PUREBRED RESCUE
This is an outline designed to help you start a new Rescue for your chosen breed(s). Getting started is often a difficult decision for people to make. This packet will hopefully make it much easier for you. Every breed and region has it' s own unique problems and you will need to address those situations. Some of the forms were originally done by an attorney so they would be legally binding. However, as laws very from area to area we suggest people check with a local attorney to be sure they apply to them. This is wonderfully rewarding work and there are many dogs out there that need our help. You may be surprised by what you find. I hope this packet helps you with that work.
PUREBRED RESCUE BASICS
Below are suggestions on the three majors questions regarding purebred rescue. These are meant to be guidelines for you. Adapt them to your own breeds specific needs.
WHAT DOGS TO TAKE
1 . When possible rescue dogs of your breed found in any public or private area shelter and place in homes those that are deemed placeable. The most important consideration should be temperament. A dog with serious temperament problems should not be made available for adoption. This will be a case by case call on your part. People aggressive dogs are a liability both morally and legally. In most cases these dogs must be euthanasia. Do this yourself, do not leave these dogs in the shelters. They will be adopted out and can end up in situations dangerous to the public. These are the dogs, especially in guard breeds that get into the hands of criminals. When things go bad, as they often do, the dog and the breed will be blamed. Many communities are considering or enacting breed specific laws because of these incidents. If you will get these dogs out of the shelters and euthanised, they can not get into the wrong hands. This is not fun work but often necessary.
2. Take mixes of your breed from the shelters and the public. If you have the room and you can find homes fairly easily for your breed, consider taking these dogs too. Many have wonderful temperaments and make lovely pets. This also includes purebreds that are far from the breed standard. There are many 20# Yorkers and Maltese out there and they are purebred even though they are three times the desired size.
3. Refer related breeds to their respective rescues.
4. Take any dog of your breed that an owner no longer wishes to keep for any reason. If an owner wants to get rid of his dog, the reason may upset you. They are often frivolous, and without reasonable foundation in your mind. Don't question the owner, just take the dog. If it is temperament problems, talk to the owner and see if you can help. If the owner can't handle the dog, or doesn't want to try than just take the dog. If you don't, the owner will dump the dog in the shelter or in an unscreened home, much to the detriment of the dog. If there are AKC papers, get them and be sure to have the owner sign a release form that gives you legal ownership of the dog. You may try to contact the breeder to see if they will take back the dog. Reputable breeders will always want their dog back and that is where it should go.
5. Take any dog of your breed where the owner has died. Many times the family has no idea of what to do with the dog and it will end up in the shelter or at the vet's to be put down. Let the area vet's know you are there for these clients.
6. It will be up to each individual rescue to decide what dogs it can take. There are also situations of older dogs in pet shops and dogs being auctioned off by commercial breeders. Each has to be handled on a case by case situation.
WHAT DOGS TO PLACE
1. All dogs coming though rescue must be evaluated by a person knowledgeable in the breed before it can be made available for adoption.
2. Any dog that has a history of biting must NOT be placed and should be euthanised. If it is a young dog that is just untrained and undisciplined and can be worked with, that is another situation. Dogs that are very dog aggressive must also be seriously screened before placement. Any dog that has a strong propensity to cause serious damage or death to another animal is a legal and moral liability
3. Dogs with serious physical problems that make it impossible to place must also be euthanised. This is a judgment call for each case. Sometimes homes can be found that will take a dog with medical problems. It is most important that these homes understand the work and the money that it will take to maintain these dogs. Follow up must be done and good contact kept between rescue and the new home.
4. Dogs with temperament problems other than biting must also be evaluated to see if they can make the adjustment to a new home. Dogs that have never lived in a house or have had little human contact can have a very difficult time becoming a family pet. Older kernel dogs and dogs that have come from commercial breeders can be very hard to find homes for. These dogs often must be kept by rescue personnel and live in a members home for a while to see if they can make the change.
