Caliestro, My own dog was a shelter dog. He was smart, loving, grateful and adapted wonderfully to our home for thirteen years. So I highly recommend that people who are interested in saving a dogs life, always check out your local kill shelter first...
After the death of my dog to cancer, my hubby and I discovered pet rescue. With Pet Rescue and Pet fostering we were able to save more than just one dog. Plus it helped us through the grief process. It's a big commitment which we do on a purely volunteer basis, I do not get paid to do this...but I do get attached. I'm always telling the forever parents and the rescue organization that if for any reason one of my foster dogs is returned, I want first dibs on keeping them. So far, cross your fingers, I still hear back from almost half of my forever families and none of my dogs have ever been returned.
I work with two rescues, but before I made a commitment to either one, I did extensive Internet/local reseach and checked each one out with the Better Business Bureau. In fact the second rescue I work with had been badly run but then was taken over by a different organization and they've been able to turn things around...
so always do your homework, especially if you are working with a breeder. Find out what they do to give back and help the overpopulation and callous abandonment in our pet community...Pet breeders should be like tree loggers, they should give back as well as take...
