Ethics of rescuing dogs overseas

[assortedagility]

So we all know that the US is over populated with dogs and cats. Many of us here recommend adopting an animal from a shelter and discourage breeding of non-breeding quality dogs. There are organizations that are rescuing animals from different countries. There have been dogs rescued from Taiwan, Mexico etc. My question is why are we spending money and resources to get animals from different countries when animals in our country are in need? Is this the "American complex." We have to invade into other countries' business. Should we be spending money and putting time and effort into saving these animals when there are animals in need right here in our own country?

*Note: I have not stated my opinion on this yet. It is just a question to get some thoughts and opinions.

[FairyDogMother]

Ok, I'll bite since I've already posted threads on this very subject to get the general pro dog feelings... it was a pretty even outcome by the way. About half for it, half against it.

We do take some dogs from Taiwan when we can. We will never just help them like some rescues do. One in our county only takes Puerto Rican dogs in and none from their own backyards. Only small cute mutts for a large fee.

Why do we?

1. Virtually no Shelters there
2. No regard for mutts there and barely for dogs in general by most
3. No concept of spay neuter
4. Nearly 200,000 homeless dogs in the cities and country
5. Dogs brought into the animal hospital there are usually given any needed treatment, shots, altered and then returned to the streets like our feral cat program here.
6. Most all available dogs in our shelter on any given day (open 7 days) are pit bulls, german shepherds, labradors and chows along with their mixes of course. All are larger breeds too. They are great dogs and we have some of them in our rescue too but they're not for everyone.

These dogs range from 25 - 40 pounds, offer intellegence and athletic ability without being bonkers and come in a variety of colors and fur.

We don't put a dent in the problem there but for me, I know that the puppies I've taken in and homed will never starve on the streets, have their faces mangled by crazy people or blown up with firecrackers by mean sick kids or their limbs caught in traps to cause death by infection or amputation.

I give them a chance at life, just like the ones in my own back yard, across the state, our shelter, Illinois, Utah etc... and adoptions have been in WA, OR, ID and parts of Canada...

I usually don't mention who's from there and who isn't here but half lately have been due to it's not puppy season per say here right now. It's kitten season and we don't do cats.

ps. They send them over. We don't pay to have them sent. We cover anything they may need once here like any other rescue dog we have.

I thought long and hard prior to accepting this and I have accepted it and my position is firm. I will help whomever needs help that I can. Period.

[JTP]

Because there is no dog/cat overpopulaton problem in
the US. There are only scattered problems in some areas.

Spay, and Neuter programs have been so successful in some areas that in order to keep the shelters open, they import animals, and keep making money.
Without over population, What would the whacko AR people rail about as a starter issue, what would the paid people in shelters do for a living.
How would any of them raise money.
Money is always a motive, follow the money.

There is a fairly large network of shelters that move dogs around in several hundred mile areas in order to populate other shelters. That is a good thing, as it helps solve overppulation in one area, by stocking animals in another area where there is not enough to fulfiil market demand.
However we have no business importing rescues from other countries, just so shelters can stay open.

They need to network better with American shelters, and make it so there is a shortage of available animals in america before we even consider importing foriegn rescues

[Cearbhaill]

Pet overpopulation remains a problems in many areas of the USA but in other areas there is a severe shortage of adoptable dogs.
http://doglawsatlarge.blogspot.com/2...und-world.html

[EllyMay]

I live in one of those areas that has a shortage of adoptable dogs (northern New England) and we have no choice but to import dogs from elsewhere. Personally I'd rather see the dogs imported from the south than from far away countries for a variety of reasons. One is that we can indirectly influence the dog/cat overpopulation by encouraging spay / neuter in those states with over population. Another is the cost - trucking them up the East Coast is less expensive than flaying them in from overseas. Yet another is the possibility of importing diseases from other countries. Both of my dogs are "tarheels" by the way.

This doesn't mean that I might not want to bring in a single dog on a personal level. On a recent vacation to Costa Rica I saw the stray dogs there and made friends with one. She had a delightful personality, was severely undernourished, and needed medical care for a limp. I seriously thought about bringing her back with me and the ethics of doing so. But the point is that I had developed a relationship with that particular dog.