DRC RE-HOME GUIDELINES

PLEASE DO NOT TAKE YOUR DOODLE TO A SHELTER! 

 

PLEASE ALLOW DRC THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH

FREE, CONFIDENTIAL, REPUTABLE & RESPONSIBLE RE-HOME ASSISTANCE AND/OR GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS OF RE-HOMING YOUR FAMILY PET. DRC IS DEDICATED AND DETERMINED TO FIND ONLY THE VERY BEST HOMES FOR EVERY LABRADOODLE & GOLDENDOODLE

WITHIN OUR RESCUE PROGRAM.

TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE, PLEASE COMPLETE OUR 

DRC REHOME ASSISTANCE ONLINE FORM

A MEMBER OF OUR ORGANIZATION WILL CONTACT YOU WITHIN 72 HOURS TO DISCUSS YOUR DOODLE, YOUR OPTIONS AND THE WAYS DRC CAN HELP.

 

FIRST THINGS FIRST 

The first steps in becoming a responsible doodle owner and protecting doodles from life threatening and/or high risk situations, is to conduct research before purchasing or adopting. Be honest with yourself. Consider your family's lifestyle, schedules, home environment and make careful choices. 

Every responsible dog lover/owner knows that the addition of a canine companion to your family is a life-long commitment. Through sickness and health, ups and downs, good and bad... From puppyhood through senior years; whether sharing snuggles or picking up poop and perhaps the pieces of yet another shredded or destroyed toy or pair of shoes ... From the moment we open our hearts and homes to a dog, we are 100 percent vested in our new family member, embracing puppy-parenthood with as much love, passion and determination as we would human parenthood.  Like all animal welfare organizations and individuals advocating on behalf of animals, DRC holds to the belief and philosophy that "lifetime commitment" means just that when it comes to our beloved Labradoodles & Goldendoodles.....

We do understand however, that sometimes unforeseen issues emerge and/or tragedies occur such as loss of job, home, illness or even death, when rehoming becomes the only and best option for a doodle. In fact, in many cases, rehoming is the most loving and selfless act of kindness that an overwhelmed or unprepared owner can provide for their doodle. We are grateful those who come to the realization they are no longer able to provide for their beloved pets, have the courage to consider rehoming and request assistance with the process.

If you must re-home your Labradoodle or Goldendoodle for any reason, it is important to keep in mind that it takes time, patience and persistence to find the right home for any dog. It's also important as you are going the process, to remember that your devoted family member deserves nothing less than your full and complete attention to the difficult task-at-hand. Your doodle is depending on you to do what's best for him/her and is relying on you to make the right choices to ensure their future happiness, health and safety. 

Finding a new home for a doodle involves several steps.  DRC presents the following guidelines to acquaint you with the process and your options so that you are fully equipped to make better, more educated decisions on behalf of your doodle.

1. CONTACT THE BREEDER OR RESCUE OF ORIGIN

Often, people do not realize or remember that they may have signed a contract when they adopted or purchased their doodle.  Most reputable breeders require the signing of contracts upon purchase of one of their puppies. A reputable breeder takes responsibility for the dogs he or she has produced and will take back their dogs at any time during their lifetime. We have found that many reputable breeders are also happy to allow families to work with Doodle Rescue Collective for the rehoming of their doodles.  Like many breeders, DRC too, has stipulations in our adoption contract that requires adopters return their DRC doodles to us if they are no longer able to provide a home for the dog. This legal document protects any and all DRC adopted doodles for the duration of their lives. If you pass your doodle on without notifying the breeder or rescue of origin first, you deny your doodle this safety net and you prevent the breeder or rescue from providing that protection. 

If your doodle came from either a reputable breeder or a reputable rescue organization, it is your responsibility and legal obligation to contact the breeder or rescue of origin before proceeding with the re-homing process.

FYI - THIS ONLY APPLIES IF THE BREEDER AND/OR RESCUE OF ORIGIN IS WHAT DRC CONSIDERS "REPUTABLE." (Please contact us directly at rescue@doodlerescue.org if you need assistance with this determination.)

2. CONTACT A REPUTABLE RESCUE ORGANIZATION

WARNING - USE OF CRAIGSLIST & FACEBOOK TO RE-HOME IS DANGEROUS! 

"I can't believe that there needs to be a Labradoodle and Goldendoodle Rescue. Why? Everybody wants them!"     ~  Facebook poster

That's exactly why there is such a profound need for Doodle Rescue and why DRC saves and places anywhere from 300-500 Labradoodles, Goldendoodles and other large breed Poodle mixes per year....Everybody wants them...But not everyone should have them... 

