Coast to Coast Dachshund Rescue  Member Code of Ethics  http://www.c2cdr.org

As a member of Coast to Coast Dachshund Rescue (CCDR), I pledge to satisfy the following conditions:

I pledge to educate, advance, and protect the interests of re-homing, rehabilitating pure bred Dachshunds, and Dachshund mixes that look mostly dachshund. I will adhere to the guidelines of being a responsible and a professional representative where I will respond with honesty and openness, regardless of the location, circumstances or people involved. I promise to also adhere to CCDR's adoption policies when proceeding with the care and placement of a Dachshund.

SECTION I - GENERAL TERMS

1.) To maintain my rescue as a non-profit endeavor, whether my group is an organization recognized by the state and/or federal government, or the work of one or more private individuals.
2.) To conduct my rescue on a voluntary basis, receiving no compensation for rescue work.
3.) To restrict my CCDR representation to no more than three recognized breeds, due to the time and knowledge required to uphold the best interests of each breed and to NOT be a member of another dachshund rescue group.
4.) To educate potential adopters about issues regarding their breed, i.e., temperament, health, training, care.
5.) To ensure that all volunteers in my rescue group are educated in their area of service, whether fostering, adoption screening, temperament evaluation, transportation, or educational outreach.
6.) To recommend specific purebred breeders to adopters desiring such information (when possible), but not to act as a general repository or adoption means for any breeder's unsold animals.

Section II - MEMBER GUIDELINES

AS A CCDR MEMBER I:
1.) Agree to identify and take into immediate care Dachshunds who have been lost, abandoned, surrendered or otherwise disowned if space is available.
2.) Agree to train, rehabilitate, or otherwise treat rescued Dachshunds to bring them into adoptable condition, as necessary or appropriate, by either medical care or behavioral modifications.
3.) Agree to find suitable adoptive homes for these dogs by campaigning the dog once in my care, listing the available dog on the CCDR website as well as responding to email or phone inquiries for the dog in a very timely manner. I agree to interview and perform the necessary reference checks on a prospective applicant and show a fairness to those who express an interest in the dog should there be more than one interested party.
4.) Agree to provide all possible assistance to an adoptive home to ensure the permanent welfare of the adoptive Dachshund.
5.) Agree to make every effort to educate the public regarding our purpose and scope of our activities, assisting other members, participating in fundraising events or local educational events.
6.) Agree to make an effort to educate surrendering owner to prevent the dog from being turned in to rescue if possible.
7.) Agree rescue groups will work together and cooperate with others in a professional manner, with our common goal of helping the welfare of the Dachshund breed.
8.) Agree to house rescue animals in my care under sanitary conditions, which meet or exceed all minimum standards as defined by local health and sanitation authorities. Agree never to take in more dogs than is allowed by local ordinances or exceed the number of dogs in the home allowed by local ordinances. To quarantine all new dogs from those dogs already in the foster home for the recommended period of time to stave off diseases or transmission of communicable diseases from dogs coming from shelters or unsanitary conditions and to keep all animals safe (both foster and permanent) by using common sense and safely exposing the foster animals to the foster home's animals only when it is determined it is safe to expose all the animals together. Common sense is to be executed at all times when exposing other pets, children and visitors to the foster dog. Safety of the CCDR dog as well as other pets and humans is to be executed at all times.
9.) Agree to realize the limit to the number of dogs you can safely have, financially care for or legally have on your premises. You will not jeopardize CCDR should there be negative press on your conditions or number of dogs you house by exceeding your legal limit and having authorities become involved.
10.) Agree to honor and respect your neighbors and not create a nuisance that interferes with their right to privacy and their right to a noise-free and sanitary environment from dogs in temporary care.
11.) Agree to provide appropriate veterinary care for fostered rescue animals, including inoculations, heartworm testing, and administration of preventive heartworm medication or flea/tick control.
12.) Agree to make adequate provisions to ensure that rescue animals are free of parasitic infestations. 
13.) Agree to provide appropriate food, clean water, and shelter for all animals in your care.
14.) Agree to temperament test each animal and exercise good judgment to assure its suitability for placement and work with any behavior or training issues so the dog is a good candidate for adoption. CCDR will not knowingly place a vicious or temperamentally unsound animal in an adoptive home and as a CCDR member you agree to ask about the dog's behavior, history and temperament prior to bring a dog into the CCDR system per CCDR’s Aggressive Dog Policy.
15.) Am aware and fully understand that a dog deemed aggressive by the owner, representative of the owner or the shelter will have or attempt to get a full history on the dog's temperament and behavior and if questionable, will notify the Board first, present the dog's available history of temperament or aggressiveness and will wait to hear whether the dog will be accepted into CCDR as an available dog for adoption.
16.) Understand that if you are responsible for taking in an aggressive dog or a dog with a bite history after being denied permission to come into CCDR by the Board of CCDR, you will fully accept personal responsibility for that dog, understand that dog is and will not be made a part of CCDR and will not hold CCDR responsible for injury to yourself, acquaintances or other animals. You will not submit medical bills or expenses associated with this dog to CCDR.
17.) Understand that not all dogs are able to be saved or re-homed and therefore, rescue animals deemed not adoptable for reasons of health, temperament, or any other appropriate reason will be humanely euthanized by a veterinarian or certified euthanasia technician, and properly disposed of.
 

