Cocker Spaniel Rescue How to locate Cockers near you who are in need of new homes

I frequently hear from people who are interested in getting a Cocker Spaniel, but don't want to go through all the trouble of training a puppy.  Rescuing an adult Cocker from a shelter is a great option.  But how to locate one near you?  Thanks to the Internet, it's actually quite easy.

Go to the Petfinder web site and use the search panel on the left side of the site to locate homeless Cockers near you.  Simply enter in "dog" as the animal, "Cocker Spaniel" as the breed, enter in your ZIP code, click the box that says "PIC PREVIEW", and click on the GO button.  A list of adoptable Cockers in your area will appear on the screen.

I also occasionally hear from people with an adult Cocker who they can no longer care for...  who would like to find a new home for their dog.  To help connect those people with people who might be interested in adopting their dog, I created the rescue section of our online Cocker forum.  If you have a dog that you need to find a new home for, take a good picture of the dog, resize it so that it is about 600 pixels wide, and post it to the rescue section of the forum.  Please post at least a few paragraphs of text along with the picture...  tell us all about the dog, what makes him special, and why he needs a new home.  If you need step-by-step instructions on how to post a picture, you'll find them here.

The people that meet up in the rescue section of our forum are fanatical about getting Cockers in to good homes.  When they find out about Cockers that are in danger of being euthanized in animal shelters, they actively work to get those dogs out of danger and in to either foster homes or forever homes with new owners.  They've been extraordinarily successful at it!  It seemed like they had been helping an awful lot of Cockers, so someone decided to go back and tally up the numbers to see how many we had actually saved.  Over a three and a half month period in 2008, thanks to the incredible effort of our fanatical group, 266 Cockers were rescued!

If you're in the Southern California area, there's a great Cocker rescue group that you should know about!  It's San Diego Spaniel Rescue, established in 2002, which helps the Cockers in San Diego and Orange Counties of Southern California.  Adopters, volunteers, friends and supporters are all welcomed there.  Here are before and after photos of a few of the dogs they've saved:

On the left...  "Cooper", before and after.  On the right...  "Misty", before and after.

Cockers in public shelters are often “diamonds in the ruff” according to Peggy Mundell, the President of San Diego Spaniel Rescue.  Sometimes they need minor medical care, sometimes just a bath and some grooming brings out their true beautiful selves!  And yes, sometimes they can need major makeover projects too. Dealing with a reputable rescue group like SDSR means you aren’t gambling when you adopt a dog...  they've screened each dog and offer the ones that they think have the best potential of making a great pet.

Here are a few more before and after pictures, from the SDSR archives:

"Indie" on the left, and "Jackson Magoo" on the right.

Visit the SDSR web site and help a Cocker Spaniel get a new "leash" on life!

In central California, we have an excellent Cocker rescue group, too.  Second Chance Cocker Rescue is based in Santa Barbara, but has helped Cockers from a wide area of the state.  I've met the founder, Elizabeth Mazetti, several times...  and know several of her volunteers and several of the Cockers she has saved.  These people do great work for the Cocker Spaniel breed.
 

If you're in the San Francisco Bay area and you're looking for an adult Cocker, there are usually MANY Cockers that you can choose from.  There's a rescue group known as the Bay Area Animal Rescue Klub, or BAARK...  and they deal specifically with Cocker Spaniels who are in need of new homes.  Unfortunately, they've got a lot of them.  Here's a few pictures of dogs that were available in the last year.  They've all gone to new homes by now, but this should give you an idea of the type of Cockers available for rescue.

Remember, these specific dogs have already gone to new homes, and are shown here just to give you some idea of the good work that BAARK is doing.  See their current list of available dogs here or read more about BAARK here.

It's official: No healthy, adoptable animals were euthanized last year in San Luis Obispo County.

Numbers released by the Sheriff's Department on Monday confirm the milestone, which few communities across the country have reached.  The number of healthy, adoptable cats and dogs that are killed here has dropped steadily over the years, from 190 in 2001 to 116 in 2002 to 34 in 2003.

"Without the dedication of our staff and volunteers, as well as cooperation and help of other private shelters and animal rescue groups around the county, we would not have been able to reach this goal," Animal Services Manager Eric Anderson said in a statement.  Added Sheriff Pat Hedges: "This truly is an achievement of which our entire community can be proud."

The county Animal Services Division operates the county animal shelter, the only place in the county where healthy animals are killed.  The main reason that happens -- here and elsewhere -- is because of a lack of space to hold them. Ninety-seven percent of the animals that arrive at the shelter are strays or relinquished by their owners.  Shelter staff attributes its success to better cooperation among people and groups that work with animals, plus more people spaying and neutering their pets and identifying them with tags or microchips.  Those actions, they said, help keep pets out of shelters and put them into new homes.

