Crested Guardians
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does Crested Guardians do and
what makes Crested Guardians unique?
Crested Guardians is a group of
dedicated volunteers living across the United States who work together
to preserve and protect Chinese Cresteds in need. It is our mission
to make a positive change in the lives of unwanted or abandoned
Chinese Crested dogs through transporting, fostering, nurturing,
socializing, providing medical care and professional
positive-reinforcement based training. The ultimate goal
of Crested Guardians is to place each rescued Crested into a loving
forever home.
Crested Guardians, Inc. is a non-profit
501(c) (3) rescue group that exists only through the kindness and
generosity of a network of supporters throughout the world. Donations
and fundraisers help us carry out our mission.
Funds received by the organization are utilized solely for the rescue,
rehabilitation, professional training and care of our rescue Chinese
Cresteds - our volunteers do not get paid for their time and efforts.
It is through generous people like you that allow us to help
needy Chinese Cresteds. Please see the bottom of this page for more
information on how you might help, if you are interested!
Are there different types of Chinese
Crested dogs? Is it the right breed for me?
Yes, there are two main varieties – the
hairless and the powder puff. For more information, click
here. It is important that you make sure
the Chinese Crested will fit into your home and lifestyle.
Chinese Cresteds are a loyal and quirky breed of dog that loves
to be with their people! For more information check out the
following links:
Do older dogs bond with new owners as
well as a puppy might?
Yes! After a reasonable adjustment
period to a new environment, new routines and getting to know their
new owners, rescue dogs and their adoptive families generally bond
well. Some dogs, due to previous life experiences, may
have trust issues that will need more time to work through. In many
cases, it appears as though rescued dogs intuitively know they were
given a second chance at life, and seem to be forever grateful.
From
where does Crested Guardians get its rescue Chinese Crested dogs?
Our volunteers work very hard to locate
Chinese Cresteds that end up in kill-shelters and humane societies
across the United States. Others may come to our attention after
being found as strays, abandoned or through owner-surrender.
I need to surrender my Chinese
Crested – how do I do this?
We understand that there are a variety of reasons one may need to
surrender their Chinese Crested dog and we make every effort, in a
compassionate, confidential and non-judgmental way, to work with
families and individuals through this process. If you have a Chinese
Crested you need to surrender, you can
contact
our intake coordinator via email.
If you obtained your Chinese Crested
from a breeder, please check your contract, as there may be a
return-to-breeder clause in it. This is a common practice amongst
ethical and reputable breeders who generally will take back any of
their own dogs.
What happens to a Chinese Crested dog
once it is in Crested Guardians rescue?
Each Chinese Crested dog that comes into
Crested Guardians rescue is placed with a foster care volunteer, who
assumes responsibility for its total care, and provides a safe and
nurturing environment for the dog. All dogs are taken to a licensed
veterinarian for ‘vetting’ - medical screening and any needed and
age-appropriate intervention or treatment (including spay/neuter,
vaccines, dental care, treatment of disease or injury, etc.).
While under the care of the foster volunteer, dogs are assessed
for personality, temperament and any issues that may need to be
addressed by positive-reinforcement training provided by a
professional trainer. Ultimately, the goal is to match and place each
rescued Chinese Crested into a loving home with a forever
family.
Why does Crested Guardians require
your rescue Chinese Cresteds to be spayed or neutered?
We truly wish there were no need for
Crested Guardians to be in existence. Simply, we are, because there
are too many dogs contributing to the larger issue of animal shelter
overpopulation, and thus, needless euthanasia of innocent creatures in
general. We certainly do not want to contribute to this
growing problem and release intact dogs to the public only to
perpetuate indiscriminate breeding. As such, we emphatically believe
in the spaying and neutering of our rescues.
How do I submit an application to
adopt a Crested Guardian rescue Chinese Crested? What
can I expect from the process?
You can fill out an application online
by clicking here. Our Adoption
Coordinator will contact you within a reasonable amount of time to
follow up. Your application will be reviewed, a
telephone/email interview will be conducted, your veterinarian and
personal references will be contacted, and finally, a home visit will
be completed. Crested Guardians will contact you with a decision
after complete review of all information gathered. We
strive to place our rescue dogs in the family that best suits him/her,
so we do not necessarily place dogs with families in the order in
which applications were received.
I want to apply to adopt one of
your rescues but it is listed as being in a different state than where
I live. Can I still apply for that one?
Yes, you may. Crested Guardians will
help steer adoptive families toward different transportation options,
if appropriate for said dog.
Can I apply to adopt a Chinese
Crested from Crested Guardians if I have very young children?
Yes, you may. Crested Guardians will
carefully match dogs and families that suit one another; a dog may be
available in rescue that would do well with a family with small
children. If there is not a suitable dog available at
the time, you will be informed and may remain on our list and notified
when one comes into rescue that might match your family.
Can I adopt a rescue Chinese Crested
as a surprise for my grandmother, girlfriend or other relative?
No, we will not adopt out our rescues to
someone we cannot screen carefully and thoroughly. However, if you
think your relative would be interested in adopting from us, please
have her/him fill out an application!
Does Crested Guardians require
an adoption donation?
Crested Guardians does have an adoption
fee with a sliding scale of $300 - $450, which is determined by
various criteria. Funds received by the Crested Guardians are
utilized solely for the rescue, rehabilitation, professional training
and care of our rescue Chinese Cresteds - our volunteers do not get
paid for their time and efforts.
What if I have questions or need help
with my Chinese Crested after I’ve adopted it from Crested Guardians?
Your dog’s foster caretaker or any
member of our organization will be available to answer any questions
you might have. Members of Crested Guardians will always have an
interest in how things are going with your adopted Chinese Crested.
We always enjoy receiving updates and pictures from our
families!
Is Crested Guardian accepting
new members? How can I help? I am interested in
becoming a member of Crested Guardians – how do I apply?
Yes – Crested Guardians needs more
help! We are in need of people who can foster as much as we are in
need of people who can help in other ways, such as transporting,
raising funds, providing professional training,
networking, keeping an eye out for that one little Chinese Crested in
need, conducting screenings and much more.
We are especially in need of foster
volunteers. Crested Guardians pays for the medical care of any foster
dogs. The foster parent assumes the day-to-day care of
the dog, but we ensure that any dog in our program gets the necessary
medical care required as well as professional positive reinforcement
training if needed.
This additional advantage for the dog
also confers more responsibility on the foster parent to carry through
with the training while having care of the dog. So this commitment
must be understood and agreed upon if training (positive-reinforcement
based) is needed.
If you would like to fill out an
application to join Crested Guardians rescue,
click here.
How can I make a donation to Crested
Guardians?
Thank you for this
consideration! If you would like to make a monetary donation, you can
do so via PayPal by clicking the PayPal button below or sending a check to
Crested Guardians, PO Box 5044, Vernon Hills, IL 60061.
If you have a special skill or talent and would like to donate to our
raffle/auction fundraiser, please
contact Sarah Althen to arrange this. Again, your consideration
is appreciated. Our rescue Chinese Cresteds cannot be
successfully pulled out of a kill-shelter, picked up off the streets
or taken in from a family that can no longer care for it without your
generosity!
