HARRIER RESCUE
What is Harrier Rescue?
Harrier Rescue is a volunteer service offered by the Harrier Club of America. We take responsibility for Harriers that have fallen through the cracks.
Our rescue hounds come from a variety of places, the main one being irresponsible breeders who have sold puppies into homes not really prepared or able to care for a Harrier. The irresponsible breeder also does not take any responsibility for the Harrier when the new owners need help or need to return the dog. A good breeder will always take back a dog he/she has bred, no matter the age or circumstance. When owners contact HCA rescue, we first try to help them through and/or solve the problem(s). If that does not work, then Rescue takes possession of the dog.
Another source of rescue hounds come from Puppy mills. Detestable Puppy Mills in the Midwest have occasionally produced litters of Harriers that were then sold to pet stores for resale at exorbitant prices. Many of these people who bought that adorable puppy had no idea what they were getting themselves into. Please do not purchase a puppy of any breed at a pet store!
If we cannot help the owners solve their problem(s) with their Harrier, we generally take the hound out of the situation they are in, place him/her in a qualified foster home, rehabilitate them if necessary, have them spayed/neutered, evaluate their needs and requirements, and adopt them into a suitable permanent home when the right one comes along.
Do you have a Harrier in need of rescue?
Before reading any further, unless you know absolutely that your hound is a Harrier, please visit "So you think you have a Harrier?". Our funds and resources are very limited and although we would love to help save any dog, we have to limit our selves to Harriers.
If you are having behavioral problems with your Harrier, Rescue will gladly try and help you work through and correct the problems. Our Rescue volunteers have many years of experience raising and training Harriers, so they have encountered most problems you might be having with these active, smart hounds and they are more than willing to work with you to fix the problems. Please contact us as soon as possible.
However, if you have no choice but to turn your Harrier over to Rescue, we will need the following basic information:
- Dog's Name, age, and sex (please indicate if spayed/neutered.)
- Breeder's name and the sire and dam's registered names (if known.)
- Your city and state.
- How quickly you must relocate the dog.
- Why you need to give up the dog.
- What behavioral problems the dog may have.
Since Harrier Rescue is run totally by volunteers, and funded solely by donations, please be aware that we will ask you to make a donation towards helping us rehabilitate and rehome your dog. It may be the cost of flying the dog out to California (where most of the foster homes are), or some other amount as you are able. However, we will not turn down any purebred Harrier if you are financially unable to make a donation.
If you are interested in adopting a Harrier, please contact Margie Dykstra at margie@blythmoor.com 971.218.0064