An agreeable friend: how to choose a pet - Heading For Home

All kinds of dogs and cats are looking for homes through rescue groups across Australia.

Animals are such agreeable friends ? they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms. George Eliot

?Pets are good for our health and good for the health of our communities. The tangible benefits to the physical and mental well being of pet owners have been confirmed by scientific research. Pets provide companionship, encourage exercise and increase social interaction. They give pleasure, teach responsibility, they love and are loved in return. Their owners are healthier and happier than non-owners.? Australian Companion Animal Council

Some two thirds of households in Australia have pets, and as a nation we are animal lovers.? Many of us feel our households are incomplete without a dog or cat (or rabbit or bird or guinea pig or other critter) around the house.

Thanks to the efforts of rescue groups all around the country, the good folk at Pet Rescue and media and community interest in the fate of companion animals in Australia, many people now think about adoption from rescue as a good option for finding a new pet.

As rescuers, we?re delighted to see that the happy, healthy, good tempered dogs and cats available through rescue are getting the attention, and homes, they deserve. But as with most things in life, with the good comes the not-so-good. While most rescue groups are ethical and responsible, there are some who are at best careless and at worst irresponsible.

So given the increasing profile of rescue as a source of pets, we thought a guide to how to find a good rescue group would be useful. This post deals only with dogs and cats, but if you?re interested in another kind of animal we?ve included some resources for you at the end.

The first part of this post has information about rescue groups and adopting a rescue dog or cat. In the next section you?ll find some information on other sources of pets such as pet shops and registered breeders. We hope the information in this blog will help you find your own agreeable friend!

*Some of the legislative information quoted is Victoria-specific, so if you are not buying a pet in Victoria, please check the relevant legislation in your own state.

How to decide on the type of dog or cat for you

Before you start looking for a new companion think carefully about your requirements for a pet. Don?t start with what they look like (we?ll get to that); think about things such as activity level; your experience with dogs or cats; the amount of room you have;?whether you have small children or small children visiting; whether you have lots of visitors; how much time you have available; whether you enjoy grooming and vacuuming; where your dog will live and whether you are interested in training.

Be honest with yourself because your best chance of finding a good match is by finding a dog or cat which fits your current lifestyle.

• If you are a happy couch potato a Kelpie probably isn?t going to be a good match for you.
• If you don?t like grooming or don?t want the added expense of a groomer, then a long haired dog or cat isn?t a good match for you.
• If you have allergies you might need a particular coat type.
• If you have very small children then a fragile dog such as an Italian Greyhound might not be a good match, nor might a puppy or kitten since they can be time consuming to train and socialize.
• If you are a first time dog owner then a dominant or large breed dog probably won?t suit you.
• If you have cats or chickens or other livestock you probably don?t want a dog with a naturally high prey drive or chase instinct.
• If you are sensitive to noise then a chatty Siamese might not work for you.

Make a list of the characteristics which would suit you and then start looking for a dog or cat which fits your lifestyle.?Be realistic, buying a working breed probably won?t turn you into a marathon runner! Try hard not to fall in love with the looks of a particular breed or individual animal unless they suit your lifestyle. A pair of melting eyes, a set of fluffy paws or distinctive colouring can be very enticing, but you are about to make a ten or fifteen year commitment, so make sure that before you think about looks you think about temperament and lifestyle

Where do puppies and kittens come from?

There are many animals in Australia needing homes. Some of them are rescue pets; some of them are pets bred by registered breeders; some of them come from backyard breeders (BYBs) and some of them come from commercial puppy breeders (aka puppy farms) via their own listings on the internet or through pet shops.

For a rescuer, the last two categories are problematic. While all dogs should have and deserve safe and loving homes; the more dogs that BYBers and pet shops are able to sell, the more they are likely to stay in business and keep breeding.

It is undoubtedly true that there are backyard breeders who breed carefully and selectively place their animals; just as it is true that there are registered breeders who do neither.? It is possibly true that there are commercial puppy farmers who care for their animals well and place them carefully, but the available evidence suggests otherwise. If you are looking for a new pet, you will need to consider your options and do a bit of research.

Adopting a rescue pet

What is a rescue pet?

A rescue pet is usually a dog or cat which for whatever reason finds itself needing a new home. Generally this animal come from pounds and shelters either as lost or surrendered animals.

Why should you adopt a rescue dog or cat?

