public Awareness
Every Dog Deserves More Than Survival
At New Purpose Canine Foundation, we believe improving the lives of dogs begins with understanding the challenges they face and the responsibilities we share in their care. While our foundation is centered on lifelong canine well-being, we also recognize the importance of education, public awareness, and informed community conversations.
Across rural communities and beyond, issues such as stray and displaced dog populations, limited access to veterinary care, responsible ownership, and long-term stability continue to affect the lives of countless dogs. Meaningful progress requires more than responding to immediate needs—it requires knowledge, stewardship, collaboration, and a commitment to improving outcomes over time.
Through education and public engagement, New Purpose Canine Foundation encourages thoughtful conversations about responsible canine care, the lifelong needs of dogs, and the relationships that exist between people, communities, and the animals who share their lives. Our goal is not to advocate for legislation or public policy, but to promote greater understanding of the everyday choices that contribute to healthier, more stable lives for dogs.
Whether through sharing experiences from our resident dogs, supporting responsible stewardship, collaborating with community partners, or encouraging lifelong commitment, we believe every positive action has the potential to improve a dog’s future.
Because when communities better understand dogs, dogs have a greater opportunity to thrive.
Our Stewardship Philosophy
At New Purpose Canine Foundation, stewardship is a lifelong responsibility rooted in compassion, respect, thoughtful observation, and an unwavering commitment to canine well-being.
We believe responsible stewardship means continually learning, adapting, and providing an environment where dogs can experience safety, stability, enrichment, and meaningful relationships throughout every stage of life.
Every decision we make is guided by a commitment to thoughtful care, responsible leadership, and the belief that improving a dog's quality of life is not a single act of compassion—it is a lifelong promise.
New Purpose Canine Foundation at a Glance
A snapshot of our organization, our dogs, and the mission that guides our work.
- Established: 2025
- Location: Delaware County, Oklahoma
- Organization: Oklahoma nonprofit corporation
- Mission: Supporting lifelong canine well-being through care, education, stewardship, and purpose.
- Resident Dog Program: Currently home to 18 lifelong resident dogs.
- Primary Adoption Partner: Second Chance Pet Rescue, Grove, Oklahoma (16 resident dogs)
- Community Partnership: Delaware County Sheriff’s Office (Luna & Leviathan)
- Leadership: Three-member Board of Directors
- Current Focus: Lifelong resident dog care, canine well-being, public education, and responsible organizational growth.
Looking Ahead
- Strengthening our partnership with Second Chance Pet Rescue.
- Expanding education and public awareness through the stories and experiences of our resident dogs.
- Developing transportation and infrastructure to responsibly support the continued growth of our mission.
- Exploring structured foster partnerships with Second Chance Pet Rescue to help prepare select dogs for successful lifelong homes as resources, facilities, and organizational capacity allow.
The Faces of New Purpose
Spunky
Luna
Dunn
Luna and Betty
Shania and Sprinkles
Sprinkles and her son, Gelato
Leviathan
Gladys and Barney
Luna and Betty
Gelato
Barney
Punky
S’mores
Shania
Barney
Leviathan
Jax
Spunky
Shania and her babies, S’mores and Dunn
Shania
Punky and Vivian
Betty and Birdie
Luna
Gladys
siblings, Betty and Barney
Betty
Barney, Harper, and Betty (top to bottom)
Betty, Mabel, and Barney
Wilma
Gladys
S'mores
Gladys
siblings, Betty, Barney, and Wilma (left to right)
Punky
Birdie
Jax
(top to bottom) Barney, Betty, Mabel, Harper, S'mores, and Gladys
Mabel
Dunn (center) and his sister, S'mores
Spunky
Gladys and her sister, Mabel
Leviathan
Jax
S'mores
Punky, Birdie, Jax, and Vivian
Birdie
Sprinkles and her son, Gelato
Harper
Shania and her daughter, S'mores
Our First Treehouse Christmas 2024
Vivian
Harper and Punky
Shania
Jax, Wilma, Barney, Birdie, and Punky
Vivian
Birdie
Birdie
siblings, Wilma and Barney
Birdie, Harper, Punky, Vivian
The Story Behind New Purpose Canine Foundation
Adoption Was Only the Beginning
New Purpose Canine Foundation did not begin with the goal of creating a nonprofit.
It began with a series of lifelong adoption commitments.
Sixteen of our resident dogs were adopted through Second Chance Pet Rescue in Grove, Oklahoma, where they received veterinary care, vaccinations, spay and neuter services, and the opportunity to begin new chapters through adoption. Luna and Leviathan later joined the foundation through the Delaware County Sheriff's Office, reinforcing our commitment to supporting dogs whenever responsible opportunities arise within our community.
