Being a Reputable & Responsible Rescue

[ErinsChins]

I am looking into rescuing chinchillas, which I have actually been doing for a while, but I am wanting to do so in a more reputable way. I'm just looking for advice and suggestions. I have a feeling that rescuing is less respected when you are also a breeder. I am not looking to have hundreds of rescues at a time, but more so to be a safe haven. I have more homes lined up than I have chins, so that part isn't a problem. I also have the money required for vet care/necessities. I have multiple rooms available for quarantine as well.

Mostly i'm just looking into what I need to further pursue rescuing. How to go about it in a reputable way, etc.

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

Most reputable rescues that I know (birds) are non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations. They have a signed contract (no breeding) before letting anyone go, and often do home inspections to see where the animal will live, if the cages are suitable/safe, and if for whatever reason the new home can't keep the animal it is written that it will come back.
Now as a breeder that also takes in chins, you don't get all the glory, and I feel it's a way of giving back myself, so see no reason you can't do both, but if your heart is to do rescue only nothing wrong with that either! At least with the bird community, if you breed AND rescue, it is frowned upon.

Megan, good points, those are also very important factors! I personally quarantine breeders, and any rescues/ or chins that are given to me to rehome. I'd rather a chin get the right start, then a bad one!

 

[Megan]

I feel a reputable rescue (which it seems many chinchilla rescues do not do?) is quarentining new animals, and keeping them in one location for 30 days to insure they are healthy, screening adoptive homes, and having extensive no-breeding contracts.

If you take in females, keep them for over 111 days to insure they are not pregnant, etc.

Seems like a lot of chin rescues(within the past few years) take in the animals and within a few days they are in new homes(how is this rescuing and simply not reselling?). A true, reputable rescue houses their rescues or places them in a foster situtation until they are proven healthy and not bred.

A true rescue would also be a registered non-profit...however again it seems like most chin rescues do not do this, either.

 

[ErinsChins]

Thank you for your responses. I looked into becoming 501(c)(3) a while ago and am planning to pursue it in the future. I can not further pursue it until i'm 18.

Right now, from the day the chins are brought in they are quarantined and males are kept for 60 days and females are kept for 4 months (heck, the 5 males I picked up in Nashville in August were still here until yesterday LOL) . Vet care is usually done before rehoming. I usually do blood work depending on the type of home they come from.

What is the general consensus on paying? I will admit to paying twice for rescues. Once was a petstore that was my chin (LONG story) and the other was two chins in a tank and I couldn't help it. I know a lot of people disagree with this, but is there ever a time where it is acceptable? I would not pay $100 for a chin that is doing good but may just need a dustbath, but when is it acceptable?

 

[Megan]

I guess it really depends. If it was a petstore chin that you purchased and then put up for rescue? I don't agree with that. It was a simple purchase.

If its an animal in a horrible situtation that is being abused, treated badly, and living in weeks of its own filth and they wanted say $20 for it? I would consider that "ok". Mainly to me though a rescue is a surrendered animal.

Now myself as a breeder when I have the extra space and time I will take in owner surrenders from time to time. They are adopted out with a low adoption fee (I've seen several rescues charging $75 for a single chin, and raising prices based on colors..again, this to me is not rescuing but reselling to make a profit) no matter what color or sex they are. Normally a rescue has a $30 adoption fee to insure it goes to a good home, kept here at the very least 30 days, females are here longer. If they were turned in with a decent cage they are adopted out with cage and supplies at no additional cost.. All leave with adoption contracts(no breeding, must be returned to me).

 

[Riven]

I'm not positive but I believe becoming non-profit can be expensive. You plan on only taking in a few rescues a year, this might not be ideal.

I think gaining information is a good first step for you.

I am a breeder, but I do rescue. Rescue is not my primary focus, but I do take in chins that need somewhere to go. I like to talk to adoptive homes several times if I don't know them, preferably at least once on the phone before them completing the adoption. You can tell a lot about a person's voice or demeanor you can't tell online over the phone or in person.

 

[ErinsChins]

I guess it really depends. If it was a petstore chin that you purchased and then put up for rescue? I don't agree with that. It was a simple purchase.

If its an animal in a horrible situtation that is being abused, treated badly, and living in weeks of its own filth and they wanted say $20 for it? I would consider that "ok". Mainly to me though a rescue is a surrendered animal.

Fair enough, I still have Kilala which was said petstore chin. Is there a reason why people are against paying for a chin as a rescue?

 

[ErinsChins]

I'm not positive but I believe becoming non-profit can be expensive. You plan on only taking in a few rescues a year, this might not be ideal.

I think gaining information is a good first step for you.

