About Us
Chocolate Chip's Story
Brown Dog Foundation was founded on October 16, 2006 in memory of Chocolate Chip, a chocolate labrador retriever that touched many hearts in his short, ten-year life.
Chip was barely 4-years old when his first family took him on a trip to the Johnson City, TN Pound to be surrendered. At the time, the Johnson City Animal Control Facility was small and did not have the vast rescue network it has today. As such, Chip's future was most certainly short, highly likely to end in euthanasia.
Luckily for Chip, his family didn't mention that he had cancer. Whether or not they were aware of his diagnosis is questionable.
But the Manager fell hard for Chip's personality and stoic looks... so, on his own, he contacted Labrador Retriever Rescue of East Tennessee hoping that they would accept him into their rescue and find him a permanent and loving home.
While examining the dog for health issues, Lab Rescue's veterinarian found a lump, aspirated it and diagnosed him with Mast Cell Cancer. She offered to remove it and give the boy a chance at life. Chip's future suddenly looked bright...
In September, 2000, Carol Smock read Chip's heart-wrenching story on the Lab Rescue website and decided to arrange a meeting to become his adoptive parent. The introduction went very well and Smock brought him home on October 16, 2000, soon after he underwent a successful surgery.
Over the next few years, Chocolate Chip traveled with Smock as her loyal and loving companion. After living in Dallas and Chicago, they made their permanent home in Nashville, TN in 2003. The following year, Smock rescued a 9-month old pup as a companion for Chocolate Chip. They named him Toffee Nut. Chip and Toffee enjoyed taking long walks, playing at friends' homes, car rides, trips to the dog park and travelling to Illinois for Christmas.
In March of 2006, Smock found a small lump on Chip's leg and took him in for tests. The lump appeared to be a lipoma (benign fatty tissue), but the Vet recommended surgery since Chip's bloodwork proved to be excellent. Smock had recently and unexpectedly become unemployed. So she decided to wait a few weeks before scheduling the surgery so she could save the money. Before surgery could happen, Chocolate Chip awoke very sick on May 7, 2006. He was breathing heavy and his face was looking thin. On May 11, 2006 an x-ray of his chest and abdomen showed cancer in his abdomen and around his heart, yet his lymph nodes were not inflamed.
An ultrasound performed on May 12, 2006 revealed Stage IVb Lymphosarcoma surrounding his heart and in his abdomen. Chip's liver was also compromised, but the doctor couldn't tell without a special and expensive test just how much so. And, he had developed a heart arrhythmia. The thinning in his face is called Masticatory Muscle Myositis (MMM) and was most likely a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease causing the muscle atrophy. An initial Chemotherapy treatment was administered and Smock took Chocolate Chip home to observe him for the weekend and consider the options.
Smock worried that being unemployed at the time may prohibit her from being able to seek treatment. It would be a very difficult decision to make because Chocolate Chip was always a very healthy dog, yet she couldn't deny that money was an issue. On Sunday, May 14, 2006, however, Chip's liver began to fail and the decision to let him go was the only right decision to make.
As a result of this experience, Smock along with five friends and her sister, created Brown Dog Foundation as a 501c3 public charity that provides funding to families who find themselves in similar situations - a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to an unforeseen circumstance, there is not enough money immediately available to make it happen.
On December 12, 2023, Smock suffered a Verterbral Artery Dissection and was subsequently laid off by her employer. She would go on to spend nearly a full year unemployed while healing from this devastating and life-threatening condition. During this time, the Veterinary industry shifted dramatically and Smock decided that her heart just wasn't up to the challenges presented by the industry once she had fully healed some two years later. She has decided to refocus her limited personal resources on her career and finding balance between mind-body-spirit.
2023-2025 National Board of Directors
Brown Dog Foundation was a Tennessee Chartered NonProfit, and while the Corporate Office address had changed, continued to abide by the laws of the State of Tennessee governing chartered businesses. The national presence was not designed to alienate local communities, but to allow the vision of assisting any family, anywhere, anytime.
Approximately 15% of the annual budget was attributed to Administration and Fundraising Expenses.
Eighty-five percent (85%) of the budget was directed toward the mission of bridging the gap between the cost of medical expenses and saving the family pet.
Brown Dog Foundation's Board opted to cease operations effective November 1, 2025.
Friends of Brown Dog Foundation
Brown Dog Foundation was a 501c3 nonprofit organization. All donations were 100% tax deductible as allowable by law.