ALERT: Don't rush a dog to a rescue group that you haven't research! SEE RESOURCES
Jamie Sprague
Best practices before sending a dog to a rescue group:
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Ask to see their state rescue license -- as long as it shows the current year, the Dept of Agriculture should have paid them a visit in the last year to assure their animals/shelter are in good standing.
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Ask if they are a non-profit/501c3 and confirm it at http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/. (Why? It is not an easy task to get 501c3 tax status -- it's a lot of paperwork which to me, translates to a major commitment to identifying/adhering to rescue goals (outlined in your application). Most fly-by-night rescue operations that are not organized enough to adequately manage/care for multiple animals will not take the time to pursue 501c3 status).
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Check them against sites known for calling out bad rescuers/adopters, such as:
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Do not adopt database: http://www.dnapets.org (do your part to also submit DNA emails that cross your path).
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Pet abuse/animal cruelty database: http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages/cruelty_database.php
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NJ Consumers Against Pet Shop Abuse (http://www.njcapsa.org/index.php/Rescue-Watch.php) New - See Below!
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Google them -- see if the results turn up any worrisome 'complaints' on public forums, Facebook, etc.
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Exercise extreme caution when "sponsorship" is offered w/ dog, particularly if rescuer seems too quick to offer help and doesn't ask specific questions about what healthcare the animal may need. Consider directing sponsorship toward their account at a vet's office -- all of us have (or should have) a regular vet we use!
NJ Consumers Against Pet Shop Abuse is a group that's formed mostly to call out puppy mills. Not surprisingly, many puppy mills also play the 'rescue' card. Please review the ones called out in this except and bookmark this site for future reference.
http://www.njcapsa.org/index.php/Rescue-Watch.php
Do you know who your rescue is?
Many of you have reported rescues whose practices border on fraud,
deception, and puppy trafficking (brokering) for cash and even animal abuse and
neglect. NJCAPSA has also received numerous complaints from adopters regarding
extremely sick puppies who, shortly after adoption, are found to be
harboring such serious diseases (like Parvo) that for them, euthanasia is the
only solution for ending their dog's misery.
We understand
that for many well-meaning individuals who answer the call to rescue, their goal
is to save animals from death, yet many of them fail to see the distress or
suffering caused during transport (cramming animals into cars and vans for
15-hour drives with no breaks) or by long-term fostering, especially when it
turns into a hoarding situation when no immediate homes aren’t found for the
animals (i.e. a recent Cape May County case that is still in litigation).
NJCAPSA was founded and incorporated in 2002 to address the pet shop
trade, puppy mills and consumer fraud. As deeply as we care about companion
animals - and ALL animals - our focus must remain true to our mission.
It’s not up to us to question the screening process by groups, no
matter how inadequate it is. It’s not up to us to question whether adoption fees
are cash-only or whether it goes unreported as income. It’s not up to us to
question whether a rescue deals in purebred puppies only and charges up to $900
for them, or if they charge 3 times as much for puppies over adult dogs.
It’s not our job to question the adoption/sale of unaltered dogs
and puppies, or how a group enforces spay & neuter contracts. We are
not the "adoption police" but we certainly will not ignore reports of
unscrupulous and alleged harmful practices that affect both dogs and adopters,
especially since we urge anyone looking to acquire a dog or cat to choose
adoption over purchasing!
In many respects, some rescues are acting more like pet shops, only worse, because they "adopt" out sick dog or puppies and refuse to refund adoption fees or pay for any veterinary expenses incurred hours or days after the adoption. We urge anyone seeking a companion animal to thoroughly "vet" a rescue to ensure you're dealing with a legitimate group or individual.
For Some, Rescue is BIG Business
Let’s
Adopt / Canada / February 23, 2011
There is a disturbing new trend emerging in North American animal rescue. Private “rescue agencies” are popping up all over the continent.
I’m not talking about the type of rescues we are all used to working with, I am talking about “rescue for profit,” rescue operations set up for the sole purpose of making money. “No” you are thinking. “No one would do that!” However if you think that, you’d be wrong. There is a definite climb in the number of groups calling themselves rescues. A number are legitimate and do good work, but more and more we are seeing groups set up to “rescue” animals only to be found selling them to anyone with the money to pay the purchase price.
