Starting an Animal Rescue Group
- 1. Starting a Non-Profit Organization to Help Animals
- 2. 5 Steps to Starting a Nonprofit
- 3. Want to Start an Animal Shelter?
- 4. Keys to a Great Shelter (PDF)
- 5. Breed Rescue
- 6. Starting a Spay/Neuter Program
- 7. Setting Up Your Own Sanctuary
- 8. How to Start an Animal Sanctuary
- 9. Things to Think About When Using Volunteers
Breed Rescue
Julie Morris, ASPCA, VP National Shelter Outreach
Purebred dogs often need rescuing, too. Fortunately, hundreds of purebred rescue groups serve just that purpose.
Purebred dog rescue organizations grew out of the concern of
“fanciers” of various breeds to find homes for
unwanted, abandoned, stray, mistreated or neglected dogs of those
breeds. Rescue groups are made up of dedicated volunteers who
house, care for and carefully place purebreds in new, hopefully
permanent, homes. For prospective dog owners who are interested
in a particular breed, rescue groups provide an alternative to
breeders, animal shelters or pet shops. An important plus is that
these rescue organizations do not contribute to the companion
overpopulation problem.
Rescue groups work hand in hand with and complement the work of
animal shelters. Many shelters maintain a list of breed groups in
their area, and when a purebred is received (shelters report that
between 20 percent and 30 percent of dogs received are
purebreds), call for assistance with placement. As purebred
rescue groups remove “their” breed from a shelter,
they free up a run and buy time for another dog. Additionally,
many rescue groups take dogs who might be considered unadoptable
by some shelters, such as dogs who are older or have special
needs.
TLC unlimited
Purebred rescue groups have several distinct advantages over
animal shelters. As breed specialists, they know what to expect
in terms of personality and temperament and even what medical
problems dogs of that breed might be prone to suffer. This
knowledge helps them to make successful placements. Rescue groups
also have the advantage of time and almost unlimited TLC. Most of
them rely heavily on foster homes to care for dogs until they are
adopted. Foster families generally can provide a loving home
environment and can keep dogs for extended periods of time
— two things that most shelters just can't do.
In contrast to what most shelters can afford, rescue groups often spend hundreds (even thousands) of dollars caring for individual animals. In addition to the general veterinary care and spay/neuter operation that a shelter would provide, rescue groups often work with private veterinarians to treat special medical needs or injuries. This isn’t to say that rescue groups have lots of money — they don’t! In fact, the most valuable commodities to rescue groups are similar to those of shelters: volunteers and funds. (For some creative fundraising, see Way to Waddle below.)
Check it out
If you think you’re ready to adopt a golden retreiver,
basset hound or other purebred dog — what next? Linda
Reider, President of the Michigan Purebred Dog Rescue Alliance
(MPDRA), a non-profit educational organization dedicated to
facilitating and promoting purebred rescue, advises that you back
up one step and do some research. “Potential purebred
adopters should first investigate different breeds from such
sources as the library, web sites and dog shows. Only after
narrowing the field to a handful of compatible breeds is it time
to find a rescue group.”
There are several ways to find a breed rescue group. The American
Kennel Club (AKC) publishes a list of national breed club rescue
coordinators in the November issue of the AKC Gazette, as well as
on its web site at www.akc.org/rescue.htm. Or, call AKC Customer
Service at (919) 233-9767. The national rescue coordinator can
put you in touch with a rescue group in your area. Alternatively,
Project BREED (Breed Rescue Efforts and Education), a non-profit
coalition of volunteers dedicated to purebred rescue nationwide,
publishes a directory listing hundreds of breed groups and the
services they offer. For ordering information, send a stamped,
self-addressed envelope to Project BREED, P.O. Box 15888, Chevy
Chase, MD 20825.
Once you locate a rescue group, don’t expect to waltz in
and buy a dog. “Rescue groups are not selling dogs,”
Reider emphasizes. “They have a vested interest in placing
the dogs in permanent homes. In fact, most rescue groups talk
more people out of their breed than into giving one a
home.”
Expect a rescue group to ask you questions about your lifestyle
and to require that dogs be spayed or neutered prior to adoption
(stay away from those that don’t). Many also require a home
visit and/or a fenced area for the dog. Finally, expect to pay a
fee — purebred rescue is an expensive proposition. In part,
the fee will help reimburse the organization for vaccinations,
heartworm testing, teeth cleaning, grooming and other medical
care that the dog has received.
|
A golden shelter In a quiet suburb of Boston, there is a most unusual shelter. The Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue (YGRR), a non-profit charitable organization founded in 1985, is the nation’s first shelter and education center dedicated solely to golden retrievers. YGRR relied for years on boarding kennels and a network
of foster homes to house its dogs; then, in 1997, it was
able to open its own shelter, where approximately 10 to 20
lucky goldens luxuriate in their kennels and exercise yards
while awaiting new homes. The dogs are fed, walked and
groomed by an active crew of volunteers. For goldens
needing rehabilitation, there is a swimmng pool for aquatic
therapy. |
|
Way to waddle Close your eyes, and try to picture 50 basset hounds waddling down the street. Now, close your eyes again, and imagine 1,000 basset hounds waddling down the street. As crazy as that sounds, two months in advance of the annual “Celebrate Birmingham” parade, Michigan Basset Rescue (MBR), a non-profit charitable organization, was expecting more than 1,000 basset hounds from 35 states and three Canadian provinces to participate. The parade is held each May in Birmingham, MI. In 1997, 611 basset hounds participated and raised a total of $30,000. The goal for this year's Waddle, as the event is known, is $50,000 or more. All funds go to MBR to assist in its efforts to find new homes for unwanted basset hounds in the region. Since its founding in 1992, MBR has placed more than 750 bassets. Its goal: to open its own shelter serving basset hounds in need. To support MBR start a Waddle in your area, contact Melissa Fenchel at (248) 623-1698 or by e-mail at bassetrescue@mindspring.com. |
© 1998 ASPCA
Animal Watch - Summer 1998
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How You Can Help Pets: Starting an Animal Rescue Group:
Starting a Spay/Neuter Program
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