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Frequently Asked Questions

What is one of the most important commitments of the SDAR?

Spaying and neutering of all animals. Each time a dog, cat, puppy, or kitten is rescued from the shelter because it has some problem that renders it unsuitable for adoption there, it must be spayed or neutered before it goes to a permanent home. This is done by the shelter unless the animal's age or condition makes it inadvisable at that time. Therefore, SDAR often pays private vets for the procedure when the animal is able to withstand the surgery. Every animal who has reached the age of 8 weeks is altered before it goes to its permanent home.

What are the usual conditions that you are called upon to treat?

The most common conditions we treat are minor: correctable skin problems and hair loss, flea dermatitis, "hot spots," minor eye problems, lacerations, flea and tick infestations, tangled hair coats badly in need of grooming, broken or dirty teeth, ears in need of flushing, ear infections, upper respiratory problems (mainly in cats), kennel cough in dogs, malnutrition, hernias, foxtails, wound infections, abscesses, and cysts.

Do you rescue entire litters of puppies or kittens?

Puppies and kittens are like apples and oranges. Puppies, being somewhat fewer in number, usually have adopters standing in line for them, so we are rarely asked to rescue a litter of puppies. Kittens are much more numerous and we commonly rescue them because the mother cat is too ill and can't continue nursing the litter, so the kittens must be removed or else they will all die. Because of rampant upper respiratory infection (URI) in the shelters, cats are always in great danger; and tiny kittens, especially, have a slim chance of survival. Many require intensive care with antibiotics and IV fluids. We have foster parents who can handle cat litters, so we make use of their availability. When well, kittens get adopted quickly. Foster parents for dogs are less plentiful partly because of apartment or condo living. Of course we offer medical help to needy adopters of puppies with medical problems, if requested. We try to help those dogs or cats in greatest need, and in most cases it's the mature animals who need that second chance, rather than puppies or kittens.