Puppies in need

Animal rescuers strongly support responsible breeders. A great rescue can or may even depend on a great breeder.

A few years ago, Animal Rescue Coalitions (ARC) rescued a beautiful purebred great dane and ARC reached out to a great dane breeder for information. The breeder provided specific information about feeding, exercise and breed traits. That’s what makes a great breeder; they actually care about the breed.

My husband I reached out to a Labrador retriever breeder years ago when we adopted an older yellow rescue lab. The breeder’s first concern was that the dog may be one of their dogs and they said they would take him back. I assured them he was not one of their dogs. The breeder was extremely helpful and called us from time to time to check in on Harley.

Animal rescuers are against and do battle with irresponsible breeders; those who overbreed their dogs do not take their ‘sold’ dogs back and sell mixed breed dogs as purebred dogs. These businesses constantly change their kennel name because their reputation continues to affect their business. These breeders sell puppies under two months old and often abandon dogs too old to breed on the side of the road or leave them in the woods to perish.

Irresponsible breeders euthanize puppies born with defects because they are no longer a source of revenue. I strongly believe breeders have a moral obligation to pay for surgeries to fix rare deformities in their puppies. I feel this practice would enhance their reputation and the integrity of their breeding business.

Last week, ARC took legal responsibility for two deformed puppies and ARC is now facing an estimated $8,000 veterinary bill. The puppies were born with clef palates and arrived in rescue at an unheard of and unbelievable few hours old.

The puppies’ journey began with an extraordinary woman who runs a lifesaving kitten rescue. She kept them in an incubator, cared for them and hand fed them for 10 weeks. The puppies then entered the WOOF (Working on our Future) dog training program. The WOOF program operates out of the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility, where inmates are paired with dogs that need assistance with care, training and socialization.

The puppies are now about 12 weeks old and they are in private foster care with ARC. They are everything a puppy should be: cute as a button, tripping over themselves, chasing butterflies, very playful and lovingly inquisitive.

In a few weeks I will be driving the puppies to Prince Edward Island so they can have surgery to correct their clef palates at the Atlantic Veterinarian College in Charlottetown. When they have recovered from the surgery, ARC will find loving forever homes for the puppies. A home where they will never be discarded like garbage again, will keep them safe their entire lives and will not care if they have a small deformity. A home that will likely love them a little bit more because of their imperfection and because of their journey.

I am honoured to be part of that journey because I know what it feels like to be abandoned, unloved and left behind.

Please support your local rescues and shelters. They are full of terrific pets looking for loving homes and I can guarantee you, each of those pets has been on a long journey. Please be kind to animals.