Rocky Road Rescue

This group is a not-for-profit, foster-based, volunteer-run dog rescue in the Ottawa area.
The dogs they save come from the standard places that most groups get dogs, the high-kill shelters, strays, and owner surrenders. As with most reputable rescue organizations these dogs get medical care, training, and of course their main goal is to find the best loving homes for each. In 2020, a tough year for all, they re-homed over 150 dogs.

This group emphasizes the compassion they feel not only for the dogs, but you can feel it in their literature about the compassion we must have for our own kind-humans. I would like to think that most people do not want to surrender their dogs, but at least with rescue groups there is an alternative to total abandonment. Rocky Road Rescue even know enough to cultivate an open communication with an industry that is much loathed by dog rescue people, that is the “sled dog industry”. To break down barriers and create a liaison with these people and earn their trust so that they may find homes for this industry’s castoffs, must take great mental fortitude to not show their contempt for such a cruel business. They have saved about 84 sled dogs in the past, who would have otherwise been disposed of as “livestock” from one such business in Quebec.

It is this type of strength that dog rescues must have to stomach to be friendly with people that view dogs as livestock. For instance, rescuers cannot show their contempt when they go to a Mennonite puppy mill to retrieve dogs that are of no use to them as breeders anymore. They then call up a rescuer, who shows up friendly with a smile of appreciation that these people have called them up. So now they can spend thousands of dollars to bring this used up poor breeding animal back to life. Its been bred twice a year, been in a cage its whole life and now has to be made acceptable for adoption. Remember, they can’t say anything to the puppy mill or sled dog owners, or they will simply not call them back and destroy the dogs in a simple, economical way.

It it this type of self control that is much admired by this Foundation. So, when you say, “you love dogs, and you don’t know how these rescue people do it”, remember, their love of dogs goes way beyond the basics that you give your pampered pooch.

To all that think it would be fun to take the family on a dog sled adventure to get in touch with their Canadian roots, please click here to read Cindy’s Blog.