Need some advise--expecting puppies

[MissMillie]

My guy, Al, has 4 pure-bred American Rat Terriers. Two older dogs--male and female--that he had been breeding but has stopped, and a sister and brother from that pair.

He lives on a fixed income, and after the last litter of puppies, he was hoping to get the boys fixed, but money has been an issue. Now the young female has gone into heat, and as hard as we have tried to keep the sexes apart, we caught the young male and young female stuck together last week.

Because they are brother and sister, he cannot sell the puppies as pure-breds. He's going to need to find them homes.

Not only that, he is VERY particular as to whom he will sell and/or give a puppy to. As well he should. These dogs are very high strung and very willful. They need activity, they need room to run, and they need a firm but loving hand to train them.

I looked online and found a Rat Terrier rescue, but it's pretty far away. And I don't even know what to ask for. I was thinking to ask for help screening prospective adopters. I'm thinking that Al holds on to the dogs until they help us find them homes. But can I also ask for financial help with vaccinations and initial vet visit? Would they be able to help us with getting either the males or the females fixed?

These animals are really a treat for the right owners.

I'd like him to find homes for whatever puppies are in our immediate future, and I'd like for him to find financial assistance to get the animals fixed so that we don't have to worry about this again.

It feels strange for me to ask all this, because I know there is a world of people out there who worry about feeding their kids--let alone fixing their dogs. But these dogs are like his kids. And except for this whole "in-heat" experience, I've grown to love the hell out of them too. I can't imagine that their biological urges are that much fun for them either.

Whatever insight you all can offer will be appreciated.

[hamsterjill]

1. Please look in your area for low cost spay/neuter surgeries

Rescues are overwhelmed with dogs and cats needing homes. Most areas of the country have at least some low cost spay/neuter surgeries. Do it NOW. The pregnant dog can be spayed as soon as she has weaned the puppies.

The rescue group you mention will generally take "ownership" of the dogs or cats before they will offer assistance. Most rescues have a standard adoption interview and contract that they use to screen potential adoptors. The potential does exist for the rescue to take the "ownership" of the dogs and still allow Al to be the foster of the dogs as new homes are found for them. In that situation (where a foster is housing a dog for a rescue group), it is typical that the rescue would pay for vet care, etc.

But please DO let this be the LAST litter because it is a real burden on rescues to pay for vet care, etc. Thousands and thousands of dogs and cats are killed every year in this country because there are too many of them and not enough homes. The only true method for changing those alarming statistics is spay/neuter.

[MissMillie]

2. we have looked

And have found some local "low cost" programs--but when what you have left at the end of each month is pennies,... well, you get the picture.

[hamsterjill]

3. I really do understand.

I don't know what area of the country you are in, but in our particular city, we have spay/neuter services on a sliding scale for certain incomes. We also have some rescue groups who have gathered veterinarians for volunteer "Big Fixes" that are normally free. These happen only about once a quarter, but it's something, at least.

I wish you the best of luck, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for loving these babies.

[MissMillie]

4. They are loveable

This breed is new to the AKC (recognized in 2013).

We live in small town New England. The Rat Terrier Rescue we found was in Michigan.

This may be academic if I can find a job. I'm not currently working so that adds to the issues. If there were another income here, I'd have them fixed w/ my first paycheck.