How do we rescue dogs?

First and foremost, we care about the well-being of our dogs and employ all the resources available to do so. We rescue dogs regardless of their age, breed, or ease of placement and strive to help find them a good home.

Our process to rescuing dogs

A liaison contacts our rescue about a dog which is in a perilous situation. The Directors make a decision based on the availability of resources we have determined to be pertinent:

• An available foster home to house the dog in preparation of transport into the Northeast. This foster placement allows us to verify several important particulars which will manifest during this "quarantine" period, in a foster home.
• Health and any presenting medical conditions
• Behavioral stability

Acquisition and Veterinary care

Once the Directors decide to "pull" a dog from a dire situation, the ease of saving the dog must be ascertained. The ease or complexity of pulling a dog out of a shelter is determined by the state where the dog is located. Some shelter facilities require a rescue go through an approval process before a dog is released to them. All facilities in Texas and Georgia have this requirement.

In order for a dog to be transported to New England, that dog must have the following veterinary care:

• Rabies
• DHPP
• Bordatella
• 4DX snap test—to test for Heartworm infestation
• Spay or Neutered
• Fecal test—test for round, whip, hook, tapeworm, giardia, coccidia
• Administration of pyrantel, panacur and/or drontal
• Administration of Heartworm and Flea/Tick preventative
• Interstate travel certificate

Our dogs, fostered in the south, are seen by a licensed Veterinarian on several occasions during their stay in a foster home.

Transportation

We have two methods of transporting dogs into the Northeast.

• Ground Transport-Paid, for profit business licensed via USDA and DOT
• Airplane-for puppies and occasionally a medically compromised dog in need of surgery.

One of our volunteers makes travel reservations. This reservation also entails determining the location the dog will be going to.

Some of our adoptable dogs are adopted "sight unseen". Many people are confused by this. It is a matter of Supply and Demand, as well as, "What is best for this dog?". Not what is best for a human, but what is best for this particular dog. We believe that the dogs are our customers. We work for the dogs benefit, not human benefit.

Some of our dogs will go into another foster home in New England. The two reasons for this are:

• An adopter has not yet been considered.
• The dog is behaviorally or medically compromised.

Other ways to help us rescue dogs

White River Animal Rescue distinguishes itself by its ethics related to dogs’ well-being and by its exhaustive efforts to rescue dogs from euthanasia, sickness and mistreatment.