Puppy Adoption Events

School is out, work slows down and many families consider now a good time to bring a new puppy into their household. If you are willing to rescue a shelter dog instead of visiting a breeder or pet store you won't find many puppies in Connecticut shelters or pounds thanks to our responsible choices regarding companion animal care. 

In the South, by comparison, there are many litters of puppies euthanized daily due to lax spay/neuter policies and minimal shelter space. Rescues will bring puppies from the South into our state for adoption to give them a chance at a life they would not otherwise have. It's hard to resist pictures of the adorable puppy in need of a loving home. Many non-profits, including ours, believe helping any dog in jeopordy of being euthanized is a worthwhile endevour but you should be aware of a few issues before adopting a puppy brought up from the South.

(1) Make sure the people or organization you're adopting from are reputable. Do they have an in-state office? Can you visit their shelter? Be wary of parking lot adoptions where the 'rescue' leaves the area after your adoption is completed.

(2) Is there a vet or vet tech on site for the adoption event? Every adoption event is a wonderful opportunity for a shelter dog to find a home but a vet should be in attendance 'just in case'. Ask if there is one available if you should have any questions or concerns about a dog or puppy you want to adopt, a reputable event will have someone available for you to speak to.

(2) Ask for the rescue 'return' policy, in writing. Rescues should always give accurate and relevant information about any dog in their care but sometimes the adoption doesn't work out. While good rescues will take a dog back from an adoption gone wrong you may want to ask what happens to the dog under those circumstances, are they returned to the rescue? What if the rescue is out of state?

(3) Ask the rescue if they'll be conducting a home visit. Good rescues will do home visits because they want to make sure the dog is a good fit for your home and family. Remember, the dog is returned to the rescue if it's not a good match so the best rescues will make sure it's a good fit all around before or immediately after an adoption. No home visit means the rescue is less anxious about the circumstances the dog is adopting into than they should be and that's not good for the dog OR the new adopter.

(4) Beware of adopting puppies from the South during the summer time. Parvo is a highly contagious, deadly illness which is rampant in southern shelters this time of year and young puppies are very susceptible. Your sweet, new 12 week old puppy may be in a vets office fighting for his or her life one week after you've adopted him if he was exposed to Parvo at the shelter he came from. Often symptoms don't show for a few weeks so it's risky to adopt them until they've been quarantined for at least three weeks if they're less than a year old. Not only can the vet visit cost into the thousands your puppy may not survive.

(5) Is the local animal control officer aware of the adoption event? Reputable rescues will work with local animal control officers regarding their events so call ahead to make sure the town animal control officer knows about the upcoming event - if they haven't heard about it that could be a possilbe red flag to adopters.

Bringing a dog or puppy home from a shelter is a very rewarding experience and one we hope everyone will enjoy at some point in their lives. Not all rescues are as responsible as they should be regarding the proper vetting and adoption procedures for dogs and puppies in their care so please make sure you do your homework but, when you're ready, save a shelter dog in need!