Choosing a rescue

[chofpar]

We all want to be helpful, and often times we are unable to take on any more animals ourselves. When I find myself in this situation I generally look to donate to a rescue. The best bet is to donate to one you know. One perhaps you have adopted from. However, if you are looking to donate to a rescue and are searching online there are a few things you should keep in mind when deciding if the place deserves your money.

I always check first for 501c status. This may sound a bit heartless, but I simply will not donate to a place that doesn't have 501c status. That is a not for profit organization status. This will help you rule out hoarders and breeders just looking to aquire pets for cheap or free.

Second... I check to see their adoptable animal list. It is perfectly fine for nothing to be on this list (that's what we all dream of in a perfect future), what I look for is condition of the animals for adoption. Be catious if all of the animals appear to be babies (unless they are specifically a puppy rescue) use common sense... do they look like a breeder just trying to "adopt" animals that are at "sale" prices?

Third... I check the adopted animals section. I don't donate to a site that doesn't have at least some animals shown in their happy new homes. Or at least a photo list of animals that are no longer for adoption.

Fourth... I find the name of anyone running or working at the rescue... I then proceed to google their name with the type of animals that they rescue... Example... Jane Doe Horse.

Fifth... this is always the best if possible. Arrange a time to come out and visit. If the rescue has problems with this, simply walk away. I have never known a valid rescue that didn't welcome visiters.

One last thing... Dogs and Cat rescues are very easy to recognize as fake to most people, which is why most dog and cat rescues are valid. The rescues that require caution are Horse, Parrot, and Reptile. There are a great deal of ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL rescues for these animals (if you wan't a good one, just ask and I'll give you a list). However, these animals are expensive and people often "call" themselves a rescue simply in an attempt to aquire cheap or free parrots, reptiles, and sometimes horses.

As with anything I try to use common sense when determining the real rescues from the fake ones.

[chofpar]

Additionally, curious about someone's history? You can go to pet-abuse.com and do a name search. You can search ANYONE in the COUNTRY, and if they have EVER been convicted of animal neglect/abuse, their name will come up with all cases against them including the detailed case report.

[SESG Rescue and Sanctuary]

You are very right about the "fake" or, as I call them , "wannabe" rescuers. I see this so much in the online sugar glider community. Since I am strictly exotic animal rescue and sanctuary (the sanctuary is a division of SouthEast Sugar Gliders, Inc which is a 501©(3)), here are a few other tips in regards to finding legitimate exotic animal rescues:

1. Policies and Procedures--any legitimate rescue organization will have written policies and will be able to answer questions regarding their operations; If someone can't explain to you how they handle animal intake, adoption criteria and vetting of animals, stay away.

2. Prepared--legitimate rescues will not be online begging for items for animals they have taken in. Rescue work is what we do everyday so we are prepared to supply everything an animal needs before it ever enters our home. This is a big warning sign for me. I see so many people posting on forums that they "rescued" gliders but have no cages, sleeping pouches, wheels, etc. The community members have big hearts and will often send donations. Many of these so-called "rescuers" quickly disappear or return to "sell" the very animals they just "rescued".

3. Knowledge and Experience--established rescuers will know about the animals they work with. The basic husbandry can be discussed. Rescuers will also spend time educating others about the animals they work with. If a rescuer doesn't possess knowledge about their animals, then they should be avoided.

4. Research--exotic rescue is fairly new. Online forums exist for most all exotic species. Try to look up the rescue in those forums to check their reputations.


Please do be very careful in supporting rescues that you don't know. These people who pose as rescues to further their own interests cause tremendous harm directly to the animals they take in and by taking away support for the established homes.

[abilash2012]

It's always fantastic when you find a good rescue dog to bring home. If you decide to take that path, I would recommend introducing the husky to the rest of your "pack" first and see how they get along. Generally, huskies are very respectful and pack minded animals. But whether or not your dogs will put up a fight against his entering your pack is difficult to tell. You own smaller dogs, so if they were to fight at all, it would be them at risk. So just make sure their personalities don't clash and they get along.

With that said, don't feel guilty if you lean more toward wanting a puppy. A lot of people like to make others feel bad for buying from breeders, but the fact of the matter is that all the dogs in shelters out there has nothing to do with you so long as you don't contribute to that population. So be sure of your decision before you get your husky so that this doesn't become a problem. Don't get me wrong, I strongly support rescuing dogs, but you must choose what is right for you. The upside of choosing a breeder is that you can be selective in the temperament of the parents in order to be more assured that your puppy will be even - tempered as well. The other positive aspect to this is that if you introduce your pack to the new puppy they are less likely to retaliate and the pup will be accustomed to your dogs as he grows up and vice versa as opposed to a shelter dog possibly being very unfamiliar with smaller dogs.
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