How is a dog turned over to the rescue
First you need to contact us via phone or e-mail.
We will need a detailed history of why the dog needs to be re-homed.
Is it due to the families change of lifestyle due to the economy or other financial changes?
Is it due to the dogs temperament or health?
Is it because life changes do not allow time that is fair to the dog and you are seeking a home that has more time?
As you can see there are many reasons that a dog is surrendered to rescue. The most important thing that helps us find the right home, is an accurate history of the dog. We do not judge about the reasons, we just need to know everything the dog is capable of. If he/she is shy, aggressive, hyper, a couch potato, or a combination of issues. We are not like the shelters in the fact that we have the ability to foster dogs with adverse temperament issues. We have the facilities to spend weeks with the dog to learn his/her true personality.
Because we can foster a dog and interact in a 1 on 1 basis, we can work with dogs that others claim are unplaceable due to fear or a bite history. Many times we have found that dogs that have been labeled aggressive, are actually fear issues instead. Many times the problems are dogs that have been given up by breeders at too early of an age, inbred from poor breeders/pet stores and many time the dog never had the opportunity to be socialized at a very young age. Lack of basic training along with early socialization is a very common history with dogs that come into the rescue. Some things are genetic, some are environmental.
We also see dogs with health issues that have become overwhelming for their owners. Sometimes its health issues that are the underlying cause of the temperament issues.
The above are some of the reasons are why we need a detailed history of the dog that is being surrendered. If we know where to start, it makes it easier to work with known issues than evaluating from scratch. We have placed over 100 Berners and only another 3 or 4 were felt to be unplaceable. We have had many with aggression histories, some even had caused injury. We have discovered the underlying reasons and 2 of the dogs that were going to be put down by the owners, were rehabilitated and became certified therapy dogs. So don’t give up, we don’t.
We have also worked with many owners dealing with health or temperament issues, and directed them to resources that allowed them to keep their dog by solving the problems. There are many resources that can help. There are Internet groups that can help with health issues and there is a yahoo group for Shy and Aggressive Berners, with behaviorists, vets, holistic practitioners plus other owners that have been through what you may be dealing with.
We can direct you to these resources, please feel free to ask us.
We are here for more than just placing dogs.
Our favorite rescue is one that never has to loose it’s home.