Irresponsible Ownership Causes Rescue to Exist.
If everyone did the research, spayed/neutered, and made a life-long commitment
for his or her dog, then Rescue organizations would not need to exist.
Dogs are not disposable! Irresponsible ownership is a problem across the
country and because of this hundreds of dogs are euthanized weekly in
shelters. This does not include deaths, illnesses or life-changing
circumstances that force owners to surrender their dogs.
There are so many benefits in rescuing an older dog rather than buying a new
puppy. The first and best reason is you save a life and in return, they
bond extremely closely! We commonly hear the following statements that are
misleading about the benefits of rescuing a dog:
- Why would I want an older dog when I could buy a puppy?
- Rescues are somebody else’s problem that nobody wants, right?
- Don’t these dogs have behavior problems?
- Rescues are used dogs and can’t be retrained, right?
- Aren’t these dogs all non-standard Shibas who don’t resemble the true Shiba spirit?
- A rescue won’t bond as well.
All of these statements are wrong!
Why would I want an older dog when I could buy a puppy?
If you're home all day and have time to train your puppy with housebreaking,
chewing behavior, and socializing, then one could be right for you. But face it,
most of us work all day, come home, decide what's for dinner, spend time with the
family, and walk and play with our dog - we just don't have the time it takes to
train a new puppy. In addition, puppies are very expensive, with the full vet
care needed up to age one. With an adult rescue dog, what you see is what you
get. You know exactly what they look like and all dogs are fully vetted and only
require routine vet visits.
Rescues are somebody else’s problem that nobody wants, right?
Not true at all. Most rescue dogs do not fit a family's lifestyle because
they didn't do the research on the breed before buying. Maybe they didn't have
time for daily exercise for their dog, and Shibas require good playtime and
walks. Maybe they had a toddler who bothered the dog until he nipped at the
child. This is a common problem because children who are not old enough to
respect the dog's space may be growled at or even nipped. People don't realize
this is not a dog breed that can be smothered. Another example is that somebody
worked 12-hour days and the dog had destructive behavior. The dog didn't always
have this behavior and developed it as part of a separation anxiety due to lack
of attention.
Don’t these dogs have behavior problems?
Yes, some do - but negative behavior changes when the dog is placed in the
right situation with proper screening of our applicants. For instance, a child
abused one of my rescues so he's afraid of small children. This behavior won't
change for a long time, so this particular dog was placed with teenagers and
is doing great. Another dog of mine was not raised with cats so she chases them
and corners them aggressively. She is now in a new home with no cats. These are
just a few correctable situations.
Rescues are used dogs and can’t be retrained, right?
Wrong! Shibas are a highly intelligent breed, and with the right amount of
love, time, and patience they excel in training. It may take time but they can be
retrained.
Aren’t these dogs all non-standard Shibas who don’t resemble the true Shiba spirit?
No! All of our Shibas have true spirit, but you will see all shapes and sizes
because of different bloodlines, pet store/backyard breeders, and changes in the
standards. Regardless if you have a female runt that weighs only 13 pounds, or a
large male that weighs 30 pounds, all have the Shiba spirit that shines with the
right amount of love!
Some believe rescues don’t bond as well.
This is so wrong! A Shiba that did not have a good start and is placed with a
proper match turns out to bond with you more then ever because you saved them!
Shibas who were in happy home and uprooted because of a bad situation do work
through the loss with extra love, time and patience, but still bond incredibly
strongly to hold to what they have gained.
Rescue is a positive solution for those who cannot keep their dog because it
allows us to help someone make the right decision to rehome his or her Shiba with
the perfect match. By matching a new owner and the dog's needs, we are able to
help them with a better transition so that he or she can continue to be loved and
cared the rest of their life. The alternative is placing the dog in a local
shelter and once again ending up with someone who knows nothing about the breed
and what they need. This can also result in poor health since Shibas do not do
well in these facilities.
We are non-judgmental and provide free rescue services for Shibas in the
Northwest. Most of our dogs come from owner surrenders and Shibas left in
shelters. We do request an owner release form if you decide you can no longer care
for your dog and would like us to assist you. After we take ownership of the dog
we start a lengthy evaluation with a full Vet exam, cats, kids, other dogs,
behavior, and training. This allows us to find the perfect match for their
situation. Your dog will have foster care with us or a volunteer, unlimited,
until placement. We do not discriminate against race, color, religion, etc. but
we may deny you a specific dog due to their needs. All puppies are placed with
6 foot fenced yards, due to their activity level and potty training needs.
Older dogs are placed with fenced yards when necessary. Dogs that can climb
and/or jump fences may be most suitable for condo/apartment life since they should
be exercised and walked by leash only. In addition, we try and match up our
dogs with people who have flexible work schedules so that they can spend good
quality time with their new family member. Very few rescue dogs are placed with
children under 6 years old but a match can be made, it just may take more time.
Available Shibas nationwide are posted on the National Shiba Rescue website.
Some out of state dogs can be shipped to the right home, if shipping is paid for
and weather conditions are tolerable. Rescue works because we are taking the
time to get to know the dog's behavior, socialization skills, and when applicants
are properly screened there is a perfect match! We are not looking for the first
available home; we are looking for the perfect home for the dog's needs! Rescue fees are based on the overall incurred
expenses for all dogs. The typical reputable breeder is selling a pet Shiba for about $1,000 and even a pet store Shiba is now ranging $700-$1,000.
- Puppies and Adolescents - 1-3 years of age: $350
- Adults - 4-7 years of age: $300
- Seniors - 8+ years of age: $250
Example of average rescue costs:
| Vet Exam: |
$30 |
| Vaccinations: |
$40 |
| Deworming/Fecal: |
$25 |
| Heartworm Test: |
$20 |
| Heartworm medication: |
$8 |
| Spay/Neuter: |
$100 |
| Microchip: |
$30 |
| Flea control: |
$15 |
| Harness/Collar: |
$10 |
| Leash: |
$10 |
| Food during stay: |
$12 |
| Total: |
$300 |
This is only an average cost structure and does not reflect additional fees such as shelter costs, transporting, additional medical care, and training costs. Our adoptions fees are based on an average because some dogs need much more medical care then others. In 2006, rescue went $4,100 into debt and had to put a hold on intaking dog's for 2 months.
We try and keep costs down, but provide with a healthy start and new history. In addition, all dogs need a superior dog food, regular Vet care, obedience, toys, and treats and can be costly because they're our children who need to be spoiled!