We believe every dog's story begins long before they arrive here. Their names, histories, relationships, and experiences are part of who they are and deserve to be honored. Whenever responsibly possible, we have worked to preserve those connections by keeping siblings together, reuniting mothers with their offspring, and maintaining existing family bonds. Every resident dog also kept the name they were given through Second Chance Pet Rescue because we believe stewardship begins with respecting the life a dog has already lived—not replacing it.
Lifelong canine well-being extends beyond adoption. It includes understanding each dog's individual needs, encouraging confidence through routine and enrichment, supporting physical and emotional well-being, preserving meaningful relationships, and providing a stable environment where every dog has the opportunity to thrive throughout life.
Over time, what began as individual adoption commitments evolved into something much larger.
The dogs were no longer simply members of our family—they had become the inspiration for a broader mission dedicated to lifelong canine well-being through care, education, stewardship, and purpose.
That mission became New Purpose Canine Foundation.
We remain deeply grateful to Second Chance Pet Rescue for the extraordinary work they continue to do on behalf of dogs throughout our region, and to the Delaware County Sheriff's Office for entrusting Luna and Leviathan to our care. Their partnership helped shape both our resident dog family and the mission we continue building today.
Purpose Beyond Adoption
A Vision Still Taking Shape
Before New Purpose Canine Foundation was established, the vision for Nature's Path Therapy was already beginning to take shape.
Nature's Path Therapy is an evolving educational practice informed by psychology, sociology, behavioral science, caregiving, resilience, communication, and nature-based learning. Still in its early stages of development, it explores how relationships, lived experiences, thoughtful observation, and lifelong learning contribute to human well-being, personal growth, and a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
As that vision developed, it became increasingly clear that dogs could contribute far more than companionship. Their individual personalities, temperaments, communication styles, resilience, and relationships suggested a remarkable potential to enrich future educational experiences in ways that extended well beyond traditional expectations. Living alongside them every day transformed that possibility into something far greater than originally imagined.
Each lifelong adoption expanded that understanding.
Rather than expecting every dog to serve the same purpose, we discovered that every resident dog contributes something uniquely valuable. Some naturally encourage confidence. Others bring calm, attentiveness, curiosity, resilience, playfulness, or quiet companionship. Their differences demonstrated that meaningful relationships are strengthened not through uniformity, but through the unique qualities each individual brings to the lives of others.
That realization also reshaped our understanding of purpose.
Purpose is not defined by a title, a task, or a specific role. Some resident dogs may one day participate in educational experiences or community outreach as Nature's Path Therapy continues to develop. Others may simply spend their lives doing what they do best—being cherished members of a family whose presence brings comfort, connection, stability, and unconditional companionship.
We believe both are equally meaningful.
Every dog deserves more than survival. Every dog deserves stability, compassionate care, meaningful relationships, and the opportunity to thrive throughout life. Whether a dog's greatest contribution is inspiring learning, strengthening human connection, encouraging resilience, or simply belonging to a family that loves them unconditionally, every life has purpose.
As these lifelong commitments continued, it became clear that the dogs themselves deserved an organization devoted entirely to their care, their stories, and the philosophy of stewardship they had helped shape.
That realization became New Purpose Canine Foundation.
Today, Nature's Path Therapy and New Purpose Canine Foundation continue to develop along separate but complementary paths. Nature's Path Therapy remains an evolving educational practice focused on understanding people through the lenses of psychology, sociology, behavioral science, relationships, resilience, and lifelong learning. New Purpose Canine Foundation is dedicated to advancing lifelong canine well-being through care, education, stewardship, and purpose.
Although each organization serves a distinct mission, both continue to grow from the same foundational belief: meaningful relationships have the power to transform lives, and every life—human or canine—is worthy of dignity, understanding, and the opportunity to flourish.
Looking Ahead
Growing Through Partnership
New Purpose Canine Foundation continues to grow one thoughtful decision at a time.
Our resident dogs will always remain the heart of our organization and our lifelong commitment. Every decision we make begins by ensuring their continued care, enrichment, health, and long-term quality of life.
As resources, transportation, facilities, and organizational capacity continue to develop, we also envision strengthening our partnerships with trusted rescue organizations by providing structured foster support for select dogs awaiting permanent adoption.
Working alongside organizations such as Second Chance Pet Rescue, we hope to offer foster dogs the same qualities that define daily life within New Purpose Canine Foundation: consistency, individualized attention, enrichment, positive socialization, thoughtful observation, and a stable home environment.
Our goal is not to replace the work of rescue organizations, nor to become a rescue, shelter, or adoption agency ourselves.
