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**IF THIS LISTING IS STILL POSTED THIS DOG IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION. NO NEED TO EMAIL ASKING IF THE DOG IS AVAILABLE. PLEASE READ THROUGH THIS BIO THOROUGHLY AS INFORMATION ON HOW TO APPLY IS CONTAINED IN THIS LISTING**
For Adoption: Beckett!
Please read our dog bios carefully to be sure that the dog you are applying for suits your family and lifestyle.
We at PDR believe in the benefits of post-adoption training for our dogs and their families. This allows for continued socialization, learning and helps to create a well-mannered and balanced dog. Post-adoption training is a requirement in our adoption process.
To apply for adoption and for more information on our process and requirements, visit our website at https://pounddog.ca/adoption-info/.
Beckett is a gorgeous red Moyen (Medium) Poodle weighing 30lb. Beckett’s forever home will need a female presence and experience with timid dogs. He requires his people to have patience and the right environment for a dog that might take time to fully come out of his shell. Beckett is a beautiful, happy and sweet boy, and you may look at his picture and want to help, but please be honest if he is the right dog for you. Adopting a puppy mill dog takes a very special person. It will be challenging at times but also very rewarding. Beckett still sometimes flinches when touched and does not always love cuddle time with you. He is a brave little survivor who continues to grow every day.
Beckett is a 3-year-old puppy mill discard who was living in filthy conditions, with minimal nutrition and was under weight. Beckett had limited human interaction and what he did have must have been a negative experience. He came to us as a very shut down and scared little man. Beckett is a very sensitive boy and his time being kept in a kennel with no socialization, positive human contact, exercise, or affection has really impacted his young life.
Beckett has been with us in foster care for just over 4 months now. He has been making some big significant breakthroughs in the last couple weeks. Although shy and timid, Beckett is starting to lay on the couch with his head resting in my lap. He has occasionally given sweet little kisses and he now looks for affection as well. He is still a bit unsure how to “ask” for some affection, but he walks closer and closer until I slowly scratch him under his chin and chest. Those are his favourite spots! When I stop, he will move closer again and I will continue to give him more scratches. He has finally learned that human hands are also good. What a HUGE breakthrough!!
Beckett determined early on that females are somewhat safe and has accepted his foster mom into his space. Beckett has gradually made some progress with men, but for him to be comfortable, he must have a female presence in his home.
Beckett loves his humans and will literally follow you everywhere. No matter where I go, Beckett is right behind me, so close he even steps on my heels. He bounces around excited with his tail up when I get home, offer a treat or even mention going outside. When really excited he likes to prance and spin in circles. He really loves his people; and he is now getting used to be touched regularly.
Each small change has been celebrated as a victory and definite steps forward from his beginning. Beckett has worked hard at becoming a member of his foster family. In his early days with us he would not come inside, sat by himself outside of the room we were sitting in, and generally hid in his crate. Today he is the first dog in the house, he leads the pack into the house like he owns it. He loves sitting on the couch with all the humans and foster dogs. He took over my spot on the couch and will sleep all propped up on the pillows. He now lives a life of luxury compared to his early years in a crate, in a barn living in sawdust. What a difference a few months make! Sometimes it was hard not to feel frustration when a dog you so want to help freezes in fear. But this is the reality of a dog who has never learned that people are kind. Beckett is a dog that needs his people to be super patient, and who knows that he is a dog that will be a long-term project, but makes regular strides forward and let me tell you, they are SO rewarding!
Beckett absolutely loves the outdoors and enjoys his daily walks, twice per day. He is walked with a martingale collar and is still learning proper etiquette. He will walk out front, but occasionally will still fall into bad habits and start to walk behind us. With some encouragement he will quickly correct himself. He just lacks the confidence some days and is still working on proper walking. He is a quiet walker who does not even acknowledge any dogs that are barking in the area. He just quietly keeps on going! Beckett loves treats, so the way to his heart is through his stomach. This acceptance of food from our hands is a result from months of tossing treats to him from across the room. Patience is key!
