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The Rescuers

Breed rescuing takes on a life of its own



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By Jean S. Dunning
SPECIAL TO THE HERALD NEWS



When Linda and Randy Gondek of unincorporated Lockport said yes to helping a friend by temporarily housing and finding homes for two Siberian Huskies, they never imagined it would lead to running a Siberian Husky rescue.

"At the time, we had two mutts of our own, so we weren't looking to keep the dogs," said Linda Gondek. "I tried the Siberian Husky Club of Greater Chicago, but they didn't do rescue at the time. I turned to the local newspaper, and in the meantime, one of the dogs got out, ending up at Will County Animal Control. I contacted them, even brought the dog food. But there was a mistake, and a card with an X was accidentally put on the cage. The X meant the dog was to be put down . . . It was a terrible, terrible, accident."

Gondek placed the other Husky with a Romeoville family and founded "Homes for Huskies." Her first official rescue came with a call to a "Husky free to a good home" ad in the paper.

That was nine years and 200 Siberian Huskies ago.

Since then, Gondek has put 18-foot kennel runs in her acre and a half yard and now houses 10 Siberian Huskies. Three of the dogs are up for adoption, and seven (some with special needs ranging from blindness to seizures) of them she calls her own.

Foster parents


Kari Bus of Plainfield Township is the president and co-founder of German Shepherd Rescue of Northern Illinois. This 31-year-old Joliet Police Department dispatcher was not even aware of rescues until five years ago when she inadvertently noticed a rescue Web site on the back of the American Kennel Club paper work she was filling out for Charlie, a German Shepherd she bought from a breeder.

"There were all these wonderful dogs on the Web site. I started donating money to them. The president (from Skokie-based) German Shepherd Rescue Incorporated e-mailed asking me to foster. I did and enjoyed it, so I did it again a few more times."

Bus said she fostered 20 Shepherds and eventually adopted one of them — Shelbie.

In April, Bus and fellow rescue volunteer Stephanie Fischer opened German Shepherd Rescue of Northern Illinois. Bus said they have six board members; numerous other committee members; her husband, Kevin, as treasurer; and four foster homes, "but we need lots more."

Dobermans


For Andy Ivanicky of Joliet, the director of Joliet Township Animal Control, rescuing Doberman Pinchers became a passion in 1991 when a Dobe found its way into Animal Control.

"It was a Blue Doberman," said Ivanicky. "It is called that because of its steel blue coloring. A fireman rescued it from the Des Plains river ... someone had just dumped it into the river."

Ivanicky found a home for the Dobe and a new "hobby" for himself — rescue work.

"Little by little, I became more active with Dobe Rescue," said Ivanicky, who helped to establish Illinois Doberman Rescue Plus two years ago. The rescue now has 25 volunteers and has placed about 100 dogs. They also assist in Wisconsin, Northwest Indiana and parts of Ohio.

While Ivanicky has a special place in his heart for Dobes, he is on the constant watch for dogs for four "all breed" rescues and more than 20 specific breed rescues.

Bloodhounds


Elizabeth Dunn of Braidwood came across Midwest Bloodhound Rescue, Inc. three years ago when she found herself having to give up her own Bloodhound.

"I loved the dog but could no longer take care of it. I just wasn't financially prepared. I wasn't prepared at all ... I hadn't done my research. When you think of blood hound and you think of the lazy porch dog like (Duke) on 'Beverly Hillbillies' (CBS 1962-71), they aren't like that at all.

"They are high energy dogs, fence jumpers, climbers who's slobber could glue together the space shuttle ... they need a lot of grooming," Dunn said. "I love the breed. They are great, but they are a lot of work. ... Every day, you have to clean the ears, the mouth, the eyes, etc."

Dunn's dog was placed. But her story didn't end there. Ironically, Dunn became such good friends with the volunteers at the rescue that she began fostering for them.

"I've fostered eight in all," Dunn said. "It has taught me so much about the breed. I think it would be great if everyone looking for a dog could foster first."

Dunn said fostering gave her a new affection and tolerance for the breed. So much that in November she adopted one, Daisy, from them.

According to Carroll Imig, the Bureau Chief at the Bureau of Animal Welfare for the Illinois Department of Agriculture, 173 licenced animal shelters and 440 individual foster homes are in Illinois.

In Will and Grundy counties, 11 licensed shelters and 17 foster homes exist. These shelters include humane societies and individual rescue groups. While these numbers do include shelters for more than just dogs, Imig said the majority are breed dog rescues.

To know them is to love them


But, why specific breed rescues rather than just all breed rescues?

To know the breed is to love the breed, said Gondek about her Huskies, Bus about her Shepherds, Ivanicky about his Dobes and, yes, Dunn about her bloodhounds.

As numerous the roads which have led individual rescue volunteers to a rescue, so it is with the dogs. And, Gondek said, in spite of popular belief, most rescued dogs are not abused or even unloved animals. In fact, 90 percent are turned in for behavioral problems — many owners in tears.

But the behavior problems are not always the dog's.

"It usually comes down to a lack of communication between the human and the dog. Or, the owner just doesn't know the breed good enough. There are specific traits that go with specific breeds, good ones and bad ones," Gondek said.

Gondek uses her Huskies as an example.

"You can teach something to a Golden Retriever and have him practice it a hundred times, and he will come back asking to do it a hundred and one. Now a Husky, he will do it a few times, and then if you keep asking him to do it, he will ignore you," she said. "It isn't that he is stupid and doesn't know the trick. He knows the trick ... knows you know he knows the trick ... and really can't be bothered with it anymore."

Dunn said sometimes the problem is the owner's inconsistency with rules.

"Dogs are pack animals. They look for a leader in the pack ... they look for rules and consistency," Dunn said. "If they don't see a leader, they assume that role themselves."

"When people look to adopt or purchase a dog, they see a cute puppy and run out and buy it. They don't do the research, try and understand the breed ... what jobs it was specifically bred for," said Ivanicky.

He said these in-bred characteristics are a part of the animal and don't always fit into our "vision" of what the animal should behave like.

'Disney Effect'


Gondek calls what Ivanicky described the "Disney Effect." You see a cute dog on a Disney movie or somewhere, and you think the breed actually acts like that. It boils down to fact verses fantasy.

With so many rescues, so many full breed dogs looking for homes, why do people still go to the pet store or breeders?

Some do it because they don't know enough about breed rescues to know it is an option. Some want to get "show dogs," and others want puppies because no one has screwed them up ...

"Yet," said Gondek with an experienced sigh.

She knows too well that a good amount of these puppies will someday end up at her rescue. And she stresses the definite benefits in adopting an adult dog over a puppy.

"With an adult dog, what you see is what you get," said Gondek. "With a puppy, the personality and temperament has yet to surface."

Gondek said many things pet owners deal with in the puppy stage are already dealt with in adult dogs.

No matter where people get their dogs, all four rescue volunteers beg customers to do their research, know the breed and remember getting a dog is a 10- to 15-year commitment.


02/15/04