Section III - THE SURRENDER PROCESS

1.) All dogs entering Coast to Coast Dachshund Rescue (CCDR) from  an owner surrender will be accompanied by a surrender contract filled out completely, signed and dated by the owner and representative. The original signed copy of the surrender form will be sent to Coast to Coast Dachshund Rescue by being attached to the signed contract that gets sent to CCDR once the adoption has taken place. The representative will keep a copy of the surrender form as well. A copy is not to be given to the adoptive home.
2.) All dogs coming into CCDR will be registered within 48 hours through the on-line form on the Coast to Coast Dachshund rescue site to receive an ID number. No dogs will be allowed to be vetted until an ID number is assigned.

Section IV - REQUIRED PROCEDURES FOR CCDR DOGS

1.) Dogs registered to CCDR will not be made available for adoption until the dog receives the required veterinary exam with the required procedures being completed and all health issues addressed that may require treatment. No dog is to be adopted until it is clear of all normal health issues (worms, heartworm treatment, etc.) and gets a clean bill of health. Temperament evaluation and basic training is to be done while in foster care. Foster care is to be a minimum of two weeks for proper health treatment and evaluation should there be no extensive vetting done or health issues treated.

2.) An appropriate veterinary exam will include a basic physical that checks eyes, ears, heart, overall condition, fecal check, appropriate vaccines, rabies vaccine and be spayed or neutered. If a dog has come from a shelter and has been deemed at high risk for bordetella, a bordetella vaccine may be given, but only if the dog is deemed “high risk.”  A senior panel (blood work) is to be taken before surgery if the dog is 6 years or older or has medical issues that would generate a need for blood work before surgery (board permission required for the later). When a veterinary record is available and vaccinations are current, only a general exam, heart worm test and fecal is necessary. If it is determined the dog needs a dental, the cost of the dental and associated charges is to be requested and the member will ask for permission to have it performed by filling out the vetting request form on the contact page of the CCDR site, http://www.c2cdr.org. A dental is allowed if the dog is 4 years or older, but, if the dental is over $150.00, permission must be granted for treatment by filling out the vetting request for treatment and submitting the charge for approval. Dentals under $150.00 do not need approval. Dogs under 4 needing dentals must have board permission before a dental is done and the amount must be board approved before proceeding. If there are other medical conditions that the veterinarian determines are present, the cost of treatment is to be presented to the Board first and the dog, once approval for costs are given, will be treated. If further veterinary care is necessary, the Board is to be made aware of this. Any known medical problems should also be treated before release to the adoptive family.

3.) Each dog will be spayed or neutered, as soon as medically feasible, considering the age and medical condition of the dog. No Dachshund received into rescue should ever be allowed to breed or be bred under any circumstances while in the care of a foster home whether member or outside foster home. Puppies too young to alter will be adopted with a spay/neuter contract and will have a $50.00 deposit charged on top of the adoption fee. CCDR will pay for the spay/neuter when the puppy is old enough and will return the $50.00 after the neuter is done. Should the neuter exceed $100.00, the excess amount will come out of the $50.00 deposit and the balance (if any) will be returned to the owner. 

4.) Temperament evaluation should include determining if the dog shows signs of aggression to people as well as other dogs or other pets. If the dog shows any signs of aggression to people and the aggression is unpredictable or an aggression that is not triggered for a legitimate reason, it will be excluded from the adoption program. The dog will be signed over to the representative if the representative chooses to accept full and total responsibility for the dog, but, if the dog's aggressiveness is deemed dangerous without provocation to people and animals, does not respond to correction and causes a disruption to normal lifestyle or is determined to be from a medical condition that will not change, if deemed necessary, the dog should be humanely euthanized by either the representative or, revert to the control of the Board where a decision will be made in the best interest of the dog. 