Beckett’s favourite spot is outside. The very first day we let Beckett into the yard with his foster sisters he ran and played for hours. I think this was his first time running and playing and he sure loved being free! Rain, snow or sun, Beckett loves to be outside. He feels completely free outdoors and turns into a goofy and playful pup. He loves to run, chase and wrestle with his foster dog sisters. He is being fostered with 2 young standard poodles and is always the first to start play time and the last to stop playing. He is a very energetic and lively pup. He is truly himself in the outdoors, so Beckett’s forever family will need to love the outside as much as he does and have a large, fenced yard for him to play in.
Beckett now spends most of his time outside his crate. He no longer uses it as his safe spot to hide. He is comfortable in his surroundings and only goes into the crate when left alone. He is typically only crated now for 3-4 hours at most during the day. At night he has opted to sleep on a dog bed next to or with his foster sisters. He is house trained and will go a full 8 hours at night without any issue. In the morning, this seems to be the one time that he always lets his guard down. He will hop onto my bed with the other dogs and will allow lots of rubs and scratches. He always looks for affection in the morning and does not start his day until we all have had some cuddle time. But after that, he is ready to move! He is so excited to start each new day.
Beckett is still learning how to be a dog and gains most of his knowledge and confidence from his pack. He has learned how to interact with people and other dogs and his confidence continues to grow from this. Beckett needs to live with a young, energetic, and confident dog. He needs a playmate that can keep up with his energy levels and show him how to navigate through our scary world.
Beckett is a Moyen Poodle and has a beautiful red coat. He is considered hypoallergenic as he is a hair breed dog. With this comes regular brushing, bathing, ear cleaning and grooming. Beckett has handled all his baths and grooming well. I have done quick grooms on him and kept it to under an hour and he went through this process without issue. I have kept his coat short so that he does not have to go through regular full brushes. We are still getting him used to being touched so a long brushing does not work for him. Keep his coat short and tidy and you should be able to keep any matting from occurring.
Beckett’s ideal home will be one with direct access to a safe fenced, large yard in a quiet rural setting or very quiet neighborhood. He can get overwhelmed by a lot of traffic noises and will not enjoy busy areas with a lot of people around him. Beckett is only crated for 3-4 hours at a time so he would need someone home more than away. Beckett requires an adult only home or a home with older teenage children. Beckett has been fantastic with every dog in our home and bonds quickly with his pack. He needs another dog in the home as he loves to play and follow them around the house. He will make a fantastic playmate for any young energetic dog. However, what Beckett needs most is a person or people who are kind, and patient. He has made huge strides in his foster home and is ready to move on to the next stage of his life in a loving forever home. Beckett is such a sweet and happy boy. He will grow to trust his forever family; he will just move at a different and slower pace than other dogs. Beckett is a wonderful and unique boy who will be counting on his forever family to help him overcome his unpleasant start to life. Are you the family for Beckett?
Name: Beckett
ID # PDR1167
Age: 3yrs
Gender: male
Neutered: yes
UTD vaccines: yes
Breed: Moyen Poodle
Colours: apricot
Coat length: med
House trained: yes
Special needs: no
OK with kids: teens
OK with cats: yes
Ok with dogs: yes
Status: adoptable
Microchip: yes
Size: medium
Location: Drumbo
Adoption fee: $800
**IF THIS LISTING IS STILL POSTED THIS DOG IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION. NO NEED TO EMAIL ASKING IF THE DOG IS AVAILABLE. PLEASE READ THROUGH THIS BIO THOROUGHLY AS INFORMATION ON HOW TO APPLY IS CONTAINED IN THIS LISTING**
For Adoption: Beckett!
Please read our dog bios carefully to be sure that the dog you are applying for suits your family and lifestyle.
We at PDR believe in the benefits of post-adoption training for our dogs and their families. This allows for continued socialization, learning and helps to create a well-mannered and balanced dog. Post-adoption training is a requirement in our adoption process.
