Mission Statement

The mission of The Pekingese Charitable Foundation’s Rescue and Adoption Program is to address the problem of homelessness among Pekingese dogs by providing temporary foster homes, by providing basic health care and spaying/neutering, and by placing needy dogs in permanent adoptive homes. We accept our responsibility for protecting the welfare of all Pekingese dogs, regardless of origin or pedigree. We are dedicated to finding the best possible home for each dog, and to fostering responsible pet ownership to prevent pet overpopulation while appreciating the immeasurable value of pet ownership in our society.

ABOUT RESCUE:

PCF, INC. is a 501(c)3 NYS non-profit organization which depends on donations and various fund raisers to help rescue Pekingese dogs and to help provide them with necessary veterinary and foster care. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

We request a donation to help defray the medical expenses upon the re-homing of each dog. Other expenses such as gas for transportation and dog food are donated by our individual volunteers.

Because we are a rescue group, we rarely get puppies. The average age of our dogs is between 2 and 8 years old (with a life expectancy of up to 16 years). We tend to get more males than females with very little difference in temperament because of sex, particularly once the animals are spayed or neutered.

HOW DO WE RESCUE?

Most often our Pekes come from animal control shelters. Our volunteers work hard to develop a good working relationship with all shelters near their home. The shelters will then call for a volunteer to pick up the animal rather than having it euthanized. Occasionally, owners must relinquish their dog or dogs, because they cannot keep them for varying reasons, such as an elderly owner going into a convalescent home or they can’t afford vet bills. Some dogs are found as strays and some are purchased by kind people from puppy mill auctions then turned over to us to prevent the dog from continuing in those living conditions. Whatever the reason, we don’t turn any Pekingese away.

WHAT WE DO WITH RESCUED DOGS?

Volunteers receive rescued Pekingese into their homes and treat them like family. It’s important for them to know they are loved. They’re extremely stressed after being in a shelter, puppy mill cage with no loving care or relinquished by the only human they’ve known. No matter what the conditions were, they were the only conditions the dog was familiar with. The first stop is the veterinarian to assess the dog’s physical health. Sometimes they are in such poor condition that they need to be rehabilitated with good nutrition before they can withstand and invasive treatment, such as the mandatory spay/neuter. Once they are on the way to good health they have inoculations brought current to include rabies. They are tested for heartworm and treated if necessary as well as being treated for other internal parasites. The dogs are bathed and groomed and treated for external parasites. All the while the volunteers are assessing temperament and personality to enable them to make a good match with the right people when the dog is ready to be placed for adoption. The only time the dog is not taken for a vet check is when the dog is relinquished by an owner who has provided our volunteer with medical documentation of all of the above treatments and when these can be verified.

COSTS INVOLVED:

PCF, Inc., is a non-profit organization. All of the our time is donated. No one is on salary. All money flowing into our organization is in the form of donations from caring people, owners relinquishing their pets who choose to donate, and donations from those who adopt. The average medical cost for a dog is $300. When a dog comes to us with a medical emergency or persistent health problem the cost can be well over $500. There is usually a long recuperation period during which time the volunteer provides all other necessities that fall into the hidden cost category. Other hidden costs are flea control products, shampoo, long distance telephone calls to assist in placement, etc. All of these hidden costs are at the volunteer’s expense. Another cost that isn’t always addressed is the record-keeping involved and the emotional cost when a dog dies or requires euthanasia or when a special dog leaves for a new home and the volunteer has become very attached.

WHO CAN ADOPT AND WHAT IS THE PROCESS?

First and foremost is a loving home. A person who will devote their time to their new Peke. The new home must have a fenced yard, though exceptions can be made in certain circumstances. The new home must want a loving companion who will be in the house with them, not left outside in the back yard or certainly not tied up. The dog will never go to a home interested in breeding. All of our dogs are spayed and neutered before they’re placed. The ideal home is where people are home most of the time and are homeowners. One major reason Pekes are turned in by their owners, is because they’re moving and cannot have pets at their new residence.

Another thing to keep in mind is that most rescue Pekes come from unstable or abusive circumstances. The stability offered by someone being there all of the time makes for a smoother transition for the dog. Once again, exceptions are made. Our volunteers are able to evaluate dog’s temperaments and personalities to best place in the most suitable home.