Section V - ADOPTION PROCEDURES

1.) Representative will perform the required procedures to finalize an adoption. 
a. These procedures begin with the processing of the adoption application and checking references as well as having a phone interview with the applicant. 
b. The representative will perform a home visit to verify the home environment is safe as well as have a face-to-face interview with the adopter and their family. 
c. The representative will make sure the dog has had the required veterinary care that CCDR offers and all medical history be given to the adopter in a written form as well as verbally explained. 
d. The representative is to make sure the dog that is being adopted is bathed, well groomed, ears are clean, toenails are trimmed and all vetting requirements have been performed when the dog is transferred to the adoptive family. 
e. In the case of an owner surrender, where there are items that were given with the dog, the representative is to make sure any equipment that came with the dog originally (crate, bedding, toys, leash, collar, etc.) is to travel with the dog that is being adopted. No representative is to keep equipment or items that were sent with the dog originally.
f. The representative will have all medical paperwork, contract and any information pertinent to that dog “with” that dog when it is transferred over to the adoptive family. No dog is transferred to the adoptive home without a contract. The representative is to make sure the contract is filled out in its entirety and the dog’s personality and behavior is documented fully on the contract. 
g. The representative is to make sure the contract is signed at the time of transfer and a check or money order for the adoption fee is to be collected. No exceptions unless the contract and fee were received by CCDR prior to transport. All contracts and checks are to be sent within two days of the adoption to the main CCDR address. No contracts or checks are ever to be held during the trial period. Should a dog need to be returned, the treasurer will issue a refund check. No member may keep checks and return them to the adopter.
h. The goal is to place all rescue dachshunds in homes that are safe and where they will be well taken care of and loved permanently.

2.) A dog's age, sex, or previously known habits, and behavioral and medical history should be available and never be withheld from potential adoptive homes. All records pertaining to the adoptive dog should be in the dog’s packet, except for any information regarding the original owner, if applicable. Never give a new owner a copy of the owner surrender papers.

3.) All dogs being adopted through CCDR will be sterilized prior to adoption. CCDR will use a written sterilization contract and security deposit when sterilization is not performed pre-adoption. CCDR will follow up on all sterilization contracts, making every effort to reclaim unaltered pets if the date and time line is exceeded as stated on the sterilization contract. The only exception to this requirement is with a veterinarian's written certification that sterilization should not be performed due to valid health problems. 

4.) To obtain landlord approval for prospective adopters who rent or lease their residence. This information must be requested on the contract and the landlord must be contacted for approval to ensure that the dog will be allowed.

5.) To require that adopters be at least 21 years of age. Exceptions to this would require board approval.

6.) To utilize a written adoption contract and fully disclose all health and temperament information about each rescue animal in detail. Liability issues can result if the member does not divulge known issues to the adopters.

7.) To provide follow-up advice and assistance to adopters.

8.) CCDR will guarantee the well being of the dog and graciously accept the dog back into the program if the dog does not work out as expected by the adopting home during the trial period of one week. A full refund is given if the dog is returned within the first week. If the dog is returned after the week’s trial it will be accepted back into CCDR, but no refund is given unless the adopter has been in constant contact with the member and has been given permission to extend the trial period. The adopters must be told verbally that they must agree not to sell, trade, transfer ownership, abandon, or dispose of this dog in any way, but to notify CCDR to relinquish custody of this dog back to the rescue. This includes release to family members. Family members who wish to take on the dog should be aware that CCDR has the right to approve them for ownership. The dog will be transferred to them at no charge if they are approved. 

Section VI - INTERORGANIZATIONAL/INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS

1.) To abide by all written contracts entered into with CCDR.
2.) To be professional at all times and to reply to email inquires and/or return phone calls to agencies/private owners promptly. 
3.) To pay agreed-upon fees to releasing agencies (shelters) for rescue pets. Fees will be reimbursed to the member.
4.) To work well with all rescue groups in a professional manner and work to help place, re-home, transport and educate the public about the dachshund breed and the importance of rescue. 
5.) To conduct myself in a courteous manner in my rescue work such that my behavior brings credit to the image of Coast to Coast Dachshund Rescue (CCDR) and animal rescue in general.

Coast to Coast Dachshund Rescue
PO Box 147
Jacobus, PA 17407-0147 
www.c2cdr.org    
info@c2cdr.org