To apply for adoption and for more information on our process and requirements, visit our website at https://pounddog.ca/adoption-info/.
Beckett is a gorgeous red Moyen (Medium) Poodle weighing 30lb. Beckett’s forever home will need a female presence and experience with timid dogs. He requires his people to have patience and the right environment for a dog that might take time to fully come out of his shell. Beckett is a beautiful, happy and sweet boy, and you may look at his picture and want to help, but please be honest if he is the right dog for you. Adopting a puppy mill dog takes a very special person. It will be challenging at times but also very rewarding. Beckett still sometimes flinches when touched and does not always love cuddle time with you. He is a brave little survivor who continues to grow every day.
Beckett is a 3-year-old puppy mill discard who was living in filthy conditions, with minimal nutrition and was under weight. Beckett had limited human interaction and what he did have must have been a negative experience. He came to us as a very shut down and scared little man. Beckett is a very sensitive boy and his time being kept in a kennel with no socialization, positive human contact, exercise, or affection has really impacted his young life.
Beckett has been with us in foster care for just over 4 months now. He has been making some big significant breakthroughs in the last couple weeks. Although shy and timid, Beckett is starting to lay on the couch with his head resting in my lap. He has occasionally given sweet little kisses and he now looks for affection as well. He is still a bit unsure how to “ask” for some affection, but he walks closer and closer until I slowly scratch him under his chin and chest. Those are his favourite spots! When I stop, he will move closer again and I will continue to give him more scratches. He has finally learned that human hands are also good. What a HUGE breakthrough!!
Beckett determined early on that females are somewhat safe and has accepted his foster mom into his space. Beckett has gradually made some progress with men, but for him to be comfortable, he must have a female presence in his home.
Beckett loves his humans and will literally follow you everywhere. No matter where I go, Beckett is right behind me, so close he even steps on my heels. He bounces around excited with his tail up when I get home, offer a treat or even mention going outside. When really excited he likes to prance and spin in circles. He really loves his people; and he is now getting used to be touched regularly.
Each small change has been celebrated as a victory and definite steps forward from his beginning. Beckett has worked hard at becoming a member of his foster family. In his early days with us he would not come inside, sat by himself outside of the room we were sitting in, and generally hid in his crate. Today he is the first dog in the house, he leads the pack into the house like he owns it. He loves sitting on the couch with all the humans and foster dogs. He took over my spot on the couch and will sleep all propped up on the pillows. He now lives a life of luxury compared to his early years in a crate, in a barn living in sawdust. What a difference a few months make! Sometimes it was hard not to feel frustration when a dog you so want to help freezes in fear. But this is the reality of a dog who has never learned that people are kind. Beckett is a dog that needs his people to be super patient, and who knows that he is a dog that will be a long-term project, but makes regular strides forward and let me tell you, they are SO rewarding!
Beckett absolutely loves the outdoors and enjoys his daily walks, twice per day. He is walked with a martingale collar and is still learning proper etiquette. He will walk out front, but occasionally will still fall into bad habits and start to walk behind us. With some encouragement he will quickly correct himself. He just lacks the confidence some days and is still working on proper walking. He is a quiet walker who does not even acknowledge any dogs that are barking in the area. He just quietly keeps on going! Beckett loves treats, so the way to his heart is through his stomach. This acceptance of food from our hands is a result from months of tossing treats to him from across the room. Patience is key!
Beckett’s favourite spot is outside. The very first day we let Beckett into the yard with his foster sisters he ran and played for hours. I think this was his first time running and playing and he sure loved being free! Rain, snow or sun, Beckett loves to be outside. He feels completely free outdoors and turns into a goofy and playful pup. He loves to run, chase and wrestle with his foster dog sisters. He is being fostered with 2 young standard poodles and is always the first to start play time and the last to stop playing. He is a very energetic and lively pup. He is truly himself in the outdoors, so Beckett’s forever family will need to love the outside as much as he does and have a large, fenced yard for him to play in.
