These days, I’m not able to contribute as much time and money as I would like to… well, a number of very good causes. One of those causes is Rottweiler rescue. Today I gave a few hours of my time to help get Rollo, an abandoned Rottweiler, from his temporary foster home in Ohio to the rescue in Wisconsin who will be getting him ready for his next chance at a good life. He was a little scared, but he was a nice dog, not aggressive or wild, and traveled well for me as we went from a meeting spot in the southwest suburbs to the next meeting spot just over the Illinois/Wisconsin state line.
Although many potential adopters are now aware of the number of purebred dogs that find themselves homeless each year, I am not sure that the advantages of adopting from a breed rescue rather than a shelter could be considered widespread common knowledge yet.
In most cases, a dog adopted through breed rescue has been evaluated by people familiar with and knowledgeable about the breed. The dog may have also spent time with a foster family where any problems would be noted and worked on, and information passed on to the adopter.
If you are concerned that adopting a dog through breed rescue means condemning a shelter dog to death, please know that in many cases, purebred rescue dogs do come from shelters. Many of the transports I have assisted with are to move a dog from a high-kill shelter to a breed rescue foster home.
My current dogs were both acquired as show prospects. This does not mean that I do not support rescue, just that I wanted a show dog. Our last rescued Rottweiler was a very important part of our family and we miss her to this day. She was a very maternal presence of the tough love variety and when Freya and Axel were puppies, I always wished that Missy were still around to “raise” them.
If you are looking to add a purebred dog to your family, and are not interested in showing or breeding, please consider your local breed rescue as you go about your search.
(NaBloPoMo | November ’09: 1 of 30 | 75% Challenge: 246 of 274)
Denora says
I looked into getting a pug from our local pug rescue, but I was really put off by the amount of hoops they make you jump through in order to adopt a dog. There’s an application (which may take them up to 60 days to review), and then an interview, then a home visit, then a potential meeting with a dog that they pick for you. If they finally approve the match, you can take the dog home, but there’s another home checkup, and they have the right to pop in and visit any time they like for the next TWO years. I understand that they make the rules to try and protect the dogs, but those same rules made me skip the rescue and go to a shelter (and eventually a breeder) instead. I hope not all rescues are like that.
.-= Denora´s last blog ..Frustration =-.
kathi says
Oooh, this is definitely a topic for a future post! I believe there has to be a balance between protecting the dogs and respecting the adopters, and some rescues definitely do cross the line. I won’t volunteer for, or adopt from, them. Not that they would approve me because OMG OMG I have an !!!INTACT DOG!!! and !!!CATS!!! I wonder if they realize that by setting the bar at such stratospheric heights that even good adopters are put off, that they are driving people right to pet stores and puppy mills?
Kwizgiver says
Great reminder to go through my stuff. I didn’t know that about Photobucket.
*mingle*
.-= Kwizgiver´s last blog ..thursday bug =-.
Johnny Pez says
We adopted a pair of elderly Basenjis four years back from the New York chapter of Basenji Rescue and Transport. Their owners were divorcing and they had one week to find someone to take the dogs or they would have to go to the shelter. A pair of diabetic eleven-year-old dogs . . . in a shelter. Not a pleasant prospect, so we brought the dogs home to live with us. They’ve since passed away, and we still miss them.
.-= Johnny Pez´s last blog ..On being urban =-.
kathi says
How wonderful of you to give those sweet seniors a great home to live out their days. I still miss my rescue girl and one day there will be another.
Emareneam says
Truthful words, some true words man. Totally made my day!