Cries for help in rescuing animals are continuous. With pregnant strays, owner surrenders, abandoned and unwanted pups and adults, rescues and shelters are bursting at the seams with rescued and adoptable animals. Despite heroic efforts made by organizations all across Canada, the numbers of animals in need never seems to decrease. Vacancies in rescues and shelters are a rare and seldom thing as there is always one more dog or cat (and other adorable critters) in need of assistance.

Northern communities are especially overpopulated with stray and unowned dogs. There are probably enough animals within our own provinces to keep rescue groups and animal shelters fully occupied and focused for the unforeseeable future. Why then, are some organizations crossing borders to rescue animals from other countries? This is indeed a hot topic in the rescue community and not everyone is in favor of saving animals that are not Canadian born.

Why exactly are animals from abroad being rescued when there is plenty of work still to be done right here at home? When it comes to rescuing an animal in need, how far is too far to go?

There are as many people vehemently opposed to cross border rescue efforts as there are people doing the actual rescuing. Are there pros and cons to this extension of the rescue "business"? Of course there are. Should it be stopped and, is that really up to the general public to decide?

In order to assist our readers to grasp both sides of a somewhat confusing and emotional topic, The Pack Project has deeply researched both sides of international animal rescue efforts. With our own volunteer rescue group numbering close to 100 strong, opinions are sure to be passionately varied on laws and practices surrounding cross border rescues. Bearing that in mind, we wish to present a fact based and unbiased account of the short and long term effects of international rescuing.

In point form, the negative aspects of importing rescue animals:

1.     spiked numbers of unowned animals requiring homes within our own country
   
2.     inadequate import standards at border crossing may allow pathogens into the host country
3.     the import process does not teach communities abroad to manage their own stray and /or  unwanted animal population
4.     increase in adopted rescue animals being surrendered   
   

Because of the global issue of dogs in need of rescue, is the answer to stem the tide of incoming animals or to find a way to make the system work for any dog requiring assistance? To start, let's have a closer look at points 1 through 4 above:

1. Most rescues already in existence usually focus on a particular aspect of the dog community, for instance, senior dogs, breed type, northern community strays, lost dogs and/or unclaimed strays, small dogs, large breed, etc. An important note is that no matter what particular "specialization" a rescue seems to have, all dogs in need would be taken in and cared for. Further to this point, rescue organizations (for the most part) that are crossing borders are formed and operated with the intention of bringing in animals from foreign soil. They do their own fund raising and acquire their own teams of fosters and own the process of importing international animals for rescue purposes. Individuals who are likely to donate or volunteer to an organization generally support a rescue that they feel drawn to emotionally so donation dollars and volunteer hours are not likely subtracted from one place to add to another. Drilling down to the bottom line here, there may be more animals in rescue BUT, the international causes will draw in their own group of supporters with little effect on existing nationally focused groups.
   
2. The truth is, there is a requirement to have higher standards for health checks at international borders. This is a concern in the sense that ill and afflicted dogs are being brought in as rescues and can potentially spread disease with other animals they come in contact with.
   
3. Removing an animal from a situation saves the dog but may not have any sort of teaching effect on the humans the dog was rescued from. However, there are groups that travel the world with the intent of educating people on the correct and compassionate way to treat animals. Rescue organizations may or may not have an educational component within their structures and, are more likely to be focused on removing animals from life endangering situations. For example, most notably and heart breaking for many of us, teams of rescuers do cross into countries that have booming dog meat trades and intervene on behalf of the animals. Will the rescuers take time to re-educate the local citizens of these countries? Probably not but, there are people working laterally alongside rescues to tackle this issue and abundant other atrocities.
   
4. Definitely a sad reality of animals being rescued, vetted, fostered and adopted is that some families are just not prepared for the addition of an animal into their homes. Regardless of where a dog may come from, it will require love, attention, direction, training, exercise, boundaries and everything else associated with having a new family member in the home. Unfortunately some families are unaware of how to manage simple behavioral challenges or feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities associated with having a dog and take the fastest way out of the situation. If you are among those considering taking a dog in that came from the streets, be they Canadian or somewhere else in this great wide world, it should be clear that an adjustment period is in order. We don't really expect an animal to take in stride being in a life threatening situation, being transported, vetted, fostered and adopted without needing some sort of guidance do we?
   

Basically the point of rescue is to rescue. No matter where and when. Regardless of the miles traveled and hardships endured. The alternative to rescuing around the world is to sit back and watch as innocent animals suffer so, is there really an option to cross border rescuing? Not really. Is there room for improvement? There sure is.

There are some things that many pet parents might not consider until they are thrust into certain situations. For example, and heaven forbid, the time might come when there is cause for a beloved family pet to have a blood transfusion. When a companion animal is in good health such thoughts may never cross our minds and truly, a lot of people are surprised that there are blood donor clinics in operation that provide donor and transfusion services for animals.

Unfortunately accidents do happen in the animal world and were it not for animal blood donor programs, many recoveries would not be possible. While we may not like to think about such things, our pets are just as susceptible to injury and illness as their human families and, in a worst case scenario, we hope and pray for their health and wellness in the same way we would for any other family member.

So what does it take for your pooch to become a donor dog?

Well, animal blood banks do look for certain aspects in a dog before giving the go ahead to donate blood. An ideal age range is between 1 and 8 years old. Vaccinations need to be current and up to date and, Fido should be medication free. Expecting Mama dogs are not good candidates as their bodies are already maxed out by their unborn pups. There is a weight limitation as well, dogs under 50 pounds are rarely accepted as donor dogs however there are exceptions to every rule.

Also, temperament comes in to play. A high strung or anxious dog may not be suited to donate blood as the process could be a difficult one for an already sensitive animal. Your Vet or an organization like the Canadian Animal Blood Bank will give the best advice when it comes to your dog's ability to donate. Taking Fido in to donate blood 3 to 4 times a year is considered safe but again, a discussion with your Vet is a great idea to determine what is best for your pup.

Note: If you live in a region where blood donor clinics do not exist or visit, have a conversation with your Vet the next time you are in with Fido for a checkup.

A certain level of desensitization is recommended for pet parents bringing their animals in to donate. If you are prone to feeling faint at the sight of needles and/or blood, it may be best to have a trusted friend or family member attend with your pet. Quite often the transfusion is taken from a large vein in the neck or from the front of the leg. Either way, a strong constitution is required in order to remain calm and be an asset to the process rather than be the one requiring attention.

The site where the needle was inserted to access the vein will likely be sore and could possibly be swollen for a couple of days following the blood donation. Your dog will likely be completely unfazed by the whole procedure and require little to no follow up treatment other than a light dressing and a pat on the head. Even though your pup will be completely unaware of the service he/she is providing, we highly encourage lots of treats and snuggles with your fur babies for their help in keeping other animals alive and healthy!