However, since so many rescues, especially puppies, here in Southeastern PA are transported from W Va or the Carolinas, my vet always checks for heartworm as part of the “initial dog visit” because in his experience, too many rescues DON’T check for this. A collegue started a local rescue after Katrina and also never thought to check and got burned very badly (her costs went through the roof as several of the dogs sent to her did have heartworm.)

Find out how much work has been done on the dog and then add a bit extra to help the dogs that come in rescue and really need help (for instance, we paid as if Pepper had been spayed, even though she hadn’t, since I prefered having my vet do it, so that was our “contribution” for another dog) — however, like any other service — don’t allow yourself to “taken” for services that aren’t performed.

For the health of your dog, you need a full picture of what has and hasn’t been done for them when you adopt — then, of course, pay what is common for your region.

In my experience with cats (I’ve had them all my life), I have noticed that if you allow cats outside access, they usually choose to stay inside ninety percent of the time. When they do go outside, they do not go far if they are spayed or neutered.

In addition, my husband and I make an enormous effort to decrease the risk factors for our cats. We have and will never live anywhere near a busy street—that is a definite deal breaker when looking at apartments. We also pay more in rent so we can live in nicer areas where the neighbors are good people who don’t generally enjoy tormenting animals. We have a courtyard where our cats can bask in the sun, play with the neighborhood cats, hunt the occasional small critter, and essentially be happy, well adjusted kitties. I have actually never seen them leave this courtyard, and my cats have lived with their cat flap for all of their sixteen and eleven years without incident.

Anyway, I just wanted to illustrate that my cats have wonderful lives—they are spoiled rotten and get to live the ideal life, on their terms. It just doesn’t make any sense to deny cats a loving home because they are allowed to go outside, when sixty percent of cat owners make this choice (in the U.K. it is eighty percent—the indoor obsession is a distinctly American phenomenon.)

It just seems that if a rescue group is in the business of saving cats, they would want to be a little more flexible with their rules. Yes, my cats could get hit by a car one unfortunate day. However, when a rescue refuses to release a cat to a potential owner, how many more cats are euthanized while waiting for a spot at the rescue/foster home to open up? Don’t these cats also deserve to live?

So anyway, I eventually just started lying to the rescue groups, and eventually adopted the perfect cat. I’ve known many people who, after having gone through rejections, became well versed in telling the rescue workers what they want to hear. The rescue groups really aren’t doing anything when they deny applications, but increasing the numbers of euthanized animals, and teaching adoption applicants how to lie.

In my own experience the most expensive dogs were the “free” dogs. I have had dogs “follow me home”, dogs that needed to be picked up before “I shoot him”, a six month old dog that I bought from a pet store for $24.95 on “final markdown” and a dog or two that I spent on the high side of $1000 dollars for just to get the puppy on the plane. In the long run the most expensive dog was the free one I had to go get before “I shoot him” followed by the one that “followed me home.” The $24.95 dog was amazingly inexpensive from a vet standpoint, but required a huge investment in ever higher and deeper fences and bail fees from the local pound after the dog catcher picked her up running loose. In the long run the least expensive “keeper” was the spendy dog with the great health guarentee, from the breeder with the 18 month waiting list. She was basically house trained when she got here at 10 weeks old. She needed only the basic vet care that any dog would need, spaying, shots etc. until she was 10 years old. Then she got a little more high maint. but nothing extreme. Her succesor, from the same breeder has already cost me more in vet bills in 3 years (adjusted for inflation) than she did in her first 10 years. Nothing serious but the nickel and dime stuff does add up.

You pays your money and you takes your chances. $400 is nothing in the bigger scheme of things.

As Gina says, from a rescue you’re getting a dog that is spayed/neutered, vetted, vaccinated, heartworm-negative. Frequently socialized, potty-trained, and introduced to basic obedience skills.

But if you don’t want to buy a puppy-mill dog, direct or from a pet store, your course is simple. Don’t do it. Easy as that. Don’t do it.

Keep looking through the rescues. You’ll connect with the right dog in time. Or start researching and calling breeders. Good breeders have adult dogs to rehome, retired show dogs, or younger dogs who didn’t pan out as show dogs. They’re vetted, trained, socialized, and you have a good family medical history on them.

Have the patience to keep looking until you find the right dog, and you’ll be a lot happier than if you give up and go for the instant, but short-lived, satisfaction of buying a puppy in a pet store.

Rescue dogs also often have been with foster homes who work on house-training and manners.

You get none of that with a puppy-mill dog from a pet store or puppy-mill direct Internet site.

The rescue I just adopted Pip from asked $200. I gave them $300 and thought it was on heckuva deal for a healthy, handsome and well-behaved young dog with all the vet stuff done.

I kept this declawed cat with litter box problems for 14 years. I was absolutely committed from the moment I saw him. That committment was not “evaluable” on paper or by interview.

Please, please don’t run a “free dog” ad which is very risky for your dog.

Blessings on you for taking the dog in and wanting to do right by him.

Another thought is to see if you can find a dog park to take him to for regular off-leash exercise (with other dogs if he plays well with others or alone if he doesn’t) or maybe you could consider an agility class as ways to get him out and around.

Dogs don’t generally get enough exercise just running themselves around a yard anyway. Can you get him out for a good, (free) walk everyday? Can you afford obedience or rally obedience classes as other possibilities?

Lots of people in live in apartments in places like New York and seem to manage with pretty large dogs. Things may not be as desperate as you think. Being with the people who gave him a loving home is probably more important to him than a big yard.

All the best to you.