# What would it take to open a dog rescue/shelter?



## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

To open a dog rescue/shelter? (what's the difference, btw?)

I'll list a few more specific questions, but I'm basically looking for any info you guys might have. I'm taking a small buisness class starting next week and have to write a 20 page buisness plan for the class. I talked to the teacher, and even though a shelter/rescue would be non-profitable, she said it'd be a great buisness to cover, and she's never had anythingl like that before, so I'm going for it since I want to start a rescue/shelter eventually anyway.

Here's the kicker. I'm talking to my parents about it, and they said that if I went through with the buisness plan and it was professional enough/actual would work, they'd fund a rescue for me to open completely. 

I'm really not sure if I even want to do it now. I know I could and would love it, but I want to go to college. (though I'm not sure why) And If I did it here I'd be stuck here, which I do not want to be. I do however, disregarding those ideas, have some specific questions about opening a shelter, though I'd also appreciate other info/stories too. (you know, what works, what doesn't, etc)

1. What IS the difference between a shelter and rescue, if any?
2. If I did open one now, should I even bother going to college? If so, for what? (I was originally planning on going for vetrinary medicine)
3. What would be the best location for a shelter? Urban, suburban, big city, small, etc?
4. What would be the best space/money efficient building for a shelter?
5. Would it be worth it to actually build my own, or to buy one/rent space?
6. How would I go about establishing a name for it? Do I have to register this name anywhere, etc? (I know I would need to be insured/bonded, right?)

Are there any other important thoughts I'm missing that could make or break a place like this?

Thank you for any input.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Not sure you'll find answers here~but I'll add my thoughts.
If you contact a rescue in the area you'd like to set one up in(or similar location/population), they can probably answer your questions. 
In my town there are three or four rescues, along with the humane society, and animal control. Most all work together. There is a smaller one, and it is struggling, I think due to the lack of volunteers and manning a webpage/petfinder updates. Volunteers are key in the success, IMO!
1) A rescue will pull animals from a shelter or animal control facility to rehab/foster/rehome
2) College would benefit you as far as the legalities/business end, even if you didn't get the degree, you'd have that experience.
3)Shelters/rescues belong in all locations as there is a never ending supply of animals in need.
4,5) most shelters need drainage, good ventilation, land and outdoor kennel space(I've always thought an abandoned laundromat would work if it is in a good location)
60 consult another rescue to find out how to go with the non-profit status, etc.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

Thanks Onyx! Those are definitely some great things to keep in mind. I think I'll be contacting the humane society around here soon.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Contact your state laws. The law they are trying to pass in Ohio has specific sections relative to dog shelters. 

Providing for the individual dogs would require the same space and care as a breeding facility. 

I think you have to have the right mindset to go into it, remembering that many hoarders got their start by rescuing and simply got overwhelmed with animals. 

You have to be able to make very tough decisions and have enough money set aside to treat animals that are treatable, and to put down animals that need to be euthanized. 

You would have to be realistic about when to work with a dog, and when to say the dog is too much of a liability to ever be rehomed and if that is the case, you have to be tough enough to do what needs to be done. 

In some ways breeding stinks in that people think you are rich and should be able to manage horrendous costs because of all the money your are making on puppies. I expect the same is true with rescues. They think your $150 fee should be sufficient to cover all the costs and you should be happy to hand the dog over for that and to **** with all your stupid questions. People are tough no matter how you obtained the dogs you are homing. But dealing with people is absolutely critical.

I think you have to decide how many animals you can manage first off and build a facility with a percentage more than that of kennels. For example, if you feel you can manage 15 dogs, build a kennel for 18 or 20 dogs. Indoor/outdoor runs and go the extra milage to make it extremely easy to clean/sanitize, feed and water your dogs. Detailed documentation of each dog, health records, feeding guidlines, how acquired and info, and disposition and follow up.

Managing the dogs is only one part of the deal. You should network and set up a foster care program where your dogs can be in a home setting for at least part of the time. Detail to documentation for your foster program, ie. contracts with fosters discussing who pays for what, etc. Documentation on each dog and temperament evaluation, etc.

Insurance would probably not be a bad idea either. 

Besides the care, feeding, training, fostering, intake, documentation, decision making, I think you also have to set up time and energy for soliciting funds for your rescue and advertising your dogs. 

I am only thinking aloud on all of this, but I think that there is certainly scads of information for a plan and twenty pages can be easily realized. 