I am a breeder, but I do rescue. Rescue is not my primary focus, but I do take in chins that need somewhere to go. I like to talk to adoptive homes several times if I don't know them, preferably at least once on the phone before them completing the adoption. You can tell a lot about a person's voice or demeanor you can't tell online over the phone or in person.

I plan on taking in whoever needs to be taken in. Last year it was 13, I believe. I know my limits though, which I think is very important. I don't know what kind of "need" there is for rescues, but off the top of my head I can think of more hoarders than rescues and I don't believe that's good.

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

Also, if you purchase that pet store chin, and the living conditions are less than ideal you are in a way encouraging them to just bring more in. As a rescue, or any knowledgeable chin owner, you could instead offer advice, and just hope it is followed!

Gosh, I keep thinking of new things to say after hitting send! Speaking of limits, also know your limit on the amount of animals you can honestly feel comfortable caring for. Sadly it means you might have to turn some away, but after all the good is supposed to be for the animals. I can't mention how many times you hear of people saying they are rescues, but are merely hoarders! Rescues LET animals go, hoarders keep everyone of them! We already know that your not in the hoarder status, but just saying!

 

[lauralynne]

To me, a rescue situation is one whre if the rescuer does NOT step in, something detrimental to the chin is all but guaranteed to happen. It is up to the recuer to set their own limitations as far as how much (if any) they are willing to shell out financially to get the chin out of the current situation.

Anything else (regardless of how wonderful the act is) is nothing more than purchasing an animal.

 

[ErinsChins]

Also, if you purchase that pet store chin, and the living conditions are less than ideal you are in a way encouraging them to just bring more in. As a rescue, or any knowledgeable chin owner, you could instead offer advice, and just hope it is followed!

I was hesitant to post that, mostly because what happened was when I first started breeding I had sold to a customer that I thought would be a great home. She then turned around and sold to the petstore. At the time that was where I purchased my mazuri (I had only a few chins). I saw Kilala and asked the owner where he got her and he said an owner sold her to him. I called the lady and she admitted and I couldn't help but buy her back. She was one of my first babies. But the petstore actually takes good care of their chins.

 

[Andrea]

I was hesitant to post that, mostly because what happened was when I first started breeding I had sold to a customer that I thought would be a great home. She then turned around and sold to the petstore. At the time that was where I purchased my mazuri (I had only a few chins). I saw Kilala and asked the owner where he got her and he said an owner sold her to him. I called the lady and she admitted and I couldn't help but buy her back. She was one of my first babies. But the petstore actually takes good care of their chins.

I would have done the same thing. Unfortunately, you can't really screen for honesty since some people appear like great pet owners, but are just putting up a front.

The problem with paying for chins in order to "rescue" them is that you are encouraging bad behavior. I have been tempted several times to try and rescue chins in bad situations, but the owners were always asking for big adoption fees and I know better than to perpetuate a cycle like that. I think in rescuing it's important to make it clear that owners would be surrendering their animals...not selling them to you.

 

[Essentia]

I'm not positive but I believe becoming non-profit can be expensive. You plan on only taking in a few rescues a year, this might not be ideal.

Agreed. I rarely take in any more than 10 chinchillas a year so at this point I have stopped the paperwork to become non-profit.

Before you even consider rescuing make sure you have an emergency vet who is available 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year. Everything seems to happen at those inconvenient times. Also make sure you have a good sized bank account for vet visits. I only have 9 rescues right now and I went to my vet last month 4 times. Sometimes you don't have any sick animals, and sometimes you end up with 5 surrendered at once. Meet with your vet to see if he/she is willing to teach you things you are able to do at home for a sick/hurt chinchilla (subq fluids, etc.). You should always have a first aid kit on hand that has fluids, antibiotics, first aid items, syringes, etc. at your disposal.

I agree with whomever mentioned having a quarantine space specifically for the rescues that come in. The rescues never come into contact with my pets, unless after 30 days I decide to make a rescue my pet. I also don't specifically quarantine for only 30 days. I quarantine for 30 days AFTER the animal is healthy. If an animal comes in that has a health issue, the issue is treated and then they are held an additional 30 days until I know for absolute sure the animal is healthy.

(Edit)

For future reference:
I have an adoption application, surrender form, and a contract available if you would like something to look at to get ideas for when you are making yours. If you want a copy of I would be happy to email them over to you. I also include a 57 page binder with all adoptions with health info, vet info, safe pet store items, safe woods, how to make fleece items and shelves, etc. if you would like any of that as well.

 

[Claire D]

There was a discussion ("When is a rescue not a rescue?") a while back which might also give you some pointers.