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Rescue Dogs: an
alternative
While most people are looking for that cute little puppy that
they can watch grow and develop and whom they can help shape the adult dog it
will grow up and become, there is a small segment of people who may find owning
a rescue dog more fulfilling. Hopefully after reading this article some may
decide that a rescue dog is right for them.
Most purebred dog clubs
have some sort of rescue service. This is where they will take possession of an
unwanted dog of that particular breed and try to re-house the dog in a suitable
home. There are a variety of reasons that a dog may need to be rescued or
rehomed. A couple is divorcing and neither is either willing or able to
continue looking after the dog. Sometimes the dog has health or temperament
issues with which the owner is unwilling or unable to cope. The owners are no
longer able to deal with the dog for reasons such as a new baby in the home or
the dog has become destructive. Sometimes the owner is elderly or ill and
unable to care for the dog. Or worse the owner has died. Sometimes the owner
needs to make a move and is unable to bring the dog along such as moving into a
retirement or nursing home or an apartment. It may be that the dog was
completely unsuitable for the particular home and other times it just isn't
wanted any more. Some dogs have been abused or neglected. In Cavaliers in the
United States there is a rescue service that is trying to buy the dogs from
auctions to save them from a lifetime of abuse in puppy mills.
On
average the dogs will be adults, with the common ages between 4-6 years or 8-9
years in the UK and 6-8 years in the US. Puppies will be rarely available. They
will all have different levels of training depending upon the homes they came
from. Some will have come from loving homes that were just not able to keep
them any longer and they will be housebroken and trained to some manners. Some
may have come from neglected and abusive homes where no one ever bothered to
spend any time training them or caring from them. These dogs may have no or
little housebreaking, possibly having adjustment problems, requiring patience
and love to make them into suitable pets.
Health, in some of these
dogs, can be an issue as well depending upon where they have been rescued from.
Linda Kornhi, the Rescue Chair for CKCSC US, states that many of the dogs they
see have to contend with breed specific health issues such as MVD, patella
problems, eye problems, epilepsy and autoimmune problems. She also states that
temperament problems can be seen more commonly in rescue Cavalier King Charles
Spaniels.
Some rescue dogs depending upon the breed will have
temperament problems ranging from fearful behaviour, aggression, anxiety
problems, destructive tendencies which is often the reason that the original
owners weren't willing to keep them in the first place. Many of these problems
can be overcome, with careful management and patience, but must be considered
prior to taking any rescue dog on as there is no point placing the dog into
another home that won't work out.
Generally these dogs are placed in
foster homes first to try to assess any health and temperament problems and
hopefully work them through, prior to placement in their permanent homes. They
would also usually be spayed and neutered prior to being rehomed.
If
you are interested in applying to own a rescue dog expect to be vetted by the
club's rescue representative. Generally speaking an application form will have
to be filled out and then a home visit will be made. References may be required
and checked. They will want to be very sure that a perspective owner is
suitable for a rescue dog and its needs. Their main concern is to find a
permanent, stable and loving home for their charge.
Linda Flynn, a
rescue co-ordinator for the Humberside Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club in
England gives some insight into the process of what is looked for in a possible
rescue home.
"All perspective adopters have to fill out an
application form (this together with our info sheet can be downloaded from our
website Humberside CKCS Club on http://www.cavaliers.co.uk. If we think
we may have a suitable dog already we then make arrangements for a home check.
We look for a nice well balanced family who are able to give the dog the love
and attention he/she requires. Someone must be at home a majority of the day.
If there are children in the household we like to meet them. I don't like
putting dogs with children too young. We like to know where the dog is intended
to be kept and where it will sleep.
No outside kennels are considered
suitable. The garden must be totally secure and an inspection is made. If any
repairs or alterations are needed, they are pointed out at this time and the
people are told that they will not be able to have a dog until the required
repairs/alterations have been made and another home visit would have to be
arranged to inspect that work has been carried out. Once the home is approved
and when we have a dog we feel maybe suitable we then contact perspective
adopters, tell them as much about the dog that we possibly can, if there are
any health problems or behaviour problems and give them the opportunity to say
whether they feel this dog could be for them, we then take the dog that we feel
may be suitable to that particular family to meet them, making them aware that
if for any reason we do not think the dog will settle or for any other reason
we will not consider leaving that particular dog.
I then insist if
there are children in the household that they be present, I like to see the
inital reaction between the dog and children and how the children respond to
the dog. Also at this point we give the adopters the chance to say if they
think this dog also suits their needs. If everything is satisfactory we will
leave the dog with its new family, but keep in close contact over the next
couple of weeks, incase of any problems arising. I always tell folks that it
doesn't matter how silly they feel their questions are please not to hesitate
to ask and assure them that I am for whatever reason I am only a phone call
away. Once we feel that everything is okay, we leave them to get on with their
lives, but do keep in contact every few months until I am satisfied that the
dog is in his new home for life then I keep intouch just twice a year, usually
informing them of rescue events taking place etc, but it is a good excuse to
see how they are.
I like to furnish all perspective adopters with as
much info I can, together with their application form I send them an info
sheet, which tells them a little about the dogs we have in and what is expected
of them as perspective adopters. They are made aware at this stage, that the
dogs are not to live outside in kennels, be tied up, let roam streets
unattended, be used for breeding or stud and that ownership always remains with
us and if whatever reason they are unable to keep any rescue it must be
returned to us. Upon adoption an adoption contract is signed by them. We keep
the original and they the duplicate. I have also compiled an A4 info booklet
that I leave with those homes that have never had a Cavalier
before."
Most clubs will charge a small sum for rescue dogs to help
offset the costs of such things as spaying and neutering or any other health
needs that must be attended to prior to the dog being re-homed. Fees tend to be
on a sliding scale. More for younger dogs and less for an older dog. Ownership
of the dog is either retained by the clubs or held in co-ownership. This allows
for the dog's return to the club should the new home be unable to keep the dog
for any reason. This will be stipulated in a contract that each hopeful new
owner is required to sign.
If you decide that you are ready to
contemplate a rescue dog and would like more information contact the National
Club of the breed you are interested in and they will be able to direct you to
the nearest representative.
Linda Kornhi, CKCSC US Rescue Chair,
states: be willing to be flexible in your requirements. The more specific
that you are about the dog you want, i.e. sex, age, when you want it, etc. the
harder it will be to match you with a dog.
Also prior to making a
decision to get any dog, whether puppy or rescue, please make sure that your
chosen breed is really suitable for you and your lifestyle. In fact, please
take the time to decide if a dog will really suit you and your family at all.
Many dogs end up requiring rescue due to impulse buying. Your decision to buy a
dog impacts not only on you and your family but on the dog who is also a
living, breathing creature and deserves more than ending up neglected and
unwanted because you didn't really have the time for them in the first
place.
Finally for those of you that own a purebred dog or love a
certain breed please consider making a donation to a breed rescue service which
will enable the Clubs to continue their worthy work.
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Creature Comforts Inn. Redistribution on any other website is only
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