5. Older dogs need to be evaluated to see if they can handle placement in a new home. Many breeds live long active lives and can be placed even in their teen years. It depends on the breed of dog. Some breeds bond so strongly with their owners that placement later in life is very difficult for them. Some breeds are happy anywhere as long as they get love and good care. I have personally placed quite a few dogs in their teen years very successfully.
6. Abused and neglected dogs are the saddest to work with. Many just ended up in homes that should never have had an animal of any kind. These dogs often need very special homes. Usually quiet, senior homes with no loud noises and a very peaceful life. Many come around once they are loved and cared for. Each must be evaluated on his own merits.
7. Dogs with medical problems that require medication for the rest of their lives. Sometimes this is something as simple and inexpensive as thyroid medication and sometimes it's much more. There are caring people out there that will take these dogs. If the dog can be maintained comfortably on meds, look for a home that can deal with this dogs special problems.
Remember that purebred rescue came about so that people with in-depth knowledge of a specific breed could take individuals of that breed and keep them long enough to place them in loving permanent homes. Also to give the back up and support to new homes that shelters cannot give. This is an important part of protecting and preserving our breed.
WHO TO ADOPT TO
1. All prospective homes must be screened carefully. If you do and you have as much information as possible about the dog you can make better decisions on what dog will do well in which home.
2. All homes should have a securely fenced yard. Exceptions would be apartment and condo dwellers. Apartment dogs need to be walked on a lead regularly. Many breeds are not appropnate for apartment/condo or town house situations and homes should be politely explained that their situation would not be expectable for your breed. Those with a fenced yard must be checked that the fence is suitably secure and high enough for your breed. Remember a fence keeps undesirable dogs out of your yard as well as your dog in the yard.
3. If there are children in the family, what ages are they and how do they act around the dog. Do the parents understand their responsibly in supervising play between the dog and the children? Do they accept responsibly for all feeding, grooming, etc. and not expect the children to do this work. Children can and should be involved in helping, but never have the total responsibility.
4. Have they had dogs before? Have they had a dog of your breed before? Do they have another dog now? Do they have other pets at this time? How many dogs have they owned and what happened to them? Will any presently owned animals be able to get along with the new rescue dog?
5. Will they be able to handle the grooming of their new rescue dog? Many breeds have to be professionally groomed. Do the new owners understand the ongoing cost in money and time of keeping their dogs groomed and healthy? Regular veterinarian visits for checks and vaccinations? Even short haired breeds need to have their nails cut, ears cleaned and anal glands checked. These need to be done by a veterinarian or professional groomer. Be sure the new home understands these responsibilities.
6. Will the dog be in the house at least at night? Dogs left outside at night tend to be barkers and can cause problems. What is the best situation for your breed?
7. Will there be someone home during the day? Do both adults work? If the adopter is single will anyone be in the house during the day? Some dogs will not be used to this and could be noisy and destructive. Older dogs may need someone close by during the day.
8. Do the new owners understand the importance of proper feeding? A good premium dog food and not bargain brands or table scraps.
9. Encourage the new owner to enroll in a basic novice obedience class with the dog. Be sure the trainer is familiar with the special personality and needs of your breed.
10. Always be sure to spay and neuter every dog before it is placed in a new home. If the dog comes from the shelter it is not always easy to tell with the females. If you and your vet believe that the dog has already been spayed you can place the dog with the understanding that it may not be and that if it comes in season, they will have it spayed immediately afterward. It is important to keep in touch with the new owners of these dogs for at least six months after placement and follow up to be sure the dog is done. You can ask for an additional spay deposit to be refunded after six months or when the dog is spayed.
11. Always check to see what other animals are in the family. Cats. Birds, hamsters, or reptiles to mention a few. Some dogs get along with these animals but many do not. By checking in advance you can prevent a major Problem or death to another pet.
