The STCA (Scottish Terrier Club of America) Rescue program is made up of a combination of sanctioned regional clubs and independent Scottie lovers sharing their love of the breed and dedicated to helping those in need. Even though all of the regional Scottie clubs have not chosen to support rescue we currently have programs that cover most of the United States.

We still have several geographic areas that are undermanned or where programs do not exist, and we are always looking to add dedicated people to our ranks. There are advantages and some benefits to being a member of the STCA, but it is not a requirement. All rescue volunteers are expected to agree and follow the STCA Code of Ethics. This code has been approved by the STCA board of directors and is a best practices document which outlines the type of care that you would need to provide.   Are you sure you know what you’re getting into?

Before you get serious, there are several things to consider. Animal welfare is a very worthwhile effort, however, it can be time consuming, very emotional and physically exhausting. There is no end to the stream of dogs in need of help. You will see and hear disturbing examples of abuse, neglect, abandonment and disregard for life. The experience will change your perspective on things and may make you a more solemn individual. You will be asked to nurse sick dogs back to health, grow attached to them and then be asked to give them up and send them away to their adoptive homes. You may even have to make the decision to euthanize a dog. You will run the risk of being bitten by a dog you are helping. There will be out of pocket expenses for medical bills, food and other supplies needed. The dogs will need washing and grooming, daily exercise and may even need to be house trained or taken to obedience training. These activities will disrupt your household, your other pets, your personal life and your schedule. If this has not dissuaded you, please read on.

The first step is to check to see if there is already an organized Scottie Rescue group or club in your area. We have our Regional Clubs listed on the STCA website, along with all the current Rescue Coordinators (including independents), listed by state. If there is one, we highly suggest that you contact that group and volunteer to help. Please cooperate, don’t compete!!

Our Scotties-in-need are best served by giving the perception that we are a professional, unified and organized team. These groups always need help with picking up dogs from shelters and individuals, transporting them, helping get vet and grooming work done, home visits, follow-ups, and fostering. Belonging to an organized club which has a rescue committee will likely assure you have financial support for fostering rescues. Otherwise, the money you need will come from your own pocket. Other club members often pitch in and help with the many tasks also, such as grooming, and training, for example, so there are many benefits to leveraging the help from a group of  Scottie lovers.  

Where do rescues come from? Scottie rescues come from a variety of sources. Some are turned into rescue by an owner because they cannot care for the dog or the dog has some problem they cannot address. Some come to us when their owner has died or gone into a nursing home and their families cannot or will not take them in permanently. Some are from shelters – picked up as strays or turned in by their owners. Most are wonderful dogs or ‘diamonds in the rough’, and will make wonderful companions in the right hands and with their issues addressed. Sometimes a dog is turned into rescue that was originally bought from one of our own fine STCA breeders, due to circumstances beyond their control. When this happens, the breeder should be contacted first to ask if they would like their dog back or if they’d like you to re-home the dog through your rescue program. This is known as giving them first right of refusal and is a courtesy we should extend them. There are also dogs that come to us individually or in a large group from puppy mills when they close down or are closed down.  

What exactly is a puppy mill dog? Dogs that come from puppy mills are a special situation and need special care. They have been used only as breeding stock and have rarely been socialized with humans. They have often lived their entire lives in tiny, filthy cages, sometimes stacked on top of each other like suitcases in a closet. They may have been left out in the elements in extreme weather and temperatures without shelter. They will be fearful of people, not well cared for, often have many medical problems and poor nutrition. They’ve often suffered much neglect and sometimes abuse; have never known a kind word, or a gentle touch. They don’t know how to play with other dogs or toys. They often come in with little notice and in horrible condition. They will need to be cleaned up, groomed, spayed or neutered, examined for contagious diseases (including Brucellosis), as well as have a full veterinary evaluation. As with all rescues, any medical conditions should be addressed as soon as possible.  

Puppy mill Scotties usually need to be taught to live in a house, wear a collar and walk on a leash, and probably need to learn housebreaking skills. All these things will be as foreign to them as to a new puppy, although they are adults. Most will not have the curiosity or flexibility that puppies have with their new lives, and will be solemn and withdrawn. They must learn about all the sights and sounds in a home and in a neighborhood, so take it slowly! They will need special TLC to help them learn how to have a happy life.

These things won’t happen overnight, it can take weeks, months, or even years in some cases. You will need to find special, understanding people to adopt them. There are many people in our STCA rescue network with experience with these dogs. Feel free to ask them for advice. If you feel you don’t have the ability or the time to foster a puppy mill rescue properly, please ask the group or the National Scottie Rescue Coordinator if someone else can. We frequently move dogs between groups as needed. If a group of dogs is released from a puppy mill at the same time and you cannot handle them all to the best benefit of the dogs, please ask for assistance in spreading them out over the other rescue groups. Additional financial assistance may be available to help you with these extraordinary expenses from the STCA rescue trust fund. This will be explained later in more detail.

