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I agree with Riv. The rescue groups are going to keep those dogs until a suitable home can be found for them. Many foster families end up adopting the dogs themselves. There are so many dogs and cats at city-run shelters. It breaks my heart that so many of them will be euthanized. I got both my dogs at a city shelter and have been very pleased. Most of them will let you take the dog into an area so you can interact with the dog, whether inside or out. When we adopted the second dog, we brought our first in so they could meet in the outdoor dog run. You're likely to get more medical problems with a shelter dog, because a lot of times, unless it's heartworms, the city shelters don't have the resources to test or treat. Just be prepared that at your first vet visit, there may be some expense on your part. Good luck! My two are the best 'kids' I could have ever asked for!
Two of my dogs are from our local AC shelter. Bernie latest one was absolutely terrified in the shelter, plus hated leashes and men. His coat was a nothing but a mass of clumps. They don't have the money to check for heartworms so that is the first thing I did was take them to the vet. Other than having their shots and getting them S/N they have both been fine health wise. Thank goodness!! They were both fairly young less than 2 years when I got them.
Bernie has changed so much in just a few months. He is no longer afraid of strangers or men, although more leary of men than women. He is the tan/black furry one. He looks just like the tan and black dog in the Pedigree dog food and WalMart commercial.
Last edited by Keeper; 10-15-2008 at 07:59 AM..
Reason: pic
I agree with Riv. The rescue groups are going to keep those dogs until a suitable home can be found for them. Many foster families end up adopting the dogs themselves. There are so many dogs and cats at city-run shelters. It breaks my heart that so many of them will be euthanized. I got both my dogs at a city shelter and have been very pleased. Most of them will let you take the dog into an area so you can interact with the dog, whether inside or out. When we adopted the second dog, we brought our first in so they could meet in the outdoor dog run. You're likely to get more medical problems with a shelter dog, because a lot of times, unless it's heartworms, the city shelters don't have the resources to test or treat. Just be prepared that at your first vet visit, there may be some expense on your part. Good luck! My two are the best 'kids' I could have ever asked for!
Great looking dogs Crash! They're very unique looking .
Two of my dogs are from our local AC shelter. Bernie latest one was absolutely terrified in the shelter, plus hated leashes and men. His coat was a nothing but a mass of clumps. They don't have the money to check for heartworms so that is the first thing I did was take them to the vet. Other than having their shots and getting them S/N they have both been fine health wise. Thank goodness!! They were both fairly young less than 2 years when I got them.
Bernie has changed so much in just a few months. He is no longer afraid of strangers or men, although more leary of men than women. He is the tan/black furry one. He looks just like the tan and black dog in the Pedigree dog food and WalMart commercial.
Yes, they could be breeder, mill, broker....are they all? Of course not. BUT, this is my call, (check my post re rescue), puppies are hard to find because of course they go first, BUT also, a not-so-good rescue has their name in the hat and depending on true intent engage in 'cherry picking.'
I would put my name in at the shelters and ask them to notify you when a potential comes up. From this source you have guidelines and recourse if it dies next week..(municipalities don't want to be sued), where as an unscrupulous rescue (money grubbing impersonators) are free to say, "Oops, not my fault....never knew." And of course, they are free to plead ignorance withholding any and all medical issues while you and pup are completely unprotected by law.
I'm in a dillemma here.
We have been looking for a young dog or a puppy for a few months now.
The County or Town animal shelters have many dogs. Just no puppys. Their fee is 50-$75 to adopt a dog. They have been check by vet & give medications & are up to date on shots, plus they spay or neuter.
Now there are other places, called "foster shelters" or "Pet Rescues" which are private not for profit organizations that have TONS of puppies. They are all over Petfinders. They do everything the County shelter does but they charge $250 - $300 and they DO NOT include the spay/neutering in the fee.
My question. Are they shady? Could these be Puppy mills in disguise? If this is all on the up & up then why are their fees so high? I really wanted to save a dog from a shelter. We wanted the dog to be young or a puppy. I would just not forgive myself if I paid that large amount of money to line someones pocket. How can I really be sure? These Pet Rescue people are very touchy & do not like to be questioned. You would not believe the application I had to fill out. I had an easier time getting my mortgage.
Part of them are shady. But most charge more because there are never enough donations. I did rescue work for years, most of the expense coming out of my pocket. Many times we would get dogs requiring extensive medical work. Several hundred or more spent on a particular dog. Others would come in and only have maybe 150.00 spent on them in shots, worming, grooming supplies, food cost for an average of six weeks while the dog is evaluated for health and temperment problems. They have to attempt to average the cost in the adoption. No one would be willing to pay for a 800.00 dollar surgery.Most rescues don't put an adoptable dog down so they may have one upwards of a year. You can't feed them for free.These evaluations aren't usually done at a shelter. If I dog has more obvious problems they will catch it. The people who truly care about their rescues but their heart, soul and money into these animals. Many times they come out in the hole. No such thing as state funding as the shelters receive. Hope this helps. A dog rescued from either a shelter or a rescue will still be a grateful loving companion.
The rescues you will find on PetFinder should have been screened to be sure they are in fact a rescue. PetFinder doesn't give a site to just anyone. There are a lot of very nice animals in shelters available for adoption. However there are drawbacks to going to a shelter. First, they may not have the breed you are looking for. Second, you may adopt an animal and come to find out 10 days later it was exposed to parvo or distemper and have huge vet bills to try and save the animal. Third, the dog may or may not be spayed/neutered, vaccinated, etc. Any reputable rescue will not adopt an animal unless it is fully vetted. That means spayed/neutered (or if a puppy, a contract that says you have to do it), vaccinated, tested for heartworms, free of all parasites, groomed, and maybe even microchipped. With a dog from a rescue you will find out much more about the animal.. ie health issues, personality, special needs, medical needs. If you have children or other animals you take a chance bringing an unknown shelter animal into your home.
