SCLRR has the following policies:
- We do not knowingly accept dogs that have bitten people. As the Labrador is widely regarded as a nonaggressive family companion animal, especially good with children, one that bites would present a special danger. We recommend euthanasia for dogs that have bitten people without provocation.
- Purebred Labrador Retrievers have priority of over Lab mixes. As Labradors are the most numerous breed in this country, we generally have our hands full with purebreds alone. In addition, unless we have papers for a particular dog, we cannot guarantee that a dog we refer to as a Labrador Retriever is purebred. Many lab mixes look like Labradors, and without the benefit of papers, we make the assessment of a dog based on its looks and behavior.
- We will notify the breeder of any dog we take into custody, if we
can determine who they are and how to contact them.
- We require that all dogs coming through our program be neutered.
We are also asked about our fee to adopt dogs. For those dogs we have
in our custody, we typically ask for $225. Some have commented that
seems like quite a lot. Many dogs that we take in incur some or all of
these charges:
- Shelter fees to take the dog out (some but not all shelters waive
this fee). This can be anywhere from $40 to $70.
- Neutering the dog typically runs us $60-$100 depending on the dog's
condition and who we have doing the neutering.
- Veterinary treatment -- all dogs get a vet check and many are treated
for common conditions such as: kennel cough, worms, ear infections, and
any obvious problems. This can be anywhere from $30 to $90 in typical
cases. Some dogs have incurred hundreds of dollars in veterinary care
Thus, our average cost per dog is at or over what we ask for the
adoption fee. If we have a
particular dog that has cost us nearly nothing, his adoption fee goes
to help cover the costs for another dog not so fortunate.
In addition, our mission is not only to
rehabilitate and place Labradors into new homes but also to educate the
public about Labrador Retrievers. Any monies left over from the adoption
fee are spent on these projects.
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