Start at the shelter level. Visit or call your local animal shelters and private rescue groups. This is usually quite difficult to do on an emotional level, as they tend to be places filled with sadness, and we cannot always offer hope. Get to know the staff, specifically their rescue coordinator and/or manager, and let them know you are interested if any Scotties come in. Some shelters will work with rescue, some will not. You will need to come to an agreement on what fees they will charge you, if any, any add-ons they will offer you at a reduced rate, and which dogs they will release to you. Some will only give you the dogs which are sick or have temperament problems. Others will only give you adoptable ones, as you know the breed best and can find them the most suitable homes, and they will euthanize the others.

You will need to decide if you can also handle Scottie mixes or similar breeds, and notify them about this decision as well. Often, applicants for Scotties will accept mixes or similar breeds too.   It will be of benefit to you to also make connections within the other breed rescue groups of those similar breeds near you, so you can all network to help each other. Leave your card and other paperwork on Scotties with them and make sure they have your contact information on file.

The STCA rescue group has pamphlets available on adopting Scotties for this purpose.   Here on the STCA website to a web page full of Scottie FAQs (frequently asked questions) and another on how to Identify A Scottie when they come into a shelter in poor condition. This page shows pictures of Scotties in various colors and before/after grooming pictures, as well as the breeds commonly mistaken for a Scottie by shelters.

Remember when dealing with shelters, private rescue groups, and owners turning in their dogs to your rescue program, that you should conduct yourself professionally and with compassion. Your actions represent not only yourself, but also the larger Scottie Rescue community, and it is important to us to maintain our fine reputation. Word gets around and people remember when you were helpful, easy to work with and reliable. They will come back to you in the future and spread the good word about you, sometimes dropping fees and providing extra services. 

Shelters will usually hold a dog for 5-10 days before releasing them for adoption or to rescue. It depends if they were an owner turn-in (they give them a chance to change their minds), a stray (they hold them to give the owners a chance to find them or to contact the owner if there are id tags or a microchip present), or if the dog bit someone (they need to hold the dog by law to see if they have rabies). That should give you the time you need to make arrangements for a dog you plan to take.

Most shelters have limited knowledge of the breed and may not have the time to adequately screen potential adopters for suitability to own a Scottie. Because you know the breed well, you are better qualified to screen and advise potential owners about the temperament and breed characteristics of the Scottie. There is a real need for a safe refuge for the homeless Scottie and caring, knowledgeable people to assure their future well being.

Before leaving the shelter with your rescue, make sure you have all the paperwork available on the dog. This would include vaccine records; spay/neuter status, any special veterinary workup done on the dog, and information on why the owner turned them in. If the dog was an owner turn-in, shelters usually have the owner complete a form with more information on the dog which would help you in placing them. This form may include information on temperament problems, if they are housebroken, specific likes/dislikes, whether the dog is good with cats, other dogs, children, and known medical problems. Sometimes the shelter can even identify the original vet’s name so you can contact them for a detailed medical history.  If this information is available, it can be really helpful and can save you time and money. It’s always worth asking, even if the shelter needs to call the vet’s office, get the records themselves, and blank out the owner’s name for privacy.

Doing rescue is not easy; there are many difficult decisions that must be made. It is hard to deal with people when you know neglect and abuse have been involved. You may get dogs that are ill with serious, even fatal diseases, and seeing them through to a dignified and caring end is not an easy task. Dogs may come in matted to the skin, covered in fleas, ticks or maggots, with mange, tumors, parasitic worms, or no hair. While you will need a strong stomach to deal with these types of issues, they do not represent a long-term issue to you or other dogs.

On the other hand, you should be aware that rescue dogs can have a contagious disease or upper respiratory infection like kennel cough, parvo, distemper or the canine influenza that might infect you or your dogs. They could have Lyme disease or other tick borne diseases. They may have behavioral problems of genetic or environmental origin, and may take several months of retraining before they can be adopted. You will need to be prepared for and protect yourself from all of these possibilities.   It’s likely that you have dogs of your own or other foster dogs in your home already. A dog coming from a shelter should be isolated from these other dogs for 10-14 days, which is the typical incubation period for these illnesses. By this point, you will know if the dog will come down with anything contagious. Take precautions! Wash your hands frequently and between touching the rescue and your other dogs. In some cases, your clothes and shoes will need to be changed in between. Germs and mites travel easily in confined quarters and you will want to prevent your other dogs, and in some cases, your human family members from catching anything.

