Puppy Mill dogs rescued
by Pam Lundborg
Tuesday July 08, 2008, 8:00 AM
Stephen D. Cannerelli/The Post-StandardRenee Crandall plays with three basset hounds that were rescued from Arkansas at the Best Paw Forward on East Manlius Street in East Syracuse. From left are Rufus, Annabella Rose and Rylee. Crandall is fostering Annabella Rose.
11 basset hounds from Arkansas readied for adoption.
Stephen D. Cannerelli/The Post-StandardRenee Crandall kisses her basset hound Annabella Rose at the Best Paw Forward on East Manlius Street in East Syracuse. Annabella Rose was one of the dogs rescued from Arkansas.
When five Central New York families heard about a puppy mill churning out basset hounds in Arkansas, they wanted to help rescue them.
A basset hound rescue group from Arkansas had contacted the Upstate-based charity All Bassets Cherished and asked if it could help.
The puppy mill was going out of business and was going to kill the dogs or sell them to another breeding operation unless the rescue group would take them.
Eleven volunteers - five from Central New York and the rest from the Rochester area - agreed to foster the rescued puppies. They would take the dogs and help nurture them, so that they could soon be adopted.
Late last month, the dogs were delivered to their new foster homes in the Syracuse and Rochester areas.
Similar stories are repeated again and again across the United States every week.
There are at least 867 dog rescue groups in the United States, according to Internal Revenue Service records on charities. The exact number is thought to be higher because some are not registered charities.
There are 30 groups alone for basset hounds, said Gary Penny, chairman of All Bassets Cherished.
"You name a dog, you can find a rescue for it," said Diana Toth, of Syracuse, who volunteers with Second Chance Boxer Rescue. "Why not save the dogs that are on this earth already?"
Toth got involved in her group the way many volunteers do. She adopted a boxer eight years ago. Since then, she has provided a foster home for 37 boxers. The group for which she volunteers rescues about 200 dogs a year, all boxers, in Pennsylvania, New England, New Jersey and New York.
There are at least 867 dog rescue groups in the United States, according to Internal Revenue Service records on charities. The exact number is thought to be higher because some are not registered charities.
There are 30 groups alone for basset hounds, said Gary Penny, chairman of All Bassets Cherished.
"You name a dog, you can find a rescue for it," said Diana Toth, of Syracuse, who volunteers with Second Chance Boxer Rescue. "Why not save the dogs that are on this earth already?"
Toth got involved in her group the way many volunteers do. She adopted a boxer eight years ago. Since then, she has provided a foster home for 37 boxers. The group for which she volunteers rescues about 200 dogs a year, all boxers, in Pennsylvania, New England, New Jersey and New York.
"I love doing it," she said.
Dog rescue groups get their dogs in different ways. Some come from a puppy mill or breeding farm that's closing or has excess animals it can't sell. Others come from people who can't care for a dog any more, or from local shelters.
On June 26, Penny drove from Rochester to Illinois to fetch the 11 rescued basset hounds. The next day, he drove back with a car full of crates.
Penny, who is fostering one of the rescued puppies, said the 11 dogs were reasonably well cared for at the puppy mill. They weren't crammed into tiny cages, as at some other puppy mills. They had kennels and were well-fed, he said.
The puppies were neutered and vaccinated. On Saturday, they were delivered to the foster families, he said. The volunteers will assess the animals and prepare them for adoption.
"Everyone finds a passion for a certain breed," said Delinda LaRock, of Fulton, who is the foster coordinator for the basset hound rescue group. "I like (basset hounds') long ears and they are good with kids."
LaRock said she fell in love with bassets as a child because her friend was the daughter of a dog catcher who once caught a pregnant basset hound. When she saw the dog's two little puppies, LaRock said, she was forever hooked on bassets.
Breed-specific rescue groups exist so that pet owners who want a specific type of dog can get the pet of their dreams without going to a pet store or puppy mill.
The adoption fee for the basset hounds is $200, and all the animals are vaccinated and neutered.
"You'd pay that much at the local vet just to have them (spayed or neutered)," LaRock said. "And, chances are, we've already house-broken them for you and got them used to a home environment."
Pam Lundborg can be reached at plundborg@syracuse.com or 470-3033.
Want a dog?
There are estimated to be nearly 900 dog rescue groups operating in the United States, probably more.
Each of the 158 breeds of dog recognized by the American Kennel Club has at least one breed-specific rescue group, said Daisy Okas, AKC spokeswoman. Some of the more popular breeds, such as German shepherds, may have dozens of breed-specific rescue groups.
"We're a club of clubs," she said.
AKC's breed by breed list
All Bassets Cherished's Web site, with a list of available dogs.
Second Chance Boxers' Web site, which includes its list of dogs.
CORECTIONS: I corrected the link to say Second Hand Boxers' instead of Second Hand Bassets'. Also the Arkansas 11 were fostered all across upstate NY from Buffalo to Rochester to the Syracuse area.