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REHOMING YOUR AKITA
    First, PLEASE do not take your dog to the pound/shelter/Humane Society.  No matter how nice the dog is, the
    Akita breed has gotten an unfairly deserved reputation.  Shelters may be unfamiliar with the Akita breed and they are
    likely to label your dog as aggressive and kill it. That is typically what happens to Akitas turned into shelters. Many
    people do not understand that the shelters are VERY overcrowded and even the most perfect dog only has about a
    15% chance of making it out alive, even less if it is a large dog, a dominant breed dog, or a dog that may be blacklisted
    by insurance companies.  Akitas fit all of those criteria and they only have a 5% chance or less.  Plus, if you do turn
    your dog into a shelter that we cannot work with, or they label the dog as "aggressive", or the dog fails the
    temperament tests that the shelter administers, then it will be killed and we will not be able to save it.

    Letter From A Shelter Manager
    THE REALITY OF RESCUE IS THAT WE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH DOGS.

    Our rescue is typically FULL and includes a waiting list of dogs in danger and we do not typically accept owner
    relinquished dogs. We currently do not have a foster home available or enough space in our boarding facility to take
    in your dog at this time.  We normally only take dogs in danger of imminent death in the shelters (again, we cannot
    help shelter dogs in certain areas) and since your dog currently has a home and you are taking good care of it, we
    hope that you use your best efforts to find your dog a new home.  Reach out to all of your family, friends, and any
    other people you might know or come across to see if they might be able to help.  There is a website with a lot of
    valuable information here:

    http://www.wonderpuppy.net/canwehelp/index.html
    YOUR PROBLEMS WITH YOUR DOG ARE NOT AS UNIQUE OR SPECIAL AS YOU MAY THINK

    We don't mean to be rude, but we have heard every story in the book.  The only excuse we are likely to believe is a
    good reason to relinquish your dog is if we are contacted by one of your surviving relatives. You took the dog and
    the associated responsibility and we are not going to be enablers that quickly fix your problem and allow you to walk
    away scot-free. Your dog currently has a home and someone to take care of it.  Your dog is not at risk of dying.   
    Most of the dogs we take in have between 24-72 hours left to live when they are brought into rescue .You may only
    be dealing with one or 2 dogs.  We are dealing every day with anywhere from 25 to 50 abandoned dogs who have
    health issues, behavioral issues, and need homes.   And as the person who knows your dog best, you are in the
    best position to find your dog a home.

    If you are considering relinquishing your dog due to a behavioral issue please also consider that your dog will not
    know how to act if you don't teach him/her. Undesirable behaviors do not just develop in a vacuum, they need to be
    dealt with immediately and the time to seek help is as soon as it happens. Seek the professional help of a licensed
    trainer with references.

    IF YOUR DOG HAS BITTEN A PERSON AND HAS AN ACTIVE BITE REPORT OR CASE WITH ANIMAL CONTROL
    WE ABSOLUTELY CANNOT AND WILL NOT TAKE YOUR DOG! In California, a biting dog must be held on a 10 day
    rabies quarantine.  We recommend that you see if home quarantine is an option with your local animal control
    authority.  If your dog simply made a mistake, then going to the shelter will be a traumatic experience and your dog
    may not be the same if he comes back to you.  If your dog must go to the shelter and you don't reclaim your dog
    after a bite quarantine, your dog will be euthanized once the quarantine is over.   If your dog bites you or anyone
    else, seek professional help IMMEDIATELY.

    We have no special funding for medical bills or veterinary care. If you are wishing to rehome your dog due to a
    medical issue you can't afford, please consult the following resource:
    Having Trouble Affording Vet Care?

    The economy has caused an exponential increase in the number of homeless and abandoned pets.  All shelters and
    rescues are extremely overcrowded due to the number of people losing their jobs and homes. The following
    organization deals specifically with rehoming pets due to foreclosure:
    http://www.foreclosurepets.org/
If you do ultimately decide to rehome your dog, please provide us with a couple of appealing pictures (not blurry,
good lighting, preferably the dog looks awake and friendly) of your dog and as much information about your dog as
possible, including PROOF OF SPAY or NEUTER.  As a rescue organization, we cannot and will not assist with
the placement of unaltered Akitas.   If you do not have the funds to alter your Akita, please do an internet search
for low cost spay and neuter programs in your area.  Once we receive the photos and information about your dog
that we have requested, we will gladly post your dog on our website and refer all possible adopters to you.  Please
see the attached sheet for all of the information that we need for your dog to have the best chance of finding an new
home.

When answering the questions and providing the information about your dog, honesty is the best policy -- that will
help us keep from sending potential adopters that will waste your time.  If your dog hates cats and they have 3 cats,
then obviously that won't work.  

Rehoming Information and Dog Profile
THE BOTTOM LINE:

WHAT WE CAN'T DO:
TAKE YOUR DOG

WHAT WE CAN DO:
HELP YOU FIND YOUR
DOG A NEW HOME
YOURSELF.