Looking for a Puppy? Read this First!

If you are Rescuing…

Congratulations! There are thousands of homeless dogs in BC alone. You are doing a very selfless act by inviting these pets into your home. Not all rescues are equal though! In fact, some are extremely shady.

Check out this guide by Ann Leary, included in it are Signs of a Sketchy Rescue:

• The group is unwilling to let visitors see the location where animals are kept.
• The animals are kept inside and around the home of the person who runs the rescue group, rather than at a kennel/shelter or in foster homes
• The group will not disclose the number of animals in its care.
• Little effort is made to adopt animals out in some cases. In other cases,  the group or individual may use the number of “placements” as proof that they are indeed rescuing and placing animals.  Often the number of placements is inflated.  And frequently, because they don’t adequately check references and the adopters’ living situations, the dog ends up back with the rescuer/hoarder or at a pound.
• More animals are continually taken in, despite the poor condition of existing animals.
• Legitimate shelters, ethical breeders and rescue organizations are viewed as the enemy.
• Animals may be received at a remote location (parking lot, street corner, etc.) rather than at the group’s facilities.
• On Petfinder and other internet adoption sites, the animal for adoption is described using language like this: “Poor Jingles is just a lovebug, he wags his tail and gives big smooches to everybody he sees. He was placed in a shelter after a child tripped over him and he nipped her out of fear. Now he doesn’t know what he did wrong. (blah,blah,blah).”  A responsible rescue organization will use language like this to describe the same dog:  “Jingles is a 4-year-old neutered male lab-mix.  He has wonderful manners, is friendly and housebroken. Jingles would make a  great pet in an adult home, or possibly in a home with children ages 12 or older.”
• The rescue organization doesn’t ask you for references, nor does it provide you with its own references.  This is very important.  A responsible rescue organization will have a very good working relationship with one veterinary practice and if you ask them for the name of the vet, they should provide it.  You should call the vet and ask them about the group, and also confirm that the dog has had the vaccinations or other treatments that the “rescuer” says have been provided.  Area vets are usually on to hoarders
• They don’t do a home visit. Many animal rescue groups insist on a home visit.  I know some people think this is meddlesome, but usually they are there to make sure that the animal will be in your home for the longterm.  If they discover that the plan is for the animal to be crated for a large part of the day, they will talk to the adopters about arranging for a dog-walker to come once a day to walk and play with the dog.  If there is a high-energy child in the house, they might tell you that the particular dog you’re interested is not appropriate but they might have another dog that would be a better fit. This is how the organization helps the dog and the family/person adopting a dog.  If they just want an adoption fee or a donation and will hand over the dog, they don’t fully understand animal welfare.