Good luck.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I don't really know that much about opening a rescue/shelter... However I just wanted to comment if you did go through vet school first and then opened a rescue/shelter, it would make it a lot easier and less costly to get vet care! 

As far as the difference-- Most (but not all) rescues use foster homes and do not have a central shelter/housing location for dogs. Some shelters do also use foster homes for some animals though.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

Selzer: That you for your input. You definitely brought a few things to my attention that I wasn't thinking of, such as contracts with foster homes, etc. Gave me a very good guidline of everything to look at. Would there really be any way to determine just how many dogs I think I could manage at first? Because I threw out the ball park number of 15 as well, but I really don't know how much time/funds/etc would go into it and if I actually could manage them, of if I could go for 5 or 10 more..

Chicago; I don't know why I didn't think of that.. I feel slightly retarded. haha. That definitely sounds a lot easier and manageable, both money wise and experience wise. Thanks for pointing that out.

Do you guys think it would be reasonable to start this when I'm in college, out of my home, taking in a few dogs here or there, etc, and keeping them with me in my home to evaluate, care for, etc, until I can find reliable homes? If I did this could I still have non-profit status and a name for the shelter/rescue? I'd rather be a rescue, but I'd like to have a central location eventually.. is this possible too, or does it just go against what a 'rescue' is?


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## 2Dogs (Sep 26, 2009)

One word "Sustainability"

If your parents are wealthy and plan on funding it forever in some sort of trust etc. then this comment is irrelevent.

If not how will you secure operational funding? Rainy day funding? Downturn in the local economy funding? Without those primary questions being answered the rest are simply operational and really are very easy. 

Money is always going to be a not for profit organizations biggest hurdle. Cure that and the rest is a piece of cake.

Good luck, and I hope Daddy will set up that trust for you.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I think people get overwhelmed very easily doing rescues. 

I am not trying to dissuade you. 

having foster people is great, but when your foster calls you in the middle of the night and says that the dog has to be rehomed right now their husband is afraid of it, or she is leaving him, or ... You have to have a place to park that dog. 

You have to have kennels, becuase when you bring a new dog in from a shelter or from an owner, you need to separate them from the current/resident dogs if you do not want to be constantly dealing with disease or dog fighting. You will have to isolate the newcomer for a period. 

I am currently caring for ten dogs, and I can do it and work full time, but no way would I be able to properly socialize all them for new adopters and deal with problems. When you figure even 1/2 hour per dog for basic care, feeding, cleaning poop, grooming, doctoring, etc. That is 5 hours right there. It is doable, but if you provide each dog with 1/2 hour training/exercise your talking ten hours a day on the dogs. That is full time, every day including week-ends.

Does it take me that long? No. It takes me about 1.5 hours to feed, and let each potty, and move inside or outside in the morning and evening. Another 30 minutes to fill water buckets. So that is 3.5 hours for basic care. Once a week or so I deal with toenails, groom where necessary, clean ears, etc. That is about 2 hours/week. I do not walk everyone every day -- I am not socializing them for new homes, but I am usually attending 3-4 classes per week, which is an hour + driving time, so figure 6 hours per week for training, and another six hours per week walking the dogs (this is a minimum, and not enough for dogs that have issues or are being socialized). 

Right now I have been averaging between one vet visit per week and one per month. Figure 2 hours per week for vet-related. But all my lot are healthy and most are young, so, that may be very different. 

Which leaves hanging out with each dog. My dogs come in one at a time while I watch a show, or mess on my computer, or whatever. These dogs do not do well constantly kenneled and need to feel like they are a part of your life. Three of mine are in the house all the time, but I try to bring a fourth in and rotate, a bit so that everyone gets some time in the house and quality time with me. So if I take Heidi to class today, I might bring Whitney in for a movie. Joy for a walk, and Arwen in while I reading a book or doing a puzzle. 

Rescue dogs need people time. Lots of it. Because as a rescue you need to first let the dogs relax in the environment and learn the system, and then you need to expose them to many, many different circumstances and people, old people, babies, men with hats, large ladies with walkers, etc, etc, so that you can feel confident when you place the dog in a new home. 

15 dogs may be ok if you have at any one time, ten out in foster care, and at least ten kennels. Feeding, caring for, training, and socializing five dogs would be hard, but hopefully, the rescue would be more like:

1. You bring the dog in and isolate it for 2-3 weeks, provide basic care, vet visit, initial assessment to determine which foster family would be best. 

