Dog rescue groups are advocates for their breed

Whether it’s the love of a Labrador, the bravery of a Brittany or the dignity of a Doberman that you crave, chances are a breed rescue group has the pet for you.

Breed rescue groups take in and care for homeless dogs. When the dogs are ready, the group makes them available for adoption. They come to rescue groups from owners who no longer want them, from puppy mills where they’ve been abused or neglected and from the streets and animal shelters.

While pet-quality purebred dogs can cost anywhere from $500 to $1,500, the adoption fee for a rescue dog typically averages $200 to $300.

And that’s a bargain.

“Our dogs have had some obedience training; they’re housebroken, spayed or neutered, micro-chipped and have had their shots,” said Janice Thom, president of Kansas City Doberman Rescue Inc., based in Riverside. “Our adoption fee doesn’t cover what we put into a dog.”

The group’s average fee is $225.

“People often think that rescue dogs aren’t as good as dogs bought from a breeder, but our dogs were all bought from a breeder at some time somewhere,” Thom said.

Thom is a retired animal technician who serves as a full-time volunteer for the rescue club. Right now, she is caring for Treasure, a young female Doberman who was removed from a puppy mill in November. Though full grown, Treasure weighed 30 pounds, less than half of what she should weigh, when the rescue group took her in.

By feeding Treasure well and nursing her back to health, Thom has brought the dog’s weight up to 50 pounds — and she’s still gaining about 5 pounds a week.

Rescued dogs like Treasure live in foster homes with volunteers who socialize and care for them.

Sometimes, the dogs that come to visit never leave.

“Bailey was an unruly little guy, about 7 months old, at the time we took him in to foster him and he’s now 11 years old,” said Phil Severson about one of his Golden Retrievers. Severson is past president of Kansas City Golden Retriever Club. Rescue work is one of the club’s activities.

Training turned the misbehaving pup into a pet — and it’s just what a rescued dog needs.

“Rescue dogs don’t need babying — they need training and consistency,” Thom said.

They also need responsible owners and good homes. If you’re considering adopting a rescued dog, prepare to be screened.

Chinese Shar Pei Rescue in the Northland, for example, requires an application, references, an interview and fenced yard. When possible, the group checks out the home of the applicant, too. Dogs are expected to live indoors.

An effort is made to educate potential owners about the behavior and medical needs of the breed.

While Shar Pei dogs are loyal and loving pets, they are also high maintenance and susceptible to ear infections and eye problems that often require more than routine veterinary care, said Mary Crafton of Kansas City, North.

Rescue groups consider themselves advocates for their breed. They strive to match the dog’s needs and wants with a prospective owner’s lifestyle and household.

Bird dogs, for example, may look good in field trial demonstrations on television. But they’re not the dog for owners whose primary recreational activity is watching television.

“All sporting breeds are high-energy dogs who need lots of exercise,” said Cynthia Williams, a member of the board of directors for The Pet Connection, a Kansas City adoption center.

For about eight years, Williams worked to rescue and foster Brittanys. Her Parkville household includes a 16-year old Brittany and two mixed-breed dogs.

“Rescue dogs make wonderful pets,” Williams said.

For most rescue groups, once they accept custody of a dog, the dog becomes a permanent and continual concern if necessary.

Kansas City Doberman Rescue requires owners to sign an agreement to return the dog to the club if the adoption doesn’t work out. The agreement also allows the club to reclaim any dogs not being properly cared for.

“We work for the dogs,” Thom said. “We’re responsible for the rest of the dog’s life.”

Reference: www.kansascity.com

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