Serving Brooklyn's Off-Leash Community

Dog Rescue

While FIDO is not a rescue organization, per se, we will do all that we can to help...... Check Out our Instant Adoption & Lost Pets Page Rescue Shelters/Organizations Finding Lost Dog Owners Abandoned Dogs All About Adoption Spaying/ Neutering/ Discounts Where To Adopt

Finding A Lost Dog's Owner ... ______________________________ If you find a dog with tags that don’t include a home phone/ address, call the veterinarian identified on the rabies vaccination tag. The veterinarian should be able to identify the owner by the rabies tag number. If the dog has no tags, look for a tattoo, usually on the inside of the right back leg – you may need to part the fur on some dogs, and even shave a patch to read a tattoo. Racing Greyhounds and some imported dogs may have tattoos on their ears, so be sure to check there, too. Tattoos normally identify either the pet (and in the case of racing Greyhounds, age), or the registry. For a listing of tattoo registries and tattoo configurations check out: http://www.hsus2.org/sheltering/magazine/ currentissue/may_jun99/tattoo_registries.html In addition, your veterinarian may have the various registries’ numbers, or try calling either the Brooklyn or Manhattan Animal Care & Control for information. Also, there is a good possibility that the dog may be microchipped. Most vets have the facility to scan the dog between its shoulder blades to see if it can be identified. People who find a stray dog should make a “found report” at the AC&C shelter for which you will be given a case #. Found and lost reports are only kept in the AC&C’s computer for three months then a new report has to be filed. 48 hrs after making a ‘found report’ on a stray with no ID you can legally keep the dog or find it a home. The other thing is that the AC&C website (www.nycacc.org) has lost/found listings most with photos. While this may not be a complete listing of the animals in their care, it may help an owner trying to find their dog in addition to physically searching the shelters. Another note: dogs found as strays by the police in Brooklyn do not necessarily go to the Brooklyn AC&C. Lots of times police will make the trip to the Manhattan AC&C. Note - see the shelter list at bottom of this page. So owners should search both shelters and even the Staten Island AC&C if necessary. The Staten Island AC&C is tiny in comparison to Brooklyn or Manhattan AC&C so perhaps their listing of animals on the lost/found site is more complete.If the dog appears to have been lost recently, (healthy but panicked) try walking around the neighborhood and asking if anyone recognizes it. It may have slipped its collar only a few minutes ago and the owner is actively looking for their pet, or perhaps doesn’t realize it’s gone. Post flyers in your neighborhood, at pet supply shops in and around Prospect Park, and at your veterinarian’s office. Many veterinary offices will take a description of the dog over the phone. Cast your net wide as you can, because a lost dog may travel some distance. If possible, post a notice on “Dog Chat” If the dog is a purebred, call FIDO (voice mail) 1-888-604-3422 or look to the web or the list below for a rescue organization devoted to that breed - they may well be able to foster the dog or find it a home. A great place to start is AKC’s rescue page, which lists all AKC-recognized breed rescue organization: www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm Abandoned Dogs ... _____________________________ Unfortunately, many or most dogs found in Brooklyn are abandoned, not lost. Sad to say no-kill shelters have long waiting lists. While small dogs may be able to go to a shelter like Bide-a-Wee, larger dogs are harder for them to fit in. In any case, you’ll have to hold the animal for ten days in order to establish ownership before you surrender it. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to find a permanent or foster home right away, but if not, the truth is that you can expect to invest substantial time and money in your rescue. If you’re unable to do that, you’ll have to take the dog to Animal Care & Control - the odds are pretty high that the animal will be euthanized. If the dog is a pit bull (or look-alike), those odds rise. Don’t blame the AC&C - blame the huge number of people who dump their pets or don’t spay/neuter. If you can’t keep the dog at home but want to place it in a care facility, you miht consider boarding. Kennels cost about $20/day (less in the suburbs.) Look for a place that has runs, smells clean, and offers ample visiting hours. There is one other option. If you have a friend in the suburbs who is willing to become the dog’s “owner,” that person may be able to take the dogto a local shelter. Conditions there may be better and the shelter may be a no-kill, or at least have a longer waiting period than the ACC. The Good News is that dogs do find homes. Help is out there! To make the dog more adoptable (because it’s the right thing to do) you should take the animal to a veterinarian for an exam, shots, and a spay/ neuter if necessary. Many veterinarians will discount their fees for strays, especially if you have other pets under their care. By all means ask! Can't keep the dog yourself? See our rescue organizations below... These are rescue organization who take in and foster abandoned dogs with the hopes that they will eventually find a home for them. Do offer a sizable donation - these organization always are short of funds. And they do good work! Adoption... ______________________________ To be adoptable, a dog must be housebroken. It helps if the dog is trained to sit, down, stay and walk reasonably on a lead. A book many people have found helpful, is Carol Lea Benjamin’s, Second Hand Dog. If you can spend the money, it certainly can’t hurt to attend obedience classes. If the dog has more serious behavioral problems, in particular aggression, you will either have to put in the work necessary to make the dog manageable; find a home where the dog’s problems are known and can be handled; or have the dog euthanized. It may sound shocking that we say the latter, but you really can’t foist the dog off onto an unsuspecting person and hope everything will be okay. It probably won’t be okay and someone including the dog, may get badly hurt. A dog with problems may wind up going from home to home, encountering progressively worse situations - a far cruel ending than a quick painless death. But most behavior problems are treatable... If you have a found dog with behavior problems, please consult a trainer or behaviorist. Call FIDO (1-888-604-3422) if you need a referral or if the cost of a consultation is beyond you means; we can put you in touch with a trainer who will provide one free consultation. If you feel that you must absolutely deal with the problem yourself, we strongly recommend the works of Ian Dunbar and Jean Donaldson, available by mail/phone or over the web from dogwise.com.... You should also be aware that some behavior problems may be linked to a health problem. Thyroid dysfunction, for example, can be attributed to aggression and is easily helped with daily, inexpensive medication. So be sure to consult a veterinarian to rule out this and other contributing health issues. FIDO Rescue Committee

