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Welcome to CanineWorks Rescue! As of September 2011, over 800 puppies and dogs have been saved from death over our 15 years of existence. These dogs are all ages (from pre-born to elderly, blind and deaf). We work with all breeds and mixes and do not discriminate on the basis of size, breed, age or health as long as we have resources to help. Each dog is individual and our goal is to match dogs and adopters through careful assessment and evaluation of dogs and a very thorough adoption process. There are still so many thousands of dogs every year that would be wonderful pets but are not ever able to reach the people who may love them and care for them. We are designed to work with rescuers and adopters in many areas outside our immediate home base without borders or discrimination.

CanineWorks Rescue is located in southeastern Ohio, well into Appalachia, and was developed as a grassroots, one person effort to help in a small way to alleviate the suffering and prevent the death of so many dogs in the area. The percentage of dogs that die in pounds funded by most Appalachian counties is between 50%-90%. This includes the large numbers which die from disease and parasites if no funding is allowed for care of these disorders. Few pounds enforce mandatory spay and neuter in order for a dog to be adopted and while there are some wonderful leash/containment laws on the books, they are rarely if ever enforced. The people who work in rescue and care about the dogs try their best to get things to change but the population in general sees no need to spend even more money on dogs when they are so "disposable" and, often such a nuisance. The county is, by law, charged only with impounding or killing stray dogs and disposing of them to make room for the never ending string of lives that are lost because they were not planned or wanted. The economy is extremely depressed in these counties and it truly is necessary to limit care of dogs and personnel to manage them to a minimum or to do away with other services like law enforcement! Many pounds use outdated and inhumane methods for euthanizing these many unwanted puppies and dogs, including gas chambers.

Actual humane shelters and rescues are few and far between and are also limited in funding in southeastern Ohio. It is impossible to believe the plight of the dogs here unless one visits and sees it, which, understandably, no one has a desire to do because it is so distressing.

However, there is hope. More and more people are being educated as to the need to have dogs altered and the local pounds are becoming more open to working with rescues. This allows those people who can to go into the pounds and literally save the lives of some of these sweet potential companions. This is how CanineWorks operates. I visit the pound and rescue dogs to bring to my sanctuary for a temporary stay while they receive vaccinations, behavior and personality assessment, basic manners and house training and altering. These dogs are listed on my "Adoptable Dogs" site or on other rescue sites where those looking to adopt a new companion can look to see them. If you are a rescue inside or outside of OH and would like to help these dogs by listing some on your sites, please contact me at sandrastealey@windstream.net

Dogs are available to homes in OH but also to selected homes outside Ohio with references and home checks. These checks are simply a visit by a knowledgeable dog person who can help determine whether or not the dog is a good match . (See "Choosing Your Next Best Friend" for some interesting info and tips I have found in dealing with purebred and mixed breed dogs over my years in rescue.)
Click below to see adoptable pets and more info on CanineWorks at Petfinder.
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/OH708.html