Earlier this year, more than 2,000 beagles were rescued from the now-closed Ridglan Farms beagle breeding and research facility in Dane County, Wisconsin. Most of the dogs went to rescue organizations like Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Florida and the Beagle Freedom Project in California, but some of them stayed in Wisconsin. Albert’s Dog Lounge Rescue in Whitewater (for which I’ve volunteered for years) was selected to help 22 beagles find foster and forever homes, as were other rescue organizations in the area.
This incident, as ugly and heartbreaking as it’s been, also generated renewed interest in adopting a dog.
Doing so, however, is a huge responsibility that should not be taken lightly. If you’re looking for a purebred dog, do your research and make sure that it comes from a legitimate and ethical breeder. If you’re not sure, consult the Humane World for Animals’ “Horrible Hundred” list of problematic puppy breeding/puppy brokering facilities. Or just ask me. After all, I named my real estate company “Forever Home” for a reason.
I’ve owned 64 dogs since about 2003 and currently have 14 in my home — including Primrose (pictured above), a three-and-a-half-year-old Ridglan Farms beagle who my vet estimated to be 10, based on her physical condition and poor health as the result of living a life in brutal captivity.
I often recommend people consider adopting a rescue dog from one of several Madison-area pet-rescue operations that are run with pure intentions. In addition to Albert’s, they include Diamond Dogs Rescue (Madison), Ma, Paws, and Me Pet Rescue (Watertown), Shelter from the Storm Animal Rescue (Madison) and, of course, the Dane County Humane Society.
At Albert’s, we run background checks on all applicants seeking to adopt a dog and require two references. The adoption process typically takes a few days, and the adoption fee is $350 (even though Albert’s spends an average of $1,000 to $1,200 per dog to provide necessary medical care and nutrition). In addition to fees, we rely on fundraising and donations to help us give dogs a second chance at a loving home — hopefully, a forever home.
With many rescue dogs (and certainly the Ridglan Farms beagles), potential forever homeowners need to ask themselves the following questions:
• Are you aware that this dog might have medical issues for the rest of its life?
• Are you aware that this dog might have mental issues for the rest of its life?
• Are you aware that this dog probably spent its life peeing and pooping right where it stood, and potty training isn’t always going to go well?
If your answer to all of those questions is “yes,” then read on for four tips about how to welcome a rescue to its new forever home:
1. Know that the rule of three doubles to the rule of six.
When bringing home a non-rescue dog, the typical timeline looks something like this: For the first three days, the dog will probably be terrified of a new living situation after being uprooted from its old one; during the first three weeks, the dog will begin to settle in and gain confidence in its new surroundings; and after the first three months, the dog will most likely be integrated into the daily life of the household. For rescue dogs — and especially the Ridglan Farms beagles — that timeline doubles, if not triples. After two months, Primrose was still in the earliest stages of adjusting. When she drank water from a bowl, we celebrated. The next day, she’d already forgotten how.
2. Curb your expectations.
Dogs in new environments are going to lose ground initially, because everything they became accustomed to (good or bad) has been replaced. So give your new dog time and space to adjust — and don’t expect it to lay on your lap the first night. In other words, let them be who they are. They might have issues, and that’s okay. We have one dog that, after living with us for months, still does not want to be held or even picked up.
3. Slowly introduce the new dog to other pets in the home.
Consider putting up a baby gate to initially separate the animals, because they may not be fast friends at the beginning. Allow the newest addition to the family adequate space where it can be alone. Sometimes that’s a crate, or sometimes it’s a bathroom with doggie bed in it in it. Alone time, with the option to mingle with the family, can help dogs feel less overwhelmed.
4. Be gentle.
That goes for everyone in the house, as well as guests. Also be wary when going for walks, and opt for more private recreational time instead of visiting dog parks.
If you have questions about adopting a rescue dog, or are struggling with a rescue in your home right now, please contact me. I’m here to help.