I can tell you that there was a puppy mill raid in Sparta, TN last week and many of the dogs are going to be available for adoption in TN. Many went to Nashville Humane and the pomeranians from the puppy mill went to South Paw Rescue in Hilham, TN. Many of the dogs were puppies, and they are pure breed dogs, so perhaps you can find what you are looking for from one of those groups. Both of their websites state that they are completely vetted before adoption so at least you know you are getting a healthy animal. I've adopted from both shelters and rescues, and I've found the ones I adopted from rescues worked out better because I knew what I was getting. Yes, the adoption fee was higher, but I found that with the rescue dogs all the vetting was done, with the shelter dogs it wasn't. So while I paid less at the shelter, but the time I paid the vet for the shots and spay and heartworm test and flea treatment because the dog had fleas it would have cost me less to get a dog from a rescue. The main thing to remember is that an animal is a lifetime commitment. So if you can't find a dog you are looking for in one place, look somewhere else. Here are links to Nashville Humane Nashville Humane Association - Dogs & Puppies
and South Paw Rescue Animal List
Good luck finding your new dog!
My husband and I are BIG City Animal Shelter rescue people. Our first rescue was a dog named ChiChi who was half pit and half black lab; older and had been going through heartworm treatment. No one wanted her because she was older and had been so sick. Yes, the shelter had her spayed, gave her all her shots and her heartworm medicine. I believe we paid $100.00 for her which was lots cheaper than a private rescue. We had ChiChi for six years and she passed away. We then went back to another City Shelter and found our pit bull. She was only 11 mos. old but had been bred too young and was in rough shape when we got her. All I had to do was put my name on her cage and she was mine for $50.00. I had to take care of the spaying and the shots. The shelter did give us some paperwork to turn in to the state and I believe we got a discount on her spaying.
Just recently, my sister went through a private rescue and it was worse than adopting a real kid! They first filled out the adoption paperwork, and were background checked. Next, they had to go to the foster home where this little guy was staying and meet the foster parents and the dog. Next, they had to go through a home visit and finally they got approved. Last I talked with my sister, she was moving furniture around to make her home look more "doggie safe" prior to this home visit. Did they get to adopt this little guy...yes for $300.00 and he is not quite a year old and not even a pure bred!!
I don't think these private adoptions/rescues are a scam but I do think that they ask for way too much money. If you agree to become a foster parent for a dog then you assume some of the financial burden of having that privilege. I feel it is a true privilege to take care of an orphan dog and assist in finding them a good home. $300.00 for a dog who isn't even pure bred is ridiculous.
Keep looking in the city shelters...you can find some awesome little dogs there! Good Luck
Now there are other places, called "foster shelters" or "Pet Rescues" which are private not for profit organizations that have TONS of puppies. They are all over Petfinders. They do everything the County shelter does but they charge $250 - $300 and they DO NOT include the spay/neutering in the fee.
My question. Are they shady?
Welcome to the ugly underbelly of rescue.
We've got a couple like that around here. Typically, a good rescue will charge about what the shelters do, maybe a little more, but shouldn't be much. The benefit that the local shelters have is they get funding by the county they are in. Rescues do not. They are funded solely out of the pockets of the people that run them and any donations by residents, as well as the adoption fees. They have to pay out the full cost of vetting every animal they take in from their pocket.
Unfortunately I've noticed quite a few 'rescues' popping up lately that seem to always have puppies for adoption and - shock!! - they're pure bred puppies. And when you go to visit I'd guarantee you'll find a male and female of the same breed in their home.
Since rescuing became the cool way to get a dog, the local back yard breeders have re-named themselves rescues, hoping to attract people to 'adopt' their puppies. Hey, anything for a buck, right?
The problem is you're still paying their crazy high prices for a puppy who's parents never had any genetic testing and there is no guarantee you're even getting a pure bred dog. That's the beauty of this for them; they no longer have to be all sneaky with AKC paperwork.
At a rescue - a truly good rescue that's doing what it has to do for the safety and well being of the animals - you'll need to fill out an application. It can be for a specific dog or just an application in general. It will ask where you live and if you own or rent and if you rent your landlord's name and phone number; you're vet's name and phone number; possibly personal references as well. It will take the rescue anywhere from a couple days to a week or two to confirm all the info you have in there.
If everything checks out, they'll contact you and ask to interview you face to face, unless you filled out the application in person. Then you'll have a home visit. I tell everyone not to stress and spend all day cleaning their home in bleach. I don't want to adopt a dog out to a family that has a spotless house. They're more likely to be unhappy with a pet in the house if that's how they truly live. We just want to see that everyone in the family is on board with the adoption, that the yard is fenced, that the family seems bonded and happy and that there isn't any tension or abuse situations, and that the home is safe for a pet, ie; no electric cords laying all over the place, no holes in the walls, etc. And if they come in and you do have an electric cord they'll probably just point out those things to you.
Once that's done you should be all set to fill out the contract. It outlines what's expected of you (keeping the animal up to date on vaccinations, where it needs to be housed, and if you can't keep it you must return it to the rescue).
Above and beyond all else, a good rescue will not under any circumstances adopt a pet out to anyone that has not been vaccinated or spayed / neutered. That's always your first sign to run!
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go to rescue or animal shelter for puppy?
(money grubbing impersonators) are free to say, "Oops, not my fault....never knew." And of course, they are free to plead ignorance withholding any and all medical issues while you and pup are completely unprotected by law.
shelter or rescue