Other factors credited include advertising of the animals available for adoption, which helps move them to homes and reduces their chances of being euthanized.  Also noted was the work by agencies to take animals off the shelter's hands for a few days, or find them temporary homes.  Also contributing is a 1998 state law that requires shelters to hold cats and dogs up to six days before putting them down.  The demographics of this area were also cited. They include a lot of people who are older, retired and looking for animal companionship.

Euthanasia of animals deemed unadoptable -- because of aggression or significant medical problems, for example -- also has sharply dropped, to 360 last year from 645 the year before, according to the Sheriff's Department.  That's a 44 percent decrease in one year and an almost tenfold decrease from 10 years ago, when 3,440 cats and dogs that could not be rehabilitated were killed. Euthanasia of animals in this group is considered humane.

A Happy Ending for a Cocker in San Luis Obispo county

You may have read about "Brandy", a buff male Cocker in Paso Robles, California.  His elderly owners were experiencing personal health problems and were no longer able to take care of him.  My friend, Robin Burdick, took a personal interest in this case...  met Brandy, printed up flyers about him, and didn't stop working until a new home was found for him.  Unfortunately, things didn't work out with Brandy's new owners...  but things worked out just fine on the next attempt.  The third time's a charm!  Brandy is now happy in his new forever home.

An update to a story that I posted here earlier this year.  Remember these two black Cockers whose owner passed away recently?  They've been adopted!  Another success story!  For more rescue success stories, scroll down the page.

"Sadie"

You may have read about this nine-year-old Cocker which needed to be placed in a new home after not getting along very well with the owner's new human baby...   I'm happy to let you know that a "forever home" was found for Sadie in mid-August!

"Tripper"

If you saw the story of Tripper, who lives in Woodland, California, you'll be happy to know that he found a forever home in the San Francisco Bay area in August!

You may recall reading about these two male Cockers...  who were found wandering near Los Angeles International Airport on June 22nd.   I'm happy to report that a "forever home" has been found for these two!

You may have also read about two Cockers in British Columbia, Canada, that were in need of a new home.  Their names are Mona and Lucky. 

Mona is basically blind, and she depends on Lucky to act as her eyes.  The owner of these dogs is ill, and a concerned friend was trying to help find someone who will take these dogs and provide them a forever home.

Another happy ending to report...  Mona and Lucky have been placed in a new forever home.
 

We recently posted the news about a pair of eight year old buff Cockers at the Peninsula Humane Society in San Mateo, California.

We're happy to report yet another rescue success story...  both of these dogs have a new home.

Someone saw them on the web site and adopted both dogs.  Thank you!

More Good News:

I recently posted a notice here about a Cocker in the Lompoc animal shelter.  I'm pleased to report that someone saw the picture here on our site, and ended up adopting the dog from the shelter.

Also, you may have read a while back about six Cocker Spaniels that were dropped off anonymously overnight at the San Luis Obispo County animal shelter.  All six are in new homes now.

You may recall reading here recently about a pair of Cockers in Shell Beach, California, that were in need of new homes.  These were not Zim dogs, but the red & white parti sure looked like she could have been one of ours!

Sammie

Sally

I'm happy to say that new homes have been lined up for both Sammie and Sally.  In fact, it was probably the easiest "rescue" I've ever assisted on.  I notified about 20 people who had written to me recently about puppies, and within a few hours had four people interested in providing homes for Sally & Sammie.  They'll be going to their new homes soon...  and if I hear how things are working out, I'll be sure to let you know.

If you checked this page around the new year, you may have read about Pepper, the black Cocker you see here.  He is an eight-year-old male who lived in Hollister, California...  in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay area.

Pepper's elderly owner entered an assisted living facility and could no longer take care of him.  A new home needed to be found for Pepper right away.

We publicized Pepper's situation here on our web site, and I'm happy to report that three different families expressed interest in helping him.  We thank you so much for being willing to help!

Pepper had cataract surgery in mid-January, and is now in a new home in San Jose.

Around Thanksgiving, we got an email from some friends of ours asking for help in finding a home for the good looking black & white tri colored boy you see here.  His name is Max.

Max was staying temporarily with our friends in Stockton...  but needed to go to a permanent home.

I'm happy to report that a new home was found for Max just before Christmas.  They seem to like him, and the reports so far sound good!

I'll try to get an updated picture of Max with his new family, and post it here soon!

Here's another success story...

I received an email in September asking if I'd be interested in helping find a new home for a Cocker.  A 70-year-old woman in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's disease had purchased an adult Cocker from a breeder.  The dog is about a year-and-a-half old. The elderly woman had the dog for about a month, and it became clear to her family that she and the dog were not a good match.  So they wanted to find a new home for the dog.

