Is Dog Rescue Right for Me?

Rescuing a dog is certainly a noble and rewarding undertaking, but do you have what it takes to adopt? This is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. It’s traumatic for a shelter animal to be shuffled around from home to home, only to end up back in the shelter again because the owners didn’t do their homework. Here are some important points to consider when adopting a dog:

1. Rescue dogs may have some behavioral issues that you’ll need to help solve.
Some rescue dogs may be surrendered due to a change in the previous owner's living circumstances (development of allergies, a bankruptcy that triggers the loss of a home, an owner who has moved into assisted living or a nursing home) that have nothing to do with the dog. Other dogs may be given up because the owners are not educated on how to handle their pet’s undesirable behaviors, which can range from destructive chewing to eliminating in the house, or are unwilling to put in the time to do obedience training. Such dogs will require some extra time and patience as you work on socialization and training.

2. Physical problems are common among shelter dogs.
Owners need to be prepared to react to immediate health issues and cover the ongoing expense of their dog’s medical care. New owners may have to deal with and pay for treatment of afflictions such as skin diseases, fleas, or worms, which often afflict stray dogs. A veterinary exam is often included upon adoption to give prospective adopters a sense of a dog’s overall health. However, owners always need to budget for future ailments that may not present themselves immediately, especially when adopting an older dog.

3. In terms of time and responsibility, having a dog is like having a child.
Shelter dogs crave time and attention from you, and owners may have to make an extra effort to help these dogs assimilate into home life. Ask yourself some lifestyle questions to determine if you can devote enough time to an adoptee:

Can you check in on your pet during the work day or are you gone for more than 8 hours at a time?
Are you planning on starting a family or taking on activities that reduce the amount of time you can spend with your dog?
Do you have enough time in your schedule to take a dog to obedience classes or practice walking him on a lead?

4. Consider the needs of other pets and family members to decide if a dog is a good family fit.
Will taking on a rescue dog contribute to your already active household or will it be disruptive? Families with small children should only consider dogs that have proven to be child-friendly in temperament tests. In addition, households with toddlers should avoid energetic dogs, which could knock over and injure a child, and older dogs, which might not be up for a toddler’s curious tail- and ear-pulling. You’ll also need to assess if a dog is compatible with the existing pets in your household. Most shelters will set up a neutral meeting place onsite where you can introduce animals and see if they get along. Shelter staff are familiar with the temperaments of many of the dogs in their care and can also make appropriate recommendations for families with small children or cats.