Having recently adopted a dog, I can confirm that the process can be overwhelming. There are so many dogs available for adoption from so many different organizations. 

The range in quality in rescues is massive. Some do amazing work. They are meticulously run by experienced people who really understand animal welfare and dog behavior, are scrupulously honest, and know how to make strong matches between dogs and families. They know what they know and what they don’t know. They never take on more dogs than they can humanely handle. They are supportive and kind to adopters.

Other rescues, for various reasons, aren’t so awesome and can’t humanely care for all of their animals, don’t make appropriate matches between dogs and homes, and/or aren’t supportive of adopters. They sometimes do more harm than good. Just look at the estimates that up to 25% of rescues turn into hoarding situations.

If you are like me, you want to figure out which are the “good” rescues, because you want their help finding you the right dog, and you also want to make sure you aren’t supporting the wrong organization.

So, here is a guide to choosing a rescue. It was developed with help from Erika Fields, who has worked for 3 years at Brown Dog Coalition, one of Boston’s most trusted rescues. We hope it helps you find a great rescue who finds you a great dog!

1. Are they a legitimate rescue?

Let’s start with the basics. You’ll want to make sure this is a real, properly structured organization. 

• You can confirm their 503(b) status on Charity Navigator. 

• Many states also publish a list of approved animal rescues. You can find Massachusetts' list here.

2. What are their values?

Open adoptions help more dogs and reduce discrimination.

We love to see a rescue with a streamlined, flexible adoption process. Research shows that open adoption policies that focus on conversation-based matchmaking lead to the best outcomes. Plus, arduous applications with intense requirements like fenced in yards and home ownership contribute to racist and discriminatory adoption decisions.

Force-free training is the most effective and safe method.

Ideally, you want to find a rescue that uses exclusively force-free training methods. Aversive training methods have been shown to increase aggression, so you really don’t want a rescue shocking, choking, or otherwise hurting or scaring dogs who are already in a vulnerable time in life.

They should care about humans, not just dogs.

You also want to see that they are as kind and supportive to humans as they are to dogs. This means low-pressure adoption processes, open communication with adoption counselors, and some sort of return policy, especially if they adopt dogs sight unseen.

Trust other people’s experiences.

Lastly, you want to see that real people have had good experiences with them, whether that’s real people in your life or a substantial number of positive reviews online. Make sure you take the time to look beyond the fluff pieces to see how people felt about the rescue in harder situations.

They should walk the talk.

Once you start to work with a rescue, notice if they are slipping on any of their stated values. They should ask you questions, surface potential issues, and be open to hearing your preferences on a dog. If they seem overly eager for you to adopt or compromise on their own stated adoption process or requirements for a certain dog, those are all red flags. The flip side is also true. If they seem to arbitrarily steer you away from dogs without being able to tell you why, that’s another red flag.

3. Do they seem transparent?

There are three key things we are looking for when you ask them about the dogs in their care that will give you a sense of how transparent they are.

Are their descriptions sugar coated? 

The dogs should have some negatives or “quirks” listed. Rescues and shelters obviously want to present a dog’s most lovable side, but they should also want to find a home who can love and handle a dog as they are.

Are they promising behavior change? 

Not all dogs mellow out in a new home. Once settled and feeling better, most dogs will calm down some, but dogs who were shut down might come out of their shells and actually exhibit “worse” behavior.

Are they breed obsessed?

Most breed guesses are wrong, and since the best indicators of a dog’s future behavior are their historic and current behavior, they aren’t that helpful anyways. Rescues who are overconfident in their breed guesses for dogs and who overemphasize the importance of breed might not be dishonest, but they might not be giving you a full, transparent view of the dog because they are focusing on the wrong things. I would worry that a rescue who focuses on breed isn’t seeing other things that they should be picking up on.

Good luck with your adoption!

Once you find a rescue, or two or three, that you want to work with, complete their application as honestly and openly as you can. The better they understand your family, your home, your lifestyle, your wants and needs from a dog, the better they’ll be able to match you up with a dog who will thrive in your home.