When it comes to choosing a dog many people have a desire for a certain breed – a Labrador,
German Shepherd, Spaniel, Boston Terrier or whatever. But when it comes down to brass tacks,
the economies of the situation, we can not always afford the price of a purebred puppy. Life and
family get in the way, competing for the finances. This is where Dog Rescues can step into the
breach and fill a need.
Dog Rescues are run by people who care deeply about dogs that have been mistreated,
abandoned or given up on by their previous owners. The whole aim of these organizations is to
find a new home with caring parents so these unfortunate dogs can live the rest of their lives in a
secure and loving environment.
Dog rescues normally cater to a particular breed of dog. This makes life easy as once you’ve
found one for the breed you are interested in then it’s simply a case of registering and waiting for
the right dog to come in. Usually they will have a contact list which will keep you informed when
new dogs come in.
One thing you must be prepared for with a Dog Rescue is the third degree investigation into your
suitability as a potential adoptive parent. Don’t worry – they stop short of the bright lights and the
grilling.
Be prepared to give them details on previous dog ownership, your family, your house/apartment
and yard and where you plan on keeping the dog. They will also want to know about your
experience training dogs and how you discipline your dog. And they will also spend time talking
with you, trying to assess your character and how it will fit in with the particular dog you are
thinking of adopting.
Be patient – there’s a good reason for this. All they are trying to do is make sure that you and the
dog are a perfect fit. The last thing they want is for the dog to return to them at some time in the
future. These dogs have already lost out once. Often they have suffered abuse and neglect and
have fears and neuroses. The whole aim of the Dog Rescue is to avoid that happening again and
give the dog a good chance of living a happy life for the rest of its days.
So, having said all this, what can you expect from a rescue dog? The obvious difference will be the
price you will pay. Expect to pay an average of a couple hundred dollars as opposed to the$400 -
$1000+ for a purebred puppy.
Why so much for a rescue dog? You’ve got to remember that these dogs have often been abused
or neglected and arrive at the Dog Rescue in a poor state. They often have ticks, fleas, skin
problems, worms, no vaccinations, and minor to severe medical problems. Also, so that breeders
cannot "adopt" in order to obtain a low-cost breeding animal, all dogs are spay/neutered before
they leave rescue. This insures that the person looking to adopt is truly looking for a companion
animal. All of these issues must be addressed before the dog can be considered ready for
adoption. So the couple of hundred dollars is easily swallowed up by vet bills, supplies,
transportation costs, feed bills, etc.
Which brings up another issue. Due to his/her previous ownership and possible abuse and
neglect, be prepared to accept that the dog you adopt may have a need for further training and
patience to repair the damage done by previous owners. This is not always the case, but in some
instances, it may take some dogs a little longer before they totally open up and allow themselves
to love and trust a human again.
You can also expect your rescue dog to be older than 1 year of age. Adolescent and older dogs
are more liable to be rescued than puppies. There’s an upside to this as older dogs have
developed their personality so it’s easier to get an idea of the dogs’ temperament and match it to
your needs.
This matching of dog and adoptive parent goes both ways. You have to ask yourself if you are
right for a rescue dog. Leaving aside the cost factors, there are a number of things you have to
ask yourself:
• Is my life and household stable enough for such a dog. Due to the previous abuse or neglect, many
dogs need a stable, loving environment to repair the mental damage they have suffered.
• Can I, or my family, provide the daily care, grooming and medical care that may be required for a pet?
• Can I provide the training, or re-training, that may be required? Some dogs need house training again.
Can you face that?
• What age and sex dog do I want? Is an older dog better suited to your household? Many Dog Rescues
have problems finding homes for males dogs for some reason. Could you be an exception and provide a
home for a male dog?
For obvious reasons many of the best prospective parents for such dogs are older couples. Usually their
children have grown and flown the nest and they have the time on their hands to give the dog the care
and attention it needs for full recovery from both the physical and mental stress it has suffered.
There is one other advantage to a rescue dog over buying a puppy. Once your rescue dog has
recovered from the poor treatment of his previous owners, then you will have a dog that
appreciates exactly what you’ve done for him. He’s experienced the bad and knows he’s now got
it good with you. The result is a friendly, loyal companion for life.