2. Farm the dog out at foster family (make sure that fosters are appreciated and not over taxed.) Talk to each at least once a week, asking if they need anything, how the dog is doing, etc.

3. If a dog needs a serious veterinary procedure, that dog may be recuperating in your facility and may require quiet and peace, or it may require specialized therapy. 

4. Meeting with an adopter and hooking up a good dog with them, might mean having the dog at your facility to meet them, and once it is finalized, to be spayed/neutered and recover from the surgery before sending it to the new home. In any case, I do not think the adopter should walk out with the dog the very first time they meet the dog. I think that it makes sense that the individual leave and hand have time to think it over, and that you have time to review the case, the dog, the paperwork and make your final decision. 

At some point, and adopter will call and tell you that they need to bring the dog back, you need to park the dog. 

So I think you will have to have enough kennels and time to work with incoming dogs, dogs that are undergoing more than the normal vet care, dogs that are returned, dogs that have completed the fostering/socialization and are ready for adoption, all of whom require a different amount of hands on care.

If you build your kennels, so that there are separate runs, at least two of which are isolated -- run off so that they cannot infect other dogs and the dogs cannot touch are not right up against other dogs. Also a run suitable for a pregnant bitch or a bitch with pups -- this should also be isolated so that she does not feel threatened by other dogs on close by her and her pups. 

BTW, if you do have to whelp and raise a litter, all the rest of the time frame goes out the window. While in school -- uh, no in my opinion. 

In any case, you need to have to have plenty of time per dog to deal with the people, check references, where possible drive to their home and check their fenced yard, talk to their landlord, fill out questionairs, and reading responses, and simply talking over the phone and in person with them. Someone may look great on paper, and then tell you in person that there last three dogs got run over in the road in front of their house. 

Sorry, I am really talking out of my well, I think you get the picture because I have never run a rescue. But I have a bit of an idea of what should go into one, and am throwing this stuff out so other people can comment and tell me I am all wet. As a breeder, I do not deal with incoming dogs, but do spend an awful lot of time with people and what is required to find good homes. I spend time titled dogs and going to shows, and no time trying to raise money and awareness for rescued dogs. But there are similarities in housing and time required.

If I had to do the whole thing over, my kennels would ALL be indoor/outdoor kennels, with a drain and a spicket in each kennel, so that I could disinfect, drain, dry, and water them a whole lot easier. My slope on the kennels would be steeper so that run off would be better, and it would be constructed better so that someone besides myself would have no trouble caring for the dogs in the event that I had to be absent for a while. 

Good luck with your idea. I hope you make a go of it. Please start out with only a few dogs, until you have a better idea of what it really entails.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

DJEtzel said:


> Do you guys think it would be reasonable to start this when I'm in college, out of my home, taking in a few dogs here or there, etc, and keeping them with me in my home to evaluate, care for, etc, until I can find reliable homes?


Yes, I think that would be reasonable. I've been doing that since I was 16 myself but not as an official rescue group-- just taking in animals that need help (mostly strays, but a few that were given to me by their owners) rehabilitating them and finding homes for them one or two at a time. If you want non-profit status there are certain qualifications you have to meet. Another option is to find an existing rescue group and foster for them and/or volunteer to help them with the "business" type aspects of the rescue so you can get a feel for those things before you get started on your own.


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## sitstay (Jan 20, 2003)

My advice to you would be to first volunteer and work with an established, reputable rescue of the type that you are interested in running yourself some day. Spend the necessary time learning how it is done correctly before starting anything of your own. 

There is so much more to it than simply finding animals in need and "helping them find new homes".
Sheilah


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

Wow, thanks! I'm getting a much better understanding from you guys, especially Selzer.

My parents don't plan on funding it forever, just basically getting me a good loan to get set up with my own intent to pay them back eventually. I think I might hold off on this for a while until after college, then hope that I can still take them up on their offer. 

I have been volunteering with a Humane Society locally that I really like for a few months now, and I'm definitely catching on to more things here and there, but I don't know much about the buisness aspect of it, and the property/kennels are poorly designed with no foster program, etc. I really want to get involved in a foster program, but there are none locally and I can't bring a new dog in currently. (I'm getting a house in June/July, then I can!)

I'm sure I'll start this out of my house now. I'll definitely only start with one dog and see how it goes. I'd really like to get non-profit status like this and become a true organization so that hopefully I can get a foster program going out of this and not have a central location but still have a larger amount of dogs and volunteers to help, you know?

