What is Rescue?
Individuals and organizations take in unwanted, stray and abandoned Border Collies. However, it is not just for these reasons that Border Collies end up in Rescue, people pass away, divorce, move, health problems . . . the list goes on.

Some people are able to keep the dogs until they can be placed in their new homes via Rescue networks. However, dogs are often taken into foster homes, assessed then placed into a new, loving home.

Why get a dog from Rescue?
In Rescue there are dogs from very young puppies, right up to a recently placed 16 year old. Not everyone wants, or needs, a puppy. Some lifestyles just don’t allow time for house training and the extra time a puppy needs. Rescue gives these people an alternative.

Another valuable aspect of Rescue . . . temperament! Many people just can’t handle the average Border Collie’s high energy lifestyle and working temperament. In Rescue, a potential owner can seek out the temperament they are looking for. Some Border Collies are born with little to no herding instinct, many of these types make excellent pets as they don’t have the high drive that most Border Collies have.

If you are looking for a working Border Collie, or something with a lot of drive, again, you can seek out that temperament via Rescue channels. This very characteristic is why many Border Collies end up in a rescue situation. They have been living in homes that are inappropriate for their temperament and energy level.

Many Rescue dogs go on to successfully compete in obedience, agility, flyball and other sports.

Your Border Collie Rescue volunteer can, like a good breeder, help match you up to the Border Collie that is perfect for you.

With Rescue you are helping a living being continue on with a long, loving life. Breeders who don’t rescue should sit back and take a long look, they are adding to the population, but are they looking after dogs already in existence?

Recently, we have seen some breeders make a donation to Border Collie Rescue by way of their litters.  Two breeders donated $20.00 per puppy to rescue. 

Cost of Adopting and Loving a Rescue:
If you decide upon a Rescue Border Collie, the price many rescue organizations charge is simply the spay/neuter and vaccination costs, and the cost of microchipping/tattooing.  This is a fair price for a loving companion.   Generally the cost is around $100.00 - $150.00. 

It is also the responsibility of the new parents to pay the shipping charges and the price of the crate to get their new companion to them.  See below under Adoption Process for more information on transportation.

The price of loving a Rescue? Priceless . . .

Adoption Process
Adopting a dog from Rescue is not like adopting from a Humane Society.  The adoption process follows a list of procedures that help match you with a rescue dog that matches your lifestyle.  Border Collies/Border Collie crosses have one of the highest rates of return to the Humane Societies.  This is not the fault of the shelters as they have many dogs, of all backgrounds, going through their doors.  They can't afford to be as selective as the sheer volume of dogs they have to deal in is so great.  They do their best, it is up to breed specific rescues to carry it a step further.  By taking the time to properly fill in the application and talk to someone in a Border Collie Rescue program, the odds of the dog not matching the home is greatly reduced.  This makes it much healthier for all parties involved, especially the dog!

Here is the Adoption Process:

• First, and most importantly . . . do your homework!!   There is lots and lots of material on the Border Collie breed out there.  The internet is a wealth of information!  Talk to owners of the breed, see what they like and dislike about Border Collies.  The more information you find out before you start your search, the more educated you are, the more educated about you we can be.  Many people call us without first actually looking into the breed ("We saw Fly in Babe . . . "), then once they start looking into a rescue Border Collie, they find out that "Oh, a Border Collie isn't going to work for our family."  Try to eliminate this before you start looking for a dog.
  
• Fill in an adoption application.  You know better than us what your lifestyle dictates.  Be as specific as possible, lengthy descriptions of your everyday life help a great deal.  Print off the form, and mail it in to BCCC Rescue, we need a signed copy on file.  

• Check out the list of available dogs in BCFR Rescue, and follow links to other rescue pages.  If you are specifically looking for another rescue organization in Canada, check out our listings page. 

• A rescuer in your area will be advised of your interest in adopting one of our dogs.  A home visit and interview is the next step.  The rescuer is looking to see if your family is a suitable candidate for a Border Collie, and if it is, what type of Border Collie will fit in?  Remember, we are trying to place these dogs in loving, long term homes.  The rescuer's visit also helps us to determine the type of temperament your family needs.  This is a very important step in the adoption process.  If a home visit cannot be established, alternate routes must be taken.
  
• Once your family's suitability has been established, the next step is to chose a suitable candidate, or you may already have one of the dogs listed in mind.  Once you have picked your dog, and the paperwork is done, you are almost there!  If a dog that would fit into your lifestyle is not available, or if any of the many dogs currently in rescue do not turn your fancy, you may elect to be put onto a waiting list.
  
• Transporting your new family member is the final step.   Most of the time the dogs are flown to their new homes.  Or, if you don't mind a drive, you can pick them up.  Sometimes it works out that someone is going on vacation or to a trial, and can transport the dog all or part of the way.  However, flying is still the way most of them get to their new humans.  A flight costs anywhere from $75.00 to $150.00, depending upon the size and weight of the dog, and the place it is being shipped to and from.  Also, it is the responsibility of the new parents to provide a crate.  We have had people bus one of their own crates to us, but generally a crate is bought at the airline.  This costs anywhere from $60.00 - $100.00, again depending upon the size of the dog. 

Spaying / Neutering:
All dogs that come through rescue organizations are spayed or neutered.  As with the Humane Societies, this is a requirement.  By doing it when the dogs are actually in the rescue channel, none slip through the cracks unaltered.  If you are interested in breeding Border Collies, we would be more than happy to refer you to a reputable Border Collie breeder.