Lots Of New Rescue Groups.

[Aphra]

We've had intro threads in the past, but I think the one pinned up there is a bit out-of-date and I notice there are lots of new rescue groups on DOL. So in the spirit of Xmas I thought we could have an introduction (or reintroduction!) thread.

So to start off ... Heading for Home: Central Victorian Animal Rescue had been running for nearly 3 years now. We're a little group with a handful of foster carers located around Central Victoria. We're an all-breed rescue and have rehomed anything from one of our first dogs who was around 70kgs, to a tiny Pom who was around 2kgs soaking wet.

We're on Facebook, have a website (www.headingforhome.asn.au) a blog where we rabbit on about all sorts of rescue related things (our latest blog post: http://www.headingforhome.asn.au/an-agreeable-friend/) and have a Twitter account which we use for more advocacy-style stuff @HfH_CVAR

We're always happy to work with other rescue groups and are particularly proud of the terrific relationships we've built up over the last few years with groups in the Riverina area of NSW.

This is what rescue means to me. Morgan was a recent rehome for us. He came to us a very timid, anxious little dog and blossomed in his new home. Giving such a deserving dog a second chance is what makes all the hard work and hours of driving worth it.

[Plan B]

Great idea, Aphra.

Fetching Dogs Inc.

We're a small group, officially founded late 2011. We started off with just one active carer until about December last year and now have a network of about 25 foster carers but not all are active at the same time, so we usually have about 15-20 dogs in care at any one time. We rescue all breeds, from Chihuahuas to Great Danes but with a big emphasis on Bull Breeds - not just because they are so over-represented in the pounds but because we (me in particular, I guess) have a passion for the breeds, as well as a lot of experience.

We have some great relationships with other Rescues - not just in NSW - and we're lucky enough to be supported by some great businesses/companies. Just lately we have had a great trainer run a Workshop with the focus on Bull Breeds and their owners, with all proceeds going to Fetching Dogs, and we were really honoured to be chosen for that. Our full "about" is here.

Below is one of our foster carer posters - we really try to come up with a new poster every other week to grab some attention, get the word out, etc - and some of our current/recent dogs. For us, Fetching Dogs is all about the individual dog, regardless of breed, age, size, colour - it's all about whether we can responsible rescue, care for, and rehome. And if we can, we will try our hardest.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr

Edited December 18, 2012 by Plan B

[darlingdog]

Great idea....Hi everyone I'm Robyne from English Pointer Rescue Australia......a small group of us started English Pointer Rescue Australia at the beginning of this year.It's going well and we are starting to get a small network of supporters which is growing all the time. We are on FB and will have a website coming in the near future. We rescue pointers only and do not do xbreeds. I am on a big learning curve with all this and have come across some lovely rescue people who are only too happy to share knowledge.My hope is we continue to grow and help pointers in need as we are getting more and more of them coming into rescue and shelters. Cheers, Robyne

[Aphra]

There have been a few Pointers turn up in the last couple of years, so great that they are getting some breed-specific help. Love the posters Plan B!

There must be others around who want to say hello? :)

[Guest Ams]

I run Peiradise (Shar Pei Rescue Qld). I started out volunteering with my local RSPCA in their vet clinic, then became a foster carer for them. I already owned shar pei and was sucked into the rescue world by a wonderful lady who had been rescuing shar pei for 7 years. Apart from my quarantine area, I do not run kennels and the dogs are usually in a pack in my house. If there are dogs that do not get on then I operate the revolving door policy with some in and some out.

My aim is to actually get dogs turned away from pounds and shelters and surrendered direct to me as this breed really does not cope in shelters with strangers coming and going all the time. Certainly in Qld this is showing to be an effective way of having a better chance or rehoming the dogs. I have a number of shelters who will now refer people to me and will release dogs that have come in as strays. I am more than happy to support other rescues who have shar pei in the rehoming facilities as I don't see a need for me to try and rescue them all and other more prominant rescues have a better ability to find homes that a small rescue like me. I will not rehome dog aggressive or human aggressive dogs, nor will I rehome recidivist escape artists or dogs with massive separation anxiety (well I have rehomed one but the behaviours didn't become apparent until after she had been rehomed).