If you are not set on a specific breed of dog or cat (or even if you are!), but are simply after a happy family pet, travelling buddy, jogging mate, couch friend, Frisbee mate, hiking companion or just company, then there is a rescue pet to suit you.

Not only do you get a new friend or family member, but you experience the warm glow of saving a life. In fact you have saved two lives, because for every rescue animal which is adopted into a new home, the rescue group can take on another needy animal.

Myths about rescue pets

First of all, I?d like to dispel some myths around rescue animals, so let?s do a little ?true or false?.

Rescue animals are ?broken?. FALSE!

For the most part rescue animals are happy, healthy, normal dogs and cats that just got unlucky for whatever reason.? While some may have behavioural issues, for the most part they are simply a lack of basic training (pulling on the lead, jumping up) which are easily fixed with obedience training.

I can?t get a puppy/kitten/purebred animal from rescue. FALSE!

Pretty much every kind of animal ends up in rescue, including purebred dogs and cats. If you want young animal you?ll certainly find one in rescue. Many purebred animals also end up in rescue, particularly popular breeds. If you are interested in a rescue animal of an unusual breed, talk to your breed club as above.

Older dogs/cats are harder to train than puppies or kittens. FALSE!

All dogs and cats can be trained no matter what their age. In fact adult dogs and cats are in many ways are easier than puppies or kittens because they have a longer attention span and better muscle control (which comes in handy when house-training). Many older animals that come into rescue have already been part of a household and have basic training, including house-training, so fit quickly and easily into their new homes.

Older dogs and cats won?t bond to me. FALSE!

Our experience is that older animals seem to understand that they have a second chance and will bond closely to their new owners. Having lost a home once, they seem grateful for a second chance.

Where to find a rescue pet

The main ways of finding a rescue dog or cat are through your local pound, an animal shelter or a rescue group and each way has its advantages and disadvantages.

Pounds and shelters are terms which kind of mean the same thing. They are operated by local councils or animal organisations (such as the RSPCA) on behalf of local councils to hold stray and surrendered animals.

In Victoria all stray animals must be held by a pound for a minimum of 8 days to allow an owner to reclaim their pet. At the end of that time the pound may choose to kill that animal, make it available for adoption, or allow a rescue organisation to take it. Some of the larger animal welfare organisations (such as the RSPCA and the Lost Dogs Home) operate as both council pounds and adoption centres.

Some shelters are not pounds and only operate as adoption centres for animals which have either come from pounds after the 8 day holding period, or have been surrendered to them.

In Victoria, all animals adopted from pounds and shelters must be desexed, vaccinated and microchipped. Costs will vary depending on the individual pound or shelter.

From shelters or pounds

If you go to a shelter or pound you will be able to visit a variety of animals in one location. Depending on the pound or shelter you might or might not get much information about the animal?s general behaviour, health status, temperament or behaviour with other animals.? In addition, animals in pound and shelter situations are often stressed by their surroundings and may not exhibit their true character.

Good shelters do know a great deal about their animals and will be able to help you make a good choice. Some shelters use foster carers, so their animals will have lived in homes and this can be a good choice.

Do be aware that visiting shelters or pounds can be very distressing; particularly if the shelter you are visiting has a high kill rate. Selecting one animal from all the needy animals is hard to do, and it can be difficult to make sensible choice and not let your emotional response to an appealing or needy pet overcome your careful list of requirements.

If you are an experienced dog or cat owner, have some confidence in your ability to assess behaviour and have the ability and willingness to work with an animal if it does have behavioural or health problems, then rescuing an animal from a pound can work well.? However, if you are less experienced, would like more guidance or have particular needs (such as a dog which is good with children or other animals) then a rescue group is probably a better choice for you.

If you are selecting a pet on a budget, then choosing a pet from a shelter can be an advantage, because many of the larger shelters (such as the RSPCA), have their own vets on-site, and can offer animals for adoption at lower cost. Some shelters will also have special events where they offer their animals (especially cats) at a much reduced or even nil adoption fee in order to find them homes.

You have some legal protections if you are adopting from a pound or shelter in Victoria.

Code of Practice for the Management of Dogs and Cats in Shelters and Pounds (Revision1)

http://tinyurl.com/c9uh59r

2.11 Guarantee

If an animal is not acceptable to a purchaser because of health, physical or other reasons (excluding accidents), which is supported by a statement from a veterinary practitioner, within seven days of purchase, proprietors must accept the animal back and refund the purchase price of the animal.