It's no coincidence that Doodles are adorable and are often described as "stuffed animals."  Mostly by those who don't happen to share their lives with one, or those looking to own one for all the wrong reasons. But stuffed toys they are not and the comparison couldn't be further from reality.

What doodles are in fact, are highly intelligent, highly emotional, highly people focused, high energy, high maintenance, living, breathing sentient beings that require experienced dog families and those familiar with the personality traits and needs of the breed mix and the expense involved when it comes to responsible doodle ownership.

But those truths don't help the thousands of less than "reputable" breeders sell puppies ........Unfortunately, when it comes to Labradoodles and Goldendoodles, the disreputable breeders, outnumber the reputable 10-1.

Thanks to the constant circulation of doodle myths and propaganda via the Internet and social media and the relentless onslaught of media hype in general, Labradoodles and Goldendoodles are becoming the new "Disney dogs" and victims of their hype and popularity.

Because of this and for a hundred other legitimate reasons, we strongly advise anyone looking to re-home their doodle, to PLEASE consider entrusting their dog to a reputable, responsible DOODLE SPECIFIC RESCUE.  

Not all rescue organizations are alike.... Not all rescues claiming to be "doodle rescue" are reputable... and not all rescues are "doodle savvy." In fact many all breed rescue organizations don't even know what a doodle is. Never mind have a complete understanding of the breed mix, their personalities, quirks, needs and requirements. Many less reputable rescues are just looking to cash in on doodlemania with very little regard for the safety, health, well being and appropriate placement of your doodle. 

Only a rescue organization devoted solely to doodles will be familiar enough with the breed mix, their needs, personalities and behavior. By entrusting your doodle to a "doodle-specific rescue" like DRC, you are not only ensuring that your dog will be placed in only the very best, possible home as determined through our thorough and selective screening process, you will be providing your doodle with the rescue safety net we discussed above.

 

THE REALITY & DANGERS OF CRAIGSLIST, FACEBOOK & SOCIAL MEDIA

AGAIN - USE OF CRAIGSLIST & FACEBOOK TO RE-HOME IS DANGEROUS! 

Because of their popularity, these dogs are being sought out on Internet based classifieds such as "Craigslist", on social media sites such as "Facebook" and other doodle-specific groups and websites by many people who are not only unable to provide your doodle with a suitable home, but who could also potentially put your doodles life in danger.

WHY FACEBOOK & SOCIAL MEDIA ARE DANGEROUS

(FAMILIES WITH SMALL CHILDREN, FIRST TIME DOG OWNERS, BREEDERS AND OTHERS)

Doodles are very unique, highly intelligent, emotional, high maintenance dogs that require special attention, care and the serious commitment of their owners.  They need room to run, more exercise, socialization and human interaction than virtually any other breed of dog. Their grooming and emotional care, vetting and food requirements can be extremely time consuming and costly. 

Many first time dog owners and families with small children are either not prepared to take on these responsibilities, and/or are unable to provide a doodle with the time and attention the dog requires and deserves due to the overwhelming responsibilities and demands that come with the raising of small children.

Some people may not like the truth and may take offense to our policies. But it is what it is and we make no apologies for our honesty and our devotion to these dogs.

* Families with young children - Behavioral issues with young children in the home or lack of time to devote to a doodle because of family obligations, are the number one and number two reasons why so many doodles end up losing their homes. In many if not most behavioral cases, the dogs are stressed within the often noisy and chaotic multiple child environment and/or are interacting with children in an inappropriate manner due to what we refer to as "owner error." Please note, over 90 percent of the dogs that end up in our rescue program, are here because of issues with or related to, young children in the home of origin. 

PLEASE SEE: "THE HEARTBREAKING TRUTH ABOUT DOODLE DOGS"

Contrary to the hype, doodles are generally NOT APPROPRIATE DOGS FOR FAMILIES WITH SMALL CHILDREN for a multitude of reasons. Consequently, doodles should not be adopted to anyone unfamiliar with or inexperienced with the personalities and habits of poodle mixed dogs that not only require the investment of large amounts of time, training and social interaction on the part of their owners, but also require the financial means to maintain. 

PLEASE SEE:

"WHY DRC DOES NOT ADOPT TO FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN"

for a better understanding of our policies:

* Inexperienced first time dog families – Contrary to the hype, Doodles are NOT appropriate dogs for first time dog families for the same reasons listed above.

