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What Is Breed Rescue?

What is the difference between a breed rescue, a pet shop, a breeder, and a humane society or animal shelter?  

A pet shop is the last place to look for a dog. Pet shops usually “supply” dogs that originate from a “puppy mill.” How many they supply and which breeds directly relates to the demand from prospective customers. These dogs are rarely socialized and puppies are often taken from their mothers too early. They also may be inbred and carry genetic defects. Often, pet shop pups are not in the best of health, but will typically cost more.

When you buy a pet shop pup, the shop will replace it with another “puppy mill” puppy. They do this because you have demonstrated to them that there is a demand for “their” puppies. What you may not realize is that the mother of that puppy will now be forced to produce yet another litter. She has been reduced to a puppy-making machine satisfying the greed of the breeder and the shop. She will likely spend her life in a tiny crate producing litter after litter until she is plain worn out. As cute as that pet shop puppy is, we urge you to refrain from making a purchase at a pet shop.

One more point on pet shop pups: They will sell to anyone. There is no screening or evaluation done to insure that you are getting the right dog for your family. Some Pet shops do say they are matching pets to families but many dogs that have come from these pet shops end up in rescue anyway. The motive for a pet shop is profit.

Breeders range in their degree of responsibility. There are the “pet shop breeders” mentioned above who breed for the sheer profit. They have little if any relationship with their dogs, and will dump a dog that is no longer “useful.”

The "backyard beeder" is one who owns a female and decides to have a litter of puppies. When the puppies are weaned, the breeder announces there are puppies for sale. These pups are often sold as early as five weeks, which is much too young. Not much thought was put into the genetics and health of the puppies, what type of home they will go to, and the breeder will likely give no guarantee. If it turns out that you cannot live with your puppy, don't count on this type of breeder taking it back. If it's not the right pup for you, you will have to find a home for it yourself, take it to a shelter, find a rescue with available foster space or put it to sleep. It really makes more sense to do your homework to help find the right dog for you.

A more “reasonable breeder” is one with a quality female who has been mated with a quality male. Before the mating, the female would've been x-rayed to see if she has hip dysplasia, and her eyes would've been checked for genetically acquired eye diseases. A blood test might also have been done to make sure there were no other potential problems. The puppies will not be taken from their mother until they are usually 6-8 weeks old and have had their first set of puppy shots. However, if there is a return policy, it will likely be good for only the first week.

The reputable breeder will have spent time selecting the mating pair, had both dogs tested for hip and eye problems, will have had a blood chemistry test done, and studied the pedigrees for both dogs to ensure that the puppies will carry the temperament and working ability that this breed was intended to have. More often than not, the breeder will have a waiting list for the puppies even before they are born. These breeders will guarantee to take the puppy back if the new owner decides it is not the one for them. Some breeders may even require it! A reputable breeder may also classify their puppies as a family, show or working. They may also have different prices attached to these classifications with a family quality pup usually priced lower than the others, but you will be required to spay or neuter your new companion.

The humane society will take into its care all dogs regardless of breed. The county or city in which the humane society exists often provides the funding. In the state of Wisconsin, most counties require the shelter to keep a stray for seven days, allowing the owner a chance to find their dog. After the week is up, however, three things can happen: 1) the dog goes up for adoption, 2) the dog is euthanized; or 3) if a university veterinary hospital needs dogs for study or student practice, the shelter can turn the dogs over to the university.

A dog that is relinquished by the owner does not have the 7-day hold placed upon it. The dog is either put up for adoption immediately or the shelter can euthanize it immediately. Some shelters have the ability to put their overflow dogs into foster homes, and some can provide limited behavioral training, but these are few and far between. Some shelters may opt to turn a dog over to a rescue.

A relatively new concept is the “no-kill shelter.” Some no-kill shelters do euthanize, but their kill rate is quite low. Although this may sound like a better option, some dogs will remain in this type of shelter for years without being adopted, and some will never be adopted due to health or behavioral issues. In some cases, this can become more cruel than euthanasia.

Breed rescue has developed over the past 10 years and become a readily available resource for finding "the right dog." You can probably find a rescue organization for nearly every breed of dog, especially if you have access to the Internet.

Breed rescue organizations are privately run and each group sets up its own policies for adopting out dogs. The adoption fee is intended to cover the veterinary bills, but often doesn't. Fundraising and finding donations has become a necessary part of breed rescue work. Rescuing a dog can become very expensive. Some dogs can stay in foster care for more than a year. During that time, it will need food, toys, vet care, training and lots of socializing. But fortunately for those dogs, they are able to live in a loving and caring home, while they wait for their “forever family” to find them.

The typical breed rescue will have an adoption process that includes an adoption application. Two or three references are required and a visit to the prospective adopter's home is also done. Once the prospective adopter has completed these requirements, the rescue will help select the appropriate dog for that person or family, taking into consideration the family's lifestyle and the dog's personality. This is imperative to insure that these dogs have truly found their forever home and will not come back into rescue care.

Breed rescue foster homes take the dog into their family and teach it basic commands. These skills will allow the dog to live a happy life with its new family. Sometimes the rescued dog has significant behavioral issues that cause it to stay in rescue care longer. Others have issues that can be worked out in its new home. Many rescue groups will provide training assistance to the adoptive family throughout the life of the dog. Rescued dogs will be spay/neutered, current on all vaccinations and some rescue groups will also tattoo or microchip their dogs. The best rescue groups will insist that the dog be returned to the rescue if the new owner decides they cannot keep the dog, no matter how long they have had it.

Because breed rescues deal with every kind of reason why “the dog must be relinquished,” they appreciate the whole of the breed. As such, the information you receive from a breed rescue will likely be more thorough than what you might find with other sources. Rescues also tend to be very selective about who gets to adopt one of their dogs. The adoption approval process can take weeks, and if the family has specific needs or concerns, it could take months before the right dog comes to live with them. The desire is that the dog will be properly prepared to make this new home its forever home. Rest assured, when the right dog does come along, it is a match made in heaven and more than worth the wait!