By Cheryl Conway
A pint of beer may bring people through the brewery doors, but for this local non-profit pet adoption service, the hope is that a four-legged friend will leave with a new family.
Organized by Carola “Cookie” Gremlich and Paul Duerk of Hackettstown, Hops for Hounds has been bringing multiple animal rescues together at local breweries since 2019, giving adoptable dogs and cats another chance to meet their forever families. With adoption events planned all year, the next one is coming up at Czig Meister Brewing in Hackettstown.
Planned for Sunday, Oct. 11 from noon to 4 p.m., Hops for Hounds will be at Czig Meister Brewing along with several rescues including: Cold Nose
Warm Heart Animal Rescue, Eleventh Hour Rescue, KBS Danes Rescue, Best Friend Dog Rescue and One Step Closer Animal Rescue (O.S.C.A.R.), which will be joining in the fun for the first time
The event will also feature Barkitecture 2026 in collabora
tion with AIA Newark and Suburban Architects. Barkitecture is a pet architecture competition inviting architects, designers, contractors and other creatives to design and build innovative homes for animals.
On exhibit will be 16 creative animal-home entries spotlighted and auctioned to raise money for animal rescues.
“The project adds yet another creative element to the Hops for Hounds mission and demonstrates how people from very different parts of the community can come together to support animal rescue,” says Gremlich.
“The events have become about much more than adoptions,” she adds. “They bring together local breweries, rescue organizations, businesses, volunteers, community organizations, adopters and animal lovers — creating a community around helping animals in need.”
Another Hops for Hounds event is planned for Jersey Girl Brewing, with the date still to be announced.
Looking back at the past seven years, Gremlich is enlightened by its progress.
“What started as an idea at a dog-friendly local brewery in 2019 has grown into a community effort helping dogs and cats find their forever homes while bringing together local breweries, animal rescues, businesses, volunteers and animal lovers,” she describes.
How It Started
The concept was initially suggested by Czig Meister Brewing. It wanted to find a way to help as many animals as possible rather than partnering with just one rescue, she explains.
The idea came about after Gremlich fostered a dog through a rescue based in Passaic County. At the time, she was also volunteering with the rescue by helping process medical records, conduct home visits for potential adopters and complete reference checks.
Knowing how dog-friendly Czig Meister was, Gremlich and Duerk approached the brewery to host an adoption event.
“We had a meeting, the idea took off, and Hops for Hounds was born,” she shares.
Since then, Hops for Hounds has worked with numerous local rescue organizations, including Cold Nose Warm Heart Animal Rescue, Eleventh Hour Rescue, KBS Danes Rescue, Best Friend Dog Rescue and many others. Over the years, dozens of dogs and cats have found their forever homes through these events.
Hops for Hounds then connects the local rescues to breweries with events planned throughout the year.
“The participating breweries don’t just open their doors to the rescues” says Gremlich. “Many have gone above and beyond to support the animals and the organizations caring for them.
“Breweries have shown their generosity by creating special brews and giving taps, with funds raised going directly to participating animal rescues,” she adds.
Czig Meister has supported the rescue community in another creative way during its very popular annual Oktoberfest when it hosts its Wiener Dog Race, with proceeds that benefit animal rescue.
“Most recently, Jersey Girl Brewing took the idea of supporting rescue to an entirely new level,” she says. “They created a special beer for Hops for Hounds and designed a special can featuring rescue dogs who were looking for their forever homes. There was an especially happy ending to that story: Every dog featured on the can has since been adopted!
“These collaborations demonstrate how local breweries have embraced the mission and found creative ways to help shine a spotlight on animals in need.”
More Than Adoption Events
Hops for Hounds events have also become a place where other local, animal-related businesses and organizations can get involved, continues Gremlich.
“Local vendors often join us at the events, offering products and services such as pet sitting, pet accessories and other animal-related goods and services,” she says.
Gremlich makes it a point to note that “an important part of our mission is that Hops for Hounds does not take monetary donations directly. When money is raised through our events, special brews, giving taps or other activities, the funds go directly to the animal rescues.”
Every event leads to a happy ending and a furever home for the four-legged attendees.
“One of the most rewarding parts of Hops for Hounds is seeing the transformation that happens when the right person finds the right animal,” says Gremlich, who shares some stories below.
“Lilly, a young Pit Bull who had recently become a mom, was rescued from a kill shelter in Virginia and taken into rescue. She was given a second chance at the life she deserved when she met her new mom at a Hops for Hounds adoption event at Czig Meister Brewing — and it was a perfect match. Lilly went home with Melanie and began a new chapter of her life. Now known as Penelope, she is loved, spoiled and very much part of the family.
Another memorable adoption was Frankie, a young Sato dog rescued from a beach in Puerto Rico. Frankie was very skittish and understandably unsure around people. She needed time and patience to warm up, and she wasn’t the kind of dog who would immediately run up to a stranger with a wagging tail. At an adoption event at Jersey Girl Brewing, a young couple approached her gently. Instead of passing her by for the puppies or the dogs who immediately greeted everyone with wildly wagging tails, they took the time to get to know Frankie. They instantly fell in love with her and, importantly, they saw what was special about her. They understood that behind her shyness was a young dog who simply needed someone willing to give her time, patience and love.”
Explains Gremlich, “Stories like Penelope’s and Frankie’s are the reason Hops for Hounds continues to bring rescues and communities together. Every adoption event creates another opportunity for an animal that may have had a difficult start to meet the person who will change its life forever.”
How to Help
Animal rescues and shelters rely on a wide range of support beyond direct financial contributions.
“Not everyone can adopt an animal, but everyone can do something to help,” says Gremlich.
Fostering, volunteering in person, pet transport volunteers and in-kind donations are always welcome.
Rescues can always use in-kind donations including food, blankets, towels, toys, crates, cleaning supplies and even trash bags. Gently used household linens and old towels can also be put to good use as animal bedding.
“Of course, financial contributions remain important,” says Gremlich. “One-time or recurring donations can help organizations cover everything from food and routine care to emergency medical treatment. Some rescues also allow people to sponsor a specific animal’s medical expenses or adoption fee.
Rescue organizations also need people with professional and administrative skills who can help with remote data entry, answering phone inquiries, maintaining foster network records, coordinating volunteers, photographing available pets, creating adoption profiles, writing newsletters, managing social media accounts, promote fundraising events, adoption drives and community outreach programs.
“And for those with hands-on skills, shelters can benefit from volunteers willing to donate carpentry, plumbing, electrical, landscaping or other maintenance skills to keep their facilities safe and functional,” she adds.
While many volunteers participate in these much-needed roles, it is Hops for Hounds that does the heavy lifting when it comes to organizing an adoption event, making it “as easy and seamless as possible for both the participating rescues and the brewery.
“This allows the rescues to focus on what they do best: Caring for animals and finding them loving homes,” she says.
“For the breweries, it provides an opportunity to welcome their dog-loving customers while supporting local animal rescue,” Gremlich sums up. “For the rescues, it gives them a chance to showcase adoptable animals to a new audience without having to handle all of the event planning themselves. For local vendors and community organizations, it provides an opportunity to contribute to the cause.
“And for the animals, it creates one more opportunity to meet the people who might become their forever families.”