Beckett now spends most of his time outside his crate. He no longer uses it as his safe spot to hide. He is comfortable in his surroundings and only goes into the crate when left alone. He is typically only crated now for 3-4 hours at most during the day. At night he has opted to sleep on a dog bed next to or with his foster sisters. He is house trained and will go a full 8 hours at night without any issue. In the morning, this seems to be the one time that he always lets his guard down. He will hop onto my bed with the other dogs and will allow lots of rubs and scratches. He always looks for affection in the morning and does not start his day until we all have had some cuddle time. But after that, he is ready to move! He is so excited to start each new day.
Beckett is still learning how to be a dog and gains most of his knowledge and confidence from his pack. He has learned how to interact with people and other dogs and his confidence continues to grow from this. Beckett needs to live with a young, energetic, and confident dog. He needs a playmate that can keep up with his energy levels and show him how to navigate through our scary world.
Beckett is a Moyen Poodle and has a beautiful red coat. He is considered hypoallergenic as he is a hair breed dog. With this comes regular brushing, bathing, ear cleaning and grooming. Beckett has handled all his baths and grooming well. I have done quick grooms on him and kept it to under an hour and he went through this process without issue. I have kept his coat short so that he does not have to go through regular full brushes. We are still getting him used to being touched so a long brushing does not work for him. Keep his coat short and tidy and you should be able to keep any matting from occurring.
Beckett’s ideal home will be one with direct access to a safe fenced, large yard in a quiet rural setting or very quiet neighborhood. He can get overwhelmed by a lot of traffic noises and will not enjoy busy areas with a lot of people around him. Beckett is only crated for 3-4 hours at a time so he would need someone home more than away. Beckett requires an adult only home or a home with older teenage children. Beckett has been fantastic with every dog in our home and bonds quickly with his pack. He needs another dog in the home as he loves to play and follow them around the house. He will make a fantastic playmate for any young energetic dog. However, what Beckett needs most is a person or people who are kind, and patient. He has made huge strides in his foster home and is ready to move on to the next stage of his life in a loving forever home. Beckett is such a sweet and happy boy. He will grow to trust his forever family; he will just move at a different and slower pace than other dogs. Beckett is a wonderful and unique boy who will be counting on his forever family to help him overcome his unpleasant start to life. Are you the family for Beckett?
Name: Beckett
ID # PDR1167
Age: 3yrs
Gender: male
Neutered: yes
UTD vaccines: yes
Breed: Moyen Poodle
Colours: apricot
Coat length: med
House trained: yes
Special needs: no
OK with kids: teens
OK with cats: yes
Ok with dogs: yes
Status: adoptable
Microchip: yes
Size: medium
Location: Drumbo
Adoption fee: $800
donations can be mailed directly to address above.
Their adoption process
Additional adoption info
Prior to filling out an application on a dog make sure you have read that dog’s profile in its entirety and do some research on the breed(s) of dog you are considering. Make sure that this dog will suit your home and lifestyle. If you wish to proceed please fill out and submit an application online. Alternatively you may print the completed application and mail it to us. It is also a good idea to send us a quick email letting us know to expect your application. Be very thorough in filling out your application. The more we can learn about your family, home and past pet ownership the better. Also, be honest with yourself. Do not apply for a high energy dog if you are not already a very active person. A dog will enhance your life and be a willing partner in your activities but a dog will not change who you fundamentally are. A perfect match will be a dog that suits your current lifestyle and activity level.
Upon receiving your application an Adoption Coordinator will speak with your veterinarian if applicable so please place a call to your vet advising them to expect our call and authorizing them to speak to us about your veterinary history. The next step is for an Adoption Coordinator to contact you to set up an interview and in home visit. Should everything go well we would ask that you contact your references and advise them to expect a call from us. The final step is a meet and greet with the dog at the foster’s home where you can see the dog in an environment where it is comfortable and at ease. The foster will be able to answer any questions on the dog’s behavior, training and routine and you can make the decision if this is truly the dog for you.
