How You Can Help
Many people have no idea just exactly what is involved in rescue. We are doing rescue because we love the breed, and it hurts when we have to turn dogs down. And often it seems that no matter how much we do, it is just never enough.
Many of you wish you could do more personally in the rescue effort but don't have the time to jump in with both feet. This article discusses what you can do to help. Everyone can help by doing something. Every little bit helps and in the end, that's all that matters, not what you do or how much. The possibilities are as endless as the talents that each of you you have. Think about it. And then please do it.
There are many ways to help without fostering. Several of them, such as donating items or services, will be discussed below. If we all work together, we can make a difference.
The Aussie Rescue & Placement Helpline (ARPH)
is a recognized committee of
the Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) and is made up of
rescue representatives (reps) and foster homes.
ARPH is the recognized rescue group for the American Kennel Club (AKC)
national breed club, USASA (United States Australian Shepherd Association),
and the UKC (United Kennel Club).
While ARPH is perhaps the best-known rescue group, there are many other groups
and individuals doing rescue. The important thing is to make sure that the
organization or individual that you are dealing with is legitimate.
Here are some places to contact to help find groups and private individuals
doing Aussie rescue in your area:
Rescue organizations and individuals
To help you start to find Aussie rescue people in your area, you might
consult the list included in this document.
How can you tell if the group or individual is doing ``legitimate'' rescue? We suggest that you consider the replies to these questions:
- What is the policy for dogs coming into the program?
- What is the policy for screening people who would like to adopt?
- What is the cost and how is the money used?
- What does the adoption contract look like?
- What is the return policy if the dog turns out to be unsuitable?
We suggest that you beware of groups or individuals that:
- only take registered dogs
- only take dogs that could be used for breeding
- are unwilling to take a dog with any problem
- will not euthanize for any reason.
- do not require spay/neuter
- do not require references for potential adopters
- won't rescue without money up front
While some of the remainder of this article refers specifically to ARPH, please consider references to ``reps'' as including people associated with other rescue groups and private individuals.
For $100, an ARPH dog can be sponsored. The sponsor gets a t-shirt with
the rescue dog's picture on it, a biography of the dog, and updates
on adoption.
You can even pick the dog, if you want!
You can also do a monthly sponsorship through ARPH; $10 a month isn't a lot,
but in a year it will buy a lot of kibble, a couple of spays or neuters,
shots, etc.
Sponsor a dog at X-mas time.
Give a gift basket of doggie stuff: a new collar or leash, a bag of
dog food, a new food bowl, heartworm prevention, etc.
If you decide you want your money to be used in your community,
contact the ARPH rep or rescue group in your area and find a way to have
the money designated for your county, community, etc. If there is no
one in your area, contact your local shelter and ask if you can sponsor
the Aussies that go through the shelter. Your money can help Aussies
without going through rescue if you cannot work out the details with them.
There are all-breed rescue groups that will gladly provide the manpower
to rescue Aussies if you and others provide the monetary support.
Besides money, many items are needed:
There are many ways you can assist a rep.
Here are just a few.
You can volunteer to be a dog walker or dog playmate;
anything to help out with the exercise, maintenance, and rehabilitation
of rescued dogs.
You could even offer to take the dog on an outing for the day. It would be
a great chance to assess the dog under different conditions and give
the foster home a bit of a break.
Have a doggie slumber party for several rescue dogs!
You can house sit for a rep or foster home.
If you're a groomer, donate a free grooming to a rescue dog.
If you are knowledgeable about Aussies, maybe you could make yourself
available to your local rep for breed information referrals. Sometimes
callers want information, and some should be talked out of this breed.
Offer to show potential homes your dogs so that they can see first hand what
Aussies are like.
Breeders can be especially helpful in this way.
If you're a trainer, you can offer a free weekly session to a foster home
or rep for the dogs they have, or take the dog yourself and work with it.
Transporters are a great help.
Perhaps you can volunteer to help with transportation between shelters and
foster homes when a dog meets the criteria and has been accepted.
Reps often go far afield to pick up dogs, but that's
not always possible, so having someone bring a dog to a rep is wonderful!
Donate your time to help build, clean, fix, or improve a rep's dog facilities.
