Rescue Dogs - Hoping to Play
and Run Once More
Article about Rescue Dogs by
Christopher Venckus
The
definition of rescue is "to free from confinement, danger or evil."
Such an act would be construed as very noble. I'm reminded of the time my Uncle
Lester was "rescued" from a gentleman's club
in the city by his wife. Unfortunately for him, I think Uncle Lester was in
more danger after his supposed rescue. He was also confined to his house and
wasn't seen for days. It's funny how that works.
Timeless
Drive or Time was a three year old retired racing greyhound my wife and I adopted from a rescue group. He weighed ninety-pounds, had a
smooth brown coat, and could run almost forty-miles per hour. Yet, like a
discarded piece of paper nobody wanted him because he could no longer race due
to a toe injury. We took a chance and were rewarded with a sweet and quirky dog
that loved to play, watch Cubs games and push me off the couch.
It wasn't
until years later that I truly understood what it meant to have a rescue dog. Like a cat with a hair ball I get
choked up whenever I hear the sad stories about dogs and other animals that
have been rescued and are looking for homes. Shortly after
Time joined us, we adopted a three year old German Shorthair Pointer named
Abby. She had been severely abused and nursed back to health for a year by a
good hearted soul. Believe it or not, Abby became one of the top Agility dogs in the country. Agility is a fun sport where a dog
runs through an obstacle course as quickly as possible while the owner runs
along side trying to keep up without looking silly or losing their breath. One
owner lost her teeth after a tumble to the ground and her fake ivory whites
almost became another dog's chew toy.
While Time
and Abby are no longer with us, we quickly realized that they were two of the
best dogs we ever had. Since then we've adopted three more rescue dogs and have been involved with several rescue organizations who have successfully adopted out
hundreds of dogs to very happy people.
Why would
anyone want a rescue dog? Many people think of rescue dogs as
"damaged" goods -- like a piece of fruit that fell on the floor at
the grocery store. They might feel as though they are getting a "second
rate" dog that someone else doesn't want. Nothing could be further from
the truth. There are a myriad of reasons a dog ends up with a rescue group or shelter. They include
families who can no longer care for the dog, a former caretaker for the dog may
have died, someone became allergic to the dog, or the
person's lifestyle is no longer compatible with the dog. An inactive owner who
is more interested in picking lint out of his navel and doing crossword puzzles
probably wouldn't do well with any dog much less a dog with the high energy like that of a German Shorthair
Pointer.
In general, rescue groups go through an extensive process to make
sure each rescue dog is up to date on their shots, well fed, healthy, and
socially well adjusted before the possibility of another family adopting the dog even happens. The rescue
group spends a lot of time matching up dogs with prospective adopters to find the "best fit" for both of them.
As a prospective dog owner you can use an online resource like PetFinder.com to
find rescue groups and pets available for adoption in your area. Almost every
dog breed has their own rescue group which is run by dedicated volunteers.
While I can't speak for all rescue groups, the ones I've worked with in the
Midwest area do as much as they can to help each other out by transporting
dogs, assisting with vet appointments, performing home visits, and so on. I was
lucky enough to have spent time volunteering for Illinois Shorthair Rescue. The
rescue groups are in it for the sake of the dogs with their members usually
spending their own time and money without any compensation in return. However,
I must confess one time I was given a hug and a can of Mountain Dew for
transporting a dog. I almost cried. Well, not really, but the Dew tasted great!
Once you
find a dog you like you can contact the rescue group and you'll probably need
to fill out an application. On the other hand if you're not interested in
adopting a dog, but still want to help there are all kinds of things you can do
to volunteer and all it will cost you is your time. The rescue groups would be
forever grateful and might also offer you a hug and a Mountain Dew.
The next
time you or someone you know is thinking of getting a dog, cat, bird or an antelope please consider contacting
your local pet shelter or rescue group. If you do decide to adopt a dog, just
remember the dog you rescue just might rescue you as well.
Illinois
Shorthair Rescue can be visited at http://www.ilshorthairrescue.com/