12. Be sure the new owners understand they are entering a wonderful new time in their lives. By taking in a rescue dog they become part of our big "family". People will ask them about their dog and his behavior, and he will help represent your breed to the public. We want them to be proud of their new dog and to realize that they are a walking advertisement for your breed and for rescue, and how important it is that they make a positive picture,
We hope that you will be interested in starting a purebred rescue for your breed and that this information will help you. If you need additional help you can call me, Pam Bishop, (evenings- Pacific time) 909-672-2008 or e-mail to:
dobrasft@earthlink.net
INFORMATION FLYERS
It is always a good idea to have informational flyers available to hand out to or mail to interested people. I am enclosing two that were done for Fox Terrier Rescue. Use them as a guide for your own flyers. Try to put helpful information about your breed that would be of interested to a pet owner.
The second flyer is Bringing Home Your New Fox Terrier and it is to go home with a new adoptive family that is getting a Fox Terrier. A flyer like this should ideally go to the new adopting family before they get their new dog, but it can go to them when they pick up their dog. If you can, give this flyer ahead of time so they can be ready for their dog. Then the new family can spend their time with the dog and everything has been done beforehand. It makes for an easier transition.
Public education is a major part of rescue work. Get brochures from different sources that help educate the people contacting you. It is very important to get the word out! There are many free brochures written and many available for a small cost. It is worth the time and money invested. Be sure to read everything before you hand it out and be sure the brochure agrees with your rescue groups philosophy. The only thing worst than no information is bad or incorrect information. Not all free brochures are written by knowledgeable people. Read it first.
If you have a packet ready, you can mail it out to people calling and inquiring about your breed and it's care. Suggest they read the information and then get back to you if they are still interested. This helps if your breed is not well known to the public. Be sure to put in the good and not so good about your breed. Things you find "cute" may not amuse someone else. Be sure they know if your breed requires a lot of grooming, takes well to obedience training or is a free spirit. What medical problems your breed is prone to is very important. The public needs good, honest information to help them decide if your breed is right for them. Don't oversell your breed. Write about the fun stuff and the difficult stuff. Be sure to give a complete picture. The rescue dogs well-being is at stake. You as rescue, must be his advocate. It is your responsibility to find the best possible home for him. When you do, it is a very rewarding experience!
MAKING CONTACTS
1. ANIMAL CONTROL SHELTERS - Contact your local animal control and let them know you are doing purebred rescue for your breed in your area. If possible, go to the shelter and meet face to face so there is a personal contact. Give them copies of the flyers on your breed. Add pictures of them if it is a fairly rare breed. If your breed is long coated, take pictures of them short, long, and ungroomed. They are not going to see well groomed dogs coming into the shelter. Let them know you will take any dog of y
our breed and you would appreciate them letting you know if one comes in. If there are special situations that you cannot handle let them know. It is best to just say you will take them all, then decide what you can handle away from the shelter. Most shelters don't have the time or manpower to do any evaluation of a dog to see if it meets your limitations. Don't be upset if they miss identify a dog and call you by mistake. I'd rather the shelter call if they are not sure, than have them put down the dog. If there are other breeds that closely resemble your breed this may be common. Ask the shelter what there protocols are for working with rescue groups. Do it their way. It's the only way it will work. If they are hesitant, point out that you can get these dogs out right away and leave room for them for other dogs. Let them know that you only place dogs after you have spayed or neutered them. Offer to let them know the placement of the dog. Most Animal Control officers are caring people and do care what happens to the dogs. However, there are those that don't and you must watch out for these people. In some areas the animal rights activists have told animal control that they should not work with purebred rescue. If you have problems, ask why they don't want you to have the dogs of your breed, and try to work around the problem. Sometimes it's just a lack of understanding of what you want to do. Don't lose your temper! ! ! This doesn't help you or the dogs. They have the authority and you must work with them. If you can get a good working relationship with these people you can save a lot of dogs. Talk to other purebred rescue groups in your area to find out how receptive animal control was to them. This will help you know where you stand before you go in to talk to them.
2. PRIVATE SHELTERS - Especially in larger metropolitan areas there will be private shelters. Some are "no kill" shelters. These are people that keep all the dogs for life whether or not they can find homes for them. Whether you agree with their philosophy or not, if they take in dogs you need to work with them. Most will be very happy to have you there to take the dogs of your breed They usually do not have enough room and every dog out helps. Approach them the same as the animal control shelters. Be friendly and let them know that you doing this because you sincerely care about the dogs.