Teach a rep to use a computer or particular program.
Collect articles, anecdotes, and source of information for a rep to
include in a new owner packet.
Everyone can contribute through education.
This should not be the sole burden of those involved in rescue - it should
be shared by all who love the Aussie.
Everyone can participate this way; there is no reason at all for
everyone not to actively participate in educating people about Aussies and
responsible pet ownership.
Prospective owners need to know that Aussies are wonderful but a big
commitment, too. Helping people understand that hairy dogs shed and herding
is prey-drive related could save many Aussies from going to the very homes
that leave them abandoned or at the pound.
Many people have never heard of breed rescue.
We need to get out and inform curious people in the park or wherever we walk
the dog, at obedience classes and other dog activities, and so on.
That is something we can
all do, all of the time.
You can talk about rescue in your local community: neighbors, friends,
co-workers, church, schools.
Go to dog events and give out information or set up a table at a pet store
or large events like a fair or festival, or wherever your imagination will
take you.
There are many information hand-outs available both on Aussies and
general pet ownership.
Give out the ARPH number.
Another thing you can do if you're a club member (local city or state) is
talk up rescue!
If you have a local rescue person, volunteer to help in booths.
Many dog books mention the alternative of adopting a dog from a shelter,
but few say anything about breed rescue.
Some of the most popular books on the Australian Shepherd do not
mention Aussie rescue at all!
When you come across one of these publications, write the author
or publisher and suggest that they include information about rescue.
Write an article on rescue for a newspaper, magazine, or your local
dog club's newsletter.
There are rescues for practically every breed; other groups should be
made aware of Aussie rescue.
Talk to your local pet store or vet about supporting rescue efforts
and ask to post rescue-related material in their facilities to increase
public awareness.
In addition to breed specific education, general responsible pet ownership
needs to be emphasized, too.
It's amazing how many people have no idea about what's involved in
owning a dog.
Sometimes owners' lives change, through illness, moves, deaths, or
family emergencies, and they simply are unable to provide the care their
dog needs. They turn to rescue to help them place their beloved
friend in a suitable home, to give him a better life.
In many instances, however, the problem is with the owner that gave up
the Aussie!
He wasn't educated about the breed, chose the wrong type of dog, or didn't
have the necessary commitment to own any kind of dog in the first place.
Those who have adopted rescue dogs are usually more than happy to talk
about their Aussie and how great the ARPH program is.
A collection of ``success stories'' written by adopters could go a long
way to convincing prospective adopters that rescue regularly places
Awesome Aussies.
If you call the ARPH 800 number and leave your name and phone number with area
code and say that you are interested in helping in some way, your call will
be given to the closest rep, and they will contact you. Keep in mind that
there is a lag time on the 800 number.
It's best to have people contact a rep directly and say,
``Hey, I want to help; I can do "this"''
Or to ask about the rep's specific needs or wish list.
If a rep knows what people are willing to do, then when it is needed,
the rep can contact them.
So, contact your local rep and make whatever things you can do
available to them.
Anyone can check shelters and have their name put on a list to be
called when Aussies come in. Check newspaper ads; call, ask questions,
and give your name to people in case they can't sell their dog.
Being a contact person and evaluator with your local shelter can save
reps a trip and calling around for someone.
But it's difficult to evaluate dogs sometimes, not to mention dangerous,
and it should only be done cautiously. Some dogs don't
show their true colors during an evaluation, however thorough it may be.
So after the initial evaluation, a rep should also check the dog out.
If you cannot physically house the dog, you should contact ARPH
to see if there is space in another area of the country.
The best thing to do is call the 800 number (1-(877) ARPH-779) and leave the
information.
Not every dog can be taken into the ARPH program; for example,
aggressive dogs or dogs with a certain handicap. Each dog must be evaluated by
a rep and then accepted or declined. Qualifications aren't really that
strict for dogs to be ARPH'd; the big thing is what they can
not be:
aggressive, have a history of biting, have an insurmountable health
problem, or be too old.
As sad as it is, dogs over the age of five are considered
``old'' by many people and don't get adopted readily, taking up foster space
that could be filled by more easily placed dogs. ARPH tries to place those on
a referral basis. If the dog doesn't qualify, it should be left in the
shelter. If the dog is in a home, euthanasia may be recommended to the
owner, depending on the situation.
