Need Question Answered

**Matsuro** · 10-31-2010, 07:27 PM

Okay, I'm going to put this here; however, if I don't hear anything through this thread or PM, I will ask in the other forum. Okay, I came across this website while I was looking for a puppy (just to look and see what came up) and this site came up in the search, but I never heard of it before and don't know if their claims are true. Supposedly they are a "rescue" who rescues puppies from shelters and gives them a second chance to find homes. They have a TON of puppies listed, could this be what happens to unsold puppies from puppymills? Its a small fee to "adopt" you also have to pay a "shipping/delivery" fee as well.

I will give the site to an experience rescue person so they can answer my question if this is legit or not and if not, what to do about a site like this? PM me and I will give the link out; but I won't post it publicly because I don't want uneducated people to know about the website and be taken in. I'm just worried about those poor puppies.

**bett** · 11-01-2010, 08:07 AM

why not call them and discuss. it's not uncommon for a small fee. are they interviewing you as well? if not, i wouldnt trust them.

**Matsuro** · 11-01-2010, 02:26 PM

No, I came across the website last night when doing a search. The website just seems really strange to me. They have a ton of mix breed puppies but most of them are a lot of lab mixes. I just don't know what it is about this website that gives me the feeling that something might be off. Unlike most rescues they don't have a lot of information and I never heard of a "rescue" offer shipping/delivery fees before. That's what caught my eye as well.

**MicksMom** · 11-01-2010, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by Matsuro

...and I never heard of a "rescue" offer shipping/delivery fees before. That's what caught my eye as well.

That's what sounds fishy to me, too. The rescues I've heard of that adopt out of the area either require the adopter to come pick up the pet or arrange transportation via volunteers. Honestly, if you're gut says something is wrong with this rescue, it's probably right.

**Tanya** · 11-01-2010, 06:43 PM

one way I judge a rescue is by how "easy" it is to get a dog. If they will let you pick any dog and ship it to you if you pay the price then that isn't a rescue I would go near. I want a rescue that will make me fill a questionnaire and talk to me over the phone if I am not in teh same city. One that if they don't know me from joe, will have another rescue do a home visit or have me go down and meet the dog. They want the dogs to go to the right family, not just any family. (having said that, i won't answer private questions like "banking information" or "monthly income" just stuff relevant to dog ownership - I have heard of some rescues that ask for wayyy too many personal and private things like that)

"shipping fee" could be a bad use of terminology. I HAVE heard of legit rescues "sending" a dog to their forever home after lots of phone conversations (and maybe a home visit by a third party) but these would not be the norm.

Anyway, the above doesn't sound like a group I would support. If you purse I would ask where the dogs are (those that are listed) - in foster homes, in teh care of kennels or still in the shelter. I am wondering if they just facilitate/advertize shelter dogs (i.e. they never bring the dog into their "folds" but will go "adopt it" and send it to you). Not sure how that would work as the shelters would have to know about it somewhow...

**Matsuro** · 11-03-2010, 01:13 AM

Thanks you two. I will keep my options open just in case they aren't legit.

**kaytris** · 11-03-2010, 09:56 AM

I have seen a number of rescues in the Northeastern US who (apparently) head down to southern states, pick up loads of puppies from high-kill shelters/pounds, and bring them back to the NE, where they will charge an adoption fee (one I saw was $200 for adoption) plus a shipping fee of 275 per puppy.

Nice way to make a living.. I recognize that the puppies need to get out and the south has a huge overpopulation of strays - but $400 + for each puppy, when you know that they were transported together...

**Matsuro** · 11-03-2010, 04:31 PM

I know, that's the problem. A couple of years ago there used to be a lot of puppies to choose from, now its hard to find any puppies anymore. There's a long waitlist at the local animal control and shelters here in FL, all of them are people who wants a certain purebred breed or want puppies really badly.