Purebred Rescue Organizations.
Purebred dog rescue organizations are made up of volunteers who offer foster home care to dogs (usually of a particular breed) that have lost their home for any reason. Some of the dogs have registration papers, while others are purebreds whose papers were lost or never issued. People who can no longer keep their dog often contact their breeds’ rescue organization directly, and dogs whose owners have died are often fostered by a rescuer until a new owner is found. In addition, rescue volunteers take dogs of their breed out of animal shelters, help dogs that were victims of abuse, and provide medical treatment when necessary. Later, when these dogs are medically and temperamentally sound and have been thoroughly screened, they are offered for adoption. The potential adopter is also screened, as rescue organizations emphasize making a good match. For example, they won’t place a dog that hates cats with a cat owner or one that is afraid of children with a family of five.
Judy Marden, of the East Coast German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue Network, explains why putting dogs in foster homes until they are adopted works better than housing them in shelters:
“It’s impossible to completely evaluate a dog in a shelter situation. In some instances, a shelter dog may exhibit lethargy, disinterest in humans, and an attitude indicating he has simply given up. On the other hand, he may appear to be a pacing, jumping, raging maniac. When a dog is taken from a shelter and fostered, the foster caregiver might be in for a surprise as the dog settles into its new environment. For example, the lethargic dog may actually have excess energy, while the raging maniac may have exemplary house manners and be an easy acquisition for a new owner. Fostering is truly the key to proper placements, as this is how we ascertain exactly what the dog is like, what obedience training he may still need, how he gets along with children, toddlers, adults, other dogs and cats, and how well he may be able to do the job for which the breed was developed.”
Somebody's Buddy Now
Buddy, a year-and-a-half-old German Short-haired Pointer fostered by Judy and Ken Marden, is an example of how rescue volunteers give dogs a makeover and a match up. As Judy tells it:
“The dog we called Buddy had lived his entire life chained to a doghouse. He was rescued from an owner who was going to shoot him because that was a cheaper way to get rid of him than putting him in a shelter (some shelters require a donation). He got along fine with our dogs, crated well, housebroke in two days, but didn’t respond to people. Changing situations didn’t faze him—he spent his time in la-la land and knew absolutely nothing, not even his name if he ever had one. Upon entering rescue, he was dangerously undernourished, had ulcerations of the sclera of both eyes, a severe sprain in one leg, ear mites, and deep-seated ear infections. Luckily, the veterinarian was able to correct all the physical problems.
“After two weeks of building Buddy up nutritionally and giving him some solo training, he still didn’t respond to people. It was obvious that he would need serious training to progress to the point where he would be adoptable, so we enrolled him in a basic obedience course. After a slow start, he suddenly caught on and began to show awareness of his handler and learn what was expected of him. From then on, there was no stopping him. In eight weeks he graduated first in his class and breezed through AKC’s Canine Good Citizen test.
“Today Buddy resides happily in Norfolk, Virginia, with a Navy helicopter pilot and his wife. The pilot is at sea six months a year and his wife wanted a substantial-looking dog who would bark when strangers came to the door. Buddy is perfect for the job. He’s large, not shy, and has a thundering bark. Of course, he’s really a wimp who just wants to say, ‘Hi!’ to everyone, but strangers don’t know that. Now a well-loved and well-behaved member of the family, Buddy has come a long way from the no-personality, non-responsive lump that entered the rescue program.
To locate purebred rescue, call the AKC Gazette. A publication of the American Kennel Club, it maintains and annually publishes a list of breed rescue organizations nationwide, and provides names and phone numbers by breed, on request. On a local level, most shelters can supply the name of the nearest breed-specific rescue contact. In some areas, individuals involved in rescues are members of an All Breed Rescue Alliance. This group maintains a list of rescuers who specialize in specific breeds, and places classified ads in the pet section of major newspapers. Also, in most states there are federations of dog clubs which publish, in major metropolitan newspapers, the phone number of a person who can refer you to breed rescue. In addition, most dog clubs have a designated person who can refer you to a rescuer.
When you contact a rescue organization, expect the third degree. Rescue workers devote considerable time and expense to every one of their charges and want each new home to be successful. To ensure this, those adopting a rescue dog must answer a battery of questions. Don’t let the personal questions put you in a huff. The volunteer wants to make sure you and the dog are a suitable match and that the dog will be well provided for in a permanent home.
Animal Shelters
Sometimes dynamite dogs are turned in at animals shelters and humane organizations. Not everyone is aware of the rescue networks, so if someone dies without making provisions for their pet, the animal could end up at a shelter. Likewise, an owner’s sickness or a sudden move could put a pampered pet with the destitute dogs at the local humane facility. So don’t rule out the “dog pound” in your search for a dynamite dog. That’s where Suzette M. Wood found her dream dog, Chumley.
From Shelter Dog to Obedience Star
When Suzette M. Wood of Kissimmee, Florida saw a newspaper photo of a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon at the animal shelter awaiting adoption, she could hardly believe it. Not only are Griffons rather rare, but Suzette had failed to find one twenty years earlier when she wanted to buy one. Suzette adopted Chumley right off death row, and the dog was so handsome and sweet that she couldn’t believe her good luck. A shelter worker said the Griffon had been picked up as a stray, and Suzette was certain he had been lost or stolen and someone probably missed him very much. So, instead of giving in and loving him, she tried to find his owners. She contacted his national breed club, called several breeders, and waited for return calls. While waiting, she started loving Chumley in spite of herself. The dog responded and soon regained the happy confidence typical of his breed.
When four months went by with no call from Chumley’s owner, Suzette finally considered the dog hers. It was all uphill from there. Chumley earned his Companion Dog (CD) and his Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) titles in AKC Obedience competition and was featured on the cover of his breed’s national publication, The Griffonnier. Today he is working toward his Utility Dog title and training for hunting tests.
“I’m enjoying Chumley so much,” Suzette says. “Over the past several years he brightened my life with companionship, entertainment, and his many accomplishments.”