Selzer made some very good points about time, set up, and everything. I don't think I would have ever thought to slope runs or to set up seperate welping areas *just in case*. 

The money thing was a good point too. I've thought about that a lot, and I really have no idea how to go about advertising, marketing, fundraising, getting donations and adoption events set up, etc, and this was something I was worried about. Maybe I should take a marketing type class in college?

Thank you all again!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

When you move, I think you said where in another thread, get involved with the local SPCA , they are always looking for fosters and just built a new shelter. They pull from shelters all over the midwest/south and are constantly looking for volunteers. You could learn all the ins/outs of the rescue just by volunteering in different capacities. It is also located near both of the larger colleges.
If you want something smaller to start with, the area you are relocating to has several good, reputable rescues that would love to mentor you, I'm sure!


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

Thanks onyx! I've been very interested in volunteering with the SPCA in kzoo for a while. Once I move i'm definitely filling out an application for it.


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

> The money thing was a good point too. I've thought about that a lot, and I really have no idea how to go about advertising, marketing, fundraising, getting donations and adoption events set up, etc, and this was something I was worried about. Maybe I should take a marketing type class in college?


To cover all of these it would take more than one marketing type class in college. It sounds like you are more interested in having a non-profit rescue rather than a non-profit shelter.

Looking at the costs of a no-kill shelter I can only go by what is involved with the non-profit shelter that I am a part of. Our costs to properly care for on the average of 200 animals at one time is approx. $500,000. per year. This includes building upkeep, saleries, vet care, insurances, state filing fees, utilitities, vehicle costs & upkeep, food etc. etc. etc. We do make use of volunteers, foster families, and dog walkers. Our vet care is mostly at reduced rates or waived in many cases. Food is in large part donated. Medicines are donated or purchased in bulk for reduced rates. 

All of our animals are microchipped with our info so we sometimes have animals turned over from other shelters that were once ours. We have a policy that once an animal was ours it always has a return spot waiting if needed. We have had dogs that were adopted out as puppies returned at the age of 10 or older because the owner no longer wants or feels they can care for the dog any longer. We have dogs returned after medical bills start adding up. Some of these policies would effect operations of either a reputable rescue or of a shelter with our take back policy. Because of this you would always need to keep available a spot for these dogs. 

Either a non-profit rescue or a non-profit shelter you must also have a Board of Directors. And at this point, let me remind you that if you do choose to go non-profit you will loose the option to always be the person in charge. You may someday face the reality that your BOD has voted someone else as Chairman of the Board or as Executive Director of the Operations Side. So just because you are the Founder of either is no guarantee that you will always be on the inside. 

A non-profit always must keep up on the latest requirements including filing annual state reports and if you go 501(c)(3) you must also keep up on the latest requirements on the Fed. level to retain your 501 tax status. 

Do you plan on doing your own tax filings, finanancial reports, and other required paperwork or will you hope that you have volunteers that can do this? The only other option is that you will need to factor in the costs of hiring a bookkeeper and/or an accountant. 

Hope to apply for grants? You will need to learn how to apply for grants which can be very time consuming, take on volunteers with this knowledge, or again hire a professional to do this for you. 

Running a non-profit is just as hard as running any other type of corporation so the more business classes or background knowledge that you can acquire will only help you. 

Good luck and I hope that all of these posts do not turn you away from your dream but only show some of the topics that you will need to address to reach that dream.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

Well thank you very much. Why must there be a board of directors though? 

I have taken a few buisness classes in high school, but I definitely planned on taking some in college to, and I'm not sure about how taxes will go; I'll probably do my own..


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

> Why must there be a board of directors though?


A non-profit corporation (that is what a non-profit really is) must follow the laws of the state in which it was incorporated. Various states require different minimum numbers of people on the Board but all do require a BOD. 

Here in FL there is a minimum number of 3 required though every Board that I have ever sat on has more. The state also requires the non-profit to renew each year which is a form and re-filing fees. 

Florida also requires that non-profits file solicitation permit renewal packets which includes a financial statement / or previous years tax form and a renewal filing fee. Here in FL without this special permit, the state can fine a non-profit up to $1,000. each time the non-profit would except a donation. 

So if you decide to go non-profit you will need to know exactly what your own state requires. The above doesn't even touch on requirements of your town or county or those on the federal level. Education and the willingness to do whatever it takes to do things right will pay off in the end with an organization that is fully compliant and something to be proud of.


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