Looking for a New Pet? Consider Adopting from a Breed Rescue!

I admit it. My dogs are spoiled rotten. They sleep in our king sized bed between me and my husband. They get to sample tasty "people food" on a regular basis. I lavish them with love and affection on a daily basis. In return, they offer me endless love and affection and a reason to exercise. In fact, the more time I spend around some people, the more I love my dogs. They accept me for who I am and never put any strings on our relationship. All they want from me is love, a place to sleep, and food.

Since 2002, my husband Bill and I have adopted three beagles from BREW-- Beagle Rescue Education and Welfare-- based in northern Virginia, which serves the Mid Atlantic states of Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Washington, DC. BREW also has a branch that serves the Mid Western states of Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and western Pennsylvania.

Our BREW beagles...

Our first BREW beagle was a blue eyed beagle/Alaskan husky mix. Although his name was Sinatra when we adopted him, Bill wanted to call him CuCullain-- CC for short. CC was a great dog who went through a lot in his all too short life. When CC came into our life, he had been waiting for adoption for several months. I think people were put off by his bright blue eyes, which definitely made him look different. In any case, the folks who run BREW were very happy when Bill and I showed up at an adoption day in May 2002 and asked about Sinatra. They were even happier when we said we wanted to adopt him. But before we could take him home, we had to submit to a home check, which consisted of a BREW volunteer coming to our home with a beagle, watching how we interacted with animals, and asking us questions. Once we were approved, we paid $200 and we had our new dog.

CC, whose picture I use as my avatar here on AC, lived with us for sixteen months. Unfortunately, he got very sick with Mycobacteria Avian, an infection that is very rare in dogs. I don't believe there is anything we could have done to prevent this infection, since everything I've read about it suggests that most dogs have an innate resistance to Mycobacterial infections. We were heartbroken when we had to say goodbye to CC in October 2003, but living with him for sixteen months was enough to convince us to try again. That's when Flea came into our lives...

Flea is a gorgeous purebred beagle who was found flagging down cars on the side of a country road in Chester, Virginia. The lady who found him already had her hands full with two dogs, two cats, a baby, and several jobs. But Flea was sick with heartworms and Lyme disease and was loaded with fleas and ticks. He seemed overjoyed to have found a kind human being to offer him some comfort. The lady cleaned him up and decided to work with BREW to get him healthy and find him a good home. She also gave him his admittedly unusual name.

Bill and I fell in love with Flea at first sight. Since we had previously adopted from BREW, we were immediately approved to adopt Flea. We took him home about a month after we lost CC and he proved to be quite a character from day one. Flea has what dog owners call an "alpha" personality. He likes to be in charge and, though I'm sure he loves a good hunt, he has proven to really enjoy his status as a pet. When we first got Flea, he had a terrible case of separation anxiety. He made it clear that he needed a friend to keep him company. That's when MacGregor came into our lives...

MacGregor is an adorable beagle/basset hound/spaniel who wasn't quite fully grown when we sprang him from a boarding kennel in April 2004. At first, Flea was not too happy to have to share us with MacGregor, but it wasn't long before our two BREW beagles were buddies. Having MacGregor around really helped mellow out our prima donna beagle, Flea. MacGregor didn't mind taking the sidekick/second banana position and it wasn't long before Flea realized that there was plenty of love and affection to go around. Our lives have been fuller and richer ever since.

Why adopt from a breed rescue?

CC was the first dog I'd ever adopted from a breed rescue. However, now that I've been through the process three times, I doubt I'll ever go back. When I told my family that Bill and I paid $200 for each of our "rescued" beagles, they were aghast at the price. But for that $200, we got dogs who were reasonably healthy, already neutered, and up to date on their shots. In two out of three of our adoptions, BREW knew something about our dogs before we brought them home, so we had an idea of whether or not they needed to be housetrained, how they were with kids and other animals, and whether or not they were better suited for apartment or house living. They knew about the dogs because most of BREW's dogs live with temporary "foster" families before they are adopted. BREW didn't know much about MacGregor when we adopted him, but that's because we chose to foster him before we adopted him. BREW's founder, Laura Charles Johnson, is particularly notorious for her uncanny ability to help people and dogs come together. She's really good at helping families pick out dogs that will be best suited for their particular lifestyle.

