One of Boston Terrier Network's on going interests, is in identifying, what are the "Best Practices" are for Rescue organizations.

What kinds of policies provide the best chance for long term sustainability?  What makes it possible to establish an organization that stands the test of time?

What makes a great organization that knows its limits, and manages to keep them. When there are so many dogs that need rescuing, how do you find volunteers that will stay within the policies and guidelines of the organization? How do organizations handle turning down dogs when they have reached their limit without causing distress within the organization?

How do the organizations reward their volunteers for their tireless dedication to the dogs in their care? What kind of training programs should be provided to those who volunteer to foster rescued dogs?  What protocols for intake ensure that vetting is done for each rescued dogs?  How are appropriate fosters for each dog selected?  How can an organization ensure a foster dog is not a burden to the foster family? What is the best procedures to ensure that permanent homes are found in a timely manner? How can a rescue organization keep to an established budget, yet stay flexible to respond to sudden emergencies of unforeseen medical needs, of the dogs they may rescue? How can the rescue organization plan to help sister organizations, who might suddenly need help with a dump of dogs from a hoarder or puppy mill?  Yes, just how on earth do they do this day after day year after year and not burn out their volunteers? How do they deal with natural disasters? So many questions!

Most people involved in the Rescue, are volunteers.

Keeping the balance of dedicated and trained volunteers willing to use their skills, time and homes and not pushing them to overreach their capacities  is a difficult balancing act.

In the rescue organization's desire to create miracles, and never fail to help a rescue dog, without firm enforced policies there seems a great danger of burning out volunteers or allowing the  rescue drift into financial difficulties.  Protecting all volunteers from becoming overwhelmed and keeping within budgets almost seem impossible. Yet  there are rescues that have been around for a long time... How do they do it?

To help understand we reached back to some rescue groups and found some examples.  The Wisconsin Dog Rescue was started in 1998 in an effort to open communication lines and network between shelters and reputable rescue groups. A network that has been around a while. Then there is Second Chance Pet Adoptions is the oldest no-kill rescue organization in Wake County. Second Chance Pet Adoptions is a non-profit animal rescue organization that has rescued stray or abandoned cats and dogs in the Triangle Area of North Carolina since 1987. Then we went to the ASPCA’s website for more information on internet scams. We visited petfinder.com and even to Companion Animal Law Blog's website, widogrescue.com, paws4udogs, canadasguidetodogs.com among several other groups and organizations trying to find an answer. And we admit we need to also contact many more but of those we did look at we did find some basic guidelines and policies.  We are not finished this is just the beginning of our research... We even went to some blogs that expressed disappointment and even anti- rescue group comments which we found very educational.

We did basically confirm the following:

 ORGANIZATION:

• Rescue "groups” are usually private, nonprofit organizations run by volunteers. They take in dogs directly from pounds or shelters that have run out of space (and might otherwise kill the dogs). Some take in owner released.
• Some rescue groups have actual shelters while others keep the dogs in foster homes or boarding facilities.
• Most of the older rescues list on their web pages, the names and contact information of their director and board members names. Many also have their federal ID number or state reregistration information listed if the state requires such regeneration.
• Most are 501(c)3 non-profit. However there are a few solid individuals and groups that are not 501(c)3 organizations or are in process of filing for this federal tax status.

• Everyone needs to know who makes what decisions and what the usual procedures are.
• Organizations need consistent established protocols i.e: veterinary care, intake, fostering, adoption, home visits, and other basic guidelines published, where all members can read, and print copies.

• A no-kill shelter that will be housing animals for extended periods of time must be able to provide a cage-free environment. Its not humane to keep cats or dogs confined in cages for prolonged periods of time. Each animal also needs daily personal attention from staff or volunteers.

There should be a strategy in place to handle requests, to help when the organization receives more calls  for rescue, than the organization can accept. Providing instructions to help people place animals into new homes themselves and making referrals to other area organizations, are constructive ways to encourage people to do the right thing.

• Its best to have a policy in place regarding the standards for making the decision to euthanize an animal and to determine who within the organization is responsible for making this decision. (There must be back-ups in case the key persons unavailable.) The fact must be recognized that on occasion,  there are some rescued animals whose quality of live is deteriorated so extreme that to attempt to keep them alive just to keep them alive would be an act of inhuman cruelty when there would be no relief from pain, that even all available medical help would not improve or stabilize them.

• The volunteers understands the limits of its resources; does not accept more animals than it has legal authority, space or time to care for.
• A responsible foster home or shelter only takes in the number of animals they can provide adequate physical and emotional care to. This includes veterinary care (including spaying or neutering every animal before adoption), meeting basic hygiene standards, and basic physical needs. However, it also includes much more.

• Is recommended as a “good rescue group” by at least two established non-profit shelters or other organizations, in its own state and can provide those references upon request of potential adopters.

• The rescue/shelter should offer ongoing support to adopters.  Expect the responsible rescue to touch base with you and make sure things are going well with your new pet. The responsible rescue supports adopters through behavior counseling, providing resources, and putting a plan in place for adoptions that don’t work out. Most rescues will take back animals who don’t work out in their new homes, and those who are unable to do so provide other resources for their adopters.