Instead, we hope to become another resource within the community by helping prepare dogs for successful lifelong homes while supporting the organizations already dedicated to rescue and adoption.
Like every aspect of New Purpose Canine Foundation, this vision will grow thoughtfully and responsibly as partnerships, community support, transportation, facilities, and long-term sustainability allow.
Because every successful lifelong home begins with people working together.
Leadership & Governance
Joseph Atkins — Founder, President & Director
Dario Ginella — Co-Founder, Secretary & Director
Dario Ginella — Co-Founder, Secretary & Director
Joseph founded New Purpose Canine Foundation after recognizing that what began with the adoption of a single dog had evolved into a long-term commitment centered on canine well-being, stewardship, education, and purpose. Drawing upon a background that includes psychology, sociology, behavioral science, leadership, training, caregiving, an
Joseph founded New Purpose Canine Foundation after recognizing that what began with the adoption of a single dog had evolved into a long-term commitment centered on canine well-being, stewardship, education, and purpose. Drawing upon a background that includes psychology, sociology, behavioral science, leadership, training, caregiving, and nonprofit development, he continues to guide the foundation's mission, vision, and future growth.
Dario Ginella — Co-Founder, Secretary & Director
Dario Ginella — Co-Founder, Secretary & Director
Dario Ginella — Co-Founder, Secretary & Director
Dario has played a central role in the development of New Purpose Canine Foundation from its earliest stages. His contributions span property development, infrastructure planning, construction, operations, stewardship, and long-term mission support. Through practical expertise, resourcefulness, and a commitment to the foundation's future,
Dario has played a central role in the development of New Purpose Canine Foundation from its earliest stages. His contributions span property development, infrastructure planning, construction, operations, stewardship, and long-term mission support. Through practical expertise, resourcefulness, and a commitment to the foundation's future, he continues to help shape the environments, systems, and opportunities that support the dogs and the mission.
LaDonna Starling — Treasurer & Director
Dario Ginella — Co-Founder, Secretary & Director
LaDonna Starling — Treasurer & Director
LaDonna serves as Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors for New Purpose Canine Foundation. As part of the foundation's governing board, she helps support the organization's structure, accountability, and long-term mission while remaining informed about its activities and development.
Working primarily behind the scenes, LaDonna
LaDonna serves as Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors for New Purpose Canine Foundation. As part of the foundation's governing board, she helps support the organization's structure, accountability, and long-term mission while remaining informed about its activities and development.
Working primarily behind the scenes, LaDonna contributes to the foundation's governance and provides an additional perspective as the organization continues to grow. Her involvement reflects a shared commitment to the mission of supporting lifelong canine well-being through care, education, stewardship, and purpose.
Connect With Us
Questions, Partnerships, or Support
Whether you have a question about our mission, would like to explore a partnership with New Purpose Canine Foundation, are interested in supporting our work, or simply want to learn more about the dogs behind our mission, we’d be honored to hear from you.
New Purpose Canine Foundation, Inc.
Delaware County, Oklahoma
Exploring the Science and Philosophy Behind the Mission
Coming Soon: The Canine Continuity Series
New Purpose Canine Foundation: The Album, Dog Music DJ
Sixteen Lullabies. Sixteen Stories. Sixteen Dogs.
The New Purpose Canine Foundation album is a collection of sixteen original lullabies created by Dog Music DJ and inspired by the dogs behind our mission. Each composition reflects the spirit, personality, and journey of a dog whose story helped shape the foundation and its commitment to lifelong canine well-being.
Our connection with Dog Music DJ began long before this album was created. Albums such as Music For Scared Dogs, Songs For Dogs, and Anxiety Relief For Travelling Dogs became a regular part of life for our canine family, helping create a calm and comforting environment throughout the day.
Over time, this music became more than background sound—it became part of the foundation's story. Through countless hours of listening, we witnessed firsthand how much the dogs enjoyed Dog Music DJ's work. That experience eventually inspired a unique collaboration: an album dedicated to the sixteen dogs who helped build the foundation's mission.
Whether enjoyed alongside your canine companions or during moments of relaxation and reflection, this special collection offers a meaningful listening experience for dog lovers and music enthusiasts alike.
Purchasing the album provides permanent, on-demand access to all sixteen lullabies, allowing you to enjoy the complete collection whenever and wherever you choose. Add it to your personal music library and experience the album that has become woven into the history of our foundation.
Own the album once and enjoy it anytime—no subscription required.
Songs of Purpose
Experience all sixteen original lullabies from the New Purpose Canine Foundation album on Spotify and Apple Music. Inspired by the dogs behind our mission, these compositions offer a peaceful soundtrack for dog lovers and their canine companions alike.