Chesapeake Shepherd & K-9 Rescue, Inc.

THE RESCUE

CSK9 is a small non-profit volunteer rescue organization that rescues dogs who, through no fault of their own, are spending their last days at humane societies and city or county animal shelters. Due to a limited number of foster homes, we can only accept dogs from shelters. The founders bring with them many years of experience in breed rescues, foster care, adoption screening and counseling. Our volunteers provide endless hours of special attention, loving care and rehabilitation to our orphans. They rejoice in their role as a stepping stone in a dog's path out of the shelter into its forever home.

THE CARE

Our rescued dogs are taken directly from shelters to veterinarians where they are given all appropriate shots and any necessary medical treatment. If age and health permit, we spay or neuter all dogs prior to adoption. When puppies become of age, they will be altered by CSK9 at our expense. All of our dogs are placed into loving foster homes, where our volunteers learn about their personalities and needs. Every dog that comes into the rescue lives as a beloved pet while learning about love and kindness, working on social skills, learning basic obedience, and undergoing any necessary medical treatment. All of our foster dogs blossom as they live in peace, surrounded by gentle people, staying as long as they need to before moving on to their forever homes. He or she is adopted to a family from a list of qualified adopters, all of whom have been screened through applications, home visits, been approved, and are waiting anxiously to welcome a new family member into their home.

THE TRAINING

Sometimes, the only home our orphans have ever known is a lonely basement or backyard, a confining crate, or an abusive owner who beat the dog on a whim. Patience is required to deal with the inevitable behavioral problems that result from a lack of training or abuse. The volunteers of CSK9 begin teaching our rescued orphans basic obedience and house training as soon as they come into foster care. A dog does not arrive in a home automatically knowing the rules. A canine good citizen is the result of teaching a dog what you expect of him or her, using praise, love and affection. CSK9 encourages and sometimes requires the continuance of the teaching we have started, and will provide a trainer at our own expense if any further behavior problems arise after adoption.

THE CHOICE

When rescuing dogs from the pound, CSK9 volunteers can never leave with a happy heart. Many shelters call us when a dog is in its last days or hours on death row. Because of a lack of funds and foster homes, for every orphan we save, we must leave many more behind to face euthanasia. Many dogs equally deserving of rescue are left to die because we didn't have the money or space to save them. Their faces haunt us for days and months to come. We take not only the pretty, young, healthy dogs, but also the older, imperfect, injured and overlooked dogs whose faces and eyes tell us they have no chance in the shelter. We know they will make wonderful friends and companions. You can help us help more of these deserving dogs by donating to our rescue fund or fostering a CSK9 rescue dog. For every dog you help us pull out of a shelter, you are potentially saving at least two dogs: the one we adopted, and the one who now gets the newly opened run space at the shelter and a chance of its own at adoption.

THE FUNDING

Chesapeake Shepherd & K-9 Rescue needs your help. Private contributions are our only means of support. We urge those of you who truly love animals to go to a shelter and adopt an orphan, or adopt through CSK9. However, if you are unable to adopt or would like to help even further, please contribute to Chesapeake Shepherd & K-9 Rescue, become a member, or sponsor a dog. We in turn will rescue and place a dog on your behalf.

"A harbor, even if it is a little harbor, is a good thing, since adventures come into it as well as go out, and the life in it grows strong, because it takes something from the world and has something to give in return." -Sarah Orne Jewett, from "River Driftwood" (1881)