Please spay and neuter all your pets. Millions of pets are euthanized in shelters every year. Don't let your pet reproduce and continue the cycle. Please adopt from a shelter or rescue rather than buy from a breeder or pet store.
PLEASE NOTE: While I am currently unable to rescue dogs at this point in time- I will still help you place your dog if you are unable to keep it. Please contact me by email with your dogs info, pictures, and your info and I will place your dog on Petfinder and you can screen potential adopters yourself. I have moved from the Las Vegas area so am unable to take in any dogs at this time, but I will hopefully be rescuing again in the future. If you cannot adopt your dog out yourself, please check with local rescues such as the SPCA, Humane Society or other Rescue Groups. Please do not take your dog to the shelter. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE YOUR DOG WILL BE ADOPTED, AND WILL LIKELY UP UP EUTHANIZED DUE TO A LACK OF SPACE, ITS AGE, SICKNESS CAUGHT AT THE SHELTER, OR BECAUSE NO ONE ADOPTED YOUR DOG IN THE PRECIOUS FEW DAYS IT WAS ALLOWED..
When I was a puppy, I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh. You called me your child, and despite a number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw pillows, I became your best friend. Whenever I was "bad," you'd shake your finger at me and ask "How could you?"- but then you'd relent and roll me over for a bellyrub. My housebreaking took a little longer than expected, because you were terribly busy, but we worked on that together. I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed and listening to your confidences and secret dreams, and I believed that life could not be any more perfect.
A Note from the Author: If "How Could You?" brought tears to your eyes as you read it, as it did to mine as I wrote it, it is because it is the composite story of the millions of formerly "owned" pets who die each year in American & Canadian animal shelters.
Anyone is welcome to distribute the essay for a noncommercial purpose,as long as it is properly attributed with the copyright notice.
Please use it to help educate, on your websites, in newsletters, on animal shelter and vet office bulletin boards. Tell the public that the decision to add a pet to the family is an important one for life, that animals deserve our love and sensible care, that finding another appropriate home for your animal is your responsibility and any local humane society or animal welfare league can offer you good advice, and that all life is precious.
What is the proceedure for adopting a dog? I do require an adoption agreement which you will need to read, agree to and sign before the adoption can take place. Every dog will be fixed, current on shots and possibly microchipped before being placed. I will not ship dogs, so you would need to physically be able to come meet me and pick up the dog yourself.
The expense of rescuing: Rescuers incur many expenses on the behalf of the dogs- things like regular dog food, special food for certain dogs, crates, bedding, supplements, toys, treats, rawhides, vet check ups, vet care and treatment for sick or injured dogs, medications, vaccinations, spay & neutering, deworming, microchipping, nail clippings, groomings, flea and tick treatments for some dogs, advertising to help get dogs adopted, pet friendly cleaners, detergents, leashes, collars, halters, food bowls, brushes, bail fees for shelter dogs, transportation and more. I am adopting and entrusting to you a new family member, one I have spent time with, gotten to know, loved, cared for, worked with, nursed to health, vetted, cleaned up after, probably housetrained and taught some basic obedience to.
More resources for adopting a pet:
Need to rehome your dog?
If you no longer can keep your own small breed dog please email me with your dogs info, pictures and your contact info. I can place your dog on Petfinder where they will get the exposure they need to help be adopted. I can offer advice about rehoming a dog as well.
About the Dogs
Where do they come from? Some of the small breed dogs I have available come from High Kill Shelters in Nevada and California where their lives were in danger of ending prematurely. Some of the dogs I have are surrendered by their owners who were not able to keep them, but did not want to place them in a shelter.
All the dogs I have available are spayed/neutered, current on shots and may be microchipped for their protection in case they ever lost or seperated from you. I only work with small numbers of dogs at a time and the dogs live in the house with me while looking for their forever home.

