Meet Merek

Meet Merek!

He is about 2 years old and recently completed heart worm treatment. Heartworm treatment was rough since he had to be crated most of the time. Imagine, a 2 year old male dog crated for 3 months! You know he wanted to get out and play.

Now that Merek has completed heartworm treatment, he has been neutered, and is doing quite well in his foster home. Merek does not seem overly interested in the foster mom's four-year old son-just an occasional lick now and again. He has not been cat-tested yet.

Merek does well in his crate, but he does not like to be left alone and may whine. He is a talker and has a cute "woo." Merek still has lots of puppy energy and will zoom around the house. The other dogs in the house are teaching Merek how to play. He will chase after the other dogs, get close, and then stop since he does not quite know what to do next. Silly dog!

Merek is looking for his furever home. If you are interested in adopting this sweet boy, please check out our website for more information and apply to adopt him.

Volunteer Meeting

Alabama Siberian Husky Rescue will have a volunteer meeting this Saturday, August 31st at the Olive Garden in Alabaster (20 S Colonial Dr #8, Alabaster, AL, 205-663-0945) at 1 pm. If you are interested in volunteering with us or already a volunteer, please plan on attending. We will be discussing our effort to grow and continue saving huskies and different volunteering opportunities.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

Coosa River DOG Fest 2013

Alabama Siberian Husky Rescue and Coosa Riverkeeper are excited to announce that they will be hosting the 2013 Coosa River Dog Fest! The event takes place on September 29th, 2013 from 1 to 5 pm at the Coosa Outdoor Center in Wetumpka, Alabama and is free to the public. The 2013 Coosa River Dog Fest is designed to promote outdoor recreation for people and their dogs. In addition to booths offering valuable education for dog owners, there will be many fun activities as well as doggie products for sale.  We are seeking vendors to set up a demonstration or sales table, as well as sponsors to donate money to help in the promotion of the event. Proceeds of the event go to Alabama Siberian Husky Rescue’s mission to foster and find forever homes for unwanted Siberian Huskies and to Coosa Riverkeeper’s mission of ensuring a swimmable, drinkable, fishable Coosa River. Complete the application below or contact us to become a vendor or sponsor. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of this exciting local event and to help two great causes!

Attendance is FREE to the public and all dog breeds are welcome (leashed, vaccinated, and friendly). Swim or play in the Coosa River, go for a Puppy Paddle, visit with our local rescues and shelters, and peruse the wares of vendor booths. Come on out for a great time!

Visit the event website for more information. Vendors, rescues, and shelters may complete an application to be considered.

Why is heartworm prevention so important?

Heartworms are a parasite that are carried by mosquitoes. The larvae (baby worms) are passed into the dog's bloodstream when the mosquito bites, travel to the heart, and grow into adult worms. The heart will fill with these worms until it can no longer pump blood. Death by heartworm infestation is slow, but deadly no less, and difficult as the dog basically suffocates slowly since oxygen can not be carried to the tissues as it should be.
Heartworm prevention medication kills the larvae in the bloodstream so they can not become adult worms in the heart. Most medication is active in the body for 4-6 weeks, no longer. In parts of the world where mosquitoes are rampant, heartworm prevention is a year round must. It is the best habit to give it year round regardless of geographical location.
Heartworm prevention can be purchased from a veterinarian or from an online pharmacy, with a veterinary prescription.
Further information on heartworm infestation may be obtained from the American Heartworm Society.

One pill, once a month, will prevent your dog's death from heartworms. That is why it is so important.

Why do rescues charge so much?

As a rescue, and being friendly with many others in various rescues, one of the questions we receive most often is why do we charge "so much" for our dogs. We hear that someone could purchase a "registered puppy" for the same price. We also hear ideas like "the dogs shouldn't cost so much, they are rescues". So what is the basis for our adoption fee? It is this.
Every dog we take is spayed/neutered, fully vaccinated, tested for heartworms, tested for intestinal worms, and microchipped. If they have any health issues, they are treated for such. They are then placed into a foster home where they receive flea/tick prevention, heartworm prevention, high quality food, toys and treats, attention and training. All of this costs money. While some veterinarians may give us a small discount, veterinary services are by no means free.

Our average cost per dog is over $500. Why? Consider this:
Spay/neuter average cost $150
Antibiotics/pain meds for spay/neuter $60
Vaccinations for rabies, DHPP, and bordatella average cost for all $65
Microchip average cost $50
Heartworm test $30
Intestinal worm test $30
Most dogs have some form of intestinal worms at intake, treatment average cost $45

For dogs with heartworms, average treatment cost $500

For dogs with any other ailments, treatment costs can range from $30 antibiotics to $1500 teeth extraction and root canals to $3000 intussusception surgery and treatment.

As a rescue, we do not turn down dogs due to medical considerations. A good dog with a good temperament deserves a chance at a happy life.

While in foster care, flea/tick prevention is $5 per month. Heartworm prevention is $6 per month. These are per dog. We average 10 dogs in foster care at any given time. We also help our foster homes with kennels, food, treats, and toys when needed.

Considering all of these costs, and that 1/3 of our intakes come to us with heartworms, the real question is How Do We Continue to Operate with an adoption fee of only $350? We beg, we plead, we have wonderful supporters who donate to us. We put our own money into the rescue when needed. We apply for grants, though we rarely get them, and we apply to other organizations who partner with rescues by providing funds. We host fundraising events, attend other events, and beg and plead more.

Forgive us if we scoff when someone asks "why are your dogs so expensive". Our dogs are priceless. It's the cost of caring for them that is so expensive.

ASHR at the Holiday Market

Come out to meet the volunteers of Alabama Siberian Husky Rescue and do your holiday shopping! We will attend the AUM Holiday Market on Dec 7, 2012 from 9 am to 3 pm in 230 Taylor Center, AUM Campus, Montgomery, Alabama. We will be selling pet supplies such as Lupine collars and leashes, Boomerang ID tags, toys, and Christmas themed items. We will also have Stuff a Stocking for you to pick out a stocking and stuff it for your dog's Christmas gift. Come see us!