Saluki rescue
I recently saw where Salukis from Qatar can be relocated to America to a Saluki resuce I personally think America has enough of dogs without homes. Especially with the economy the shelters are full of pure breed dogs, you can easily adopt a pure breed for free. I love dogs but don't think sending them to the US is a viable solution, its just relocating the problem. The shelters are overflowing and having to put down dogs. Recently a pack of dogs in Georgia killed a couple, see article:
http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-national/20090818/US.Deadly.Dog.Att...
STOLA don't have a shelter so they never go into cages in the States. STOLA is simply a database of homes looking for salukis that tries to match them with rescues in need of a home rather then encourage the breeding trade. We would never send our dogs anywhere unless we knew they were going to a suitable and experienced home that had passed all of STOLA's interviews and home checks which are very similar to our own. They have a list of salukis in the States looking for homes and obviously place them first. Luckily there are more people wanting salukis then salukis needing homes.
www.qaws.org
Eve - reread Chelsea's post - they send dogs that will go to homes, not to a shelter. The shelter is the middleman here, facilitating the adoption of the dog
"The salukis sent from Qatar are not sent to shelters in the States so they do not add to the overflowing problem. We are contacted when there are homes waiting for salukis "
They are not taking another dog's place, the adopters want a Saluki. I do agree that these people should seriously consider adopting a domestic dog in need first, but if they won't adopt anything but a saluki, isn't it better to allow one to come into the country?
Signature line > "You can't fix stupid"
Yes I know you are sending to a saluki rescue but if only you could see the issues of animals currently in the US. It isn't kind to ship a dog just to be caged elsewhere either or to face an uncertain future elsewhere. I still believe the animals in the rescues currently in the US should be the first to find homes.
Actually there aren't as many rescue salukis in the US as you think. Some people want a specific breed and if the shelters there don't have them then what? Surely if someone in the States wants a saluki then it's better to rehome a rescue one (from abroad if necessary) then buying a puppy from a breeder? This is run through a saluki rescue society - not random shelters.
The salukis sent from Qatar are not sent to shelters in the States so they do not add to the overflowing problem. We are contacted when there are homes waiting for salukis to see if we have any that we are having difficulties rehoming here. If we have any suitable then the dogs are sent straight to their new families. They also contact shelters in Kuwait who are involved with the program.
Our shelter here is overflowing too and dogs are having to be put down because people have no other options. Every shelter is in the same position all over the world.
www.qaws.org
Anything's better than leaving them on the streets of Doha where they're at the mercy of the people who find it fun to kick them to death, drag them behind cars, etc.
Keep your cool.. :)
OK and what would be your solution to this ongoing issue?
(not just here but many other countries).
Signature line > "You can't fix stupid"