"HOW COULD YOU?"
A man in Grand Rapids, Michigan took out a $7000 full page ad in the paper to present the following essay to the people of his community:
HOW COULD YOU? -By Jim Willis, 2001
We went for long walks and runs in the park, car rides, stops for ice cream (I only got the cone because "ice cream is bad for dogs" you said), and I took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day. Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on your career, and more time searching for a human mate. I waited for you patiently, comforted you through heartbreaks and disappointments, never chided you about bad decisions, and romped with glee at your homecomings, and when you fell in love. She, now your wife, is not a "dog person" --still I welcomed her into our home, tried to show her affection, and obeyed her. I was happy because you were happy. Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement. I was fascinated by their pinkness, how they smelled, and I wanted to mother them, too.
Only she and you worried that I might hurt them, and I spent most of my time banished to another room, or to a dog crate. Oh, how I wanted to love them, but I became a "prisoner of love." As they began to grow, I became their friend. They clung to my fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly legs, poked fingers in my eyes, investigated my ears, and gave me kisses on my nose. I loved everything about them and their touch--because your touch was now so infrequent-- and I would've defended them with my life if need be. I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries and secret dreams, and together we waited for the sound of your car in the driveway. There had been a time, when others asked you if you had a dog, that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me. These past few years, you just answered "yes" and changed the subject.
I had gone from being "your dog" to "just a dog," and you resented every expenditure on my behalf. Now, you have a new career opportunity in another city, and you and they will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets. You've made the right decision for your "family," but there was a time when I was your only family. I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter. It smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness. You filled out the paperwork and said "I know you will find a good home for her." They shrugged and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities facing a middle-aged dog, even one with "papers." You had to pry your son's fingers loose from my collar as he screamed "No, Daddy! Please don't let them take my dog!" And I worried for him, and what lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty, about love and responsibility, and about respect for all life. You gave me a good-bye pat on the head, avoided my eyes, and politely refused to take my collar and leash with you. You had a deadline to meet and now I have one, too. After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably knew about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt to find me another good home. They shook their heads and asked "How could you?" They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules allow. They feed us, of course, but I lost my appetite days ago. At first, whenever anyone passed my pen, I rushed to the front, hoping it was you that you had changed your mind-that this was all a bad dream...or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared, anyone who might save me.
When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking for attention of happy puppies,oblivious to their own fate, I retreated to a far corner and waited. I heard her footsteps as she came for me at the end of the day, and I padded along the aisle after her to a separate room. A blissfully quiet room. She placed me on the table and rubbed my ears, and told me not to worry. My heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come, but there was also a sense of relief. The prisoner of love had run out of days. As is my nature, I was more concerned about her. The burden which she bears weighs heavily on her, and I know that, the same way I knew your every mood. She gently placed a tourniquet around my foreleg as a tear ran down her cheek. I licked her hand in the same way I used to comfort you so many years ago. She expertly slid the hypodermic needle into my vein. As I felt the sting and the cool liquid coursing through my body, I lay down sleepily, looked into her kind eyes and murmured "How could you?" Perhaps because she understood my dogspeak, she said "I'm so sorry." She hugged me, and hurriedly explained it was her job to make sure I went to a better place, where I wouldn't be ignored or abused or abandoned, or have to fend for myself--a place of love and light so very different from this earthly place. And with my last bit of energy, I tried to convey to her with a thump of my tail that my "How could you?" was not directed at her. It was directed at you, My Beloved Master, I was thinking of you. I will think of you and wait for you forever. May everyone in your life continue to show you so much loyalty.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please do your part to stop the killing, and encourage all spay and neuter campaigns in order to prevent unwanted animals. - Jim Willis
Adopting a friend
Who will I adopt out to? I will allow my dogs to go to appropriate, caring, loving, PERMANENT homes only. If you are looking for anything less than a new family member, I can't help you. You can expect a small breed dog to have a lifespan of up to 16 years, sometimes more! So be prepared for many years of companionship and love from your dog- and committment from you. Be aware that some small breed dogs do not do well with smaller children by nature and I may not adopt out certain dogs to familes with small children.

Links
1-800-Save-A-Pet.com
The PetWork
Pets911

Email: kristin_rebecca@yahoo.com
Click here for a list of small dogs available through this rescue

[Home] [Information] [Shelters] [Search]