German Shepherd, Spaniel, Boston Terrier or whatever. But when it comes down to brass tacks,
the economies of the situation, we can not always afford the price of a purebred puppy. Life and
family get in the way, competing for the finances. This is where Dog Rescues can step into the
breach and fill a need.
Dog Rescues are run by people who care deeply about dogs that have been mistreated,
abandoned or given up on by their previous owners. The whole aim of these organizations is to
find a new home with caring parents so these unfortunate dogs can live the rest of their lives in a
secure and loving environment.
Dog rescues normally cater to a particular breed of dog. This makes life easy as once you’ve
found one for the breed you are interested in then it’s simply a case of registering and waiting for
the right dog to come in. Usually they will have a contact list which will keep you informed when
new dogs come in.
One thing you must be prepared for with a Dog Rescue is the third degree investigation into your
suitability as a potential adoptive parent. Don’t worry – they stop short of the bright lights and the
grilling.
Be prepared to give them details on previous dog ownership, your family, your house/apartment
and yard and where you plan on keeping the dog. They will also want to know about your
experience training dogs and how you discipline your dog. And they will also spend time talking
with you, trying to assess your character and how it will fit in with the particular dog you are
thinking of adopting.
Be patient – there’s a good reason for this. All they are trying to do is make sure that you and the
dog are a perfect fit. The last thing they want is for the dog to return to them at some time in the
future. These dogs have already lost out once. Often they have suffered abuse and neglect and
have fears and neuroses. The whole aim of the Dog Rescue is to avoid that happening again and
give the dog a good chance of living a happy life for the rest of its days.
So, having said all this, what can you expect from a rescue dog? The obvious difference will be the
price you will pay. Expect to pay an average of a couple hundred dollars as opposed to the$400 -
$1000+ for a purebred puppy.
Why so much for a rescue dog? You’ve got to remember that these dogs have often been abused
or neglected and arrive at the Dog Rescue in a poor state. They often have ticks, fleas, skin
problems, worms, no vaccinations, and minor to severe medical problems. Also, so that breeders
cannot "adopt" in order to obtain a low-cost breeding animal, all dogs are spay/neutered before
they leave rescue. This insures that the person looking to adopt is truly looking for a companion
animal. All of these issues must be addressed before the dog can be considered ready for
adoption. So the couple of hundred dollars is easily swallowed up by vet bills, supplies,
transportation costs, feed bills, etc.
Which brings up another issue. Due to his/her previous ownership and possible abuse and
neglect, be prepared to accept that the dog you adopt may have a need for further training and
patience to repair the damage done by previous owners. This is not always the case, but in some
instances, it may take some dogs a little longer before they totally open up and allow themselves
to love and trust a human again.
You can also expect your rescue dog to be older than 1 year of age. Adolescent and older dogs
are more liable to be rescued than puppies. There’s an upside to this as older dogs have
developed their personality so it’s easier to get an idea of the dogs’ temperament and match it to
your needs.
This matching of dog and adoptive parent goes both ways. You have to ask yourself if you are
right for a rescue dog. Leaving aside the cost factors, there are a number of things you have to
ask yourself:
• Is my life and household stable enough for such a dog. Due to the previous abuse or neglect, many
dogs need a stable, loving environment to repair the mental damage they have suffered.
• Can I, or my family, provide the daily care, grooming and medical care that may be required for a pet?
• Can I provide the training, or re-training, that may be required? Some dogs need house training again.
Can you face that?
• What age and sex dog do I want? Is an older dog better suited to your household? Many Dog Rescues
have problems finding homes for males dogs for some reason. Could you be an exception and provide a
home for a male dog?
For obvious reasons many of the best prospective parents for such dogs are older couples. Usually their
children have grown and flown the nest and they have the time on their hands to give the dog the care
and attention it needs for full recovery from both the physical and mental stress it has suffered.
There is one other advantage to a rescue dog over buying a puppy. Once your rescue dog has
recovered from the poor treatment of his previous owners, then you will have a dog that
appreciates exactly what you’ve done for him. He’s experienced the bad and knows he’s now got
it good with you. The result is a friendly, loyal companion for life.
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