If an animal is returned within three days for any other reason, the proprietor must refund 75% of the purchase price or offer a replacement animal with the same guarantee.

If the animal dies or is euthanized as a result of a disease that is traceable to the point of sale, the proprietor must refund the purchase price or offer a replacement animal with the same guarantee.

Rescue groups

A rescue group (also known as a community foster care networks) are individuals or groups made up almost entirely of volunteers, who take animals from pounds at the end of the mandatory 8 day holding period (in Victoria, this time varies from state to state) and move them into foster care.

There are many, many rescue groups all across Australia. There are groups who specialise in particular species (mostly dogs or cats, but there are rabbit, ferret, and other pocket pet rescues, as well as bird, horse and livestock rescue groups); in particular breeds, in particular sizes (big dog or small breed rescues), age (such as seniors or puppy rescues), type (bull breed or hound rescues) as well as all-breed rescues.

In this post we are talking about dog and cat rescue, but there are some resources at the end if you are interested in other kinds of animal rescue.

Foster care

Animals in rescue are most frequently fostered in homes for a length of time, which means that volunteer carers look after the dog or cat in their own home until it finds a new home.

This means that the foster carers learn about the animal in a home situation. They will be able to tell you about its behaviour at home, its behaviour with other dogs, cats and animals, its level or lack of obedience training, whether or not it is house trained, scared of storm, travels well in the car, enjoys water and many other things you might want to know about a prospective new family member. Good foster care homes will help an animal with behavioural issues (such as jumping up) and help improve its level of obedience.

Health, temperament and behaviour

Rescue groups should do extensive temperament and health assessments and make every effort to place their animals in appropriate homes.? In the case of dogs they should be able to tell you about things such as house training, mouthing, jumping up, barking, resource guarding, walking on a lead, recall off-lead, behaviour with children, behaviour with other animals, exercise requirements, known history (even if only since the dog came into the care of the rescue group), any other behavioural or health issues known to the group, and any other relevant information about the animal.

You should absolutely expect that an ethical rescue group will be willing to answer these questions and any others that you might have. If a group is unable or unwilling to answer your questions, unless you are sufficiently experienced to make your own assessment, you should seek another rescue to adopt from.

Expectations of a rescue group

All groups will vary with their processes, but at a minimum you should expect that animals made available for adoption through a rescue group:

• Have undergone a quarantine period (generally 7 ? 14 days);
• Have been de-sexed (in some particular cases made available with a desexing voucher);
• Have been appropriately vaccinated for their age;
• Have been treated for parasites;
• Have undergone temperament assessment;
• Have undergone health assessment;
• Are adopted with a trial period;
• Will offer support post the end of the trial period if necessary; and
• Will treat you with respect and courtesy and encourage you to ask questions.

Because the legislation which covers domestic animal business in Victoria are not applicable to rescue groups, you should be particularly careful to choose a group which voluntarily meets these minimum requirements. If a rescue group is not meeting these requirements walk away. There are many reputable and ethical groups who strive to do the right thing.

Working with rescue groups

Good rescue groups make clear the kind of home that they think will suit the animal in their care and make every effort to ensure a good fit between the animal and a prospective home. Adoption procedures for rescue groups vary widely but in general you should expect that:

• You will be asked to complete an adoption application;
• The rescue group will contact you with further questions;
• You will be asked to meet the dog or cat you are interested in;
• You will be asked to bring your current dog (if any) to meet the new dog;
• The rescue group might request a home check;
• You will be asked to sign an adoption agreement.

Some groups will have additional procedures, such as requesting references from your vet.

Some people find these processes intrusive and certainly some rescue groups have complex and perhaps unnecessarily restrictive requirements of potential adopters. It?s worth bearing in mind that rescue groups often see the worst of the way people treat their companion animals, and this can influence their approaches to the general public. For rescue groups the overwhelming priority is a good placement of the animals in their care, and it?s probably fair to say that some groups can be over-zealous.

It is important that you find a rescue group which you are comfortable dealing with, so if are unhappy with one group you should feel free to find another rescue which might suit you better. If you feel uncomfortable or uneasy about a group?s processes you should look for another group.

Things you should not expect from a rescue group.

• You should not feel pressured or blackmailed into adopting an animal
• You should not be expected to adopt an animal which is not suited to you or your lifestyle.
• You should not be expected to adopt an animal which requires extensive rehabilitation or behavioural modification.
• You should not be expected to adopt an animal which is clearly sick or injured.