•  Rescue groups might also accept dogs directly from owners who needs to re-home their dogs. Many have programs in place with assigned volunteers to help support owners in keeping dogs in their homes.
• Rescue volunteers from breed specific groups, find new homes for displaced rescue animals/animals and educate the public about their chosen breeds.
• Most rescue organizations make a lifetime commitment to each of the animals it rescues, retaining the option of taking them back in the event the new home cannot keep them.
• Most if not all of the organizations state that "All rescued animals will receive the medical care they need, will be shown unconditional love, and will be carefully matched with the best homes for their needs in order to ensure a lifetime of safety, love, and companionship.
• Many have applications for those who would like to join and foster and adopt,  available on their website ready for download or fill-in forms. Many have not only a website but are on Facebook and other social media sites. The often require that if the adopter cannot keep the pet, it is returned to their rescue, every time!  This should be written into the adoption contract.
• Ensure all pets are up to date on all shots, heartworm tested, on heartworm prevention, and received vet care before placement and provides vet paperwork upon adoption to adopter.
• Spays/neuter of all pets before placement when medically possible – or adopts out on a spay neuter contract and requires a refundable deposit if it isn’t possible to do so prior to adoption. Reputable rescues follow up to ensure spay/neuter was done.  The NEVER breed animals in order to ‘support’ their rescue.
• • Temperament tests all pets in order to try and make the optimal placement.
• Works carefully to match up the right forever home with the right pet, based on the pet’s needs/personality/etc.  Isn’t afraid to say no to an adopter IF their situation is not optimal for the animal in their rescue’s care.
• • Requires an application form and adoption contract.

• Screens potential adopter with a home visit, before a pet is placed, including for a foster/temporary basis. Home visits should be made by trained volunteers with a "report" sent to an assigned person who will also check personnel references and contact the potential adopters vet for assessment of past care history.
• Require a legal release form for owner-surrenders.
• Look for a rescue that focuses on making good matches between animals and adopters. Rescues who emotionally blackmail good people into taking problem animals through the use of sob stories, threats or bending the truth are irresponsible.
• As a potential adopter, expect the responsible rescue to ask you about your lifestyle, past pet ownership, and expectations, in order to suggest appropriate dogs that would fit your needs. As a first step in the adoption process, an application form should be completed. The rescue/shelter then performs careful screening of potential adopters and verifies references — the goal being to match up the right pet with the right home. There should always be a win win. When the Dog is placed in a home where the human's lifestyle would be the right tempo, and the humans are 100% happy with the dog they are adopting: if the dog is comfortable with the family and environment a special magic happens. If the wrong dog is placed and left with the wrong family, there is the possibility of the dog being harmed and some very unhappy humans who might not treat the dog properly, or even abandon it without notifying the rescue.. Open honest communications between the rescue and the adopters are critical. Some "problems" often can be resolved and everyone wins... 

• An irresponsible rescue will often blame the environment, the surrenders, the phase of the moon… anything to avoid admitting that an animal in their care has serious issues. Responsible rescues evaluate the animal in front of them and are realistic about the placement potential of that animal, even when hard choices need to be made.The rescue/shelter should provide full disclosure about the dog, including any medical and/or behavioral problems.
• Responsible rescues do not place every animal. Responsible rescues care as much about the safety of the adopter and the community as they do about animals, and don’t place dangerous animals (such as animals with bite histories or histories of killing other animals,dogs that do not get along with other animals) in homes that do not have the skill or training.  Other arrangements should be made for the dog careful screening must be made.
  
• Responsible rescues work within their means. There will always be more animals in need, and it’s easy for kind-heated rescuers to become overwhelmed.  A responsible rescue understands that they can do the greatest good by sometimes saying no. Many hoarders began as rescuers who just couldn’t resist the pull to help “one more.” 

• A responsible rescue cares for both the physical and emotional needs of the animals in their care, providing ongoing enrichment and training to better prepare dogs in their care for success in their new adoptive home. A dog from a responsible rescue or shelter becomes more adoptable the longer he stays with the organization, due to the training and enrichment he receives while in that agency’s care.
•  Just like responsible breeders, responsible rescues often microchip their animals so that they will be notified if the animal ends up abandoned or is found as a stray.
• • Depending on the pet to be adopted, the rescue may require that adopters participate in training classes.
    

     

• It is not enough to "love animals" rescues must be ran like a business, but with attention paid to the reality that everyone is a volunteer and when there are no guidelines chaos soon reigns which put at risk the very animals being rescued. discouraging and overwhelming the volunteers the backbone of the group and destroys the reputation of the rescue. Not paying attention to the basics of budgeting, safety, and training only adds to the failure.  

This is only the tip of the  ice burg... We are looking for more ideas on best practices and would appreciate any ideas and comments  on this subject.

¹petfinder.com

² Companion Animal Law Blog

³ http://www.widogrescue.com/about-rescue-faq

4 paws4udogs

5 canadasguidetodogs.com