Based on the limited information presented, I'm concerned your wife's may have actually supported a puppy mill. Hopefully I'm wrong about that. You may have already told her the same thing.

I'm all for rescuing dogs, and supporting rescue organizations, but if she gave money to someone in a parking lot not clearly a part of a real rescue she very well may have continued to fund the puppy mill he came from. I don't believe legit rescue organizations operate out of parking lots unless they're holding an event there.