Many dog owners admire the unique looks and personalities of purebreds, but also worry about the fate of millions of pets euthanized each year. What many people don't realize is that there are specific breed rescue organizations for almost every breed of dog, placing dogs in need to new homes. Dogs aren't the only lucky recipients of this type of attention! Purebred cat rescues exist, as well as rabbit rescues, horse groups and even organizations devoted to rescuing exotic pets such as turtles and other reptiles.

Rescue groups are an invaluable resource in the on-going battle to keep millions of pets from being euthanized. With armies of volunteers, these organizations not only rescue their specific breed from shelters and other situations, but also provide them with medical care. In many cases, these dogs are rescued just days - even hours - before euthanasia is scheduled.

Patricia Humphries, a board member with the Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue says the success of rescue groups is due in part to their method of pairing dogs with owners. With a breed rescue, both dogs and applicants are carefully screened to help find the right match between an individual dog and its new family.

Many of the millions of pets found in shelters each year are repeat surrenders. Behavior issues, medical problems, or lack of knowledge keeps these pets returning. In breed rescues, the overall goal is to find each and every dog its forever home. Compared to shelters, breed rescues have high success rates placing dogs in lasting homes. By evaluating the dog's personality and thoroughly screening the potential owners, rescue groups have become proficient at matching the right dog to the right person. In addition, education about the breed before the adoption and strong follow-up support after adoption helps new owners through this transition period. Care should be taken when looking for a breed rescue. Look for an organized rescue with a good website that is updated regularly. The rescue should have 501c3 non-profit status and a set adoption process. Humphries stresses patience when adopting from a breed rescue. Expect to fill out an application, provide references and have a home check done. In most cases, a good rescue organization may take one to three weeks for the entire adoption process.

New owners should expect to pay an adoption fee or donation, ranging from $100 up to $500. Ultimately, these groups are all non-profit. Adoption donations and fees allow the rescues to provide continued care for their foster animals and reach out to more dogs in need.

Dogs aren't the only lucky recipients of this type of attention! Purebred cat rescues exist, as well as rabbit rescues, horse groups and even organizations devoted to rescuing exotic pets such as turtles and other reptiles.

If you want to acquire a new purebred pet, consider saving a life as well! Look for a breed rescue in your area. An easy way to find rescues is to search for your breed on the Internet. Go to Google.com and type your breed into the search box along with "rescue" and your state. Check out www.petfinder.com and www.akc.org as well.

Rescue Groups- Finding Forever Families

• Purebred rescue groups search for and remove their specific breeds from shelters. Sometimes, the animals are saved just days or hours before euthanasia.
• These dedicated groups are focused on matching the right pet to the right owner. They want to find each pet their "forever home".
• Some people think that rescue groups only get pets with behavioral or medical problems. But, the truth is many young healthy pets end up in rescue as well.
• Prospective adopters should prepare themselves for a lengthy application and interview process when dealing with rescue groups.
• Because of their commitment to finding the right home for the pet, rescue groups might require a home visit prior to adoption. This is in addition to numerous interviews.
• Because of their devotion, breed rescue groups often have higher success rates at placing pets than most shelters.
• These groups are all non-profit organizations and rely on donations and adoption fees to continue their work to save pets.
• Rescue groups exist for dogs, cats, horses, and even exotic pets.