Houston Cocker Spaniel Rescue

2020 Houston Cocker Spaniel Rescue – Happy Endings – New Beginnings

2020 has been a different year in our rescue. We will soon be closing our intake and slowly phasing out of rescue.

To begin, we have taken in fewer dogs than in previous years, which can partly be attributed to Covid-19 as well as other factors. Many shelters have changed their policies, and dogs are placed for adoption to the general public prior to being permitted to be secured by rescues. With our breed, in the greater Houston area, young cockers are often adopted out from a shelter, whereas in the past, owner surrenders in particular could leave with a rescue on intake. Those dogs are also offered first to the general public. Those that are left are older and usually much less adoptable due to age and health issues or a younger dog that has a high cost existing health issue. Although most of these dogs have been saved by either another rescue or a kind cocker lover, it is difficult for a smaller rescue to intake senior dogs or medical dogs and not become a sanctuary. They are more likely to stay in foster care forever or are extremely costly to help. This endeavor requires numerous fosters in a rescue to care for them until they pass away or who can meet the various needs and extended stay of a medical dog prior to adoption. Unfortunately, we do not have enough fosters to do either. Over the years we have taken in many seniors and have been able to secure homes for them; however, they have been relatively healthy dogs for the most part or the cost of their care has been manageable. In addition, the core of our rescue is aging, and it takes a lot of energy to run a rescue. Some have health issues which limit their energy. There is a lot of work in rescue that goes on behind the scene. We have placed more than 600 dogs in forever homes in the nine years of our existence, some came from as far south as the border of Mexico, and others from as far away as Egypt and South Korea. We are happy that we have helped many dogs with a variety of behavior issues, even if it took professional training, and they have all managed to find their special forever home when the perfect applicant came along. We have seen many different specialists with our dogs and secured the best medical care for them. We have met the medical and care needs of our forever fosters with whatever they required until they could go on no more. We were there for them to the moment they went to the rainbow bridge. The goal was always to give each dog a chance with whatever it needed to be saved and to properly place dogs, no matter how long it took to get their happily ever after. We have adopted dogs to people from all over the United States, and in the last few years we have increased our rescue’s awareness and our followers from fewer than 1500 to 6500.

How have we achieved so much? The answer is through the help of many over the years. We could not have done it without the financial and material donations we have received from our supporters who have admired our work. They have enabled us to support the medical and behavioral needs of the dogs to whom we committed. We can’t adequately thank all of them and many others who contributed to a posted dog’s medical needs when a special plea went out for help. We have done it through the help of our committed and experienced fosters, who take on the dogs with more severe medical and behavioral needs, as well as others who fostered for us and then perhaps found a perfect fit for their family. We have done it through those who have helped us at adoption events and those who have adopted seniors to give them a loving home simply because they are special adopters. We also must not forget the vets who have serviced our dogs. There are countless ways to help save an animal, and it truly takes a village.

Rescue does not usually abruptly end. We will continue to facilitate the needs of other cocker rescues and offer helpful information to any rescue, adopter, or person that may ask. We will keep our 501c3 open and active to service the needs of those dogs currently in rescue and our forever fosters. There will come a time when we become inactive, but that time is not now.

In closing, we wish you a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season and a New Year with Special Blessings. You have contributed in many ways over the years to help us run a reputable rescue and to save so many dogs that are in their loving forever homes today. For this we are most thankful.

Dogs for Adoption:

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2020 Houston Cocker Spaniel Rescue – Happy Endings – New Beginnings

Stephen Smith

Wrigley

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