By adopting from BREW, we helped an organization that is dedicated to rescuing dogs from being euthanized in high kill shelters and dogs who have lived in abusive situations. BREW focuses on rescuing and rehoming beagles and beagle mixes. Knowing that we wanted a beagle, it made sense for us to consult BREW. But if we had wanted a different kind of dog, we still would have looked into a breed rescue for the same reasons. Reputable, established breed rescues work hard to make sure that their dogs go to good homes and don't end up being euthanized for the crime of ending up in an overcrowded shelter. What's more, most breed rescues do their best to educate the public about the breed and the dangers of pet overpopulation.

What about shelter adoptions?

I would never advise anyone not to go to their local animal shelter to look for a new pet. After all, shelters tend to be overpopulated and in too many cases, there are great dogs who face imminent euthanasia. Shelter adoptions tend to be cheaper than those done through breed rescues, too.

Unfortunately, dogs who are adopted from a shelter may end up costing more in the long run. Because some animal shelters don't tend to keep animals around as long as breed rescues do, staff members don't get to know them as well. That means they may not know a dog's health status or temperament as well as a breed rescue does. Dogs who come from breed rescues often have a chance to be observed in a home environment, which means it's more likely that someone has been able to assess how they will behave in certain situations. Animal shelters also tend to be stressful places and staff members may not get the opportunity to observe potential pets in a more normal environment.

And pet stores?

Most reputable breed organizations strongly advise against buying dogs from pet stores. Dogs who come from pet stores are often acquired through "puppy mills" or backyard breeders. They may be unhealthy, have behavioral problems, or suffer from congenital defects because of poor breeding. Buying from a pet store encourages the puppy mill industry to continue. Again, breed rescues offer an advantage to pet stores because they allow the animal's health and temperament to be assessed before it finds a home.

Breeders

Reputable and established breeders are also good choices for finding good dogs. However, buying a dog from a breeder can be very expensive and can take awhile. Responsible dog breeders often have waiting lists for their puppies and some of them can be very particular about potential owners... even more particular than breed rescues can be.

Breed rescues work to find alternatives to unnecessary euthanasia

It breaks my heart to think about how close any of my beloved beagles might have come to being euthanized. My dog, Flea, was particularly at risk. We don't know who originally owned him, how he ended up on the lam, or how long he was out "in the wild". We do know that when he was found, he was very sick. He could have easily been killed or died while he was on the loose. Had he been picked up by animal control, there's a good chance he could have been put down because he had heartworms and Lyme disease. When I look at that proud, beautiful, beagle with his aristocratic attitude, now living in Germany with two humans and another dog who adore him, I thank God for breed rescues.

BREW visits animal shelters all the time, looking for dogs that can be saved. They also work with veterinary schools, animal hospitals, and laboratories to find homes for dogs who need new families. BREW also works very hard to make sure that their healthy dogs are never euthanized. Those who adopt from BREW sign a contract promising to give the dog back to the organization if they can no longer care for the dog. They also reserve the right to take back dogs adopted through them if it turns out the new home is not a good one.

It's true...

You can find a good dog through a variety of sources. In my lifetime, I've had dogs from backyard breeders, a shelter dog, and dogs from breed rescues. They've all been great pets, but I've come to the conclusion that it makes sense to look to breed rescues first when I'm looking for a new companion. Reputable breed organizations work hard for the welfare of the animals they serve and the people who adopt them. They want you to be happy with your new pet and will work with you to make sure that happens.

For more information, search for local dog rescues on the Internet. I also recommend Emily Yoffe's 2005 book What The Dog Did: Tales from a Formerly Reluctant Dog Owner. Yoffe, who is a journalist and regular contributor to Slate magazine, also adopted a beagle from BREW.