Gracie has a limp. I don't know what happened to her leg before I got her. I have had it looked at by the vets, but they say that it is functional as it is and that any surgery they perform could have a negative outcome. Her foot is not numb and she runs just as fast as any other dog and I think she is twice as pretty. Chances are good that she got out of her fence or off her line with her former owner and roamed and got hit by a car, but then she had no veterinary attention to her leg for months and her forelimb healed with a disturbing bend. Now it is permanent.

When Gracie was found, she was either pregnant or had the puppies already - I'm not sure of the exact story. In any case, she had her puppies and they were weaned when I met her. Then she was spayed and she began a process of healing from her spay and mourning the loss of her puppies.

Gracie is now as plucky as ever, as smart as a whip and is the sunshine of my life. She rides next to me in the car and has quite the receptive vocabulary. She, in a word, is just great!

Are rescue dogs all defective? Why would their owners give them up if their is not something wrong with them?

Rescue dogs can make absolutely fabulous pets and most rescue dogs end up in rescue through no fault of their own. Here are some reasons owners give for not keeping their dogs:
~ Financial difficulties
~ Moving to pet-free residence
~ New Family member is allergic
~ New husband/wife does not like pets
~ Not enough time to spend with their pet
~ Owner has died or moved into a nursing home

Of course, sometimes dogs are given up because they have an issue or two. Many times these issues can be corrected in a foster home with the right training. Other times, appropriate homes can be found where the new owner doesn't think of the issue as being a problem. One person's "issue" may be another person's "non-issue".

Would a breeder dog be a better match for my family?
Maybe, but maybe not. Breeder dogs will be puppies. Rescue dogs are usually adults. Rescue dogs live with a foster family for weeks and sometimes months before adoption. The foster family gets to know each dog's quirks. The foster family would be able to tell you if the dog could get along with cats, if the dog likes to go on hikes or ride in cars, if the dog likes kids or an active household and how that dog would get along with other dogs.

Why not get a puppy?
We do sometimes get puppies in rescue! When we do, you will find them on our petfinder list with our other available dogs. Puppies are the right choice for many families.
An older dog may be the right choice for you, however. With an older dog, "what you see is what you get". Puppies all pretty much appear to be cuddly, playful and cute now, but their mature personality will not show until they are around two years old. Do you know you want a dog who is content to watch TV with you all day? Is your heart set on a dog who will be your jogging partner? If you get a puppy, you may end up with an adult dog that may not fit exactly what you had in mind.
Puppies are also a lot of work and training. Bringing home a puppy is like bringing home an infant. The little guy or gal will be untrained and and probably think your sneakers taste great. :)

Why aren't rescue dogs free?
This is a frequently asked question. Folks wonder why we charge money if they are willing to take a homeless animal off of our hands. While we would love to be able to rehome all of our dogs into loving families for free, there are a few reasons for our adoption fee.
~ People value what they pay money for.
~ We need the adoption fee to be able to fund the rescue of more dogs. We have to pay the shelter from where we pull the dog, for a vet exam, for vaccinations such as rabies and parvo, for deworming, for anti-flea medications, for heartworm testing and treatment if necessary, for heartworm prevention medication, spaying/neutering and any other procedure that is necessary for a particular dog. Some rescues charge based on the cost for the particular dog. We have a different flat fee for adult dogs, puppies and scholarship dogs.