Chris Jackson, chairman of the Central Maryland Dalmatian Club Rescue Program, tells of Pongo, a Dalmatian puppy, as an example of how not to go about getting a dog.
"Tammy and Jamie are an average couple. They have three children: ages 5 years, 6 years and 16 months. Both work full-time jobs," Ms. Jackson said.
"They have always wanted a Dalmatian. The children love the movie ['101 Dalmatians'] and anything concerning Dalmatians."
So when members of the family saw a 3-month-old Dalmatian puppy in a pet shop, they bought it. The puppy was boisterous, but they believed the employee when she said he was just excited because he was out of his cage.
A month later, Tammy was on the phone to Ms. Jackson, begging for help.
Had Tammy and Jamie gone to somebody like Ms. Jackson instead of a pet store, she says, they would have gotten sound advice on how to choose the right pet for their family.
"These people in the pet shops aren't going to ask you what you know about Dalmatians, if you have a fenced yard, if you have children and their ages, or if you work," Ms. Jackson said.
"That's not their mission in life -- all they care about is selling the dogs."
Ms. Jackson's mission is different -- her goal is to find the proper home for Dalmatians whose families want to get rid of them for whatever reason.
"I'd say about half the dogs we rescue come from wrong home resources -- nobody told the people about the dogs and what they're like," she said.
"They're the hardest dogs to get rid of because people haven't put any time into the dog, so we wind up with a 9-month-old, out-of-control dog with terrible habits."
Frequently, such dogs have to be put to death, especially if they're biters.
Fortunately for Pongo, the Rescue Program was able to place him with a young woman who had owned an active dog and knew how to train him.
The Rescue Program also gets calls from people who can't keep a dog because of an illness or death in the family, allergies, divorce or relocation.
These dogs are easier to place because they've been taken care of, had obedience training and are "nice dogs," Ms. Jackson said.
If anybody knows dogs, especially Dalmatians, it is Ms. Jackson.
She has owned Dalmatians for 25 years and operates the Long Last (boarding) Kennels in Owings Mills. She helped form the Central Maryland Dalmatian Club in 1988.
"The main purpose of the club is to educate and help the public determine if the Dalmatian is the right breed of dog for their individual needs," said Carlyn O'Neill, club president and a Finksburg resident.
"If that dog would be a Dalmatian, we can put the people in touch with honest, responsible breeders."
Besides being rescue chairman of the local Dalmatian club, Ms. Jackson is chairman of the Dalmatian Club of America's rescue network.
She has contacts and takes calls from most areas of the country from people needing to find a home for a dog or wanting a Dalmatian.
"We ask why they're placing the dog, and what happens next is dependent on their answer," she said.
If it is a situation where the dog can be kept in the home for a while, the owner is sent information on how to place the dog.
If the dog has to go immediately, Ms. Jackson or a committee member will go to the home and evaluate the dog as best they can from observation and owner information.
If no committee members can take the dog while waiting for placement, a "foster" family may take the dog.
If the dog needs medical care and the current owner can't take the dog to a veterinarian, Ms. Jackson will take it to the Finksburg Veterinary Center for physical care and behavioral evaluation by Dr. Susanne Felser.
"We're usually brought a young dog that hasn't had its vaccines or physical examination, so we give the dog a physical, routine worming, shots and neutering for a rescue fee," said Dr. Felser, who also works with other breed rescue organizations.
It also falls to Dr. Felser to destroy dogs that can't be placed.
"You can't legally place a dog that bites or is aggressive -- you can't take that chance with someone else's safety," the veterinarian said.
"And it's not fair to the dog -- he'll probably be chained up or abused," Dr. Felser said.
The club keeps on file names of people looking for dogs and
matches the dogs with suitable families.
One condition of taking a rescue Dalmatian is that if the dog doesn't work out, the rescue program gets it back, Ms. Jackson said.
The club asks a donation of $150 for rescue dogs to cover expenses of placement.
Members of the Dalmatian club stress the importance of educating the public about Dalmatians, breeding, behavior characteristics and choosing the right breed of dog.
"No dog is the right dog for everybody," Ms. Jackson said.
"You have to determine if the dog will fit your lifestyle. A Dalmatian's temperament varies according to the breeder, but they are big, active dogs.
"If we could just get the public to look at the dog and choose it with their mind instead of their heart, then a lot of the problems would be solved," Ms. Jackson said.
For information about the club, the rescue program or choosing the right pet, call Ms. Jackson at (410) 356-2352 or Mrs. O'Neill at (410) 526-5315.