3. VETERINARIANS - Let all the vets in your area know you are doing purebred rescue for your breed. Again, give them copies of your flyer on how to recognize your breed. They may have a client that has problems with their dog and you can be there to help. As much as placing dogs, just being there to answer an owner's question can be of great help too. Many people may think of placing their dog because of a behavioral problem. If you can help them with the problem, you may not have to place the dog at all.
4. PET SHOPS - Contact all the area pet shops and tell them. The ones that do not sell dogs will probably be the most receptive. Ask if you can come in once every few months and have a "Rescue Fair" at their shop. It is best if you can have several breeds represented. Have dog s there that need homes and lots of brochures on proper care of dogs and what a rescue dog is. You may find a home for a rescue dog this way and the new owners will come back to the pet shop to get all the things they need for the dog. Do point this out when you approach the pet shop. It can be very beneficial for both of you. Do this before Christmas and let people know this is not the time to get a new dog.
5. GROOMING SHOPS - Contact the grooming shops, too. This is especially important if your breed requires professional grooming. They may have a customer interested in getting your breed and can refer people to you.
6. BOARDING KENNELS - Many people think a kennel is a kennel. They will call a boarding kennel looking to buy a dog. If your local boarding kennel knows your there they can refer people to you. Also on the occasion that someone "dumps" a dog of your breed with them you can be there to take it in. People will take their dogs to a vet or a grooming shop or kennel and never come back. It's hard to imagine, but it happens. The dog will go to animal control if you are not there to help. Also contact anyone doing pet sitting in your area and let them know of the service you provide. Rescue should be there to answer questions as well as to place dogs.
7. BREEDERS DIRECTORY - If there is a breeder's directory in your area be sure to have a listing in it. Ask if they'll give it to you free or at a discount because you are a rescue. Even if you have to pay it is usually worth it. You can get many contacts from these directories.
8. NEWSPAPERS/TV/RADIO - Use the press. Once you are set up call the local press and get some free advertising. An article in the newspaper explaining purebred rescue and the dogs you have available, often bring in many inquiries. If you are in a smaller community and have a local TV station, all the better. See if they will do a community service spot on your rescue. Again, get several purebred rescue groups together and they will be even more willing to talk to you. Before you talk to anyone in the press, be sure to get your thoughts together and know what your going to say. Write up a press release if, you have trouble talking in front of a microphone or a camera. It's very important to make a good impression. If possible have a couple of rescue dogs there for the public to see. Be sure they are clean and well groomed and well behaved. If you are in an area that has cable, ask your cable company if they can do an informational spot on you. Always let the public know you graciously accept donations to help in the work you are doing. Keep very careful records of all money donated to your rescue and the disposition of it. If you are unsure, do talk to an attorney to be sure where you stand on this subject.
These are a few ideas on ways to get the message out. There are many more you may come up with yourself. In some large cities there are Pet Expos that let rescue groups have a booth. You can do talks to other animal welfare groups or Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts or the PTA. Remember your always going to need lots of faster homes and many times people hearing you talk will offer to help. Good luck!
HOW TO SET AN INFORMATION BOOTH
1. AT A DOG SHOW - If you belong to a regional club for your breed, work with your clubs Public Education Coordinator (PEC). Have a booth with information and flyers or brochures to give out to the public. It can be separate or with the PEC's booth. If you are separate from a local breed club ask if you can have a booth at their specialty. Also contact your local All-Breed club's PEC and ask to have a booth at their show. If the show is outdoors, a 10 x10 awning with a table and two chairs under it works well. Be sure to have a sign that states you are Rescue and let people know what that is.
