Rescue Profile: Dog 'N Bone All-Breed Rescue

This past summer, I stumbled on to a local rescue group called Dog 'N Bone All-Breed Rescue. It was totally by accident. I was surfing Petfinder and a picture of a Siberian Husky/Yellow Lab pup took my breath away. I already had adopted a German Shepherd/Siberian Husky mix in the fall of 2009, so I wasn't really looking to add another dog to our pack. But when I saw pictures of this six-month old beauty, I knew I had to have her. I then began to find out all about her and how I could adopt her. I discovered that she was in the care of a fairly new rescue organization in the Wichita, Kansas area. There are never enough people and resources to help our homeless pet friends, so this new rescue is very welcome in this area of the state.

Dog 'N Bone All-Breed Rescue was founded in Wichita in 2008 by Julie Smith. The organization seeks to rescue all dogs (and even some cats) from bad situations and local kill-shelters. Dog 'N Bone is licensed to provide rescue, foster and adoption services throughout the entire state of Kansas. Dog 'N Bone has foster homes in many parts of the state, and currently has 23 dogs in their care, all in foster homes with loving families, waiting for their furever homes.

Since its inception, Dog 'N Bone has helped place over 50 animals in loving forever homes. Each prospective adoptive family is fully screened through a lengthy process, to ensure that each pet gets a loving, appropriate home. The screening process consists of an adoption application complete with references. The adoption coordinator contacts personal and veterinary references and then schedules a home visit. The purpose of the home visit is not to inspect for cleanliness, but to ensure that the home is pet-friendly and the yard is fenced and secure. Next comes the meet-and-greet between the pet and the prospective family. If all goes well, the adoption coordinator brings the package before the board for approval. If the family is approved for adoption, they must pay a $150 fee to cover adoption costs, including vaccinations, microchip and spay/neuter surgery. Then the pet is placed in their new furever home.

But care doesn't stop with adoption - Dog 'N Bone volunteers are available for the life of the pet, to help with any issues that may arise. If the new owners have something unexpected that happens and they can no longer keep their pet, Dog 'N Bone will take the dog back and rehome them, with no questions asked. I have called on one of Dog 'N Bone's volunteer trainers/foster caregiver for questions about my special D'NB alumnus. In addition, each pet's microchip has D'NB's contact information associated with it, so if the pet is lost, someone will always be able to rescue the dog and get him or her back home.

Homeless pets who wind up in shelters or on the streets are there through no fault of their own. They simply committed the crime of being unwanted. While there will always be people who mistreat animals and take them for granted, there will also be volunteers and rescue organizations there to help pick up the pieces and show pets that they are worthy of love and valuable to society. If you want to help, you can make a donation to Dog 'N Bone via their website. If you are low on funds, consider fostering an animal for a local rescue, or donate your time to a rescue or animal shelter. Even 30 minutes a week can make a huge difference in the life of a homeless pet.