Looking for a purebred dog but not up to dealing
with a puppy? Consider contacting a breed rescue group!
Dog rescues are groups or organizations - usually a network of volunteers
- which seek to find homes for dogs and puppies who have been given up
by their former owners. There are rescue groups for individual dog breeds
(breed rescues), all breeds and mixed breed rescue groups.
Dogs come into rescue for a number of reasons:
- Dog is given up by their owner.
- Dog's owner passed away, dog is given up by the family
- Purebred dogs in shelters are often surrendered to the care of a local
breed rescue.
- Dogs from a "puppy mill" which has been shut down
Some dogs which are surrendered by their owners are turned in for legitimate
behavior problems, however the most are wonderful pets, given up for reasons
having nothing to do with the dog itself. Some of the most heartbreaking
cases are when a lovely, older dog is given up simply because the owners
do not want to deal with an aging pet! Most dogs are one year of age or
older, but occasionally a puppy will end up in rescue.
Once in the care of rescue, dogs are typically checked by a veterinarian
and placed in foster homes, where they live as a member of the foster volunteer's
family. There, they receive medications as needed, may receive some training
and are assessed for temperament and evaluated to determine the ideal adoptive
family situation for that dog (children or no children, other pets or no
other pets ...). The dog will be spayed or neutered before going to a new
home.
After the dog is evaluated, the rescue group looks to match the dog up
with a new owner. Potential adopters are interviewed (to determine what
type of dog would be the best "fit") and carefully screened -
rescue groups want responsible,
"forever" homes for their dogs! There is normally an application
form, an interview and sometimes a home-check.
You can find breed rescue groups for most AKC recognized breeds through
the parent club for that breed - information available on the AKC
web site. |