2. COUNTY FAIR - If you have a local county fair or a farmers fair this is a great way to meet the public. Contact the fair administrators and let them know what rescue is and that it is non-profit and see if you can get free space for a booth. If there is a fee ask if you can sell from the booth as a fund raiser. Consider having a free drawing. Ask dog food distributors or pet shops to donate things and be sure that they get proper acknowledgment as the donator. Always try to have at least one dog in the booth at all times. It is best to have the dog up on a grooming table so he can be seen from a distance. It is of the utmost importance that these dogs be of good, solid temperament and be clean and well groomed. The public loves to met our dogs and it is great general advertising for the breeds. Be sure to have business cards or paper to write your name and number on to give to interested people. Check with the fair management to see if you can ask for donations though a donation can on the table. Every penny helps. This is also a way to make contact with people that can be possible future foster homes for rescue dogs.
3. SHOPPING MALL - This is another great way to met the public. Get together with other purebred rescues in you area and ask your local shopping center or mall if you can have a "Rescue Fair". Malls with pet shops selling puppies are not always responsive, but if you go to the pet shops owner ahead of time and explain that you don't want to be in competition with them, that these are rescue dogs, it can make them look good to say OK. Remember that they are in business and they have the lease and the right to the shopping center. If you want in you will have to work with them. Again, just before Christmas is a great time to do this, to educate people about "Christmas puppies".
4. PET SHOWS - Animal welfare groups and humane shelters often have pet shows to promote pets in shelters. Contact them and ask to be a part of their show. This is very different from a dog show, as it is just pets and many are mixed-breeds. Sometimes they have a costume class, and if your breed just love's to get "dressed up", and be the center of attention be sure to enter. Every year I take one of my Smooth Fox Terriers to a dog show just before Christmas and dress them up in Reindog antlers and a jingle bell harness. A friend joined me one year and we were the hit of the show! The dogs love the attention and it' s great for the public to see us having fun with our dogs. Give it a try.
FUNDING
Rescue should pay it's own way. There are several ways to generate funds to help pay the bills. First, what are the bills? If the dog comes from an animal shelter you will most likely have to pay to get him out. This varies in different communities. Some have a mandatory spay/neuter program and you will have to pay that fee at the minimum. Many private shelters will work with you and suspend other adoption fees, but county and city animal control services will not give special consideration to rescue. In many areas, it is very difficult to get them to work with us at all. Talk to other rescue groups in your area to find out more about your local animal control staff and their policies. If the dog is an owner turn-in and is not spayed or neutered, that must be done first. All rescue dogs should be spayed/neutered before placement. The only exception would be returning a dog to his breeder. One would hope the breeder would then have the surgery done before placing the dog again. All shots must be up to date and when necessary, heartworm preventative started. You must evaluate all dogs for physical and temperament problems. If there are problems you need to decide if the dog is placeable. In these cases, there can be vet bills. There is a micro chip that can be implanted in the dogs neck that when scanned gives the dogs owners name and address. This is a great tool in identifying a dog. We recommend these in all rescue dogs being placed. You can also tattoo the dog and keep a log of the dogs you place and their tattoo numbers. Let local animal control know you do this and offer to help in locating "lost owners" of your breed. Feeding and caring for the dog until you place him is another expense. If he must be boarded at a kennel, this can get expensive very quickly. There is advertising to place the dog, in your newspaper, local cable TV, flyers, etc. And the big one for all of us, the phone bill! If you handle an area outside of our local calling area this can be a considerable expense. These are the basic expenses in handling a rescue dog.
Now, how to get enough funds to cover these expenses.
1. OWNER TURN-IN.... If the dog is turned in by its owner, let the owner know that rescue will do all it can to place the dog for them. However, there are expenses involved, and a donation to Rescue would be appreciated
2. NEW OWNER...When any dog is placed, a donation should be required. Rescue dogs should never be given away free. If the new owner cannot afford at least $50.00 they cannot afford to keep and care for the dog. The requested donation should cover at least the basic expenses for the dog. Older dogs should be only a nominal fee, but never below $25.00. I donation of $100.00 to $150.00 is fairly standard. It should balance out the expenses.