Things you should know about rescue groups

Because rescue groups are mostly run by volunteers, you might find their organisation to be a bit more ad hoc and their communications less prompt than you would expect from a business. Most rescues try very hard to run their group to a high level of professionalism; you might need to be a bit more patient with volunteer groups than with other kinds of organisations.

If the rescue group you are interested in has a web page or a Facebook page, it?s worth having a look to see if they have detailed their adoption procedures. Some groups, for example, will only contact you if they think you are a suitable applicant, and it can save you some heartache if you know this upfront.

Rescue groups don?t generally have premises in the way that a shelter will, so you will usually be asked to make an appointment to meet the pet you are interested in. And because most rescuers are volunteers with many other things to do, including jobs and families, please be bear that in mind and don?t ring at midnight to enquire about a cat, or at 6am on a Sunday morning because you?ve just seen a cute puppy in the paper.

There are many rescue groups all around Australia with thousands of dogs and cats looking for homes, so with a bit of research you will easily find a group you are happy to work with and a new pet to suit your family and lifestyle.

The best place to start is Pet Rescue which is an umbrella site which lists dogs and cats available for adoption in rescue groups and shelters across the country.

A word about adoption fees

The true cost of a rescue pet, courtesy of ARFdogs.org

Many people expect that rescue dogs will be available at little or no cost. It?s not uncommon for people to ring rescues and ask for discounts or tell them that they would have adopted a dog or cat, but the fee is too high.

In fact the adoption fee for a rescue animal rarely bears any relation to the true cost of the rescuing the animal. Most adoption fees cover basic vet work (desexing, vaccinating, microchipping) and possibly some of the cost for parasite treatment. However, for every young, healthy animal which requires the minimum of expense, rescues will have other animals which will require more extensive treatment for dental issues, skin problems, injuries or illness

In order for rescue groups to be sustainable, they need to be able to cover their costs to some extent, although the reality is that most rescue groups fund a major percentage of their work from their own funds.

Online

Advertising on the internet, and using the internet to buy things is so common nowadays, that of course it?s a good place to start looking for a new pet. Once again, do your research and be cautious. It is illegal to advertise dogs or cats for sale which are not micro-chipped (unless the breeder has a veterinary exemption) and younger than eight weeks of age.

Puppy farmers and backyard breeders, as well as rescue groups and? registered breeders use online advertising sites (such as Gumtree) to advertise their animals for sale, so make sure you know who you are talking to, and don?t be afraid to ask questions.

There are many scams run through online advertising, advertising purebred puppies for sale, often considerably cheaper than a registered breeder?s price. Be very cautious about this, particularly if the owner is interstate or overseas. If you are concerned about a scam, make sure you consult Scam Watch for information: http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/718448

Tibetan Mastiffs

Buying a purebred dog

What is a purebred dog?

A purebred dog typically refers to a dog of a modern dog breed with a documented pedigree in a stud book and may be registered with a breed club that may also be part of a national kennel club. Typically purebred dogs are bred to a breed standard.

What is a breed standard?

The breed standard for each breed of dog is distinct, giving a detailed ?word picture? of the appearance and behaviour of an idealized dog of that breed. Included in the breed standard description are externally observable aspects of appearance and behaviour that are considered by the breed club to be the most important for the breed, and externally observable details of appearance or temperament that are considered by the breed club to be unacceptable (called faults).

If you are in love with a particular breed of dog or cat you should never feel guilty about doing your research and finding a careful, ethical breeder of your chosen breed and buying a puppy or kitten from them. There are many advantages to buying an animal from a good breeder; you will have some surety about how your new pet will look when they are grown up; you will know about their likely temperament and exercise needs; you will know about their parentage and lineage and you will know what potential health issues there are in the breed and what kinds of health testing your chosen breeder has done to ensure a healthy pet.

If you think a purebred dog might suit you, you can use something like Selectapet to narrow down your choices.

Once you have an idea of which breeds might suit you, visit some dog or cat shows and talk to breeders about their chosen breed. Breeders are passionate about their breeds and good breeders are honest about both the good and more challenging aspects of their breed.

If you are interested in breeding or showing your requirements are a bit different than the average pet owner, and you should contact the breed club for more information.

