I can answer a couple of your questions.
Do newf rescue groups ever rescue dogs from other rescue facilities?
While this is a difficult question to give an exact answer, I can enlighten you a little bit.
If by "Other Rescue Facility", you mean a Humane League or other Rescues that adopts all breeds out, then "Yes", Newf Rescue will, in some cases get the dog. (I say some cases because I don't know positively if other Rescues have a system worked out with their local Humane Leagues.) Rescues and Humane Leagues are all running on limited sources of income. They need to look at the big picture sometimes. Here, in Lancaster County, the Humane League calls me if a Newfoundland Dog lands in their facility. They turn any Newfoundland Dogs over to the New Pen Del Newfoundland Club Rescue. They know that the NPD Newfoundland Club Rescue does all the things that they would do in order to insure a successful adoption, such as:
1. Give the dog any veterinary care it may need in addition to being spayed/neutered prior to the dogs adoption.
2. Do a complete synopsis of the dogs for temperment, disposition, habits, were they trained, are they good with kids, are stairs a problem, do they get along with other pets, do they have any negative personality problems, any physical restraints or mental dispositions, etc., etc., etc.
3. Deal with any of the issues that we learn from analyzing the dogs.
4. Using the information learned from #2, screen the prospective new families and homes to insure that the dog will end up in a place suitable for the individual needs of each dog.
The main goal being to place the dog in what will be his "
Forever Home ". (I cannot stress this enough!) It is "Very Important" to ALL the club Rescues that the dogs
NOT be moved around from home to home!" With each move, the dog's sense of security is lessened and any mending, physical or mental, that the dog may need will take longer. Not to mention that the dog can develop even more problems with each move. So that is something that the screening is in place to prevent.
As far as regional clubs of the NCA go, the rescue committees' try to stick to their own regions. There is a good reason for this. Once a dog is in any one Rescue, that Rescue takes responsibility for that dog for the remainder of his life. People have to fill out applications and sign a contract when they adopt a dog. The contract states that, "If for any reason, the dog needs to be rehomed, it MUST be relinquished back to the Rescue." That way, the rescue can be sure that the dog is rehomed in the same responsible manner, (the adopting applicants' screened), that it had been the first time. The regional clubs have respect for one another and know that it is always easier to stay within your prospective region. We work together here. If someone calls and wants a dog, and they are out of our region, we refer them to the club in their region. This is a plan that works!
If so do I contact the local groups rescue contact?
If in question, you should feel free to contact any of the Rescue chair people and find out. There is a sticky thread in rescue that tells how to contact all of the Regional clubs rescues.
I CAN tell you, after contacting our Rescue chair on a couple of occasions about Newfs on Pet Finder, she inquired and after speaking with them, she said that those Rescues didn't want to turn the dogs over to our Rescue. Our Rescue head felt satisfied that they were already doing the necessary screening that our Rescue would have done.
Do newf rescue groups ONLY rescue pure bread newfs?
I can't speak for all rescues but our club rescue sticks with pure bred Newfs. We would love to take them all on, but as I stated above, our Rescue funds are limited and there ARE Rescue groups out there that Rescue Newf mixes. So we let the mix breeds go to those Rescues.
Rescues are limited on funds and volunteers and that is also a consideration when making tough decisions. To my knowledge, the highest fee that the regional clubs charge for any newf is $350. That amount would be for the newfs that are approx. up to 1 1/2 years old. The older they are and considering their health and what the prospective new owners may have to spend, determines the cost the Rescue will charge. These fees go directly back into the Rescue Funds to be used for Vet care for the next Newf that needs it. There may be a lot of Newfs that need minimal care but then we get an occasional Newf that needs extensive care. Our club rescue recently spent $3600.00 on an operation and vet care for one newf! And that really put a big hit on our Rescue funds.
I hope this answers some of your questions. There isn't always a cut and dried answer as all situations are looked at on individual basis as much as possible.
[ 05-25-2007, 07:53 AM: Message edited by: Sue M. ]