Through this procedure we may determine that the dog you applied for is not a good match and we may make suggestions on dogs in our program that would be a better fit for your home. The decision is yours though and we would never push a dog on anyone. We can also keep your application on file and with your permission contact you when a dog we feel would be suitable for you comes up for adoption.
Should your application prove successful we ask for the adoption donation made payable by cash or e-transfer to Pound Dog Rescue. This fee helps defray the costs of veterinary care, upkeep, grooming and transportation for our dogs and is only a small fraction of the total cost spent on each dog in our rescue program. Once you have adopted a dog through Pound Dog Rescue you become part of our family! We love hearing updates about our dogs and receiving pictures! We will always be there for you for advice and support will do whatever we can to make sure you are happy with your new dog.
We the volunteers of Pound Dog Rescue thank you for considering a Pound Dog to adopt and look forward to hearing from you.
Prior to filling out an application on a dog make sure you have read that dog’s profile in its entirety and do some research on the breed(s) of dog you are considering. Make sure that this dog will suit your home and lifestyle. If you wish to proceed please fill out and submit an application online. Alternatively you may print the completed application and mail it to us. It is also a good idea to send us a quick email letting us know to expect your application. Be very thorough in filling out your application. The more we can learn about your family, home and past pet ownership the better. Also, be honest with yourself. Do not apply for a high energy dog if you are not already a very active person. A dog will enhance your life and be a willing partner in your activities but a dog will not change who you fundamentally are. A perfect match will be a dog that suits your current lifestyle and activity level.
Upon receiving your application an Adoption Coordinator will speak with your veterinarian if applicable so please place a call to your vet advising them to expect our call and authorizing them to speak to us about your veterinary history. The next step is for an Adoption Coordinator to contact you to set up an interview and in home visit. Should everything go well we would ask that you contact your references and advise them to expect a call from us. The final step is a meet and greet with the dog at the foster’s home where you can see the dog in an environment where it is comfortable and at ease. The foster will be able to answer any questions on the dog’s behavior, training and routine and you can make the decision if this is truly the dog for you.
Through this procedure we may determine that the dog you applied for is not a good match and we may make suggestions on dogs in our program that would be a better fit for your home. The decision is yours though and we would never push a dog on anyone. We can also keep your application on file and with your permission contact you when a dog we feel would be suitable for you comes up for adoption.
Should your application prove successful we ask for the adoption donation made payable by cash or e-transfer to Pound Dog Rescue. This fee helps defray the costs of veterinary care, upkeep, grooming and transportation for our dogs and is only a small fraction of the total cost spent on each dog in our rescue program. Once you have adopted a dog through Pound Dog Rescue you become part of our family! We love hearing updates about our dogs and receiving pictures! We will always be there for you for advice and support will do whatever we can to make sure you are happy with your new dog.
We the volunteers of Pound Dog Rescue thank you for considering a Pound Dog to adopt and look forward to hearing from you.
Go meet their pets
All of our dogs are cared for in foster homes, and therefore, not available for general public viewing.
All of our dogs are cared for in foster homes, and therefore, not available for general public viewing.
More about this rescue
My name is Kim and my husband’s name is Jarett. We are a married couple that is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing dogs in need. Individually, and as a couple, we both have been rescuing and fostering dogs for many other organizations for a number of years. From this experience came the skills, knowledge and connections needed to make starting our own rescue a reality. Having done the work for others for so long and loving the experiences we’ve had, we came to the realization that we can do even more for dogs in need by branching out and having our own rescue group and dedicated team of volunteers. From this fledgling idea Pound Dog Rescue was born and it has grown significantly! It is truly amazing how many good people want to help us save dogs. Pound Dog Rescue would be an impossibility if we didn’t have our team of dedicated volunteers offering their unique and valuable skills and abilities to help grow the rescue. It’s amazing how many animal lovers there are in the community who will donate their time and efforts when they know it goes to such a rewarding cause; to help save dogs. To this date we have received overwhelming support and we know that Pound Dog Rescue and its legion of dedicated supporters will make a positive difference in the lives of many dogs. WE WILL SAVE DOG’S LIVES. And that is why we are here, pure and simple.