These groups import death row dogs from high-kill shelters in the states just south of the border. They pick out small breed purebreds that have been picked up as strays or surrendered by their owners. They then sell them for ridiculous sums of money to unwary adopters. Adopters think they are getting a rescue that has been vetted and proven healthy, truth is these agencies do no vetting of the animals they bring in, they do not pay for shots or medical exams. They simply pick out the most desirable dogs, pull them from the shelter and sell them for profit.
“But what is wrong with them finding dogs homes?” you ask me, a puzzled look on your face. “Isn’t that what they are supposed to be doing?” Yes, a rescue agency is usually set up to rehome unwanted animals, and for the most part they all do, but most rescues don’t pick and choose the animals they work with based on their adoptability. Most of us take in whatever animal that comes along and needs our help, we don’t worry about breed, size, age, or ability to procreate. (As a matter of fact our first order of business is usually to remove the ability to procreate by spaying or neutering the animal.) In many cases, legitimate agencies charge only a token adoption fee, or as in the case of Let’s Adopt, no rehoming fee at all. Why? Because our sole mission is to find the animal the right forever home, not just one that can pay a ridiculous fee. We have long ago proven that the ability to dole out large amounts of money for the privilege of owning a pet does not ensure that pet will be properly treated. To some, money means nothing.
These new money making rescues don’t care who buys the dog, as long as they can pay the price. There is no screening process, first come - first to pay gets the animal. These animals are subjected to conditions similar to those found in puppy mills or back yard breeding operations, and in some cases, are underground breeding operations. Many dogs “rescued” from death row are intact and capable of breeding. These so called rescuers will breed the dogs after “rescue” and pass the puppies off as having been saved from euthanasia along with their mother. They will charge three to four hundred dollars a pup, in many cases without vetting the animal before its adoption.
Is there a place in your neighborhood that calls itself a rescue? Do they consistently have an influx of small breed purebreds they call “rescues”? Do they always have puppies available for adoption? If so chances are you have a bogus rescue operation in your own back yard. Don’t panic or run to the phone, you have to be SURE! Talk to these people, find out what it takes to adopt a dog from them, be observant of the conditions in which they keep the dogs. If you still feel strongly that they are just a money making operation, bring it to other people’s attention, see what they think. Do not take any action unless you are 100% sure that what you think is really what is going on.
Above all, check out a rescue group before adopting an animal from them. Are they legit? How long have they been in business? Can they provide the proper paperwork to back up their claims of vetting and shots? In other words be diligent. Don’t support the continued exploitation of rescue pets!
Rescue Alerts
Please email us or fill out our complaint form if you adopted
a dog from any of the following individuals/groups, and your dog was sick
with contagious diseases (certified by a veterinarian), died of Parvo or
Distemper within a week of adoption, or of the vet medical records appear to be
forged or incomplete. We will direct you to the state or local enforcement
agencies.
Southern Castaways / Jessica Bliss / Clarksville, TN
Formerly operated under Bully Bliss Pit Bull Rescue in Hopkinsville, KY.
Bliss transported 21 puppies to Bedminster, New Jersey (to a
Burger King) and Waterbury, Connecticut (410 Reidville Dr. Waterbury, CT 06705,
Exit 25 off of 84) on Saturday, April 30, 2011. One underaged Boston
Terrier puppy was diagnosed with Parvo and euthanized within 24 hours.
Bliss told the adopter that the others in the litter also died of Parvo. None of
the puppies were delivered with interstate health certificates certifying them
to be free of contagious diseases, which is required under NJ law. She was also
reported to the TN state vet. 
Jessica Bliss, left, may also go by the name Jessica
Teague. Bliss advertises puppies, mostly very young purebreds, on
Petfinder, where she states she is located in both Clarksville, TN and
Waterbury, CT. Bliss charges $150 cash for each puppy transported and a
$550 “adoption” fee; we calculated she garnered $14,500 for the most recent
transport of 21 puppies. She claims she has “adopted out over 4,000 puppies in
the last 6 years.”
