NAIA rescue: A historical perspective
From its inception in 1993, NAIA has championed the rescue of purebred and
mixed breed dogs and has worked with shelters and animal control agencies to
improve the relationship between rescue groups and these animal welfare organizations
and help with fundraising and pet adoptions.
That dedication to rescue resulted in the country's first national rescue
conference in March 1995 in Clarksville, Indiana. This symposium brought dozens
of rescuers together to hear featured speakers discuss a range of topics from
rescue-and-shelter partnerships and rescue dog behavior to the legal aspects
of rescue and AKC participation in the process. The day also provided plenty
of opportunities for rescuers to meet each other and set up networks in the
region.
This was the first of four such meetings in different parts of the country
dealing primarily with purebred dog rescue. Topics covered over the years emphasized
positive efforts to find new homes for dogs, organizational help for rescue
groups, and building successful coalitions. They included writing contracts;
dealing with burnout, fund-raising; training strategies for rescue dogs; nutrition
for dogs under stress; partnerships between rescues, shelters, and training
clubs; veterinarians and rescue; fundraising; screening foster homes and prospective
adopters; finding homes for older dogs; and more. Speakers included shelter
workers, dog breeders, independent rescuers, veterinarians, national breed rescue
coordinators, dog trainers, and more.
NAIA hails the work of breed-specific and species-specific rescue groups and
individuals who provide foster homes, transportation, and care for animals in
need. NAIA also recognizes that the best of these groups and individuals cooperate
and coordinate with shelters and with breed or species enthusiasts for the benefit
of their animals and their communities. Therefore, NAIA's online rescue symposium
picks up where the real-world meetings left off. Here we offer the best such
conferences have to offer: a growing series of features about the nuts and bolts
of rescue, an opportunity to network with rescuers in every state of the US;
and a bulletin board for listing lost or stolen pets. Travel to these virtual
rescue conferences is done at your leisure with the click of a mouse -- no plane
tickets, long drives, or hotels are necessary.
This virtual symposium has another big advantage over real-world meetings:
it allows us to expand networking opportunities to every species through state
rescue lists and to provide a national bulletin board for posting information
about lost or stolen pets.
Rescue features:
Check out NAIA rescue columns by Chow Chow rescue chairman Vicki DeGruy found
under "Rescue Article Archives."
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