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The Newfoundland Dog and Newf-L F.A.Q.

9. Rescuing a Newf

• 9.1 Do you really need a puppy?

OK, so you're looking to get a dog for whatever reason. Hey - you've decided you would like a Newf. Maybe you already have a Newf, and you would like another. Some of us actually enjoy drool and hair. One Newf's worth of slobbery wet hairballs is never enough.

But I digress...

If you are getting a Newf, do you really need a puppy? Puppies are a lot of work, cost a lot of money, suck up a lot of your time, and ruin a lot of your carpets.

Wouldn't it be great if you could adopt a full grown Newf in need of a home? Great news! You can - but there can be some pretty serious catches. Read on.

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• 9.2 What is Newf Rescue?

Newf Rescue or more accurately The Newfoundland Rescue Network, is a network of caring people that take in, care for, and eventually re-home Newfoundland dogs in need of such services.

Newfs are big dogs with a lot of drawbacks (drool, hair, cost etc.). Some people buy Newfs with great intentions, then end up in situations where they cannot keep their Newf anymore. Other people are just stupid or heartless and abuse or neglect their wonderful Newfs. There are still other reasons why Newfs end up in rescue. Usually the first owner was not the kind of person that should have kept a Newf.

In any case where a Newfoundland is in need of a new home, Newf Rescue tries to get involved. Newf Rescue takes in the Newf and places him in a foster home. While the dog recovers and is appraised for placement, people on the Newf Rescue waiting list for that area are considered as new homes for this Newf in need.

If you want to rescue a Newf, be prepared for an even more rigorous questioning than if you were to go to a breeder. These dogs are special and in need of extra love, devotion and time. Only the most special Newf people are usually allowed to rescue a Newf.

Rescue Newfs seem to know you have rescued them, and people report them giving even more love than normal (If that's possible for a Newf). On the downside, many rescue dogs are in need of serious medical attention. Some have seizures, some have been in car accidents, some are malnourished, the list goes on and on.

Understand also that it can take many months for a rescued Newf to exibit his "normal" personality. He's been wrenched from his home, and he's scared. He needs time to adjust. Please keep that in mind.

Simply put, rescue is not the way to get a "cheap" Newfie.

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• 9.3 What is a Newf foster home?

Just like with humans, a Newf in need of rescue needs a place to live until a suitable new home can be found. Newf foster homes are homes of very special people that keep these dogs under their own roofs, feeding, grooming and aiding them, often out of their own pockets, until a new owner is located.

Being a foster home is no small undertaking. Newfs introduced into foster homes often come from troubled pasts. They may have infectious diseases or aggression problems, and some may not even survive or must be destroyed.

The emotional, physical and financial strains on a Newf foster home may be great. The rewards are often even greater. Well maybe not the financial ones, but I bet it's heartwarming to see a Newf you've nursed back to health get a great new home.

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• 9.4 Who is the Newf rescue contact in my area?

Good for you! Rescuing a Newf is quite a noble undertaking. It is also one that should not be taken lightly. If you know of a Newf in need of rescue, then thank you for being a good person and looking for the right place for him to go.

For information on the Newfoundland Club of America's rescue program, check out the http://www.ncarescue.org/ where you will find the official Rescue contacts. This person can give you more information regarding rescue.

If you decide on rescue, be prepared to be grilled by the rescue contact. These dogs need a good home, not someone that will give them up again or use them for breeding. Rescue people are very committed to these animals, and will only let them go to the best homes. After all, these special Newfs deserve only the best.

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• 9.5 There's a Newf puppy in my local pet store. What do I do?

Don't buy it.

I know, you're thinking that buying that poor puppy who is languishing in the pet store cage day after day will save him from his plight. Maybe, but consider this:

Puppies in pet stores usually come from puppy mills. Puppy mills sell product, not pets. If you buy that puppy, they will replace her with another puppy. It's the law of supply and demand. By buying that puppy, you increase the demand, therefore telling the puppy mill to increase the supply.

The best thing you can do for a Newf puppy in a pet store is to call your local Newf Rescue contact. Rescue people are well versed in how to deal with these problems, and have packets of information ready to be given to pet stores and potential owners.

If you cannot locate a rescue representative in your area, post a message to Newf-L or on Newf.Net. Or you can drop me a note. We'll find someone, believe me.

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• 9.6 There's a Newf in my local shelter. What do I do?

A Newf in a shelter is a different story than a Newf in a pet store.

A Newf in a shelter needs to be either rescued or adopted. If you are not in the position to adopt him, then find out if the shelter destroys animals that do not get homes. While Newfs in shelters always get attention from Rescue, Newfs in Kill Shelters get priority attention and deservedly so.

Once again, you should call your local rescue contact. Can't find one? Post a message to Newf-L or Newf.Net, or drop me a note. In an emergency, someone will get there fast.

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