4 tris in Pennsylvania SPCA!

[arasara]

Hi guys,

This is just heart breaking.

Many of you know that I'm looking to find another cav around my area to adopt, but while I was looking, I stumbled across this:

Randolph:

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/...?petid=6599813

"#37"

This is my favorite - I wonder if they ship to canada!? I LOVE the grey ears

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/...?petid=6616856

"#160"

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/...?petid=6616912

"#161"

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/...?petid=6616915

I can't help but wondering if this is part of the big puppy mill bust? I really hope all of these dogs find wonderful new loving homes. If my bf would let me I'de take all 4 of them.

[JeanKC]

Why would there be a 'special adoption fee' for a purebred dog, as opposed to the 'regular' adoption fee...which I expect would be less?

KC

[Maxxs_Mummy]

I think that's a bit naughty too Jean - especially as these dogs are bound to encounter far more health problems than a crossbreed.

Arasara, I agree with you, those grey ears are something else. My Maxxy is going grey on his back legs and he looks so distinguished Every time I see him I fall in love all over again

[Mary]

Sure hope they all find the wonderful home they deserve!

[arasara]

yeah it does seem dirty that they have a special adoption fee for these guys. If it is part of the puppy mill bust, what I read about that is that every one of those dogs had some kind of health condition. I can't fathom having a dog and never naming it. "#37" - what's with that?

[Karlin]

Those four are very sweet!

I think it is fair enough to charge an additional fee. Here's why:

First off, there's no increased protection in crossbreeds beyond the first generation of the cross (presuming the parents are of good health too) ; Rory's mom has done work in this area at vet school and seen the studies that prove this (she discussed it somewhere on the board before -- it's really interesting). While a cross won't be prone to breed-specific health issues they are just as prone to everything generally, and in some cases may get the bad genes from the breeds of which they are part. In my own experience with rescues the mixes have just as many health issues, including serious ones, as the p/bs. I don't know anyone in rescue who has seen any significant difference. As a matter of fact all the seriously ill dogs I can think of have been mixes taken from pounds. Probably because people might be less likely to ever have vaccinated/wormed them and done basic health care than if they paid for their puppy initially, so the mixes go into the pound and get exposed to parvo, kennel cough, etc with no protection.

The reason I think it is fair to charge more for purebreds is that this discourages people viewing them as cheap bargains and treating them like bargains. If one had bought one of these dogs they would have cost close to $2000; for a desireable purebred I would totally agree with putting a greater adoption fee with the dog both because the owner is still getting a very good price; if these dogs were part of any raid (especially the PA one), this price will not even begin to recover what had to be spent so far on kennelling etc, all costs entirely carried by the SPCA (remember, they can't just be boarded for free and all have to be vet checked and treated).

Also there's no reason a shelter shouldn't use market demand to help them raise badly needed funds. This is a specially desireable breed and the fact that everyone wins -- people get a lovely dog at a fraction they would pay in the open market, and the shelter is able to raise some funding, works well for all.

[Karlin]

Just as a sidenote:

I was getting lots of enquiries and applications on my rescue site from people wanting puppies (though it clearly says I never have puppies, in large letters) and lots of general enquiries from people wanting a cavalier.

None of the requests coming in indicated anyone had actually read the background info on the site. Now, if I wanted a cavalier, I'd have read every single sentence and tried to find out as much as possible in advance of applying and out of general interest in the breed! It worried me that people seemed to view rescue as a source of cheap cavaliers, so they wouldn't have to pay a breeder.

Most of my referrals come from a small listing I have on the breed rescue page of Irishanimals.com, a rescue and resources website. I asked my friend who runs the site to change my text on my notice to say there's an adoption fee for every cavalier, usually of around €100, to cover my basic vet costs.

I have had almost NO enquiries since then (two people have returned the homing form).

This is satisfying to me -- as it removes the time wasters who would change their minds when the 'free' cavalier sufddenly is going to cost them money. Note that I clearly state the fee goes only to cover my own vet costs -- usually a neuter and vax and basic health check. But people apparently do not even want to cover those BASICS that are not for me, but for the dog's good health!!

By contrast, everyone I have ever homed a dog to was more than happy to cover such costs and/or make a general contribution to rescue.

That's why I think it is important to place a value on the dog that does reflect that you are getting a purebred dog of a specific breed, as these are generally harder to find. I like to be sure the people taking a dog really want that dog, and linking some financial value to it is the best way to do this, though sometimes it might seem arbitrary or crass, or to be saying a p/b is 'better' than a mix. A p/b isn;t 'better' but it is harder to find and for some people, more desireable.

[Cathy Moon]

I can't help but wondering if this is part of the big puppy mill bust?

There was a huge area of terrible flooding in Pennsylvania less than 2 weeks ago - 42 counties. The cavs could be from some of those counties, it was a huge swath of PA just west of Philadelphia.

[JaneB]

I'm wondering if they are left over from that puppy mill raid. . . I sent an application in for a couple of the Cavs but never heard back from anyone. Perhaps they have chosen not to place in out of state homes.

JaneB

[Karlin]

I think they were homing locally as they had people lining up at the shelter. They'd be unlikely to send a dog any distance. You could call the shelter and see? Ypu'd likely have to go and wait in line as well. I've posted a couple of articles on the rehoming of those dogs in the General section of this site.