Bliss may be brokering puppies and acting as a pet
dealer; therefore, she can be reported to the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs.
See her previously adopted puppiesHERE.
Saving Fur Kids Rescue/ "Clinton, NJ" / Jessica Isenhour
Isenhour, pictured delivering dogs at Tractor Supply last winter,
claims to operate out of Clinton and Ringoes (going so far as using a NJ cell
phone to make it appear she lives here) but lives in North Carolina and drives
dogs to NJ. Sometimes uses Tractor Supply in Ringoes to hand over
dogs and puppies, has used the farm of a Ringoes (East Amwell Township)
official or meets potential adopters in public parking lots to hand off
dogs. Also goes by Jennifer, and advertises onAdopt-a-Pet. Adopted a
puppy who died of PARVO within one week; Isenhour denied any responsibility for
the veterinary bills, which exceeded $1500 and did not even refund the $300
adoption fee. We have other complaints on file and Isenhour continues to haul
dogs up from the south, using parking lots as her venue.
Hope Animal Rescue/ South River, NJ / John Fernandez
We allege this is a broker posing as a rescue, or operating as a front for a pet shop. Fernandez stated in emails to NJCAPSA that one of the owners of Puppy's pet store on Rt. 18 in North Brunswick (Barbara Dyevoich) "helped him" with Hope Animal Rescue's "non-profit incorporation". This may explain all the slighlty older, 'designer' mixes and purebred puppies available for adoption. Dyevoich previously owned The Puppy Shoppe in Edison.Click hereto read a 2009 article about Puppy's pet shop. The owners apparently forgot to tell the reporter about theirprevious puppy shop!
Love to Live Animal Rescue/ "Raritan, NJ" / Joy Bohannon
Love to Live is part ofGeorgia Animal Rescue & Defence (GARD)located in Pembroke, Georgia but dogs are driven up to NJ for adoption events held at the Agway in Raritan, NJ. Bohannon was previously banned from several other NJ locations due to complaints of sick dogs; we have complaints on file. Also advertises onPetfinderandAdopt-a-Pet
Pets for Keeps/ Kearny, Lyndhurst and Clifton / Kim Lumba and Ann Marie Rice
* may also be using the name Kim Deslonde and the rescue name Fur Love Pet Rescue *
d/b/a Personal Touch Pet Salon, 237 Stuyvesant Ave, Lyndhurst, Kim Deslonde formerly operated under Animal Rescue Team.
Reportedly obtains dogs and puppies from southern shelters and transports. Ann Marie Rice (formerly of Guardian Angels Animal Rescue) is known to purchase puppies from Pennsylvania puppy mills for resale.
No health or vaccination records, or interstate health certificates, were provided to several adopters. The town of Lyndhurst previously issued a cease & desist order to Deslonde and confirmed she is not allowed to engage in any sales or adoptions from her grooming shop, Personal Touch Pet Salon at 237 Stuyvesant Avenue, Lyndhurst, or her home in North Arlington. Puppies are delivered to potential adopters in public places or sold out of Rice's home in Kenilworth.
Paula's Dog House/
Mt. Olive, NJ / Paula Marino
Puppy “adopted” on the spot for
$300 cash at the Flanders Tractor Supply died of PARVO within 72 hours. Vet
expenses to try and save the critically ill puppy were $365. Marino says her
contract is “legally binding” and she isn’t liable for illnesses or vet bills to
treat sick puppies.
Christine Yurgel d/b/a Pound Puppy Protection Rescue, South Plainfield
After numerous adopters complained to us about sick dogs, Yurgel was reported to local officials who determined she was operating an unlicensed kennel. She was ordered to cease and desist on January 3, 2011 and is not permitted to sell/adopt any dogs from her home. Summonses were issued and Yurgel appeared in municipal court on February 9, pled guilty to operating an unlicensed dog kennel in a residential area and paid a $350 fine. Banned from PetFinder.com, she now advertises underPaws-R-Us Rescue.
