About Breed Specific Rescue

Excerpt from July 2011 President's Letter by Beth Bauer

Have you ever wondered why breed specific rescues exist?  I get that question often, both in regard to why OBG "only" rescues cockers when there are so many homeless dogs and why I choose to spend my volunteer hours that way.  My reaction used to be a lighthearted “Have you seen their cute faces?!” but now it's a question I welcome because it is a great segue into telling them all the wonderful aspects of OBG!

• We’re very proud that we take in many spaniel mixes and “honorary” cockers as well.  Plus, any time we pull a cocker from the shelter, that helps free up space to give another dog more time to find adoption or rescue.
• And speaking of the shelters … we love all dogs. Love them! So having a more narrow focus helps us come back from the animal shelter with one dog instead of say, ten!
• Being a cocker rescue helps all our volunteers become familiar with the breed’s characteristics so we can represent the dogs’ needs accurately to adopters.
• Adopters who have settled on a cocker as their breed have to look no further; we probably have the perfect cocker for them.
• As a general rule, cockers are very social and love to be with their people, so adopters willing to make their cocker “part of the family” are our kind of people.
• We also have to educate folks that cockers are a sporting breed, so have a moderate to high energy level (yes, there are exceptions!)
• Cockers’ physical needs are not for the faint of heart. Those beautiful ears and flowing coats need constant upkeep, including regular grooming and ear cleaning.
• Being a breed-specific rescue also helps us find foster homes. Some foster homes have space limitations and, with an average weight of 25 lbs, most of our wigglebutts – even honoraries - fit the bill!

So the next time someone asks why you “only” rescue cockers, take a deep breath, smile and tell them there’s really much more to it!