DALMATIAN ADOPTION

AND RESCUE

Frequently Asked Questions

What is animal rescue?

Often times, when people hear the term "animal rescue," or more specifically "dog rescue," they immediately think of search and rescue--that is, animals employed in the use of locating people lost in the wilderness or by some other peril, such as natural disaster. Animal rescue (dog rescue, cat rescue, horse rescue, etc.) is different. It is people rescuing animals from peril, such as threat of euthanasia by animal shelters and other at-risk situations.

Can I get a dog today?

No. We have an application and interview process for our dogs. This process generally takes two weeks.

Are the dogs free?

No the dogs are not free. This is an adoption service, so we charge for the vet care incurred by the dog. This includes spay/neuter, all vaccines, a full check up by the vet, microchipping and any incidental medication. We must also pay for the cost of advertising the dogs in order to find new homes, transporting animals, phone bills, food and supplements for the dogs. All of the money you donate is used toward dog rescue. Our volunteers receive no pay.

What is wrong with these dogs?

Nothing. These dogs have needed to be rescued from various circumstances, through no fault of their own. Most commonly people rush out and impulsively buy a dog without a thought of what dog ownership entails. Then once the cute puppy stage is past, reality sets in and they realize that dogs must be walked and played with regardless of the weather or how tired the owner is.

Some dogs have problems and will continue to have them to some degree; others come to us with problems that we have been able to successfully eliminate. Others come with no serious problems at all other than they have been unjustly abandoned. Most rescued dogs have had little or no formal training, and most have had poor care. Sometimes the dogs have been abused in one way or another and come with some degree of "baggage" (a lot like people).

We assess each animal on an individual basis and are able to determine what we have to work with. Most medical issues have been either resolved or constructively addressed by the time the dogs are ready for adoption. Generally speaking, most behavior problems simply require time, training, tender loving care and, mostly, commitment on the part of the people who are giving the dog his or her new lease on life.

We will always disclose to you all we know about an animal. If an animal has a serious medical condition or behavior problem, we will discuss this with you so that any decisions you make regarding adoption will be informed decisions.

Do Dalmatians shed?

Most definitely. The common joke is "Dalmatians shed twice a year - 6 months in the spring and 6 months in the fall!"

Are these rescued dogs deaf?

Some are and some are not. We do not discriminate on the basis of hearing. Our bottom line criteria for taking a dog into the rescue is aggression. We do not take people aggressive dogs or dogs that have bitten. Aggression has nothing to do with deafness.

Once adopted, do you ever take back the dogs who were once in your care?

We have a lifetime commitment to all of our dogs. Should any unforeseen situations arise with the adoption party and the animal can no longer be cared for by them, we will always accept the dog back into our organization. In fact, our adoption contract includes a "return to rescue" provision in which the adoption party must agree to return the animal to us if or any reason the proper care of the animal becomes impossible.

Do you place dogs with renters?

Yes, if we are able to include the landlord in the entire process. The Landlord will also receive a copy of the adoption contract.

If you have concerns about your ability to adopt because of your rental situation, discuss this with your landlord. The more proactive and thorough you can be in addressing the issue of adoption with your landlord, the more likely it is that he or she will see you as a responsible person, therefore a responsible pet owner. A reluctant landlord can often be persuaded to let you adopt an animal. Once you have convinced the landlord to allow you to adopt, it’s important that you stick to your agreements to ensure a successful outcome. If your landlord experiences a positive outcome with your situation, he or she will be more likely to allows pets in the future for others. We believe that more animal adoptions would occur if folks in rental situations were allowed access to adoption by their landlords; and we feel it is essential that pet owners take on the cause of demonstrating responsible pet ownership in order to help reverse the negative spin given to the concept of living with animals.

Do you rescue dogs from private owners?

We will take a dog from a private owner when we have the space, but this is rare. Because of the terrible shortage of foster homes and the abundance of dogs who are at risk of being killed, most often we cannot do this. We prefer to rescue from the pounds that are "kill facilities", that is, where animal euthanasia takes place.

However, if we know of a situation where a private party is about to give up their dog to a shelter, we try to convince them to hang on to the animal a bit longer (providing the animal the benefit of a familiar environment) and to work with us as we attempt to get the dog placed. We hope that the private owners who are trying to place their dog through DAR are committed enough to their animals that they will be that animal's "foster home" until a new adoption situation can be found.

Under what conditions do you rescue from the pounds?

We try to refer potential adopters directly to the shelters because these facilities are usually the "last stop" for animals in their care. Most of our dogs come from shelters. When the shelter is unable to hold the dog any longer due to conditions of space, or because of the health of the dog, we will pull the animal as we can. Our ability to pull dogs from shelters rest entirely on whether or not we have a foster home in which to place the animal on an interim basis until he or she can be placed. Foster homes are very hard to come by. Foster homes buy the animals time, something they don’t have in a shelter. It is not unusual for animals to be euthanized the same day they are surrendered to a shelter simply because there was "no room in the inn." For this reason, the availability of foster homes is an essential component of the rescue effort.

Do you only rescue & place certain types of dogs?

We try to be a "one stop shop" for Dalmatian information, rescue and adoption. We do consider Dalmatian mixes, however as are adopters are coming to us looking ONLY for Dalmatians, we are only helpful if the dog in question is a Dalmatian or significantly Dalmatian.

How can I help?

