What do you do when you are looking for a new dog and you have your heart set on a certain breed? You have done your research and feel like your lifestyle is best suited to 1 or 2 types of dogs. You look online and find reputable breeders, but you still have a nagging feeling that maybe you should adopt. The statistics are staggering. Approximately 3.3 million dogs enter shelters every year across the country and about 600,000 dogs are euthanized due to overcrowding. So how can you find your new best friend while still adopting? Check out breed specific rescues!

There is a specific rescue for almost every breed of dog you can think of. They work with shelters and owners to place the dogs into foster homes and eventually permanent homes. Even if the rescue is not located in your state, many rescues have an amazing transport network to get your newly adopted pet to you. The beauty of having the rescue dogs in a foster home is that you can really get a sense of the dog’s true personality outside of the stress of an animal shelter. The foster can fill you in on what the dog does and does not tolerate and what sort of home environment would best suit them.

While you might not have a pedigree registration for your new addition, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have made a difference in the life of a needy pet.