On July 28th, ACKCS Rescue Trust was notified of 2 Cavaliers in kill shelters. One had been in an outdoor run, in extreme temperatures for 10 days. He was missing an eye, had inflammation of the one remaining eye and a severe case of flea bite dermatitis. His picture haunted us all.
Thankfully, CKCSC of Southern California members helped us rescue both these dogs. Club members quickly volunteered, removing them from the shelter situations and got them to veterinarians. They found foster homes and held a fund raiser in a short amount of time. We are very appreciative of their combined efforts on behalf of the dogs.
Being notified of a Cavalier in a kill shelter is, unfortunately, not uncommon in recent months. The ACKCS Rescue Trust has taken fourteen Cavaliers from shelters within the past year. That’s three times as many as in past years. That number does not include the others we pass onto other nonprofit rescue groups because we don’t have volunteers in the geographical area the Cavalier needs help. Our few volunteers are stretched to the limit and will seemingly move mountains to rescue a Cavalier in need.
With more Cavaliers in shelters, we are often presented with dogs requiring more veterinary care. The health challenges we face with these shelter dogs are often fixable, but it means our veterinary costs have increased substantially.
In addition to the increased numbers of shelter dogs, we still are receiving many dogs surrendered by their owners. Cavaliers coming into rescue through owner surrender are victims of the economic situation, age and ability of owner, illness, relocation due to job, etc.
Sometimes you hear about the rescues we take in. Many more times you don’t. It’s always been our policy to work quietly to take care of the dogs, and we have done so for several years. We do have a new website which shows some of the dogs we’ve taken in: www.cavalierrescuetrust.org
One of the things rarely, if ever, discussed, are the owner surrender situations we work with to help the dog stay at home. Sometimes, an owner is surrendering their dog because of behavioral issues that, with some coaching from someone more experienced, can be remedied. These situations are as heartwarming as seeing a dog rescued from a shelter. There have been at least four Cavaliers within the past year, kept by their owners through the assistance of an ACKCS Rescue volunteer training the owner to modify the unwanted behavior.
Many more volunteers are needed throughout the country. We do need more foster homes, but we also need volunteers who will help transport dogs, who will confirm a dog is a Cavalier, who will coordinate rescue efforts within a region, who will do in home visits for potential adopters. We need a fund raising director and someone who will devote time to researching and writing grants as there are funds available to rescue groups.
While rescue work can sometimes be heartbreaking, volunteering with the ACKCS Rescue Trust is one of the most personally rewarding ways of giving back to the breed. It is obvious you are making a difference and the reward is almost immediate. Rescue work circumvents the politics in the fancy; it has no club barriers or personal agendas. It truly is about the dogs. Please look into your heart and see what you can do for the dogs. Rescue is everyone’s responsibility. If you cannot find the time to volunteer, then donate. Do it today for the dogs needing our help. What can be more rewarding than a happy Cavalier?
