After we rescue a Sheltie, we immediately get him or her to one of our clinics, where the dog is assessed and treated for whatever ailments/parasites he or she may have, then vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. After medical care, the dog is placed with one of our foster homes to rehabilitate, socialize, and assess the dog for temperament and personality, helping him or her get ready for adoption. The dog is in our foster program for a minimum of two weeks — up to two months or more if going through heartworm treatment or surgical recovery or extensive behavioral rehabilitation — before being marked ready for adoption. Once the dog is made available for adoption on our adoptions page, then we begin trying to match him or her with the best home for both dog and family.
We have done our best to relay what we know about these dogs. Please read the descriptions carefully and be realistic in your interest. We are not trying to deny anyone the dog of their dreams, but we likely would not consider a dog marked “would do best in an all adult household” a good match for a family with children. Likewise, a dog described as having a high energy level is better suited for an active family than a single person who works long hours and does not go running every evening. Our experience is that a realistic match between the adopter and the dog is more likely to be a happy match, for both adopter and the adopted Sheltie, for the lifetime of the dog.
Codes used in the descriptions
- OR (Owner Relinquishment to our program)
- OTI (Owner Turn In to area shelter)
- UTD (dog is Up to Date on vaccinations and heartworm preventive)
- HW+ (dog tested positive for heartworm disease and is going through treatments; should have a re-check 4-6 months after adoption)
- HW- (dog tested negative for heartworm disease and is on preventative; should have a re-check 4-6 months after adoption)
- URI (Upper Respiratory Infection)UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)
- Hooks, Rounds, Whips (intestinal parasite infestations)
- PB (the Sheltie is a purebred; all our Shelties are PB unless otherwise indicated)
- Sheltie X (the Sheltie is a Mix, which we determine as best we can with our veterinarians)
- yo (year old; example: 3yo)
- mo (month old; example: 6mo)
- N.B: we do our best, in conjunction with our vets, to accurately estimate a dog’s age at intake, but unless a dog is an owner relinquishment with a known history, we really have no way to guarantee the estimate.
Shelter Abbreviations
- HCAC (Harris County Animal Control–Houston)
- BARC (Bureau of Animal Regulation and Control–Houston)
- CAP (Citizens for Animal Protection–Houston)
- SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)
- MCAC (Montgomery County Animal Center–Conroe)