What is Rescue?

Wisconsin Sheltie rescue is a volunteer group. Educating the public about the Shetland Sheepdog breed and finding new homes for displaced shelties are two of its purposes. Wisconsin Sheltie Rescue was founded by accident in 1995 by Lisa Martin. A former roommate dumped a sheltie at her door and being totally ignorant of the breed, she checked out the Internet for information that would educate her on shelties. Through email, she met Dorothy Christiansen, national rescue coordinator, who started her with some guidelines and continues to mentor her today.
The WSR network now includes adopters in Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and Virginia. Approximately 300 people who have adopted, are waiting to adopt or just share a genuine love of the breed, receive the monthly WSR newsletter.
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Where do rescue dogs come from?

Rescue dogs come from a variety of circumstances and places. Some are from shelters, having arrived as strays or owner-surrenders. The reasons they need new homes vary, but often we hear statements such as:
"We have no time for a dog."
"We're Moving."
"A family member is allergic to the dog."
"The dog does not get along well with children."

Approximately 20 percent of the shelties that come to WSR are puppies, 30 percent are between 1 and 5 years old, 30 percent are 6 to 10 years old and 20 percent are over the age of 10. It is WSR's belief that there is a permanent home for every sheltie, regardless of its age.
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Where are the dogs located?

Sheltie rescue has members and foster homes nationwide. If there is no available dog in your area, transportation is often possible from a neighboring state.
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How do you know the dogs are healthy and will make good pets?

Every dog in foster care is temperamentally and medically screened to insure placing of only sound, healthy dogs.
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Aren't rescue dogs usually abused or neglected, making them dangerous?

Most rescue dogs are the result of bad decisions, being acquired with insufficient preparation and research. As for those that HAVE been abused or neglected, many new owners tell us the dogs seem to understand their good fortune and respond by demonstrating an especially attentive and loving attitude.
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What happens if I adopt a dog, but can't keep it?

Sheltie rescue takes the time and effort to match people with dogs, usually resulting in lifelong placements. If a dog does not work out in his new home, the dog MUST be returned to sheltie rescue, and the full adoption fee will be refunded. (ed – Lisa has a natural ability to match dogs with families. If this natural ability were of value to a professional sports team, Lisa would be a gazillionaire!).
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How much does it cost to adopt a rescue dog?

Our cost to spay/neuter a dog, vaccinate it, and test/treat for heartworm can be several hundred dollars. However, the adoption fees are strictly based on age, not on how much the dog has cost the program.
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Why can't I breed my rescue dog?

The fact that there are dogs for us to rescue, and more being put to sleep daily in shelters across this nation, attests that there are too many dogs already being bred. This is why all rescue dogs are already spayed/neutered prior to placement.
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Are there different styles of shelties?

There is only one breed of sheltie, although they do come in various colors and sizes, due to different breeding. There is no such thing as a mini-collie or mini-sheltie!
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Are shelties good with children?

No dog is born to be bad with children. However, some breeds are more tolerant than others. A sheltie is a very smart dog and in turn, not as tolerant as other breeds might be. Our current policy is to not adopt to families with children under four years of age, but exceptions are sometimes made in special circumstances.
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How do I adopt a sheltie?

The first step is to fill out an adoption application and submit it to WSR. After your application is reviewed and approved, you will be notified when an appropriate dog is available. You will be asked to sign a contract when you adopt a dog from Sheltie Rescue. We require that all dogs be house dogs.
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