Take a look at the puppies and pies at Pizza to the Rescue

On April 4, Pizza to the Rescue swung open its doors on the corner of Indian School Road and 26th Street. The newly debuted Phoenix restaurant is a partnership between co-owners Hunter Rodgers and Geri Hormel.

Hormel is the founder of the animal welfare nonprofit Almost There Rescue, which provides care and services to at-risk pregnant and nursing dogs and puppies. Fittingly, the rescue and restaurant share a parking lot.

Over at the restaurant, you’ll encounter an Italian-influenced menu with drinks that range from a fizzy spritz to fine wines and savory dishes like meatballs, freshly-made pasta and of course, wood-fired pizza. Notably, Pizza to the Rescue donates 25% of proceeds from all pizza sales to Almost There Rescue.

On select nights, dinner guests can cuddle and coo over cute adoptable puppies on the patio, where the pups play and pose from inside a fenced area while a small team of knowledgeable Almost There Rescue volunteers keep watch. As operations ramp up, the team hopes to bring out puppies every night at 6 p.m.

For those looking to take home a new best friend, the adoption process requires a scheduled meet-and-greet and some paperwork, at Almost There Rescue.

Here’s a peek at the new pizza restaurant – and some really adorable puppies, too.