Unsolicited advice

Ginger, feeding time, but she's more
interested in me than food.

Trooper (rear) and Mercedes (front)
Trooper is a good playmate.

Someone sent me a message on Facebook the other day asking about starting a rescue.  I haven't actually started one, I've just joined others who were doing it, and I think that is probably the best way to go about it. 

We moved down here in the spring of 2000.  We had two dogs and two cats, all rescues.  In January of 2001 we walked into a pet store in Charlottesville to buy food for them.  Out front was Karin Straley with a few dogs and few people who would eventually become Animal Connections.  There was a 3 month old St. Bernard mix puppy that caught Clay's eye.  It was Clay, not me, who stopped to look at the puppy.  Clay took the bait, not me, and talked to me about him when we were in the store.  We stopped and talked with them on the way out and filled out an application on the spot.  Later that day, Karin and the foster mom, and the pup, came to our home.  That's the story of how Cabell came to live with us and also the story of how we got involved with Animal Connections.  Our first foster dog, Maggie, came along a few weeks later.  We started by buying a 4-panel 10x10 kennel and setting it up adjacent to one of our outbuildings. 

(Left to right) Willy, Ryland, Ginger, and Trooper

Over the years I've added more kennels and continue to make improvements in them as time, money, and inspiration become available.  People sometimes get the impression that VA Dog Rescue is an organization.  It's not, it's just my email address and it also became the title of this blog.  I don't really have my own rescue, I just foster for other organizations.  Being part of a larger organization, even if it's not a really big one, helps with the vet bills, website, and other aspects of the operation.  I think that's a good way to start, even if someone wants to eventually build their own, independent operation.

Ryland, Ginger, Willy, and Trooper

Ryland is dog yard manager now,
but he'd rather be indoors

Willy, such a cute boy,
I don't know why I still have him.

Mercedes is a beauty

Mercedes: a beauty and a bitch

My advice for anyone wanting to get involved would be to find an organization in your area that you are comfortable with, (their people, policies, etc.) and just start helping out in some way.  Get to know the people, they may become your friends and family, they will certainly become your lifelines.  When you do start to foster, start small, don't take on too many.  People often get overwhelmed and burn out.

Keep some balance in your life with other things.  Rescue can be all consuming; don't let it consume you too.  It's really helpful to have a Clay in your life, someone to occasionally pull back on the reins so you don't end up on an episode of Animal Hoarders. 

Know your limits and stick to them in terms of numbers, size, breeds, etc.  Don't let someone else pressure you into taking a dog that you are not prepared to have indefinitely.  Remember that any dog you take in is yours until it's adopted; you are responsible for it, no one else. 

Save the ones you can and remember that you can't save them all.

Stepping down from soap box now....  I realize that it could be said that I don't always follow my own advice.  True enough, but it's still good advice.