Welcome to the adoption page. Westie Rescue works very hard to match our wonderful dogs with equally wonderful new families. Before you download and fill out our application, please take time to consider the following questions:
Do you want a rescue because you believe an adult dog is a housebroken dog?
People who take the time to train their animals do not, as a rule, abandon them. Many of our dogs are housetrained, but all require structure and patience to adapt to their new homes.
Do you believe that a rescue is a “free” dog?
Westie Rescue is often required to invest a good deal of money to rehabilitate our orphans. We have an adoption fee, currently $425, and expect our adoptive homes to follow through with quality care.
There is no such thing as a Free Lunch or a Free Dog.
Do you want a rescue because the breeders you have talked with are too picky?
Because many of the animals who come to us have already been neglected or ill-treated, we take great pains to ensure that each Westie’s next home will be its forever home. In some cases, a failed placement can mean a death sentence for the dog. We cannot afford to be careless.
If you are drawn to Westies because, “They are so cute!” please be advised that their looks are deceptive. The West Highland White Terrier was bred to hunt and kill vermin in the Scottish highlands. He is tough, hardy, independent, and tenacious. This makes him a wonderful companion for those who appreciate and are charmed by the terrier temperament, but a disaster for the person who wants a gentle-natured little dog bred primarily for cuddling. For more information about health, temperament, and behavior, the West Highland White Terrier Club of America maintains an excellent website at http://www.westieclubamerica.com/. It will help you assess whether or not a Westie is the right dog for you.
Most of the 30-odd dogs the Network places each year are between 3 and 10 years of age, so if you will accept only a very young animal, you should probably deal with a breeder. For breeder referral, please contact Deborah Borgo, who does breeder referral for the West Highland White Terrier Club of Greater Denver.
Please be patient - We receive more qualified applications from very fine homes than we have Westies to place, and it usually takes several months to put the right person with the right dog.
Stay in touch - We do understand that people often are looking for dogs from more than one source and may find a pet before we have one available. To keep your application active, please contact us after 90 days to let us know you are still interested.
We also ask you to remember that we are a volunteer network, not a kennel or a shelter. We cannot hold dogs for people, and if we call you, we need a timely response. If you acquire a dog from another source, please let us know, so that we can put your application in our inactive file. It will save your time and ours.
Before filling out an application we would like you to speak with a Westie Rescue representative. Please fill out the contact information on the following page and one of our volunteers will contact you. Please understand that we are a volunteer organization and it may take some time to get back to you. We want the best for you and your Westie and look forward to hearing from you soon.
Martha Smith, Chairman
Westie Rescue Network, Inc.
SAVE THIS PAGE FOR REFERENCE IN CASE YOU NEED TO CONTACT US.
If you have any questions you can contact us at:
Email - Westie Rescue
Phone - 719-282-0535 (Laurie & Paul Peterson)