We get a lot of questions about our rescue when we talk to people so we thought we would take this opportunity to answer some of the common ones.
Where does Pound Dog Rescue get its dogs from?
All of our dogs come from low-income, low-resource animal control facilities (aka “dog pounds”) in Ontario. These facilities do not have the funding for fancy adoption wings with teams of volunteers and staff. These facilities are minimally staffed with over-worked employees. The dogs have a kennel to stay in that is usually dark and loud and chaotic. These facilities are holding kennels for all of the strays and owner surrendered dogs of their counties and townships. They don’t get to pick and choose the dogs they take in. By law, these pounds must take in any dog that is stray or abandoned. Because of this, kennel space fills up quickly and space runs out. Sadly, without rescue, many of the unclaimed or surrendered dogs will be put down to free up kennel space for the next dogs arriving. This is why we at Pound Dog Rescue will only take in dogs from these facilities. These dogs have very few options, the lucky minority gets adopted, and the others face certain death without rescue. It’s these dogs that we focus on and are dedicated to saving.
Why do we need rescue?
Rescue is needed because sadly, not all dogs live long, happy lives in loving forever homes. Many dogs end up in homes of irresponsible owners who don’t provide them with the training, socialization and care needed to live a happy life. For no fault of their own many of these dogs end up in a pound situation, all because they had the misfortune to be owned by irresponsible people. Sadly, many people still don’t spay or neuter their pets and breed them without any thought to providing quality homes for the puppies or proper care for the mothers. This adds to the already over saturated dog population and takes homes away from dogs already in a pound situation. Because dogs don’t get to choose their owners, rescue is needed. Once in rescue, we choose their next home for them. We strive to make certain that none of our rescue dogs end up back where they came from. We do this by having potential adopters fill out applications and we conduct home visits and interviews and do background checks. We take the extra steps needed to make sure we are sending our dogs off to loving, forever homes.
How does the rescue process work?
We have established a long standing and trusting relationship with a rural Ontario animal control facility. We select most of our dogs from this facility but we are open to helping any low resource pound. We take pictures and do write up’s of all of the dogs available to go to rescue organizations and we forward this information in an email to various different trusted rescues across Ontario. We work hand in hand with a large number of rescues to save as many dogs as possible. We at Pound Dog Rescue not only rescue dogs for our own organization, but assist and facilitate the rescue of dogs to a number of other trusted rescue organizations. We evaluate the dogs in need of rescue and we select dogs based on temperament and the criteria our available foster is looking for. We look to match dogs with fosters. We will never force a foster to take on a dog that they are uncomfortable with or ill equipped to handle. Once selected we have the dog vet checked, vaccinated, heartworm tested, microchipped, and spayed or neutered if required. The dog will then be placed in a preselected foster home to live on a temporary basis where it will be loved and cared for. While in foster care the dog will receive training, socialization, and handling all the while being observed and assessed for behaviour. This way we really get to know the dogs in our care and can confidently determine what will be the best forever home for each individual dog. A successful adoption applicant for a specific dog will have a meet and greet with the dog and it’s foster in the foster’s home. This way the applicant can talk directly with the foster who has been caring for the dog to learn first hand about the dog’s routines, quirks and mannerisms in a home environment. We fully believe that the foster parent knows the dog best and they are an integral part of our adoption procedure.
Is there something wrong with dogs from pounds? Why are they there in the first place?
