Hey dog, you’re going North! What is that you say human friend? I’m going where? Tell me more…

There is a supply and demand issue in dog rescue. No, really. There is. I was talking to an employee of a large national rescue, shelter, and advocacy organization a few months ago about this very thing. Basically, there are a lot of dogs in the South living in rescues – or on the streets – largely because people just don’t spay and neuter here. There are also more backyard breeders – which is a rant for another day. We have LOTS of cats and dogs in need of homes – and there are LOTS of people up north who are looking to adopt. But how do you bring it all together? The answer is TRANSPORT. The most magical word some of our Mississippi dogs will ever hear whether they know it or not.

My first experience with transport was as a receiver, going through the referral check, paying the fees, and then keeping an eye on the transport vehicle’s ETA to the designated drop-off spot about two hours away. I really had no idea what went into getting Zuri to me until I started working on the other end. And by working, what I mean is there are a lot of other people who do the majority of work and I fill in here and there. Have I mentioned that there is a LOT of work in transport? What I’m about to describe will no doubt leave out some really big pieces, but you’ll get the idea.

First you have to get an adopter or northern rescue partner to say yes, send me that dog. Which means someone has to spend time with the dog and become his or her advocate, learn what their personality is really like, test them with other dogs, cats, and small children. Surprisingly, there aren’t that many people willing to use their children for this task. Then the dog has to be marketed. This usually involves capturing really cute pictures – which translates to at least 50 snaps per animal, identifying and posting the cutest pic to a website, sharing on social media, doing a write-up to make this wonderful pet sound wonderful, and filling out forms for rescue partners.

Then, there’s the health certificate. This is a whole other level of patience for the staff and volunteers who take the dogs and cats in for these certificates and their micro-chips. A vet has to do the certificates. Each state has different rules, so you have to organize by what the destination state needs. Each rescue partner has requirements. You have to keep all of the resulting pieces of paper organized, all while also driving multiple dogs to an already very busy vet who is likely squeezing you in to begin with and likely offering the service at reduced or no cost. And it’s hot in the summer, so even this little transport needs to be well planned.

If the dog is lucky, they might have a foster that the shelter will coordinate with to help prepare. Putting in some of the time and work to get a dog adjusted to home life is good for both the dog and the new forever family. Fostering is one of the most valuable gifts that you can offer to a shelter dog. Having a foster to spend time with between shelter and forever home is so important, but there just aren’t enough of them.

Sometimes what I do is spend a little bit of extra time with dogs scheduled for transport but who aren’t placed in foster. Most of these dogs don’t know me, so I do some solid visiting time at the shelter first. We play in the yards, we get some treats, we have some pets and walks around the grounds. Once they’re feeling pretty good, I take them to the car. The loading process is sometimes smooth… and sometimes it involves cajoling, boosting, enlisting assistance, and just outright hefting. And then we ride! Dogs really do love car rides – once they’re inside. Rookie note: put down some towels because you just don’t know if a dog is going to get car sick until it happens. Serena, pictured here, went on a transport last week and is going to an adoption event this weekend. She was a delight: loved getting into the car, loved treats, loved her walks. Little lady, I hope your forever home comes soon. I’m rooting for you.

My favorite thing to do is to get a Soon-To-Be-Transported loaded into my car so that we can go to a park and experience the world a little bit more. Most adopters want their new best friends to be completely ready. And the reality is that they aren’t. They’ve been living in a shelter. They aren’t used to the big loud bus that stops on their new home’s corner. Or to the harness they’ll be wearing. Or new people. Or elevators. Or dog beds. Or regular treats. Or…being able to go outside any time they want. So, I spend time with them going to new places and having new experiences so that they have a better shot at being kept once adopted. Adopters: please give them time and space to get used to the new things. They will.

Then, there’s the transport itself. I have done exactly one drive of about 2,500 miles round trip. There were two vans with 25 dogs. I had no part in prepping the vans, but all the seats had to be removed. Then tarps had to be installed. Then the crates were loaded in, which requires enormous skill and determination to get them all placed just right so that they fit and so that each dog can be accessed. Then the crates have to be labeled so we can properly keep track of each dog by name.

Drivers just go, nonstop, often for more than a day, covering as much asphalt as possible, while also letting the dogs out regularly and making sure they have some water and kibble. Most of the dogs don’t really eat on the drive because they’re nervous – so just know that your new dog is arriving hungry. Y’all, there are people who make this drive regularly. I cannot even imagine. It’s exhausting, it can be tricky to keep track of all of the details. Lots of the dogs are scared of this new experience. But these folks are making the supply meet the demand. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the best path for our shelter to get more dogs and cats into homes. And I haven’t even mentioned the work being done by the northern rescue partners to coordinate adoptions, events, and fosters there. Or the volunteers here who drive our lucky dogs to transport pick-up locations…

The reward here is priceless. People who want dogs, who want them spayed and neutered, who want to train them, and give them treats, an inside bed to sleep in, and pets and love… they get to have the most amazing gift: a dog. And the dogs get to have homes. Every single transport for this one dog to one family connection requires an army of people. It’s worth every minute.

Stay tuned for more stories about some of the lucky ones. Add your name and email address below and check the box to get new stories as they are posted. #adoptdontshop #spayandneuter