 

BUNCHERS, BROKERS & CLASS "B" ANIMAL DEALERS ON CRAIGSLIST

 

Many inquiring about your doodle on "Craigslist" are "bunchers", "animal brokers" or "class B dealers" who haunt classified postings looking for "Free to Good Home" ads placed by people seeking to re-home their family pets. A "buncher" is of course someone who bunches..meaning they pick up multiple dogs, often stray, stolen or obtained from Craigslist ads, bunch them together into "lots" for sale to" class B animal dealers." 

 

Class B or "random source" animal dealers were actually licensed by the Department of Agriculture in the states where they conducted business....That is until President Obama signed the 2016 spending bill in which Congress approved the ban on funding U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) licenses for Class B dealers.

All that Class B animal dealers did was buy and sell animals to laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, universities, vet schools and cosmetic companies for scientific research, vivisection, laboratory or pharmaceutical  experimentation and/or drug testing. Many of these poor animals were obtained through Craigslist ads. 

Prior to 2016, for a nominal fee, anyone could obtain a Class B license and sell homeless, stray, or other questionably obtained cats and dogs to laboratories.

Now no one can.

Without licenses from the USDA, Class B dealers cannot operate within the law.

That doesn't mean that they no longer exist.....Or that they no longer conduct business. 

These people still operate illegally and will still often pose on "Craigslist" as perfectly respectful adopters and have you believing they are going to provide a wonderful home for your re-home doodle. 

 

In reality what they will do is turn around and sell your family pet to the highest bidder and condemn your doodle to life in cage, unspeakable pain, suffering and inevitable death in the name of research.

DOG "FLIPPERS" ON CRAIGSLIST & FACEBOOK

You’ve probably heard of house flipping:

House flipping: Flipping is a term used primarily in the United States to describe purchasing a revenue-generating asset and quickly reselling (or “flipping”) it for profit. Though flipping can apply to any asset, the term is most often applied to real estate.

But have you heard of dog flipping?

Dog flipping is a term used when someone steals or fraudulently adopts a dog from either an individual, family or an animal shelter and then sells it on Craigslist to make a profit. 

Local, state and federal law enforcement officials report that "pet flipping" is on the rise throughout the United States.

Pet flippers are criminals who troll virtual classifieds, buy/sell/trade sites like Craigslist, and animal shelter pages and breed specific dog groups such as those devoted to doodles on Facebook. They set up mock profile pages, even post photos that do not belong to them for the soul purpose of creating the illusion that they are legitimate, responsible pet owners and adopters. Once they have the animal, they turn around and sell them for profit on Craigslist and/or other virtual classified websites such as puppyfind.com, Kijiji, Next Day Pets to name a few.

To learn more about "pet flipping" see the article featured in Time Magazine

http://business.time.com/2013/07/16/pet-flipping-is-now-a-thing/ ;

DOG FIGHTING RINGS ON CRAIGSLIST

Others posing as adopters are actually "dog fighting rings" looking for "bait dogs." Baiting is a blood sport used for entertainment and gambling. After acquiring your doodle via your ad on Craigslist, dog fighters will chain and confine your doodle in a fight ring rendering it immobile, unable to escape an attack or defend itself, and will then set their fighting bully breed dogs against your dog for sport. Bait dogs more often than not, die from the horrific wounds they sustain as result of this practice and the sheer terror your dog will be forced to endure is unimaginable. A large majority of innocent dogs used in "baiting" are obtained from "free to good home" ads on Craigslist.

DISREPUTABLE BREEDERS (PUPPY MILLS, BACKYARD BREEDERS) ON CRAIGSLIST & FACEBOOK

If your re-home doodle happens to be unaltered (not spayed or neutered), a "free to good home" ad or one asking for a minimal "rehoming fee" on Craigslist, could easily result in your former family dog being fraudulently adopted by a puppy mill breeder or backyard breeder in disguise.  A "puppy mill" is a large-scale commercial dog breeding facility where profit is given priority over the well-being of the dogs. A "backyard breeder" is basically the same but on a smaller scale.

Puppy mills typically house dogs in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions without adequate veterinary care, food, water or socialization. In order to maximize profits, female dogs are bred at every opportunity with little-to-no recovery time between litters. In a puppy mill, dogs are often kept in cages with wire flooring that injures their paws and legs—and it is not unusual for cages to be stacked in columns in unsanitary barns and outbuildings that are not temperature controlled in any way regardless of the season. When female breeding dogs reach a point of physical depletion and can no longer reproduce, (typically by age 5-7) they are often killed by puppy-mill breeders via horrific and inhumane methods. Because puppy mills focus on profit, dogs are often bred with little regard for genetic quality.

Life in a puppy mill is quite literally, a fate worse than death for any dog.