For the most part the dogs that end up in pounds are there for no fault of their own. A lot of them were owned by people who were irresponsible and let them run loose and when apprehended, did not bother to claim them from the pound. Many come in because the person that owned them either selected a breed of dog that did not suit their lifestyle, or they expected a dog to come fully trained and didn’t want to, or know how to, put the time and effort required into training their dog. And unfortunately, many end up in a pound because they became inconvenient for their owners and the pound is the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to dispose of their dog. Some end up there because their owner passed away or had a crisis and were no longer able to care for their dog. We have seen almost every breed of dog in the pound in need of rescue…from the smallest of toy breeds to the largest of giant breeds and everything in between. We have seen many purebreds and just as many mixed breeds. There is no breed of dog that is exempt from being abandoned, lost or unclaimed. We have rescued and fostered countless dogs in our years of volunteering and we have never yet encountered a “bad” dog, or one who had an issue we couldn’t work through. Again, these dogs can’t help who they are owned by. We at Pound Dog Rescue work to educate the public on responsible dog ownership and fully encourage and insist on applicants researching and being educated on the breed of dog they are applying for. There is nothing more frustrating than seeing a beautiful Border Collie in the pound having been turned in because he was “too active” or a gorgeous Newfoundland Dog having been turned in because he grew “too big”. Unfortunately these are true stories and real excuses people have used to abandon their former “best friends” at the pound. How about the black Lab who was turned in because the owner redecorated her house and he no longer matched the decor? We aren’t kidding. It happened. So, the answer is no, not all dogs in a pound have something “wrong” with them. Most are there because of things they have no control over, like their breed, their colour or who the person was that happened to pick them out of their respective litters at 8 weeks old.
We thank you for caring enough to consider rescue. We hope you will choose to adopt a rescue dog. Rescue saves dog’s lives and gives dogs a second chance at finding a loving home. And if you want to save a dog and adopt through rescue, as we like to say around here…..There ain’t nothing like a Pound Dog!!!
My name is Kim and my husband’s name is Jarett. We are a married couple that is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing dogs in need. Individually, and as a couple, we both have been rescuing and fostering dogs for many other organizations for a number of years. From this experience came the skills, knowledge and connections needed to make starting our own rescue a reality. Having done the work for others for so long and loving the experiences we’ve had, we came to the realization that we can do even more for dogs in need by branching out and having our own rescue group and dedicated team of volunteers. From this fledgling idea Pound Dog Rescue was born and it has grown significantly! It is truly amazing how many good people want to help us save dogs. Pound Dog Rescue would be an impossibility if we didn’t have our team of dedicated volunteers offering their unique and valuable skills and abilities to help grow the rescue. It’s amazing how many animal lovers there are in the community who will donate their time and efforts when they know it goes to such a rewarding cause; to help save dogs. To this date we have received overwhelming support and we know that Pound Dog Rescue and its legion of dedicated supporters will make a positive difference in the lives of many dogs. WE WILL SAVE DOG’S LIVES. And that is why we are here, pure and simple.
We get a lot of questions about our rescue when we talk to people so we thought we would take this opportunity to answer some of the common ones.
Where does Pound Dog Rescue get its dogs from?
All of our dogs come from low-income, low-resource animal control facilities (aka “dog pounds”) in Ontario. These facilities do not have the funding for fancy adoption wings with teams of volunteers and staff. These facilities are minimally staffed with over-worked employees. The dogs have a kennel to stay in that is usually dark and loud and chaotic. These facilities are holding kennels for all of the strays and owner surrendered dogs of their counties and townships. They don’t get to pick and choose the dogs they take in. By law, these pounds must take in any dog that is stray or abandoned. Because of this, kennel space fills up quickly and space runs out. Sadly, without rescue, many of the unclaimed or surrendered dogs will be put down to free up kennel space for the next dogs arriving. This is why we at Pound Dog Rescue will only take in dogs from these facilities. These dogs have very few options, the lucky minority gets adopted, and the others face certain death without rescue. It’s these dogs that we focus on and are dedicated to saving.
Why do we need rescue?
