1995 NAIA Purebred Rescue Symposium
Report on the 1995 NAIA purebred rescue symposium
About six dozen purebred rescue advocates gathered at the Holiday Inn Lakeview
in Clarksville, Indiana, on March 16 to discuss the vagaries of working in purebred
rescue efforts. The speakers were tops in their fields of rescue, shelter operation,
and pets-and-people interactions. Two dozen breeds of dogs were represented
as were the cat fancy and several humane societies.
Sharyn Middleton of Multnomah led off the morning with a discussion of the
historical role of shelters in dealing with unwanted pets, placing special emphasis
on the development of approaches that invite community involvement. The strengths
of a successful program include bringing the dog fancy and the animal welfare
community together for the benefit of the animals in the shelter; an adoption
policy that seeks to screen all incoming animals; place healthy and sociable
animals in appropriate homes; a requirement that all adoptees be sterilized;
a follow-up program for all animals that leave the facility; and a willingness
to refuse an animal to those individuals who are not deemed good risks by the
adoption counselor.
Multnomah uses adoption satellites and coordinates efforts with local purebred
breeders. The decline in numbers of dogs handled and therefore in numbers of
dogs euthanized has been impressive; Multnomah is in the enviable position of
not having enough animals to meet the demand for adoptions.
Gary Clemons DVM followed Middleton with a presentation on behavior problems
in dogs adopted from animal shelters and rescue groups. Clemons is a small animal
practitioner in Cincinnati, Ohio, and host of Pet Talk, a weekly radio show
to answer pet owner's questions.
Clemons talked first about medical problems that can influence pet behavior,
including hip dysplasia and other arthritic conditions; allergies, especially
those that cause secondary skin and ear infections; and parasites. Then he hit
the behavior problems, both those that cause the dog to end up in the shelter
and those that manifest as a result of the shelter trauma.
"Neglect may be one of the leading causes of many of the behavioral problems
we currently see in dogs," Clemons said. "If they are never exposed to small
children or strangers or never taken from their homes or yards, they can develop
'fearful-aggressive' tendencies. When a small, active child finally corners
such a dog or a stranger reaches for the collar, he often bites out of fear.
Shelter, here we come."
Other problems of rescued dogs include food-guarding, perhaps triggered by
early malnutrition; destructive behavior based in boredom; and rage syndrome,
an often misunderstood condition.
Dog temperament affects behavior; dominant-aggressive and submissive-aggressive
dogs can become biters if their owners don not deal appropriately with their
temperaments from the beginning.
Clemons' solutions included selection of breeding stock with good temperaments;
education of new pet owners by breeders and veterinarians; and cooperation between
breeders, veterinarians, training clubs, and shelters.
[ More on Clemons' talk]
Chow Chow rescue coordinator Vicki Rodenberg began her discussion of working
with shelters by saying that shelters beg her to take Chows because they don't
want to handle the breed.
She went on to suggest several reasons why animal shelters might be uncooperative
with purebred rescue groups, including a perception that rescue groups are elitist;
complaints that rescues skim off the most adoptable animals; and failure of
rescue groups to follow-up with reports on dogs adopted through the shelter
or to show concern for shelter problems.
Rescues can change the attitudes at shelters by presenting themselves as professional
groups, offering assistance with education packets, referrals, etc.; assuring
that each animal will be sterilized before placement in a new home; maintain
your cool and be polite and well-mannered in all communications with shelter;
and make donations of money, time, or blankets, bowls, etc. to help the shelter.
Alan Beck, director of the Center for Applied Ethology and Human-Animal Interactions
and professor in the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine, wrapped
up the morning session with a look at the human-animal bond and hints on establishing
personal guidelines for helping animals without burnout.
Keynote speaker Ken Marden, a member of the American Kennel Club Board of Directors
and an active participant in German Short-Haired Pointer rescue, delivered his
brief remarks during lunch, wrapping up with the presentation of rescue awards
to three symposium attendees.
Marden spoke about the need for education: "We must educate breeders about
their lifetime responsibility for all the dogs they have ever bred. Responsible
breeders are ones that will take back and attempt to place any dog which, for
whatever reason, can no longer be cared for by anyone who has purchased a puppy
from them. Enforcing codes of ethics from local or national clubs will help,
but we somehow must encourage breeders to screen buyers more carefully, provide
buyers with a ton of information, and insist they train their puppies at least
through basic obedience.
"Educating the general public is even more difficult and complex," Marden continued,
and he urged everyone to speak to civic groups and youth groups, make use of
AKC education materials, and host education booths at shows and public events.
"Education of shelter personnel is equally important," he said. "Shelter personnel
are under constant stress. We can help them by making them realize we can foster
dogs out of a shelter situation, make a more complete evaluation of what the
dogs' problems are, often correct those problems, and find adoptive homes where
the dog will have a long and happy life."
Nancy Campbell opened the afternoon session with a discussion of the potential
and pitfalls of national breed rescue organizations affiliated with a breed
club. She emphasized the need for a national rescue coordinator to have the
support of the club and the authority to act on the club's behalf in various
rescue activities.
National rescues should be professional, Campbell said. They should establish
a set of protocols, publish an attractive and informative brochure, review rescue
with club members at national specialties, be aware of legal liabilities and
provide insurance coverage, establish a funding program, recruit volunteers,
and educate the public, humane societies, animal control and new owners.
William Hughes of the AKC told the participating rescuers how they could use
his department to deal with backyard or commercial breeders who produce many
litters each year with little or no concern for the animals. AKC investigates
breeders on complaint and by the number of litters they produce, Hughes said.
AKC can suspend only those who violate registration and identification rules,
but his investigators can report kennels with substandard conditions or animal
neglect to local humane agents.
Registration papers are voided if the dog enters an animal shelter or rescue
group, Hughes said. Papers should never be given tot he adopting family but
should instead be returned to AKC with a note saying that the animal has entered
a shelter or rescue.
Cindy Goodman, an attorney involved in Siberian Husky rescue in Georgia, discussed
contracts, incorporation, insurance, and other legal issues affecting rescue
groups.
"Unlike governmental agencies which may have limited liability or immunity
from liability, private groups have exposure from many sources," Goodman said,
"the public, previous owners, foster homes, rescue workers, new owners, governments,
and the parent organization. Rescue organizations can face criminal as well
as civil charges."
Goodman provided an outline of advantages and disadvantages of establishing
separate rescue groups and for connection with an established group; structural
requirements of such groups to meet government requirements; the need for policies
and a code of ethics; well-trained volunteers; knowledge of local and state
animal laws; and agreements for each step of the adoption process from a release
by the dog's owner to a foster family agreement and the final adoption contract.
Goodman's five rules for avoiding charges of negligence:
- Do not exceed authority of a private group
- Act within the organization's articles of incorporation and bylaws
- Document everything
- Don't cut corners
- Operate sensibly.
NAIA's first Purebred Rescue Symposium was an unqualified success according
to those 47 participants who filed evaluation forms.
A smattering of responses follows:
- "A#1, very informative, educating, motivating."
- "Beneficial and interesting."
- "It gave me lots of new ideas that I can use."
- "An open exchange of usable ideas that rescue groups can benefit from."
- "Very inspiring -- keeps me going."
Generally, respondents enjoyed the opportunity to network with each other and
to discuss ideas that have worked or failed in other areas.
Two of the participants made reports to their breed clubs; extracts from those
reports are included in a sidebar.
All in all, participants were anxious to do it again. Many wanted two days;
some suggested additional topics. So we'll do it again. For two days. In March
1996 at Raleigh, North Carolina.
Information on the 1996 NAIA purebred rescue symposium
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