FAQ's

Posh Puppies
Rescue
Frequently
Asked
Questions

Posh Puppies Rescue ~~~Frequently Asked Questions

These are some of the questions we are frequently asked over-the-phone, by email
and in person. Hopefully, reading this will answer some of your questions and help
you learn more about us and our mission to save these very deserving dogs &
puppies.

1. How long have you been in existence?
We opened our doors in March 2008.

2. Do you adopt very many dogs or puppies?
As of 8-11-10 we have rescued, fully vetted, rehabilitated (at times) and placed into
wonderful, loving adoptive homes just over 2,100 dogs and puppies in the short time
our rescue has been in existence.

3. Why are your adoption fees different from some other
rescues?
We are a self-supportive animal rescue shelter. We do NOT receive any state, local,
federal or government assistance or grants to assist us with our life-saving work.
Unfortunately, private, corporate and individual donations are virtually non-existant,
as well.
Our adoption fees are the only means of support we have for our NO KILL
shelter~this means that sometimes the more desirable ones have to help cover the
cost of the ill, injured or not-as-desirable dogs and puppies we take into our
rescue~many of whom end up staying with us for months and, sometimes, years,
depending on what their needs are.
Because puppies can be very fragile due to their very young and still-developing
immune systems, they must be cared for in a manner conducive to their extra-special
needs. For this reason and many others, we do not work out of people's homes or
foster our animals out. We also have our own veterinarian on site caring for our dogs
& puppies several days a week, as well.
As many of you may already know, veterinary care and medication is extremely
expensive. Although we do receive reduced rates for some procedures and services,
it is never free or donated~we must pay for it ourselves~and it amounts to thousands
upon thousands of dollars a month!!!
We feel our rescued animals deserve the very best we can give them~we supply them
with a comfortable shelter, the best in quality veterinary care and medication, the
very best food and constant care to attend to their every need while they are here
with us and awaiting their forever homes.
When you adopt your new furry family member from Posh Puppies Rescue, you are
saving not only the life of your new pet, but also the lives of many, many others who
need our help in order to survive.

4. Can I come in to the shelter and meet the dogs &
puppies?
Yes, you can! All of the dogs & puppies who are currently available for adoption on
our website are here at our shelter awaiting their very own loving home. Please see
our website Home Page for our open-to-the-public hours.

5. How do I adopt my new furry friend from Posh
Puppies Rescue?
The first step is to fill out our online adoption application~you may also do this in
person at our shelter, as well. Please answer every question completely and as
thoroughly so that we may evaluate and process your application in a timely manner.
Please note: We also REQUIRE you to show us your photo ID which must match the
name on the adoption application~PLEASE make sure you bring it with you when you
come into the shelter to meet our adoptable dogs & puppies.

6. How long does the adoption process take?
The turn-around time can be very quick, as long as you have completely answered all
the information asked for on the adoption application. We especially look for a good
veterinary reference when screening our applications.
If you do rent your home, please bring in a copy of your lease agreement or lease
amendment showing that you are allowed to have a pet, as well as your landlord's
name and phone number.

7. I don't live near your adoption center. can I still adopt
a dog or puppy from you?
We believe there are wonderful, quality adopters everywhere, not just in our own
area~so the answere is yes, you certainly may, as long as you have filled out our
adoption application online, passed our screening process and met all of our
adoption criteria.
If you live in any city in the upper 48 states where American and Continental Airlines
flies, we can almost always get your new furry family member to you. There is, of
course, an additional fee for this service.

8. Are you affiliated with the Posh Puppy pet store in
Tarzana, California?
Absolutely NOT! We are in NO way affiliated with them, or any other entity~in fact,
our founder chose the name of our rescue before any of us even knew such a place
existed.
We are a non-profit, 501 (C)-3 charitable organization registered with the State of
Missouri and the IRS.
All of the animals whose lives we save are in need of rescue and are in imminent
danger of being needlessly destroyed if we do not help them.

9. What is included in the adoption fee?
Our adoption fee includes a puppy or dog who has been veterinarian examined,
spayed/neutered, current on vaccinations and dewormer.
Our adult dogs have been heartworm tested and have had a complete dental cleaning
and polishing done, as well.
At the time of adoption, you will receive a record of all vaccinations and deworming
which your new furry friend has already received. This way, your veterinarian will
know exactly what he/she has already had and what he/she will still need in the
future.

10. Where do your puppies come from?
All of the dogs & puppies we rescue come from commercial breeding facilities.
These large-scale breeding facilities breed all different types of purebred and
so-called designer cross-breed puppies to be sold to pet store trade across the U.S.
Any puppies who are not sold to a pet store by the time they are 10-11 weeks-old are
generally deemed un-salable and are, sadly, destroyed~simply because their
"shelf-life", as it is referred to, has expired!
This is also the case with any puppies who are born with an overbite or underbite, are
the wrong color or have the wrong hair texture for their breed, have too short or too
long a tail, have an extra toe, or have any other slight physical defect for which they
are termed "imperfect".
These slight imperfections have absolutely no bearing on their ability to give and
receive love and affection and to become a much-loved member of your family.
We believe that just because they may not conform to our society's definition of
"perfect", they are still loving, feeling souls who deserve a chance to live the life God
gave them.
These puppies are born silently and they die just as silently without anyone ever even
knowing they existed.
This is why I started this organization and have worked tirelessly, along with my
dedicated team of volunteers, and have made it my life's mission to save the lives of
as many of these precious angels as possible.

