On many occasions, Shelties are turned into rescue by their owners who are unwilling or unable to care for them. Some people realize, after purchasing a Sheltie puppy, that the breed is not for them. (See information available on the Sheltie personality at the website for the American Shetland Sheepdog Association website, www.assa.org). Some people, for whatever reason, grow tired of their pets, and after many years of relegation to the yard and neglect, they decide to give them a second chance at life by surrendering them to Sheltie Rescue.
Local animal shelters or all-breed rescue groups will sometimes call Sheltie Rescue to take a Sheltie. These groups know that the volunteers with Sheltie Rescue understand the breed and will ensure that the dog is placed in an appropriate home with a family that has been carefully screened.
Sometimes a Sheltie is lost and its owners cannot be located. Sometimes these dogs are found by local animal control agencies and sometimes they are found by individuals who then turn the lost dogs into rescue.
On rare occasions, Shelties are confiscated in abuse or neglect cases and given to Rescue to place. These are among the saddest cases and these dogs have often suffered tremendously. Remarkably, most bounce back to life and make the most loving, happy pets.