Choosing a breeder

A good breeder will support you as a new owner and help you as your animal grows up. A good breeder cares deeply about the welfare of the lives they bring into the world and will make every effort to ensure the health and soundness of the animals they breed. If you?re looking for an ethical register breeder, you can start with some advice from the RSPCA?s Smart Puppy Buyer?s Guide: http://kb.rspca.org.au/afile/335/35/ and the Dogs Victoria?s guide to purebred dogs: http://www.dogsvictoria.org.au/AboutUs/DogsVictoriaSupplement.aspx#advertising

Registered breeders

A registered puppy comes from a breeder who is registered with the Australian National Kennel Council and their state body, which in Victoria is Dogs Victoria. There are other registries, such as the Master Dog Breeders Association or one of the working breed registries such as The Working Kelpie Council. ?In Victoria registered cat breeders will be a member of one of the cat registries which are affiliates of the Coordinating Cat Council of Australia.

The breeder will have a breeder?s prefix and all of their puppies or kittens will also be registered and come with a registered pedigree that guarantees that they are purebred and shows their ancestry as well as with microchip and vaccination certificates. Registered breeders are working within a code of conduct set by their particular registry which sets out standards for their breeding operations.

Some people see buying a purebred pet as a form of snobbery, or are intimidated by talking to breeders. Although dogs and cats are not status symbols, there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting a purebred dog because you like them, they fit your lifestyle or because you have specific needs. Nor is there anything wrong with wanted a dog or cat who is beautiful!

There is no need to be intimidated by breeders; if you are honest and upfront about your requirements and willing to wait for the right dog or cat, most breeders will be happy to help you find the right pet. If you find one breeder difficult, then look for another one who is compatible with you. You should have a great relationship with the breeder of your new pet. After all, you both want the same thing, an excellent home for a healthy, happy animal.

There are breeders who are breeding purebred dogs outside of any registering bodies for whatever reason. Although some of these breeders are conscientious and do all the necessary health testing, many don?t, and you must be willing to ask questions about health and temperament testing.

Health and ethics

Just because a breeder is a registered breeder, does not mean they are honest and ethical. Do your homework, ask questions, research the breeds you are interested in and make sure that you buy your pet from a breeder who cares about health and temperament.

Most breeds of dogs have some health issues; some of those health issues can be very serious and it is important to make sure you choose a breeder who does all of the appropriate health tests (such as hip scoring for hip dysplasia or DNA testing for various diseases) depending on the breed.

Some breeders are breeding dogs which are extremes of the breed standards and some popular breeds are suffering because of it. As a responsible owner, you should make sure that you understand these issues and look for a pet which is which bred in order to maximise its ability to live a healthy life, free of hereditary defects caused by this kind of breeding. The Border Wars blog is a good place to educate yourself about some of these kinds of breeding issues: http://www.astraean.com/borderwars/ as is the Pedigree Dogs Exposed blog: http://pedigreedogsexposed.blogspot.com.au/.

Breed rescue

Many registered breeders and breed clubs also rescue dogs of their chosen breed, so if you would like to rescue an animal but are interested in a specific breed, then the breed club in your state or territory is a good place to start. You will also find that there are rescue groups who specialise in particular breeds, such as our good friends Stafford Rescue (http://www.staffordrescuevictoria.org.au/). There are lists of breed rescues here: http://www.paws.com.au/BreedRescue/BreedRescue.html and here: http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/rescue.asp

Pet shop puppy

Pet shops

All commercial dog breeders breed for profit and many treat their breeding dogs (and cats) in ways which respectable farmers of non-companion animals would find disturbing, let alone the pet loving public. Animals which are destined to be family pets need to be born and raised in ways which offer them optimal opportunities to become well-socialised family members.

If you buy a puppy from a pet shop you are supporting commercial dog breeders, and you have no way of knowing the background of that cute, fluffy puppy or adorable kitten which has caught your eye.? The parents of that appealing baby may well live in a wire cage, breeding litter after litter of puppies with minimal vet care and little human contact.

The criteria for such breeding is how appealing the puppies will be; not for health, betterment of the breed; good temperament or ability to work. Since cuteness is the only measure of success, there is no consideration given neither to long-term health and soundness of body or mind for these dogs nor to the suitability of a given puppy for the average pet owner.

For example, Maremma and Siberian Malamutes are some of the most adorable puppies around, but both breeds require particular environments and owners with above-average commitment and knowledge. ?Malamutes find themselves in pounds quite regularly because average dog-owners fall in love with incredibly cute puppies, but end up with adolescent dogs which don?t match their circumstances or ability.