3. GENERAL PUBLIC....Let the public know that Rescue works solely on donations and if they appreciate the work your doing a small donation can make a difference . Be sure to keep good records of all the money that comes in and out.
4. BUSINESS....Many businesses will donate to groups like Rescue. Talk to the local pet shops, grooming shops, vets, dog trainers about a small donation to rescue. Then write a press release about your Rescue work and that these businesses have donated to your work. Many local newspapers will print this type of news and you and the business get free advertising.
5. BOOTHS....You can set up a booth at local dog shows, at pet supply shops, in groups with other purebred rescue's . Some private shelters will have a dog rescue day and invite all the purebred rescue groups to have a booth and show off the dogs they have available. Always have a cup for donations and let the public know how much you need the money.
6. SALE OF ITEMS....You can sell all kinds of items. A bake sale, or a garage sale. T shirt' s with your breed and Rescue name on them.
7. FREE ADVERTISEMENT....Many small "free newspapers" will give Rescue free or reduced advertising. Whenever calling to place an ad on a rescue dog, tell the paper that you are purebred Rescue and what you do and ask for free or reduced advertising. If one paper does, then tell it's competitor that the other paper is and then ask for the same. Don't be to pushy, ask and take what you get and always thank them for their donation.
8. VET DISCOUNT....Find a vet that you can work with that will give you a discount on spay/neuter and shots. Sometimes you may need more than one vet for different things. Let them know you will tell new owners that they are the vet that donated his/her time to care for their rescue dog. Write a letter to the vet for his/her files thanking them for their donation. This applies for all donations.
9. BOARDING....If you will not be able to bring some or all of the Rescue dogs into your home you may need to find a boarding kennel that will take them at a reduced fee. See if they have a room or yard that you may use at no fee to show Rescue dogs to prospective homes. Again, a letter of thanks to them is appreciated.
These are several ways for you to make enough money to keep Rescue going strong. Advertising and public education go hand in hand. Always have a flyer on your Rescue available to mail to interested people to explain what you are doing. In many communities there are groups of people doing rescue of different breeds that have banded together to help each other. Contact other rescue groups in your area. Find out if there are people doing rescue in breeds related to yours. You may get calls on these breeds because both the shelters and the general public often don't know the difference. Know the people running rescue for all related breeds. We all need to work together.
FORMS
1. INTAKE FORMS
These help you know where the dog came from and gives you some basic knowledge of their background. There are two forms, one if you receive the dog from an Animal Shelter and one if it is received from it' s owner. Fill in the appropriate part of the form and include as much information as possible. Print or type so anyone reading the form will have no trouble understanding what was written. You may come up with more things to add to these forms.
2. OWNER'S RELEASE AGREEMENT
This is important so that the owner that is releasing the dog cannot come back to you and want the dog back. The lower part was written by an attorney for a rescue group, however, you may wish to have an attorney in your area c
heck it to be sure it conforms with your local laws.
3. ADOPTION AGREEMENT
This was also written by an attorney for a rescue group and released for use by other rescues. There is a lot of "legalize" but it can make a difference and protects everyone from a possible lawsuit.
4. RELEASE AND SURRENDER FOR ADOPTION
The same applies to this as to the Adoption Agreement, however, this document is the release for the dog from the previous owner.
5. PROSPECTIVE HOME INFORMATION
This is to be filled out by anyone interested in getting a dog though rescue. Ask as many questions as possible. The more information you have the better chance of finding the right dog for them. We don't want to just place dogs, we want to place dogs in the right home for that dog and we want it to be a permanent home. It takes a little extra work but is well worth it.
6. LISTING TO PLACE
You can use this form for people who wish to place their dog through rescue but wish to keep the dog with them and be a part of the placement choice. Hopefully, these dogs are already altered, however it is important to see that they are altered before going to the new home.
7. INFORMATION FROM PREVIOUS OWNER
This can be an additional form for extra background information on any dog coming though rescue. Some of these forms will overlap each other and are provided for you to choose the ones you need.
8. REPORT AND LOG are self explanatory.
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