This might NOT be one of our most frequently asked questions, but we WISH it were. As we are not a shelter we are limited in the help we need. There is so much to do that our volunteers have a hard time getting it all done. The need for safe and loving foster homes is enormous - but this can't be just a couple day commitment. We need homes who will watch the dog until he or she is placed, this can take months. As well these foster homes must expect that the rescue dogs will need attention and work. We only allow positive reinforcement training and techniques. We need collars, toys, bedding, flea and heartworm medicines. The list is long. Do you have a particular skill to offer?

Is it still a Dalmatian if it has brown spots?

Yes. Dalmatians can be black spotted or brown spotted. Brown is known as 'liver' coloured.

I heard that Dalmatians are very stupid dogs, is this true?

No. Dalmatians are very intelligent dogs, who can get the best of their owner. This is definitely a dog that will keep you on your toes!! They have 'a sense of humor' and learn commands very quickly, but owners must be patient and tolerate the adolescent phase of this breed. Physical punishment is definitely a not necessary or recommended and food motivation works wonderfully. Obedience classes are a definite must for any owner of a Dalmatian.

Is Dalmatian spelled with an "o"?

No. Dalmatian has an "a" at the end.

Why is the Dalmatian a firehouse dog?

The origin of the Dalmatian is clouded in mystery. Every book you read will give you a different country of origin, but the fact is no one knows where exactly the Dalmatian originated. At some point in its history, the Dalmatian was associated with gypsies travelling through Europe. It made its way slowly into the United Kingdom, where its affinity for horses was discovered and the Dalmatian became a carriage dog, running alongside the horses. When fire-trucks were developed, the Dalmatian was a logical choice to run with the horses pulling the truck. Hence its birth as the firehouse dog.

Why Spay or Neuter

Peace of Mind

Did you know that a spayed or neutered (sterilized) animal is better behaved?

• Males - Neutered cats and dogs focus their attention on their human families, whereas unsterilized, unsupervised males roam in search of a mate, risking injury in traffic and in fights with other males. They mark territory by spraying strong-smelling urine on surfaces. Indoors, male dogs may embarrass you by mounting furniture and human legs when stimulated. Don't confuse aggressiveness with protectiveness; a neutered dog protects his home and family just as well as an unneutered dog, and many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering.
• Females - While their cycles vary greatly, most female cats exhibit the following signs when in heat. For four or five days, every three weeks, they yowl and urinate more frequently-sometimes all over the house- advertising for mates. Often, they attract unneutered males who spray urine around the females' home. Female dogs also attract males from great distances. Female dogs generally have a bloody discharge for about a week, and can conceive for another week or so.

Good Medicine

Did you know that a spayed or neutered animal will live a longer, healthier life?

• Spaying a female (removing the ovaries and uterus) or neutering a male (removing the testicles) are veterinary procedures performed under general anesthesia. Both surgeries usually require minimal hospitalization.
• Neutering a male cat or dog by six months of age prevents testicular cancer, prostate disease and hernias. Spaying a female cat or dog helps prevent pyometra (a pus-filled uterus) and breast cancer; having this done before the first heat offers the best protection from these diseases. Treatment of pyometra requires hospitalization, intravenous (IV) fluids, antibiotics and spaying. Breast cancer can be fatal in about 50 percent of female dogs and 90 percent of female cats. With an older, seriously ill animal, anesthesia and surgery are complicated and costly.

Responsible Care

Did you know that you can help prevent the suffering and death of millions of animals?

• Almost everyone loves puppies and kittens, but some people lose interest when these animals grow up. As a result, millions of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized annually or suffer as strays. Many of these were the result of unwanted, unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering. Rarely surviving for more than a few years on their own, strays die painfully by starvation, disease, freezing or being hit by cars.

Just the Facts, Please

• Myth - A female cat or dog should have a litter before she is spayed.
• Fact - The sooner you spay your female, the better her health will be in the future. As long as a kitten or puppy weighs more than two pounds and is two months old, he or she can be neutered or spayed. Many veterinarians are practicing perfectly safe early sterilization. The likelihood of developing mammary tumors or uterine infections increases the longer a female goes unspayed. In fact, a female spayed before sexual maturity (six to nine months of age) has one-seventh the risk of an intact female of developing mammary cancer.

• Myth - Spaying or neutering (sterilization) will alter my pet's personality.
• Fact - Any slight changes will be positive. Regardless of the age when spayed or neutered, your pet will remain a caring, loving and protective companion. Neutering will reduce the need to breed, and that has a calming effect on many animals. Both neutered male canines and felines tend to stop roaming and fighting and lose the desire to mark their territory with urine.

• Myth - Companion animals will become fat and lazy if they are neutered.
• Fact - Absolutely not! Lack of exercise and overfeeding make pets fat and lazy- not neutering. Your pet will not gain weight if you provide exercise and monitor food intake. Neutering is good for your pet, since sterilized pets tend to live an average of two to three years longer than unsterilized pets.

• Myth - Sterilization is a dangerous and painful surgery for my pet.
• Fact - Spaying and neutering are the most common surgeries performed on animals. With a minimal amount of home care, your pet will resume normal behavior in a couple of days.

• Myth - Children should witness the miracle of birth.
• Fact - Countless books and videos are available to teach your children about birth in a responsible manner. Letting your pet produce offspring you have no intention of keeping is teaching your children irresponsibility. Anyone breeding for this reason must also take their children to the shelter so that they may witness the daily countless deaths of animals for which there are no homes. Anyone who has seen an animal euthanized in a shelter for lack of a home knows the truth behind this dangerous myth.
  
  
  
  
  

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