SolveYourProblem.com
Article Series: Dog Adoption
How Do I Adopt A Dog?
Adopting
A Rescue Puppy - Shelters Or Breed Groups?
Is it possible to find a quality puppy to
adopt at your local animal shelter or breed rescue group?
Conventional wisdom says no, but representatives of both enterprises
say that's not always the case. In fact, many puppies are given
up and not adopted for a while. For example, one pup named
Tiger was dropped off at a local San Diego shelter when he
was just 12 weeks old and is still waiting to be adopted. He
is 8 months old now.
You
can find a lovely puppy at a shelter. Some of these puppies
come from backyard breeders or from people who find themselves
saddled with “oops!” litters – when an unexpected litter of
puppies results when a female dog is impregnated by accident.
Still, the availability of puppies at a shelter or breed rescue
group may depend on what breed is involved. Rescue groups rarely
get puppies, let alone purebred Gold Retriever puppies, for
example. In another group located in New York, there have only
been three litters of puppies of the nearly 800 dogs that have
been placed.
In any case, breed rescue groups and animal shelters have
identical missions: To match homeless dogs with people who
will love them and give them permanent homes.
Shelters generally accommodate all breeds and mixes. Many
are run by local governments. Some have a policy of euthanizing
dogs who are not claimed or adopted after a certain period
of time; others will keep adoptable dogs indefinitely. Generally,
all adoptable dogs that come to a shelter are given health
examinations and any immunizations needed, and may be spayed
or neutered. Many shelters also perform special tests to determine
what type of temperament a dog has, and some offer training
programs to help increase a dog's chances of being adopted.
Breed rescue groups focus on serving one breed or mixes in
which that single breed predominates. Volunteers for these
groups identify dogs in need, take them into their own homes
for foster care, attend to their medical needs, and provide
remedial training to help the dogs become more adoptable.
Typically,
adoptable dogs remain with rescue groups until a permanent
home is found. Sometimes, that permanent home turns
out to be that of the foster care provider.
Often,
shelters and rescue groups work together on a dog's behalf.
For example,
if a dog's time is running out at an animal
shelter, staff workers there might contact a rescue group
and ask if that group can provide foster care for the dog.
Such
cooperation literally can be a lifesaver for a dog who needs
a little more time to find a forever home. #
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SolveYourProblem.com
: 2009
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