Until a few years ago, pups like Sampson faced fates as grim as they were certain. After all, potential dog owners rarely adopt wounded animals, even if they are purebreds. And shelters, unable to afford surgery for every wounded animal brought in, have no option more humane than euthanasia.
These days, the situation is dramatically rosier, thanks to the exponential growth of rescue organizations dedicated to saving specific breeds. A decade ago, it was a novel concept. Now, more than 10,000 people across the United States and Canada work to rescue purebred dogs, according to Lori Levin, president of Project BREED, an organization that publishes a directory of rescue groups.
Working with shelters, veterinarians and police departments, rescue groups are volunteer organizations staffed by people with a love and deep knowledge of a particular breed. Often relying on their own bank accounts, rescue workers neuter and spay stray dogs, inoculate them against canine diseases, house them, and eventually find them suitable homes - usually for a price far lower than what breeders require, Levin said.
Sampson was rescued by Anna Payne, a former engineer who founded a shar-pei rescue group called Homeward Bound Inc. in May. Based in Southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey, Homeward Bound has rescued 14 shar-peis from as far away as Georgia and West Virginia since it began its mission, said Payne, of Oxford Township, Chester County.
``Even the most obscure breeds need rescues,'' Payne said.
Their niche is small, indeed. Shar-peis are the 31st most popular dog in the United States, according to Geri Mitchell, a spokeswoman for the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council. But without a rescue, members of her pet breed would likely never find loving homes.
