The Greater Twin Cities Afghan Hound Club (GTCAHC) is a Regional Specialty Club in Minnesota.  We work rescue in conjunction with the National club known as The Afghan Hound Club of America (AHCA).  Both clubs have a Rescue organization for the Afghan Hounds.  The GTCAHC is very devoted to rescue for our beloved breed. 

Rescue consists of taking in Afghan Hounds that are no longer wanted by their original owners or sometimes they are found wondering lose on the streets lost or picked up by  Humane Societies, or are seized by animal control due to neglect or abuse.  Others need to be placed into new homes because their owners are ill or have died, or their owners have lost their homes.  Many more are given up because their owners are moving, because of divorce, or for reasons that boil down to a lack of commitment by their owners.  All this through no fault of the dog’s themselves.

Some of the dogs require veterinary care and the GTCAHC will make sure that the dogs are healthy, spayed or neutered and micro chipped before they are put up for adoption.  The GTCAHC has a wonderful network of people that have volunteered to give temporary homes to these dogs until their forever homes are found.  This can be in our local area or perhaps further away.  We have networks of people for transportation for the dogs to get to new homes that may be in other states. 

How you can help with Afghan Hound Rescue?  For many rescued Afghan Hounds, breeder information is unknown, as is typically the case for a stray Afghan Hound and many shelter dogs.  There are specific steps we can take as breeders, as owners of pet Afghan Hounds and as rescuers which will help decrease the number of dogs who become homeless or need to be rescued:

• Tattoo and / or microchip your dogs before they are sold/placed (and register the tattoo).
• As rescuers, check for tattoos/microchips, as shelters frequently do not do so.
• Keep a strong (non choke) collar on your dog, with ID tags and current owner information.
• Spay/Neuter all pet and rescued Afghan Hounds.
• Screen homes carefully; ask for, and check references, do a home visit (if you are placing a dog long distance, ask for help from someone in that area).
• As breeders, don’t sell pet Afghans with a contract to breed and give a puppy back.
• As rescuers, don’t take an owner’s word that the dog’s breeder will not take the dog back; contact the breeder directly.
• As owners, we should have clear and accessible instructions on who to contact and what to do with our animals in the event of our death.

If you would like to adopt a rescued Afghan Hound or join our loving family of volunteer foster homes, please call our Rescue contact below:

 

For more information contact:

Susan Weatherhead

(651) 428-1706 [cell]

sweatherhead@comcast.net