Shelters/ Rescue Organizations ... ____________________________ It's always a good idea to make a suitable donation to the rescue organization whether it is required or not. Most rescue organization run at a deficit... It's the right thing to do

National Organizations The Humane Society of the United States www.hsus.org/index.html National Online Shelter Weekly photographic updates of available dogs and cats. Betty Saul's Petfinder.org will allow you to access Bide-a-Wee, A.S.P.C.A. as well as Brooklyn's Might Mutts. Info: www.petfinder.org City Organizations Animal Care & Control www.nycacc.org All inquiries and requests for Field Operations assistance (picking up stray or injured animals, trapped animals, etc.), 8am - 8pm, M-F: (212) 788-4000 or call 31 Lost and Found... Brooklyn Shelter 2336 Linden Blvd 8am - 8pm seven days: (718) 272-7206 Pet for adoption - photos on view Info: www.nycacc.org Manhattan Shelter 8am - 8pm seven days: (212) 722-4939 Bronx Shelter 8am - 4pm, Tues & Fri only Queens Shelter 8am - 4pm, Wed & Thurs Staten Island (718) 984-6643 ASPCA 212 876 7700 Animal Placement 212 876 4120/ 4121 www.aspca.org Bide-a-Wee 410 East 38th Street NYC 212 532 4455 www.bideawee.org North Shore Animal League Lewyt Street Port Washington, NY 11050 www.nsal.org Metropolitan Rescue Organizations Hamilton Dog House Sean Casey, Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator Animal Rescue 155 E. 3rd Street (Between Fort Hamilton Pkway & Caton Ave)Brooklyn, NY Phone: 718 436-7387 e-mail: nyanimalrescue@yahoo.com See our Petfinder Link for available animals Come adopt or volunteer some quality time with Sean's rescue animals. You may even find exotic reptiles as well because Sean is also a city designated reptile rescuer. Adoption charges include shots; chipping, vet check & more. Pet foods and supplies are also on hand. The Brooklyn Animal Foster Network of Brooklyn We have a critical need for people who will open their homes to rescued kittens, cats, puppies or dogs. This will multiply our ability to save lives. BAFN provides food, supplies and veterinary care. You supply the love and the roof over their head until we can find them forever homes. For more information go to: www.BrooklynAnimalFosterNetwork.org Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition 253 Wythe Ave Bklyn, N.Y. 11211 718 486 7489 Low Cost Spay/Neuter info... 1-800-248 SPAY The Senior Dogs Project Looking Out for Older Dogs? "Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog." - Sydney Jeanne Seward www.srdogs.com/ Cats Great cat group in Brooklyn, which will help people with stray cat problems in their neighborhoods, and educate about Trap, Neuter, and Return: www.slopestreetcats.com/ Breed Rescue... All American Kennel Club recognized breeds www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm Boxer Rescue NY Boxer Rescue, the local group within Northeastern Boxer Rescue. www.boxerrescue.com Boston Terriers www.bostonrescue.net/ Ethical Bull Breed Rescue & Referral www.ebbrr.com Pit Bull Rescue Central www.pbrc.net/home.html German Shepherd www.gsrescue.org/ German Shepherd Rescue of SE PA in Brooklyn NY Brooklyn, NY 11226 Email: 19paws@pobox.com GSR-SP helps interested adopters to find the _parent German Shepherd for their family and lifestyle situation. We do this by gathering information from potential adopters in the form of an Adoption Questionnaire and by talking with interested adopters about their expectations and limitations concerning the care and training of a dog. www.petfinder.org/shelters/NY346.html Golden Retriever www.peppertree.org/ Snow Dogs: The Cold Hard Facts www.akc.org/love/snowdogs_1.cfm The Homeless Husky www.homelesshusky.com Husky House NYC www.huskyhousenyc.petfinder.org General Siberian Husky Information www.siberianrescue.com/general.htm Adopt a Greyhound www.adopt-a-greyhound.org Long Island Greyhound Adoption www.nyfd.com/greyhound.html Long Island Labrador Retriever Rescue, Inc If you know of someone (serious & responsible) looking to acquire a Lab or another Lab, PLEASE send them to our website - adopting one that is ready for placement creates foster space to save another! Sandee Nastasi President, Exec. Coordinator & C.S.I. LAB911@aol.com www.lilrr.org Metropolitan Maltese Rescue 1-212-242-1151 www.malteserescue.com We have many dogs in foster, not all of whom are currently up on PetFinder due to being in foster, receiving medical care and evaluation before being placed on line. Mastiff http://hometown.aol.com/rontobin/index.htm Pugs www.rescuepug.com/links.htm Rotweiller www.rottrescue.org/ Check Out FIDO Brooklyn's Instant Adoption & Lost Pets Contact FIDO Spay & Neuter Muffin's Pet Connection... Spay/ neuter can be expensive. Muffin's Pet Connection sells discount certificates which are accepted by many local veterinarians. These certificates can be obtained over the phone by using your credit card. www.muffins.org/ ASPCA... The ASPCA has a spay/neuter van that does low cost altering around the 5 boroughs. For more info visit the ASPCA website www.aspca.org