who are we?

We are a group of families and friends who love and respect dogs

Sam; best friend for 15 years; I miss him.

I have had dogs and cats most of my life, and without a doubt, they have enriched my life and certainly my children's life experience. Unless you have had the pleasure of unconditional love from an animal, it's hard to describe, but allow me to try.

In the late 1990s my business wasn't going so well, and every couple of days I'd go in the back and take a walk through a meadow. My dogs, Sam and Crystal, would always accompany me. And as I did so many times, I sat down on a big rock and started thinking. But this time I was pretty down; I didn't have a great handle on what my future held. And I began to despair. Did you ever get into one of those moments when you felt at a crossroad? Sam, sitting by my side as he always did, placed a paw on my thigh and tried to get my attention. He hit me with his paw a few more times and when I finally paid attention to him he looked up at me and licked my face. Then he barked. I looked at this beautiful animal and he reminded me that life is short and when in doubt, play. So we did.

Dogs have an amazing sense about people; they know when you're sad and they know when you are down. And they always have the perfect way to help. Dog kisses, or just sitting next to you without distraction
Children learn in many different ways, and with animals they learn responsibility, love, and eventually how to handle sadness
Parents learn too. Like being sure the animals are fed, healthy and happy. The kids watch this and learn by watching, experiencing. Having pets is one of the best things you can do for children.
It's a fact that animal lovers tend to live longer, are healthier, happier and much better looking than people without pets (PWP)
Seriously, there are many reasons to have a pet... but please don't go to a puppy mill to acquire some special breed... rescue a dog who is lost, looking for a family to love and tired of being sad. Why not? Life is short.

When someone contacts us about finding a lost dog, we always want to know some basic characteristics such as:

Is the dog comfortable, or irritable, around children?
Does the dog play well with other pets like dogs and cats?
Does the dog look to be in good health (a dog in a rescue facility may already have their shots and a vet's visit, but an individual who has found a lost dog may or may not have gone to the vet; please inquire for each case)?
Is the dog friendly, easy-going?
Does the dog like to take walks?

After we're satisfied that the dog is adoptable, we (at no cost to you)...

Add pictures, video, copy to our SecretDogWishes website
Write the story behind the dog
Send the website link to everyone we know (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) and they forward to everyone they know...
Hope for a family who fits what the dog needs... and what the family needs
Once we're contacted we circle back and connect both parties and track it to make sure the adoption goes through
There is no official financial transaction that occurs; anything that is agreed to is between the adopting family and the family who found the dog.

And finally, as a disclaimer...

Our main goal is to help find a new Forever Home for a lost and homeless dog
We do not guarantee that the dog and/or the family will work out
We make no claims on the dog's health
We do not make claims on the individual who found the dog; we usually do not know them so please be smart

So please check out our site... and let us know what you think! Any questions? Feel free to contact me at 716-771-2899

Rescue dogs are amazing. They are so appreciative in their own ways. Give the gift of a Forever Home to a homeless dog today. They're really depending on you... time is not on their side.

A bit about rescuing a dog

Big Dog Finch and his friend, Leo

The picture to the left is our friend Finch O'Mara 'Big Dog' Higgins (he's 110 pounds!) and Leo the cat (who thinks he's a dog). We rescued Finch and became his 3rd home in early 2011. Many pairs of shoes and books and pillows later, we are happy to say Finch is now sociably acceptable and can be left alone in our home without much worry of complete chaos upon our return. It took some work, but he's worth it; I knew it the first time I met him. He was lucky; he was with a great rescue group called Joyful Rescues and my daughter, who had also rescued a dog named Sam (I smiled), told me about this great big, happy dog named Finch. I was sold.

It takes work, and you must agree that whatever happens, much like a member of your family, you are the dog's forever home. No going back. Dogs need to know you're not going halfway with them, so before you commit, make sure you're committed!

A few tips for you in case you are considering a rescue dog:

If you have small children in particular, make sure the dog is comfortable around kids. It doesn't mean they're mean, it means they aren't crazy about kids. I know people like that, and you probably do too
If this is your first dog and you have small children, great! But as parents, you must be aware that a dog is an animal, and if a child pulls on his ear too much he may snap at the child. So you have to learn as a family some basic rules like...
Never bother a dog while he is eating or has a dog treat; they may be very defensive about their food
Tell your kids to never place their face directly near a dog's snout; it's just good policy until you really know the dog and the dog is comfortable with a child
With rescue dogs, you never know what nightmares they have gone through to get to this point, so always be there for them if they make a mistake, don't yell and scream... I am fairly certain they have had enough of that
Be sure you can afford to take care of their food and vet bills... have a reserve ready in case you need it (I wish I followed my own advice!)