I run off Facebook and Petrescue at the moment. I also provide a support service to owners of shar pei regardless of where they obtained their dog. I believe providing this support is a step towards enabling these people to understand the breed, locate vets who understand them and charge reasonable rates for services which will mean owners who have been struggling will have options to allow them to keep their dog rather than surrender it.

I work rotational shift work but am more than happy for people to ring me in an emergency at at time of the day or night. I have a very small group of foster carers and with few exceptions the dogs do a minimum of 2 weeks with me for temp and medical assessment. There have been a very small number of exceptions to this rule and usually because their physical or medical issues would mean they would be at risk at Peiradise and a trusted foster carer is a preferred option.

Foster carers are provided support 24/7 (with one exceptional failure due to Telstra not delivering a txt msg plea for support). A shar pei group meet is organised bi-monthly for owners and dogs to get together and chat, exchange stories and seek advice.

eta I have been involved in Shar Pei rescue now for about 4 years.

Edited December 19, 2012 by Ams

[sas]

Great Dane Rescue & Rehoming NSW

www.greatdanerescue.com.au

[email protected]

Providing foster care in NSW, TAS, ACT & VIC

Breed specific Rescue however from time to time will take Daney looking youngans where space permits. We also do take the occassional all-breeds dogs as personal fosters not associated with GDRR NSW.

Our group and other Great Dane Rescues in 2011 assisting in rehoming close to 200 Purebred Great Danes, not many people realise how many Great Danes are in need and the numbers are increasing with more and more BYB's entering the market and perhaps even surpassing what registered breeders are breeding. We deal mostly with BYB Danes and those of unknown history.

Great Danes typically take 1-3 months to rehome depending on behavioural challenges.

We have limited resources as our foster carers have to have allow the dogs inside, to be able to seperate fosters if required and most of our fosters are behaviouraly / medically changelled so we have to have the right carers. Our breed is very sensative and we see mostly dogs with fear related issues and mostly seperation anxiety initially.

All our Foster carers have access to Behaviourists regardless of their geographical position so sometimes that involves phone and email consults for regional carers. We provide our foster carers with whatever they need or wish to request from us such as Premimum Kibble, Worming, Flea Treatment, Anxiety Supplements, Crates, Thundershirts, Enrichment toys, accessories etc. We fundraise constantly to provide our carers and dogs with everything they could possibly need. A goo d portion of our funds are spent on behaviourists and behavioural modification items.

Any dog adopted from us has to be safe with other dogs and people. We will euthanise for aggression that has not been able to be rectifed. We do not accept human aggression cases. We will not accept not rehome serious escape artists. No dog leaves us until its seperation anxiety has been mostly if not completely rectified.

Dogs that need extra behavioural support are boarded where space permits with our Sydney Behaviourist until a time they are suitable for rehoming. We currently have a wait list for this service.

All our rescues are desexed, vaccinated, heartworm tested and any other vet work / meds necc. Our adoption fees never exceed $350.00 regardless of how much money has gone into the dog.

Most of our fosters are surrenders, we do our best to prevent them from coming into care by providing support and covering behavioural consults where possible / necc. We're more than happy to work with any other rescue that has taken on a Great Dane, whether that is to provide support, cross-promotion or to take on if required.

Our website gets alot of hits however we also operate via a FB Group which helps greatly. We do advertise on PetRescue however since their changes we recieve little enquiries. We are not adverse to advertising on our mediums such as classified sites - we are confident in our screening ability to weed out the undesireables and those not suitable. We currently get a large amount of good quality contacts from Gumtree.

***

I originally worked alongside Jack Marchant with Cordys Rescue (starting with Jack around 8 years ago), after the closure of the shelter we had a break for a couple of years and then went on to pulling dogs ourselves and then we started GDRR NSW focussing more so on just our breed which we knew best that needed help with increasing numbers coming in.

[Alkhe]

I am gobsmacked at how many Great Danes you have assisted to rehome - I had no idea that there were so many out there! Unbelievable. I don't know why, but I have always thought they were a relatively "rare" breed and any rescue or breed club would have a waiting list a mile long. There you go. I suppose that's what happens when you live very close to the city and see mostly small dogs.