Housing. Before you take on the responsibility of even one homeless Scottie, you will need to know where you will be housing the dog. You may have room in your own home or have another approved foster home where the Scottie will live until they are adopted. It will be helpful to have crates, X-pens, and baby gates to keep the dogs safe, quiet, and separated. They are also useful for housebreaking, if needed. You may be able to work out a discounted rescue boarding rate with your local vet or boarding kennel. It isn’t a good idea to keep the dogs crated for too long, as they need your love and attention to help them make a successful transition or recovery. The rescues should be kept in a clean, temperature controlled environment. They will need to be fed and walked on a schedule. It is recommended that you find out what the dog was previously being fed and gradually get them onto a good, easily available, and hypoallergenic food (Scotties can be very allergic). If you do this over the course of a week, it will minimize the chances of digestive upset.

Get Medical Care.  The dog will need to be seen by a qualified veterinarian as soon as possible. This examination should include a stool sample to check for worms, a heartworm test, and a Lyme disease test in areas that have ticks. The veterinarian will check the heart, lungs, teeth, gums, prostate, skin, ears, administer any vaccines that are missing or required by local ordinances and check for any unusual or abnormal masses or growths. Preventives like Frontline, Heartguard or Interceptor should be started only after the exam and/or applicable testing.

A dog over middle age or exhibiting unusual symptoms should have bloodwork done or whatever tests are indicated. Scotties have several medical issues common to the breed and this would be the way to find them out. You must have a good feel for the medical status of the dog to place them. Being truthful and upfront about any medical problems or medications that are needed will result in a more successful adoption rate and the dog receiving the care they need.   The rescues will need to be spayed or neutered before placement unless there is a health issue that needs to be considered, such as being too young, too old, too ill or poorly adjusted. It is our responsibility to prevent the dog from being exploited or accidents from producing more unwanted dogs. There may be a low cost spay or neuter clinic available in your area. You should also ask your vet if they can give you a discount for rescues you bring in for medical care. It is worth asking and can save you a good deal of money. If they will not or cannot, it is up to you to decide if the quality of medical care provided by them is worth the cost. You may also use several vets for different things, depending on their cost, availability, and specialties.  

Grooming. Arrangements should be made to have the Scottie groomed and any skin issues addressed. A Scottie who is clean, attractive, and appears like a Scottie is expected to look, will be much easier to place. This can be done professionally, you can learn to groom yourself or you may ask other skilled club members to do this for your rescues. The latter two will also help make the grooming more cost effective.

Temperament Evaluation. You will need to spend time with the dog to evaluate their behavior. Walking, playing, and getting to know them will help you decide what kind of situation will best suit them. This evaluation period is very important in finding out any issues the dog may have and what needs to be addressed before placement. A little upfront work on your part will ensure a more successful placement – a happy dog and permanent adopters – and fewer returns which are very stressful for you and other rescue workers.  

You will need to decide if you will take in dogs with a bite history. In these cases, it is really important to find out as much information as possible about the circumstances surrounding the bite incident. If children, toys, or food were involved; or if someone got in the middle of a dog fight, it may have been an accident and the dog would still be very placeable. If the dog is a fear biter, uncontrollably aggressive, or exhibits unpredictable behavior, you may still be able to retrain them over time. Neutering can also help take the wind out of the sails of a male dog. You will need a great deal of experience or more likely some professional assistance to be able to successfully rehabilitate a dog with bad behavior tendencies.  If you cannot handle the situation, you should ask others within the STCA rescue network if anyone is in a position to do so. You may make the decision to humanely euthanize the dog. Please try all other options before considering this option.

Liability. Liability is one of the most serious issues facing a rescue organization. Check that your club has a current liability insurance policy. Your homeowners insurance probably will not cover an incident related to your rescue activities. Placing even one dog who bites or seriously hurts someone could result in a civil liability suit that would stop you personally and your club in your tracks, and prevent you from being in a position to help other dogs in need. Consider this carefully. Always have adopters sign a liability waiver as part of the adoption contract.

Forms.  There are several forms that rescuers use to try to make the process as legal as possible and limit liability. This would also be the place to add in requirements, such as preventives, that the dog should come back to rescue if the new owner can no longer keep them, that they should never be left to run off leash unless in a fenced yard, etc. These forms include owner turn-in/relinquishment, meet & greet, unowned dog release, liability waivers, and adoption contracts. These forms are available to you from a combination of our rescue website and/or sample forms from our rescue colleagues which are freely shared. These are important tools in protecting you, the dog, and the adopter, and should be signed as part of the adoption process.

