What Is Rescue?

American Boston Terrier Rescue

The Rescue Poem

Once I was a lonely dog,
Just looking for a home.
I had no place to go,
No one to call my own.

I wandered up and down the streets,
in rain in heat and snow.
I ate what ever I could find,
I was always on the go.

My skin would itch, my feet were sore,
My body ached with pain.
And no one stopped to give a pat
Or to gently say my name.

I never saw a loving glance,
I was always on the run.
For people thought that hurting me
was really lots of fun.

And then one day I heard a voice
So gentle, kind and sweet,
And arms so soft reached down to me
And took me off my feet.

"No one again will hurt you"
Was whispered in my ear.
"You'll have a home to call your own
where you will know no fear."

"You will be dry, you will be warm,
you'll have enough to eat
And rest assured that when you sleep,
your dreams will all be sweet."

I was afraid I must admit,
I've lived so long in fear.
I can't remember when I let
A human come so near.

And as she tended to my wounds
And bathed and brushed my fur
She told me 'bout the rescue group
And what it meant to her.

She said, "We are a circle,
A line that never ends.
And in the center there is you
protected by new friends."

"And all around you are
the ones that check the pounds,
And those that share their home
after you've been found."

"And all the other folk
are searching near and far.
To find the perfect home for you,
where you can be a star."

She said, "There is a family,
that's waiting patiently,
and pretty soon we'll find them,
just you wait and see."

"And then they'll join our circle
they'll help to make it grow,
so there'll be room for more like you,
who have no place to go."

I waited very patiently,
The days they came and went.
Today's the day I thought,
my family will be sent.

Then just when I began to think
It wasn't meant to be,
there were people standing there
just gazing down at me.

I knew them in a heart beat,
I could tell they felt it too.
They said, "We have been waiting
for a special dog like you."

Now every night I say a prayer
to all the gods that be.
"Thank you for the life I live
and all you've given me.

But most of all protect the dogs
in the pound and on the street.
And send a Rescue Person
to lift them off their feet."

Arlene Pace
September 18, 1998

Why Rescue?

The objective of most canine rescue groups is the same: provide an unwanted, neglected or abused dog with a good home and loving family.

This may include rescuing dogs from 'kill' shelters, answering ads in the paper, taking in strays, or any number of other ways that unwanted dogs appear in our communities. Responsible rescuers will have these dogs checked by a vet, get them up to date on their innoculations, test for heartworms and spay or neuter the animal if they haven't already been.

Rescue is a very involved process. The rescuer/group must usually pay to get the animal out of a shelter, to have the dog vetted (shots, heartworm test, spay/neuter, test for parasites, etc.), arrange for foster care and/or transport, screen potential fosters and adopters, observe the animals behavior and tendencies, not to mention get the word out about the pup!

And because each rescue comes in with his or her own unique history, each case is very different. Some have been neglected and have never had anyone care for them, let alone teach them basic obedience. Some have been abused and will carry baggage from that. Some have been shuffled around so much that they don't know which way is up. Every rescuer must deal with these possibilities and work with the dog to help it to trust and love again. Sadly, a lot of rescues come to us after surviving all of these situations.

True, some dogs that are in rescue programs don't seem to have any noticeable problems. Some have been beloved family members, but have been given up due to circumstances beyond the family's control.

More often than not though, dogs wind up in rescue as a result of irresponsible behavior on the part of a human. Amazingly, dogs seem to have the tendency to love unconditionally, despite what they've been through.

Be aware that rescue dogs are not usually 'free'. This is true for many reasons. First, there is usually quite a bit invested in these little ones to get them ready for their new forever homes. Most rescue groups are not for-profit organizations and do not have paid board members or anything of the like. The fee is almost always CONSIDERABLY less than what the group has invested in the pup. Because most groups run solely on donations, a fee of some sort is necessary to keep things running.

Additionally, pet ownership does require some expense. A dog will need to have its shots regularly, heartworm preventative, some require flea and tick control, grooming, dental care, etc. Dog food isn't free either. If a person or family is willing to put down an adoption fee, it seems likely they will provide and care for the dog.

In the case of a healthy animal, the additional expense of regular vet care and food/shelter is usually pretty low. Regular preventative care can also help keep your expenses down. A little money up front can save you a bundle down the road!

An adoption fee also helps to ensure that the person/family makes a committment to the dog - not only emotionally, but financially. People tend to view the dog as an actual living being, rather than a free, disposable item that way. It's also worth mentioning that it helps keep the animal out of the clutches of undesirables such as researchers that perform animal testing, pit-fighters, or others who inflict suffering upon innocent animals. (Hopefully you now understand why rescuers cringe at the 'free to a good home' ads in the papers! These types of people prey on these animals.)

THIS is why we rescue.

Meet Melody (left). Once a stray in Corsicana, Melody overcame several medical problems and a rough start in life and she now lives a wonderful life with two little boys and a BT buddy of her own.

The Top 10 Reasons Pets are Relinquished:

3. Cost of Pet Maintenance

5. Inadequate Facilities

6. Too Many Animals in Household

8. Owner Having Personal Problems

10. No Homes Available for Littermates

**We DO NOT use Sue Sternberg's Assess-A-Pet or any other extreme temperament tests on our dogs.

If we used her methods to test Boston Terriers, who are usually highly stressed in a shelter environment, most of the Bostons that we have been able to save and place would be dead dogs instead of beloved dogs in new homes. That is where rescue comes into the equation and gets them out of that environment and into a home and then see how they unwind over a few days to see their true temperment while interacting with a family and not in a pandemonium of loud noises, rough handling, strange smells, and fear. So many of my babies would have been killed for being too timid, too food aggressive from starvation, too fear aggressive, too hyperactive, too something and they would not have reached their new homes and be the beloved dogs they are today so we DO NOT USE NOR DO WE RECOMMEND THIS METHOD OF TESTING!

"Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful." - Ann Landers