Every Rescue Starts With a Kuddle
We rescue puppies who have been abandoned or faced heartbreaking situations in high-kill shelters across the South
OUR MISSION
Forever Kuddles Fosters is a non-profit, foster-based rescue serving the Chicagoland area. We rescue puppies who have been abandoned or faced heartbreaking situations in high-kill shelters across the South, giving them a safe and loving place to heal, grow, and prepare for adoption. Our mission is to be the bridge between rescue and forever homes — where every rescue truly starts with a Kuddle. With compassion, care, and love, we help each puppy begin their journey toward the happy life they deserve.
WHO WE ARE
Forever Kuddles Fosters is a homebased, foster-driven puppy rescue serving the Chicagoland area. We focus on saving very young puppies who have been abandoned, orphaned, or are at risk in high-kill shelters across the South. Many of our rescues are too young or fragile to be adopted right away, so we provide them with loving care, a safe environment, and the veterinary support they need to grow strong and healthy. Each puppy receives individualized attention, learning to play, trust, and thrive while being prepared for adoption. When they’re ready, we carefully match each puppy with an educated, committed adopter to ensure they continue their journey in a forever home where they’ll be loved for life.
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About Me
Claudia, Founder of Forever Kuddles Fosters
My name is Claudia Altman. I am married, a mom to three grown children, and a proud grandmother of two. Family has always been at the center of my life—and so have animals.
I’ve loved animals for as long as I can remember. Growing up, our home was never without dogs, cats, fish, or something furry or feathered that needed love. Caring for animals was never just a hobby—it was a part of who I was.
About 13 years ago, that love turned into a mission. I rescued a litter of abandoned puppies that had been left alone in a home after their mom and dad were tragically killed. That heartbreaking moment changed my life. It was then that I fully stepped into the world of fostering, rescuing, volunteering, and helping dogs find their forever homes.
After years of working with different rescues, I felt called to create something more personal—something small, home-based, and focused on puppies who need extra love and care. That dream became Forever Kuddles Fosters.
The name “Kuddles” is spelled with a K in honor of our first family dog, Kuddles. My youngest daughter wanted to name him “Cuddles,” but because he was a boy, we changed the “C” to a “K.” He spent 15 wonderful years with us, and his memory continues to inspire everything I do.
Forever Kuddles Fosters is truly a family effort. My husband, children, and even my grandchildren help in their own ways—whether it’s loving on puppies, helping with social media, or supporting transports and adoptions. Together, we make sure every puppy is treated like one of our own.
Today, I share my home with two senior Pitbull mixes—Bailey, who’s been with us for 13 years, and Kobe, who came into our lives at just four days old after losing his mom. I bottle-fed him, watched his eyes open for the first time, and we’ve been inseparable ever since.
My mission is simple: to save as many puppies as I can, and to give them the love, safety, and forever home they deserve.
This isn’t just rescue work—this is family, heart, and forever love.