Puppies bred commercially and then sold in pet shops will most often lack the all-important socialization which will allow them to grow into good and happy canine citizens. Leaving their mothers and siblings too early and spending their crucial socialization period in glass cages in pet shops will often result in a dog which has behavioural issues resulting for lack of early experience. The evidence from research is that the crucial factor for producing safe and happy adult dogs is early socialization with people, other dogs, other animals and lots of early life experience.

There are serious health risks with buying young animals from pet shops, and recently a number of puppies sold in Melbourne pet shops and sourced from puppy farms died from the highly infectious parvovirus because they had not been vaccinated.? Dogs and cats sold in pet shop must be vaccinated at least fourteen days before they are sold, if you are thinking of buying from a pet shop, make sure you are given the vaccination certificate signed by a veterinarian.

If you buy an animal from a pet shop which is ill or has other issues you do have some legal protection under the Victorian Domestic Animal Business Act.
http://tinyurl.com/d2vlpe3

The good news is that some pet shops and produce stores work with animal rescue groups and organisations to make rescue pets available. If it?s not obvious, ask the store where their animals come from. If the store is making space for rescue animals you should expect to go through a vetting process for adoption.

Not-so-designer dogs

The so called ?designer dogs? are simply cross breeds of popular dogs to produce appealing puppies with cute names. Unlike purebred dogs, these ?designer breeds? don?t breed true; in any litter each puppy might be quite different, looking like either parent, a mixture of both or with the best or worst characteristics of both parents.

Breeders of crossbreed dogs often talk about hybrid vigour, a phenomenon which can occur when crossing two species to end up with a new type which is better than both parents. While there is some evidence that F1 crosses (the first cross from two purebred, but different breeds of dog) may have some advantages, only the tiniest amount of DNA separates dog breeds, so the effect is not large. In any event, hybrid vigour is never a given, even when cross-breeding different species and can just as easily result in something which is not as useful as either parent species.

Crossing two breeds of dog will not ensure the soundness of offspring, because many breeds of dog carry similar genetic problems which can as easily show up in crossbred as purebred dogs. So, for example, Labradors and Poodles can both have hip dysplasia[1], so crossing the two breeds won?t guarantee puppies free of this condition.[2]

Beware also that if you are looking particularly for a non-shedding dog, cross-breeding a low-shedding dog with a shedding dog (such as a Labrador with a Poodle) does not guarantee low-shedding offspring.? A litter from these two breeds can easily have only a percentage, if any, of low-shedding puppies. If you really want a low-shedding dog seek out purebreds [3]. Bear in mind that all dogs will shed some hair; and if you are allergic to dogs, you may be allergic to even low-shedding dogs.

It?s a tough ethical dilemma, because although those cute puppies and kittens in pet shops are no less deserving of a home than any other animal, buying one means you are supporting an inhumane industry.? If you are tempted buy a pair of big eyes and lots of fluff, please do your homework first. In many instances a cross-breed puppy from a pet shop is going to cost you hundreds of dollars more than buying from an ethical, registered breeder, or adopting from a rescue, particularly if you are unlucky and buy one with lots of health issues.

One other thing to be cautious about is the honesty of the pet shop about the breeds of puppies they are selling. Many people have bought puppies and ended up with a dog quite different to what they were told they were buying.

Be aware that there are no reputable registries for ?designer dogs? no matter what pet shops tell you. If a pet shop tells you that one of their puppies comes with ?papers? or are ?registered? and imply that the puppy is registered with one of the breed associations they are not telling you the truth.

If you are attracted to a popular crossbreed, you will certainly be able to find one available through rescue, with the added advantage of being able to support rescue and not puppy farmers.

After all that

We hope that this information has been useful and will help you find your next agreeable friend.

If you are interested in adopting an animal other than a dog or cat, here are some links for you.

Pet Rescue ?other pets?

Guinea Pig rescue

Rabbit Run Away

Project Hope Horse Rescue

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What do you think about rescue?

As always, we welcome comment on this blog post. If you?ve had experience with rescue groups, good or bad please comment. Are there things you wish rescue groups did (or didn?t do)? Let us know.

Heading for Home: Central Victorian Animal Rescue

[1] Hip dysplasia

[2] http://www.balgownievet.com.au/html/pet_illnesses/hip_dysplasia_hd.html

[3] Low shedding dog breeds

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Source: http://www.headingforhome.asn.au/an-agreeable-friend-how-to-choose-a-pet/

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