11. Where do your adult dogs come from?
All of our adult dogs are former breeding dogs who have been retired from the
commercial breeding facilities.
Most of them have spent their entire lives in cages breeding litters of puppies.
Unfortunately, many of them have never known the kindness of a human voice or the
loving comfort of a human hand stroking their body until they get to us, here at the
shelter. We work with each and every one of these poor, forgotten souls~holding
them, stroking their fur, speaking gently to them so that they can finally understand
and feel what it means to be loved, wanted and appreciated. Many of them respond
immediately~for others, it sometimes takes longer.
Most of these dogs have given the best years of their lives to produce litter upon litter
of puppies. The very least we can do is give them the love, kindness and affection
that they have often been denied and that every dog deserves.
One thing's for sure, these dogs love and appreciate their new families and will never,
ever fail to show how incredibly grateful they are to have been given that life-saving
second chance.

12. I see a dog I really like on your website. Can you
hold him/her for me until I can come in to meet him/her?
Unfortunately, we cannot hold any certain dog or puppy for anyone unless the
person/family already has an approved application on file with us and the adoption
fee has already been paid-in-full and the puppy or dog is awaiting pick-up.
Please understand that we get many, many adoption applications every week.
Oftentimes, there may be more than one approved application for any certain dog or
puppy. In this situation, it becomes first come, first served of the APPROVED
applicants.

13. I know you're in Downtown St. Louis. Where can I
park when I visit your shelter?
We have our very own parking lot so there is always plenty of free, easily accessible
parking for everyone. If our lot is full, you may also park on the street in front of our
building. It is free to do so as there are NO parking meters along our stretch of
Washington Blvd.

14. The photos of the dogs on your website are beautiful
and are so different from the photos we have seen on the
websites of other rescues. Why is this?
We believe that every dog and puppy should have the opportunity to put his or her
best paw forward and be given the chance to make a lasting first impression with a
potential adopter by making that all-important, love-at-first-sight connection. This
encourages any potential adopters to take a closer look and seek out more
information about that particular dog or puppy.
The photos you see on our website are the end result of hours, upon hours, upon
hours of bathing, grooming and blow-drying many dogs and puppies and squeaking
myriad dog toys and making funny noises with our mouths, keys and any other
attention-getting items in order to get the dog or puppy's attention so you can see
how adorable and precious each and every one of them are!!! As you can see by the
photos, they all enjoy the love and attention they are receiving in the process!!!
I personally believe that it is a grave disservice to any dog or puppy to photograph
them scared, wet, and shivering behind the bars of a cage.
They ALL deserve much more dignity and respect than this.

15. We would like to add a new puppy to our family but
we already have an existing dog. Can we bring him or
her in to meet our potential new furry family member?
Absolutely, we encourage you to bring in your friendly, well-behaved, vaccinated pet
to meet his/her potential new brother or sister.

16. How old do I have to be in order to adopt from your
organization?
You must be at least 18 years of age. If you are still living at home with your family,
we require everyone in the household to be involved in the adoption process and
everyone in the household MUST be on-board with the idea of adding a new furry
family member to your household.

17. I saw a dog on your website last week but it wasn't
there when I looked today. Is he/she still available for
adoption?
We generally try to remove the dogs & puppies from our website as they are adopted.
We remove "adopted" dogs and add "newly available for adoption" dogs every
Thursday. If you see them on the website Friday morning, chances are, they are still
here. They tend to be adopted quickly, though, so please keep this in mind.

18. Do I need to make an appointment in order to meet
your adoptable dogs & puppies?
No, there is no need to make an appointment. Like the website says, walk-ins are
always welcome. Please see our open-to-the-public hours on the Homepage.
At time we do get very, very busy so please be patient as, chances are, you will not
be the only one here looking for a new furry family member to join your household.

19. What do I need to bring with me when I come to pick
up my new puppy or dog?
It is always helpful if you are able to bring a crate with you in order to transport your
new family member home. You should also bring a towel, blanket or some
newspaper to line it with as accidents often happen due to the motion of traveling in
a vehicle. Paper towels and baby wipes can also be invaluable at this time, as well.

20. What forms of payment do you accept for the
adoption fees?
We are able to accept cash, MasterCard, Visa & Discover, both credit and debit.

21. We are a family with 2 small children. Most other
rescue organizations choose NOT to adopt to families
like ours. Would we be able to adopt from Posh Puppies
Rescue?
Posh Puppies Rescue is VERY "family-friendly"! We ALWAYS welcome families with
children of any age. We believe every child should have the privilege of growing up
with a companion animal~it builds character, strength and responsibility, which are
all very important virtues all of us wish to instill in our children.
We are always happy to help you and your entire family find the perfect new furry
friend to complete your family!