If you were going to start a rescue?

[CassandGunnar]

What are the 10 most important things to know or that are needed to start a rescue.
My wife and I have both recently retired and have an overall goal of beginning a GSD rescue in our area. (MN)
We have started out by volunteering and fostering with a rescue in our area. I have gotten more involved in the entire adoption process, screening applications, home visits and coordinating meet and greets, etc.
We've also helped with a few transports and intakes.

This is a longer term goal, I know we're nowhere near ready to start yet. Part of our plan is to move from our current home to a small hobby farm set-up just so we have more room. (The hobby farm was always going to happen, with our without the dog rescue)

We want to spend more time working with the rescue, we're both learning a lot and have met a lot of great people and I know there are some very experienced rescue people on this forum and I'm hoping to pick up some good advice and "do this right the first time".

We've looked into what we need to do to obtain non-profit status and we're ready to move that direction, when the time comes. (I have a brother who started his career as a tax/business accountant and still works in the field) and we have some close friends that foster for a different rescue who are both attorneys. She's a business lawyer and he does criminal defense and they're all willing to help us out/volunteer.

Thanks for the help.

[Mac's Mom]

Wow. That is fantastic. I fantasize about having a rescue and/or sanctuary some day. I'm sure you'll get some great advice.

One thought I had is to recruit college interns to help work the rescue.

[gsdraven]

I don't have 10 right now but I would say #1 is a good insurance policy followed by a cheap lawyer to offer guidance on contracts and forms to become 501(c)3/non profit. Well, I guess #1 is cash but let's assume you have that!

[LaRen616]

I am not sure where to start or what to do in the rescue department but I want to say that you are on the right track and I love that you want to start your own rescue! I know how much you love your dogs and fosters and I think you will have a great rescue!

Thank you for wanting to do this and thank you for all the lives you will save!

[Mac's Mom]

Originally Posted by LaRen616

I am not sure where to start or what to do in the rescue department but I want to say that you are on the right track and I love that you want to start your own rescue! I know how much you love your dogs and fosters and I think you will have a great rescue!

Thank you for wanting to do this and thank you for all the lives you will save!

what she said

[CassandGunnar]

Originally Posted by gsdraven

I don't have 10 right now but I would say #1 is a good insurance policy followed by a cheap lawyer to offer guidance on contracts and forms to become 501(c)3/non profit. Well, I guess #1 is cash but let's assume you have that!

I never have ENOUGH cash (it seems like), but I get what you mean. I think I've got the lawyer thing covered for now. She's preached the insurance thing as well, but I haven't really done a lot of research on that yet.
I want a place to run it out of, but don't want it to be a shelter based rescue. I think I want to go the foster route, I believe that's the best way. I'm hoping that we can find a place with some acreage so we have some options. I know that I don't want to have to rent space in a business complex, way too expensive for the square footage you get.
The rescue we volunteer with now does this but they also have a vet clinic attached to them that they own/operate to help offset costs and it gives them access to treatment. They use MNSNAP for low cost spay/neuters. I figured we could do something similar and we could put up a small building/pole barn to help save the costs. I don't know about doing the vet thing but I'd be willing to look into it.
Our current vet is willing to work with us on some stuff, but her partner just retired and she's trying to find another vet to work with her. Right now she's running the entire practice on her own.

I know we're a little ways off yet, but I like to be as prepared for stuff as I can and I figure anything I can get going now is one less headache when the time comes. Plus, if something falls in our lap, I'd like to be ready to move on it.

[DJEtzel]

I'm gonna take Jamie's and add to it... imo.. these are some of the most important. I may be forgetting something more important..

In no specific order-
-Money
-Vets willing to work with you. If they're going to be charging you the same price as everyone else, you won't make it.
-An Attorney/Lawyer.
-Foster homes, and lots of 'em. That are screened and checked of course. Please don't make them spueter their pets if they're responsible. I got that all the time when Frag was intact and couldn't help out. (use best judgement there)
-Budget/limit. Don't get in over your head, you can't save them all from the start, but can build up to that point.
-Website. While it's easy to give a card out with your number, not everyone wants to bother you with silly questions when you've got better things to do anyway. This can show your adoption policies, fostering policies, pictures/bios of adoptable dogs, etc.
-seperate bank accounts for the rescue, for expenses and donations, etc.
-Patience. You're an ex cop... restrain your urge to shoot people.
-A whelping room. I'm sure you will take in more than 1 pregnant GSD in your time doing rescue. Not many foster homes will know how to take care of a whelping bitch or raise the pups and this will get put on you or no one in most cases. A seperate quiet room for the bitch will help ensure a stress-free delivery.
-Advertisment. You will spend money on this, and it will be worth it. Radio stations love featuring dogs & running segments. You will get more donations by FAR. Both physical and monetary.

GOOD LUCK RANDY. Do you want to make this a state-only thing, or a tri-state, region, etc. thing? I'd love to help out with anything I could from over here in little ole' Michigan. I really want to open a small rescue some day as well, only thing stopping me right now is time and money.

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

I will send this around to people. There is a listing in this section on what to look for in a rescue that might help to get some good ideas.

I am a happy volunteer, would not want to run my own group, but am happy for people who do and who want to have good systems.

Having consistent policies and procedures, while viewing each dog and applicant as in individual is a great thing.

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Got an email back from a huge rescue supporter and very smart lady!

1. You are going to be in the red. Even vets running rescues are in the red. There will be more veterinary costs than you ever thought possible, because rescue dogs are exposed to the worst possible hazards and have often been neglected, consequently having immune systems that can’t stand up to what’s thrown at them.
2. Since you are going to be in the red, start small. Help a few dogs and see how it goes.
3. Get an ARMS’ LENGTH Board of Directors who can act as your sanity check.
4. Write everything down before you start – the Terms of Reference for your rescue, foster contracts, adoption guidelines, adoption contracts, procedures for doggy intake, everything. Then stick to your procedures.
5. Do all the legal stuff before you start – get incorporated, get your non-profit status. It will give you credibility. Work on 501c3 status, because that will help with donation.
6. Have clear rules for your volunteers and develop your negotiating skills without compromising your principles. Your focus should be on the dogs, not on squabbles among rescuers.
7. Have clear lines of communication with your adopters and ensure they know what’s expected of them.
8. Stand behind your dogs. That means being willing and able to enforce the terms of the adoption contract if necessary.
9. Learn how to say “NO” and mean it.
10. Give yourself some breathing space every now and then so you don’t burn out – the dogs need you to be well.

[CassandGunnar]

Great advice....those are getting printed and put in the file.

Danielle - Got a website/host/e-mail server already lined up and it will be next to free. I have the set-up for my own server to do the hosting and e-mail domain and one of my closest friends is and IT genius. (We works as the Law Enforcement Information Services head at the County I worked for - we've been friends for almsot 30 years) I can already do most of what I need to do on my own so I don't think that will be a problem. I suck at designing web sites but I'll worry about getting that done later.
I know I'm not allowed to shoot people......but can I still choke them?
I'd like to eventually go outside of MN, there just aren't as many GSD's here and I see SO many of them in other State, especially the south. We'd like to get to the point where we can pull them get them to fosters, etc. here. That's probably in the second phase of the plan because I know that involves a lot more coodination and transport. I think we'd get things going here at first and then move on to that.
Jean - AWESOME guide. I'm hoping not to get in over my head right away. That was one of the main reasons we've decided to volunteer for a while and get some experience.