# Any suggestions on building a kennel for rescues?



## Ilovealldogs (Nov 17, 2006)

I have 15 acres of uncleared land and would like to build a kennel/runs to house rescues temporarily. I would like to have maybe 4-6 runs and optimally have a small building that they can go in at night. I know one hurdle as far as expenses will be the heating/air part of it, which I would want to do but not sure if I'll be able to afford. 

Anyone have any suggestions?


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## Crookedcreekranch (May 27, 2008)

Contact The Department of Agriculture or the governing body in your state that deals with liscencing first. They will send you information on requirements and how to set up a rescue. Don't do the work twice. Building and housing rescues is a wonderful idea but know what you are getting into first as far as requirements in your city, county, state etc.


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## Ilovealldogs (Nov 17, 2006)

Thanks- I did that already and I know I need to have it under 9 runs or I'll need a license/permit. I am not setting up my own rescue, I just want to have a place for dogs to go if there are no other options for them or if a rescue wants to take them, but has to arrange transporting first- they can stay here until that time.


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## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

I would contact some of the rescues you will be working with and ask them what they would expect from a temporary foster.

One biggie for me, would be making it as escape-proof as possible. Cover, concrete the edges, locking gates, and a secondary perimeter.
Heat lamps on the inside part, and box-fans for the summer should be sufficient, but a back-up generator would be important. Also, some type of closed circuit camera (likke you can buy at Radioshack).


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## Jazy's mom (Jan 5, 2004)

I think this is great that you want to do this. A friend of mine and I were just talking the other day trying to brainstorm about cheap kennel options for her rescue.

I was thinking about those storage sheds that you see at Home Depot and Lowes. You can often find them on craigslist for sale much cheaper than buying them at the big box stores. I know someone who has one and has built fencing around it and put in a doggie door and a window A/C unit.

Depending on the size, you could build a wall in the middle and make two seperate kennels each with their own doggie door.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

Be careful with the "no other options for them" though because in your area there will be a lot of dogs for whom that is the case







. I've seen a lot of people with big hearts get into trouble pulling death row dogs that didn't have a rescue lined up and then ending up with more dogs than they could handle that never go anywhere. Once dogs are out of the shelter, the urgency passes and a lot of groups will consider them "safe" so they won't be trying as hard to help you move them on. 

My suggestion would be to gear it towards temporary holds for dogs that have rescue but need a bit of time to work out transport. You'll also need to implement some sort of screening procedure for which groups you'll work with. You don't want to be facilitating rescue for groups that are abusing or neglecting the animals in their care and unfortunately those groups are all over the place. You'll also want to make sure you've got some way to do preliminary vetting because dogs will need at least health certs to travel and many will end up with significant medical issues that can't wait until they get where they're going. Here again, it's going to be important to establish relationships of trust with the groups you work with because I know of a lot of horror stories where people got stuck with huge veterinary bills that should have been paid by the receiving group but weren't. There will also be groups who flake out and leave you with the dogs when they change their mind.

You're going to need to set up your kennels so that you've got some mechanisms for disease control. If you only do adult animals, you'll simplify life some because you most likely won't have to deal with parvo, but you'll still have a lot of dogs coming to you with kennel cough and a range of internal and external parasites.

I'm in no way trying to be a killjoy! I think it's a great idea and can be incredibly helpful to the rescue effort, there are just a lot of things to consider up front. I've seen so many kind people only get as far as "if they just had a place to stay for a few days" and really end up getting burned. Sadly this kind of thing actually seems to happen more often than not, so it's far from rare. Almost every boarding kennel I know around here who tried to do a good thing by offering temporary space to dogs pulled from the shelter ended up with a real mess on their hands as receiving groups dumped dogs, refused to pay bills, or just took far far longer to make transport arrangements than they'd said they would.


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## HeidiW (Apr 9, 2009)

I THINK THAT IS WONDERFUL.....SO KIND OF YOU.


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## CindyM (Mar 20, 2007)

GOOD LUCK!!!


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## Ilovealldogs (Nov 17, 2006)

Hannah,

Thanks for the recommendations. I don't think I made my post as clear as I should have. I won't be pulling the dogs unless they have rescue backing and only the rescues I am familiar with (mostly local and some GSD rescues from the board). They will be responsible for vetting as far as the costs go and I won't pull any dogs that don't have somewhere to go (meaning a rescue). I agree 100% with your post that some people get "stuck" and I will try not to be in that situation. Sometimes rescue groups may want to pull a dog, but are waiting for a foster home to open up. I could house the dogs until that foster home opens up- of course only rescues that I know stick to their word. I will probably only take in adults especially GSDs, seniors, and any dogs that the local mixed-breed rescue I am affiliated with wants pulled but doesn't have space for. 

It just bothers me to know I have all this land and here it sits while perfectly good dogs are sitting abandoned in kill shelters. I know I won't be able to save them all, but for every one that I do save, it will be worth it!


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## lakota757 (Apr 10, 2008)

That is awesome and so wonderful of you Ilovealldogs!


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