I think the Rescue Waggin programs are excellent but unfortunately the shelters that need them most can't take advantage of them because of inability to quarantine or provide other vet care. Our group has tried to tackle some of these issues and be a bridge between shelters with nothing and reputable rescues. There seems to be a growing movement of other groups doing similar things or creating rescue consortiums to assist animals in need.
IMO the solution for my area and others like it is A. Moving dogs to other regions with less of a pet overpopulation problem and B. low cost or free spay/neuter programs that serve low income communities.
Some things that help:
1. $ for transport. We move a little around 100 animals a month using rented cargo vans and between the rentals and gas, it adds up quick. Other groups in this area with similar programs are up against the same problems
2. $ for vaccines to be sent to shelters where the county is unable to provide them. Vaccines reduce the risk of parvo and help make more transports possible. Most of the shelters in this area (outside the urban centers) provide no vet work. No vaccines, no dewormer, no emergency care. It's not that they don't want to, but they just can't.
3. Volunteers. We need them here definitely, but we wouldn't say no to some out of area folks who could help with answering emails, screening new rescues etc. Again, this is true not just of my group but a general need for more help.
4. $ for low cost spay/neuter programs in rural areas. We're working with some but more help is needed. In some of these areas the nearest vet is hours away and/or not rescue friendly. There's a group that has a mobile clinic and they're starting to work more in eastern KY which is a big help. We're currently fundraising because even their very modest fees are too much for the people who need the help most.
Some things that don't work -
1. Calling local shelters/county governments and lambasting them. With 100 places to put every penny, animals just aren't a big priority for most of these counties. When they've got kids starving, I can't fault them for that. When internet/Petfinder postings bring the county a bunch of bad press, they are far more likely to restrict the posting of their animals than spend money they don't have to change their policies. With a very few exceptions press hurts the animals far more than it helps for this reason.
2. Promoting local adoptions. In most of these areas anyone who wants a dog has 10, dogs are almost always kept outdoors, receive no vet care, and many/most of the truly rural shelters do not have spay/neuter policies so animals go out unaltered.
I'm excited to see this discussion and look forward to reading other ideas. I realize that this goes a little beyond just purebred GSDs but hopefully as dog lovers people don't mind this being more general.
