Rescue Wagons (and planes) are moving doomed dogs from high kill shelters to less crowded

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-04-22-pet-transport_N.htm?csp=24&RM_Exclude=Juno



Doomed dogs get on the rescue wagon to other shelters

Thousands of death-row dogs are getting reprieves every week, plucked from crowded, high-kill shelters and transported — often hundreds of miles — to places where there are open cages in shelters and open hearts in the community.

Shelter-animal relocations, known as "transfers," have been quietly going on for years on a fairly small scale. But the numbers are escalating as growing legions of devoted rescuers organize ever-larger convoys; high-kill shelters initiate partnerships with faraway shelters that have space to accept out-of-luck animals; and large pet-advocacy groups develop strategies to increase the number of pets that are moved and saved every month.

"It's a growing and increasingly important area in the animal protection field," says Cory Smith of the Humane Society of the United States, which has developed guidelines to help transporters.

Road to a second chance

PetSmart Charities' Rescue Waggin' is the volume leader in moving pets from shelters where there's no chance they'll be adopted to shelters where they're almost certain to get new homes quickly.

[Duer 157099]

1. My pup was a transfer

She's the best dog ever. So glad someone moved her to a no-kill rescue place!!

:thumbsup:

[janx]

8. One of my pups was a transer too--in state and sponsored by PetsMart.

I just love her.

[Liberal_in_LA]

10. I'd never heard of tranfer until this article! Glad you saved a pup

[XemaSab]

13. Pippi's time was almost up

My mom saw her on Petfinder and wanted her. When my mom got to the shelter there were people from Oregon there to get a bunch of dogs, and my mom basically pulled Pip out of the line and the Oregon people rescued another dog.

Pip's great. :D

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

I purchase my kittie stuff at Petsmart and donate at the cash register.

They are doing such special work. :)

BTW...I adopted one of my kitties from a rescue group at Petsmart. They have adoption groups there every weekend.

[InvisibleTouch]

2. Since I don't have space to foster dogs at the moment....

...with a full house of my own, I wonder if they need relay drivers to transport animals part of the way?

[Muttocracy]

6. There are entire discussion boards devoted to dog transport - versions of underground railroad

I had a friend in MN whose life was occupied for a while driving up dogs from MO, OH, etc. There are shelters in Boston who've gotten dogs from Puerto Rico for years. It's not a new phenomenon, though it may get worse.

It runs a risk of adopting one once in a while though!

I'll try to find some of those sites. I've done transport for several purebred rescue groups too (each takes mixes when they can, each focused on breeds that really need the right setup). Usually I'd drive about an hour or two leg each way. If you have local shelters or all-bred rescue groups, or purebred groups, if you offer, chances are they'll take you up on it.

On edit - I wish North Shore Animal League would take care of NYC dogs first :banghead:

[Muttocracy]

7. here's an example...

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Dog_Rescue_RailRoad/

[Liberal_in_LA]

11. Thanks for the info

[InvisibleTouch]

18. Thanks!!

But, argh! They need a driver right in my area and I'm going to be out of town on that date. How frustrating! Still, I will keep watch on that group for the future.

[imdjh]

3. Thank the insurance companies

Before my big baby died, I had to hide her from the insurance company. When I go to the Humane Society website, I see pits, rotties, shepherds, chows, and other dogs that I can't have unless I am willing to hide them like the Frank family. They really will jack your insurance up farther than you can imagine, or cancel you, or make you get rid of the dog.

[Muttocracy]

4. yep, now apartments use it as an excuse too.

My dogs are mutts and I don't mention their primary breed!

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

15. You know, it's actually illegal for insurance companies to do that in NJ and CT

They passed the law like 10 years ago.

[Muttocracy]

5. going from red states to blue states. Sigh. nt

[Shell Beau]

9. This is why people need to adopt their pets.

I will always adopt. I do have one that I got almost 11 years ago (when I was 20 and was ingnorant to what goes on in shelters, mills and pet stores) that is full bred. She is my mini-pin. But I have since adopted 2 (at different times) of the most wonderful dogs. I know they would more than likely be dead if I didn't adopt. I just can never justify to myself not adopting our next pets. And if someone "must" have a full bred, there are rescue places for those too.

[cliffordu]

12. I kinda wish we could do this for the homeless.

[Raine]

21. Yeah but then you would have people complaining

about the homeless being shifted all over. I think you would have complaints from both left and right.

[cliffordu]

23. Well...I was thinkng more of spreading people out to get better services....

A lapse on my part.....

I better drink more coffee before I post on this stuff.

[Raine]

14. Sounds like a good program

THANKS for posting this! :thumbsup:

[RebelOne]

16. I did that for a while when the gas prices were lower.

I would transport dogs through Georgia. I picked up the dogs at the shelter or the foster and would meet another transporter on the road and he or she would transport the animals to another pickup.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

17. Its a very rewarding way to spend a couple of hours on a weekend

The coordinator of the transport that I drove a leg on this past weekend actually gave us gas money. That was a pleasant surprise. And gas prices are down again.

For those who are new to this, do check out the yahoogroups for volunteer opportunities. Expect to be scrutinized if you are a newbie. If they don't scrutinize you, it can be a red flag for a poorly run transport and you don't want to be on one of those. Janet Mills created a yahoogroup for every US Interstate so you can find a run on the roads near you.

Make sure the dogs are going to a reputable rescue group. Make sure home visits are being done for those going to a "forever home". Make sure dogs are speutered and have had their shots. Make sure all drivers have cell phones - even in this day and age there are some folks without them and you don't want to be waiting in the wrong place for someone you can't reach.

Here's a link to a resource page on the Canine Underground Railroad's (CUR) website
http://cur.tottinghamllc.com/publicdocs/index.html . Sheri's article http://cur.tottinghamllc.com/publicdocs/emergency.html is an excellent guideline for safely transporting dogs fresh out of a shelter.

The CUR group is not very active these days but IMHO they set the standard for good transporting. I'm proud to be a CUR Stationmaster !

[InvisibleTouch]

19. Thanks - that is great info, too! n/t

[chatnoir]

20. Can't believe I hadn't heard of this before

And I'm a shelter volunteer! Amazing and noble work... will def look into the yahoo group.

Wonder if sth similar exists for the felines?...

[RebelOne]

22. Yes, cats too, as I have also transported a few. n/t