The adoption process itself is a very important part of rescue. Our ultimate goal is to place the dog in a loving, caring, and permanent home which is safe and comfortable, addresses their special needs and where all family members are happy to have them as a part of their family. You can find adopters via word of mouth, returning past adopters, listing yourself on the STCA rescue website, taking out newspaper ads, or posting your dogs on Petfinder.com. Have potential adopters complete a rescue application form   – there is one available on the STCA website or you can use your own. This will give you details on their contact information, preferences and home environment. It will tell you what other pets they have or had and what happened to them. That will give you an idea of what you could expect to happen to a rescue you might give them. Call their vet’s office and see the kind of care they provide(ed) to their other pets and if there are any notations in their records of problems like missed appointments, turning down recommended procedures or medication, difficulty making payment or nonpayment of bills. Call their personal references listed to get an idea of the kind of care others perceive they will provide your rescue or have provided in the past.

It’s not always what you would expect! From what is written on the application, you should be able to tell if they are a good match for your rescue’s individual needs. You can call or email them to present the dog you have available for adoption. Be honest and complete with them about the dog’s needs, background, medical status and any behavioral issues. Tell them about your adoption process and fees. If they decide they are interested, set up a home visit before having them meet the dog, to see where the dog would be living. It should be a safe and comfortable environment and as described in the application form. Check that there are no openings in fencing if they are going to be allowed to run free in the yard. Meet all family members or people living in the adoptive home, so you will know if everyone is onboard with this adoption. See how happy, friendly and clean other family pets appear.

Rescues should never be placed in homes where they are left outdoors unattended for long periods of time, where they will be kept as outdoor only pets, where they can be left unattended by unfenced swimming pools (Scotties swim like bricks), or where they will be left to run free unattended. It should be noted that Scotties as a breed, are typically not good with young children or cats, and sometimes even with other dogs, so these things should be tested before placing them in homes that have them. Many of us will not take that chance with a rescue of unknown background. Once all the screening is completed and you have a good feeling about the applicants, let them meet the dog. If they have other dogs, have the people meet first to see if they like the rescue, then bring in the other dog(s) to meet your rescue. This should be done on neutral territory, preferably outdoors outside their own yard, to minimize territorial or protective behaviors Scotties can exhibit. With all dogs on leash, they can be easily and quickly pulled back if there are aggression problems between them.

If all goes well and they want to proceed with the adoption, have them sign the paperwork and make any donations towards the bills you incurred for this rescue while they were in your care. Make sure they get copies of those forms so they will know what they agreed to and who to contact in case of a problem, or if they need information or advice, now or in the future.

Give them copies of all the medical records you have on this dog, and any medication and instructions needed. Give them any toys or beds that will help make their transition easier. Identify and send along some of the food they were eating with instructions on the quantity they are eating, what times they are being fed, and any treats they are accustomed to having. Tell them about their walking and elimination schedules to make it easier for the new owners to follow.

Follow up with a call within the next day or two and several subsequent calls or visits to make sure the adoption is successful and everyone is happy. They are now part of your Scottie Rescue family, so be a resource for them.

Adoption Fees or Donations . Unless you are independently wealthy or working on a rescue grant, you will need to ask for adoption donations or fees to help towards covering the necessary medical care, grooming, and food bills for your rescues when they are in your care. Adoption fees and other donations to your rescue program will help reimburse your expenses, and add to your own rescue fund for future rescues. These donations, typically given at adoption time, should not be so high as to make it appear you are selling the dog for profit or to make it out of reach for a fine adoptive family. Some adjust the donation amount based on the dog’s age, need for providing continuing expensive medical care for the dog, or difficulty in finding the right home for a difficult dog.

You may find you need to do fund raising. Our group can be very helpful to you in this respect, as many do yearly or periodic fund raisers of all sorts. There are raffles, parades, silent auctions, as examples of a few ideas. Some get very creative and sell items on the web or on EBAY. You should also consider making your group or yourself a tax exempt entity, which has many financial benefits and safeties. Several others in the rescue network have already completed required paperwork on their own and can help guide you through it. It can take several months of waiting after being filed, so prepare in advance. If you are part of a regional club or have a rescue grant, then you may have all you need.

The STCA may be able to assist you with extraordinary expenses incurred for a rescue dog. All you would need to do is submit the bills, your financial status, and an explanation to the STCA Rescue Trust Fund for their consideration. These monies would come out of the Rescue Trust Fund - donations the STCA members and other Scottie lovers have made to help Scotties in need.

Final Note:    Remember, the life of this rescue Scottie is in your hands! Take the time and make the effort to do the very best you can to make sure they have the love and proper care they need and a wonderful new life this time around!!