"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Lisa Vanderpump and her husband Ken Todd are opening what she calls a first of its kind dog rescue center in Los Angeles, California.
The Vanderpump Dog Rescue Center, which will serve as a rescue and adoption facility for homeless dogs and puppies, opens in Beverly Grove on Thursday.
But, the facility isn't your conventional dog shelter. It's more like a "puppy palace" complete with pink chandeliers, Vanderpump said. And its mission is more than pampering pups. The center hopes to provide a more humane world for dogs everywhere.
In addition to rescue services, the center also offers overnight boarding, grooming, veterinary work, a pet shop and a dog cafe.
[NATL-LA]Inside Lisa Vanderpump's New Dog Rescue Center in Los Angeles
From the Vanderpump family pillows to the Vanderpump dog clothing line, all proceeds benefit the Vanderpump Dog Foundation.
"I'm not making any profit. It's all going to the dogs. My life has actually gone to the dogs," Todd jokingly said.
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The foundation's goal is to save four-legged lives and make a positive impact on global legislation, education and treatment of animals — for dogs worldwide.
The foundation has garnered international awareness as it fights to put an end dog abuse and slaughter in China.
People begged Vanderpump and her husband Ken Todd to get involved and she says the pair couldn't sleep until they did.
"We saw these horrific pictures of this festival called the Yulin Dog Meat Festival," she said. "Absolutely barbaric."
The Vanderpump Dog Foundation is working to save dogs in China and in Southern California.
"So what we're going to do is take dogs from the kill shelter, really high-risk dogs and we give them grooming and we have them Vanderpuffed … kind of glam them up," Vanderpump said.
The restaurateur and reality star tweeted a photo of one of the rescues — a dog that was "matted beyond belief" and covered in fleas.
The pup was rescued from a kill shelter and is now up for adoption.
"What is celebrity … if you can't put it to good use? What is the point of being a celebrity? Todd said.
The Vanderpump Dog Center opens to the public Thursday and is located at 8134 West Third St. in Los Angeles.