"Puppy millers" and "backyard breeders" scour Craigslist and Facebook specifically looking for unaltered “free to a good home” doodles and other highly desirable dog breeds and breed mixes. They will go to great lengths to appear legitimately interested in providing a perfect, loving home for your dog. They present themselves as well-to-do, responsible dog lovers. They often bring children along to meet the dog and owner to avoid suspicion. They will make up elaborate stories about previous pets, a perfect home and yard, and promise to provide a loving forever home to the helpless animal.

What will happen in reality is that your former family pet, who you think is going to a wonderful home, will end up spending the rest of his/her life as an abused, neglected caged, starved, malnourished, unloved breeding machine until it's tragic and premature death by abuse.

FRAUDULENT RESCUES ON CRAIGSLIST AND FACEBOOK

Still others who will respond to your ad are fraudulent rescue organizations.  They will list and sell your doodle under the guise of rescue and will NOT screen, conduct home visits or follow up of any kind once your doodle is "sold" to the highest bidder on the Internet. Please be sure to screen anyone who responds to your Craigslist ad or contacts you through your "Facebook" post claiming to be either a "doodle rescue" or a "doodle rescuer." And please be sure you are communicating with the real Doodle Rescue Collective Inc. before you surrender your doodle to any alleged "rescue" or "rescuer" offering you re-home assistance. 

THE SAD REALITY OF ANIMAL SHELTERS

PLEASE DO NOT SURRENDER YOUR DOODLE TO A SHELTER! 

FACT: Labradoodles and Goldendoodles DO NOT do well in shelter environments! Reactivity due to extreme fear and stress are often mistaken as "AGGRESSION" and many doodles are euthanized in error because of this fact. 

 

By law, stray pets must be kept several days at a shelter in order for their owners to have an opportunity to reclaim them. They may not be destroyed until that period of time or "stray hold" has expired. Each shelter is different depending on the laws of the state and in many cases the county within that state where they are located.

These laws DO NOT apply nor do they protect dogs that are surrendered or given up by their owners...

Owner surrendered dogs MAY BE DESTROYED AT ANY TIME. Shelters really don't want to euthanize all the animals they are forced to destroy. They simply do not have a choice.  Shelters today are so overcrowded, your doodle could literally be euthanized the same day it arrives. This risk increases if your doodle is a senior (over 7 years of age), black in color, (SEE "BLACK DOG SYNDROME") large in size, has health problems or has poor attitudes toward strangers.  Being a desirable "designer dog" will NOT increase your doodle's chances of being adopted in most rural areas of North America.

 

True "no-kill" shelters are few and far between and are often very selective about the dogs they bring into their facilities.  Please contact DRC immediately if you are considering surrendering your doodle to an animal shelter.

3. IF CHOOSING THE HELP OF REPUTABLE RESCUE...

... it is important that you provide as much information about your doodle as possible. Complete background information will ensure proper evaluation and ultimately a great match and placement.

Be prepared.... Because we often receive requests for assistance from people and families that are uncertain of their choice to re-home, and/or those who are simply frustrated with the demands of doodle ownership, the first questions that DRC will pose to you when we contact you regarding your request for re-home assistance will be:

"Have you thought this through completely?" and

"How can we help you keep your beloved pet?"

DRC is proud to report that we not only have an impeccable record of successful re-homes, we have also helped hundreds of families keep their dogs through council, support and the sharing of information and resources.

CREATE A DOODLE PERSONAL PROFILE

 

* Write down specific facts about your doodle. Start with physical characteristics; vital statistics such as DOB, age, sex, size, weight, color, coat type.

* Provide detailed veterinary and immunization records.

* Mention specifics about his or her personality and habits good and bad. Please keep in mind that non-disclosure of negative behavioral issues does your doodle a disservice and makes our jobs as rescuers that much more difficult when the time comes to screen and select the dog's new family.

* Make a list of what you feel is most important for and about your dog.

* Provide recent, high resolution photos. Providing a good close up of your doodle's face along with a full body shot are critical to our presentation of your dog to potential adopters. Photos are always best when taken outdoors. They should be high resolution (at least 72 dpi), clear, free of distortion, fuzziness and glaring light.  If your dog is black, take extra care with your photograph. Black dogs are notoriously difficult to photograph. Especially indoors. Black dogs are best served being photographed outdoors in natural light. Good photos are essential for presentation and contribute directly to a dog's adoptability.

 

We hope this information is helpful. Please don't hesitate to contact us directly if you have any additional questions about re-homing your doodle.

 

 

Doodle Rescue Collective Inc.

112 Morse Lake Road

Bloomingdale, NJ 07403

PHONE: PLEASE USE EMAIL

FAX: 1-866-422-8803

EMAIL: rehome@doodlerescue.org