Sometimes the cost of a plane ticket is what it takes to get a dog
rescued. Of course, this expense is taking money away from spay/neuter
and other important vet work, so the air ride should only be considered
for dogs with impeccable temperament and a high degree of adoptability.
If an Aussie doesn't qualify, then what happens?
It depends on why he didn't qualify and if there is funding or help for
whatever problems he has through a private individual.
For the most part, these are dogs with a
bite history, and they require a lot of behavior modification and,
unfortunately, they often do not work out. The attempt is well worth it
for the few that can be retrained, but this is a very high stress part
of doing rescue. A home willing to deal with a slightly less than perfect dog
can sometimes be found, but there are very few of them.
These cases must be handled with great care.
What is to be done with those that can't be placed?
While it is controversial, some
think that providing funds for the specific purpose of removing these
dangerous dogs from the general population should be considered.
Remember that our breed standard requires ``strong guarding tendencies'',
and in the wrong hands this tendency leads to temperament problems and
the resulting bad press.
The number of temperament problems seen by reps is increasing.
Some believe that rescue should euthanize dogs that do not qualify for
temperament reasons.
By saying that we cannot offer the owner a way out, we may actually be
allowing that dog to become a poor representative of our breed
with no safety net to prevent him from ending up as a junk yard dog
or a neighborhood menace.
Because there are limited resources, both human and monetary, we cannot
take these dogs and humanely euthanize them or rehabilitate them.
Perhaps you would like to foster an Aussie now or volunteer to be
an emergency fost home.
Or, because your current situation is really not conducive to being a
permanent foster home, you'd prefer to arrange things so that in the
future you could be.
How do you proceed?
For ARPH, there is an application that needs to be filled out,
with references that will be checked.
Contact other rescue groups to find out their particulars.
If you have any questions about how you can judge whether a rescue person
is legitimate, please see the section
Rescue organizations and individuals or
contact
Diana Oliver.
To be added to the list,
please fill out and submit the form.
Sponsorships
Fund raising
There are many things you can do to raise money for rescue.
Donations
Money can be donated to the ARPH general fund or even designated for a
specific purpose, such as spays, vet care, food, and so on.
Reps incur many expenses for which they are not reimbursed:
telephone costs, feeding extra dogs, gasoline bills from
driving to pick up dogs, etc.
Giving your time to a rep
Education
This breed is not for everyone.
But many pet people truly believe that all dogs are created equal and choosing
a breed is simply choosing the wrapping you like best.
The most common problem that many reps see is that people are
not educated.
They say that they didn't know that the dog was going to
be like this, it's too active, it was inappropriate for them,
they don't know how to
handle the problems, there aren't particular problems but the dog is too
much for them, etc.
Fortunately, sometimes a rep can be the one to help them solve the
problem or direct them to the help they need, but
often they are beyond being interested in that kind of help.
Happy endings
Besides simply being unaware of Aussie rescue, prospective adopters
might reject the idea because of the stigma attached to a rescued dog.
If a dog has been given up by its owners, there must be something
wrong with it, right? Who would give up a perfectly wonderful Aussie?
Other ways to help
Locating an abandoned or sheltered Aussie
What to do if you find an abandoned or sheltered Aussie
What should you do if you find an abandoned or sheltered Aussie in your area?
Applying to become a foster home
A foster home provides temporary shelter for the dog. We
desperately need more of them. The perfect foster home would be someone who
can work on behavior problems, is willing to housebreak and obedience
train, has no time limits, and doesn't become hysterical at the first
sign of a health problem. In other words, someone with a lot of dog
experience and a little common sense.
A good foster home is worth its weight in gold to rescue.
They take the dog in and live with it, getting to know it in
order to help place it in the right home.
Coordinating rescuers' needs
Work has begun on a web page to catalog reps' ``I need'' requests.
This will give people concrete ideas for how they
can help Aussies in their area.
Details will appear here.
List of Aussie rescue volunteers
A list of volunteers involved in Aussie rescue is available
sorted by name and
sorted by area.