Rescue is needed because sadly, not all dogs live long, happy lives in loving forever homes. Many dogs end up in homes of irresponsible owners who don’t provide them with the training, socialization and care needed to live a happy life. For no fault of their own many of these dogs end up in a pound situation, all because they had the misfortune to be owned by irresponsible people. Sadly, many people still don’t spay or neuter their pets and breed them without any thought to providing quality homes for the puppies or proper care for the mothers. This adds to the already over saturated dog population and takes homes away from dogs already in a pound situation. Because dogs don’t get to choose their owners, rescue is needed. Once in rescue, we choose their next home for them. We strive to make certain that none of our rescue dogs end up back where they came from. We do this by having potential adopters fill out applications and we conduct home visits and interviews and do background checks. We take the extra steps needed to make sure we are sending our dogs off to loving, forever homes.
How does the rescue process work?
We have established a long standing and trusting relationship with a rural Ontario animal control facility. We select most of our dogs from this facility but we are open to helping any low resource pound. We take pictures and do write up’s of all of the dogs available to go to rescue organizations and we forward this information in an email to various different trusted rescues across Ontario. We work hand in hand with a large number of rescues to save as many dogs as possible. We at Pound Dog Rescue not only rescue dogs for our own organization, but assist and facilitate the rescue of dogs to a number of other trusted rescue organizations. We evaluate the dogs in need of rescue and we select dogs based on temperament and the criteria our available foster is looking for. We look to match dogs with fosters. We will never force a foster to take on a dog that they are uncomfortable with or ill equipped to handle. Once selected we have the dog vet checked, vaccinated, heartworm tested, microchipped, and spayed or neutered if required. The dog will then be placed in a preselected foster home to live on a temporary basis where it will be loved and cared for. While in foster care the dog will receive training, socialization, and handling all the while being observed and assessed for behaviour. This way we really get to know the dogs in our care and can confidently determine what will be the best forever home for each individual dog. A successful adoption applicant for a specific dog will have a meet and greet with the dog and it’s foster in the foster’s home. This way the applicant can talk directly with the foster who has been caring for the dog to learn first hand about the dog’s routines, quirks and mannerisms in a home environment. We fully believe that the foster parent knows the dog best and they are an integral part of our adoption procedure.
Is there something wrong with dogs from pounds? Why are they there in the first place?
For the most part the dogs that end up in pounds are there for no fault of their own. A lot of them were owned by people who were irresponsible and let them run loose and when apprehended, did not bother to claim them from the pound. Many come in because the person that owned them either selected a breed of dog that did not suit their lifestyle, or they expected a dog to come fully trained and didn’t want to, or know how to, put the time and effort required into training their dog. And unfortunately, many end up in a pound because they became inconvenient for their owners and the pound is the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to dispose of their dog. Some end up there because their owner passed away or had a crisis and were no longer able to care for their dog. We have seen almost every breed of dog in the pound in need of rescue…from the smallest of toy breeds to the largest of giant breeds and everything in between. We have seen many purebreds and just as many mixed breeds. There is no breed of dog that is exempt from being abandoned, lost or unclaimed. We have rescued and fostered countless dogs in our years of volunteering and we have never yet encountered a “bad” dog, or one who had an issue we couldn’t work through. Again, these dogs can’t help who they are owned by. We at Pound Dog Rescue work to educate the public on responsible dog ownership and fully encourage and insist on applicants researching and being educated on the breed of dog they are applying for. There is nothing more frustrating than seeing a beautiful Border Collie in the pound having been turned in because he was “too active” or a gorgeous Newfoundland Dog having been turned in because he grew “too big”. Unfortunately these are true stories and real excuses people have used to abandon their former “best friends” at the pound. How about the black Lab who was turned in because the owner redecorated her house and he no longer matched the decor? We aren’t kidding. It happened. So, the answer is no, not all dogs in a pound have something “wrong” with them. Most are there because of things they have no control over, like their breed, their colour or who the person was that happened to pick them out of their respective litters at 8 weeks old.
We thank you for caring enough to consider rescue. We hope you will choose to adopt a rescue dog. Rescue saves dog’s lives and gives dogs a second chance at finding a loving home. And if you want to save a dog and adopt through rescue, as we like to say around here…..There ain’t nothing like a Pound Dog!!!