The son-in-law of the elderly woman brought the dog over to our house on October 4th.  Her name is Diana, and she is a black & white parti.  I'm not convinced she's a purebred Cocker...  she's got a long snout and not much fur on the legs...  there might be some Springer or English Cocker in her background somewhere.

The dog was EXTREMELY timid...  frightened of everything and everyone...  and would not allow anyone to get close to her. Her tail was permanently stuck down between her legs in the classic "I'm Scared!" position.  I was told that Diana had spent most of her life in a crate.

Before Diana's arrival, I had stashed all of our dogs in our garage so that she would not be intimidated by them.  We let Diana off leash in our yard while I talked to the son-in-law about her.

I decided to see what would happen if we let one of our dogs out in the yard with Diana.  So I went and got Reese...  our youngest, smallest, and friendliest...  I figured she would be the least intimidating.

This is when the most amazing thing happened!  Diana got one look at Reese, and her whole body language changed.  The tail came out from between the legs and even started wagging!  She started doing happy Cocker body language as she and Reese checked each other out.  Kellyn and I could see the beginnings of a transformation.  We agreed to be a foster home for Diana while we found a permanent home for her.

We slowly introduced Diana to our other three dogs, and it went very well.  We were a little worried about Abby since she is Alpha and pregnant, too...  but it was no problem.  Abby just wanted to chase tennis balls.

On that first day with us, Diana wouldn't do a heck of a lot.  It was difficult to get her to come within an arm's length.  She had no clue what to do with a tennis ball, or how to get over the agility jump.  But I just started working with her...  letting her see the other dogs retrieve balls and jump over the agility jump...  and lo and behold by that evening I had her bringing a ball back to me and jumping over the agility jump!

Over the next week, we could see improvements every day..  A little more confidence, a little more trusting.  I think she started to figure out that being here was a good thing.  It was amazing to watch.  It reminded me very much of watching my kids learn to ride a bike.  They start out completely unable to do it, and then a little bit at a time they work at it and you can just see them learn and grow as they master it.  Very cool to watch!

On that first day, when we saw Diana perk up as soon as Reese came out to play, Kel and I both knew that Diana needed to go to a home with another Cocker in it.  And we both came up with the same idea: there are some people who bought a puppy from us last year, and they live just a few miles from us.  They've been waiting for our next litter, because they want to get a playmate for their dog.  Kel and I both felt that this would be an ideal home for Diana.  So I contacted them.

To make a long story a bit shorter...  they came over on October 9th to meet Diana and, as Chuck Woolery would say, it was a Love Connection!  Diana really liked them...   she spent more time with them than she did with me.   They were even able to get her to sit on each of their laps and give them kisses.   Trust me...  a week earlier there would have been NO WAY!!!

They took Diana home that afternoon, and everything worked out just fine.   Diana and Holli (the Zim Cocker) get along great, and it just worked out like one of those situations that was "meant to be".

I really feel good that we were able to help Diana.  Watching her transform from a totally scared rescue dog to a "face licking lap dog" in just one week was one of my most amazing Cocker experiences ever!

Crosby

If you're a regular visitor to our web site, you may have read the story in late July of Crosby... a male buff-colored Cocker who was found as a stray and ended up in the Chula Vista Animal Care Facility in San Diego county, California.

We're sorry to report that Crosby's owner was never found, no one offered to adopt Crosby in time, and he was put to sleep.  Please  help us to make sure this does not happen to the other Cockers pictured above!  If you know anyone in California who might be able to offer a good home to a homeless Cocker, please tell them about the dogs you've seen here.

I do have a rescue story with a happy ending, though!  I received an email in early September from a volunteer with a Cocker rescue group who had noticed on the Petfinder site that there was a Cocker in the San Luis Obispo county animal shelter who was within a few days of being put to sleep.  Within hours of hearing the news, the Zim family was at the animal shelter to check up on this dog and to see how we could help him.  But when we inquired about him, we found out that he had gone to a new home the day before!

Know of a Cocker that needs a new home?  Please post a picture and the dog's story on to the rescue section of our forum.

Want to find Cocker Spaniel rescue organizations near you?  Check out the Cocker rescue groups listed at The Open Directory Project.

If you find this web site useful, and appreciate the effort it took to create it...  please consider making a donation via the link on the right.  We use these donations to pay the costs we incur in keeping this web site running...  including our web hosting costs and the costs of operating our PuppyCam.

Questions?  Comments?  Read this first, and then
feel free to  send an email to Jim Zimmerlin
I'd love it if you'd attach pictures of your Cocker Spaniel, too.

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