How to Pick a Rescue…
Many of the same questions listed above can be asked of rescues. There are obviously going to be some differences like many times they will not know the parents of the puppies/dogs, they may have limited history of what went on with the puppies/dogs before they got them, and they may not even know the breeds however the following questions I would consider having answered by getting a puppy/dog from a rescue.
- Where is the puppy/dog from? Are they shipping the puppies/dogs in from a different area of the country or different countries all together.
- If the puppy/dog has been shipped in what vet care has been given to the puppy/dog? Different areas of the country have much different health concerns for the dogs. For example, here in MN besides the basic vaccines we worry about things like Lyme disease which is at a very high rate compared to other areas of the country. If the dog is coming from the south for example did, they Heartworm test the dog? The reason is that is at a high level in that part of the country. If they are brining dogs in from other parts of the country or different countries themselves make sure to research what diseases are prevalent in those areas and make sure the rescue has tested and treated those dogs for them.
- How many dogs are they shipping up at a time? Although this is not a total red flag it is a highly orange flag for me. If there is a rescue that is shipping up 25-50 or more dogs at a time and is able to do this on a regular basis there are a number of concerns, I would have.
First, is if the dogs are all coming together in the same van or a few vans the dogs are at a higher likelihood of transmitting communicable diseases back and forth to each other before getting to MN. Because transmission will have been on the trip most dogs will look healthy but might get sick 1-2 weeks down the road.
Second, is if there are that many dogs coming up how do they really know the temperament of the dogs prior to adoption UNLESS they are then fostered in homes for a period of time before you are looking to adopt. I have seen several rescues shipping dogs up and new owners just picking up their new puppies/dogs along the route. This is a dangerous practice in my opinion unless the rescue has outstanding customer service if something does go wrong with the health of the dog/puppy, or it is just not a good fit for your household.
- Where are the rescue dogs being housed? Are they in foster homes? Are they in facilities? Having a facility is not a bad thing and this should not disqualify the rescue at all. But if in a facility is the facility clean? How often are the dogs let out? Do they look happy? How much human interaction are they getting in a day?
If the dogs are living in someone’s home, we are going to assume that they are getting more human interaction and living a normal life within the structure of that foster parents’ household. However, I would still ask how much time the dog is actively interacting with the foster parent? Maybe that foster parent works 12 hours a day then the puppy/dog might be getting less human interaction than if it was in a facility situation.
- Does the rescue take the dog back if it is not a good fit in your household? How long of a trial period do they have? What happens if 5 years from now you must move and cannot bring the dog will the rescue take the dog back then?
- Do they have any references from previous adopters that they are able to share? What are you looking for is where the people happy with the adoption process? Was the description of the dog what matched the dog’s temperament? Unfortunately, as a trainer I have seen too many puppies/dogs being mis-labeled in order to get them adopted. This usually means owners that “feel” the need to keep the dogs because they rescued them even if they are dangerous to society. Once again does the rescue take the dog back if it is not a good fit?
- Other questions to ask references…was the rescue able to help them with any readjustment periods, do they have resources/trainers/other things to help? Were all vaccines, spays/neuters, or any other medical conditions paid for by the rescue and was that process easy? Some rescues make you use their vets for all vet care before you have officially and sometimes after you have officially adopted the dog. Do you live near this vet office? If not, this could be a problem.
- Does the rescue restrict what you can and cannot do with your dog after you adopt it? You would be surprised at the number of contracts that tell owners how they are supposed to live with their new puppy/dog, what training tools they can and cannot use, and other nuances. PLEASE READ all contracts before signing them!
My last recommendation is this if you feel something is off and your gut feeling is this is not a good transaction for ANY reason you are probably right. In those cases, WALK AWAY!!!! There is no need for the pain, suffering, and trauma you may endure from not listening to what you knew all along. The right puppy/dog is out there waiting for you, just be patient, and have faith that it will happen at the right time!
