The mission of the New England Old English Sheepdog Rescue is to offer refuge, medical care, fostering and adoption opportunities for homeless, abandoned and neglected Old English Sheepdogs. In addition to medical and physical issues, sometimes dogs surrendered to rescue can be inadequately socialized, untrained, and some may have temperament issues. NEOESR will maintain a Behavior Questionnaire that will assist in determining a dog’s appropriateness for foster and adoption programs. NEOESR will provide fosters and adopters supportive and educational resources on topics including but not limited to how to teach unruly OES manners, species appropriate leadership protocols and management strategies. OES with bite histories will be evaluated on a case by case basis including consultation with canine behavioral specialists. It is NEOESR’s goal that dogs placed by NEOESR are successful and safe as companions and family pets.
Dogs who have delivered a Level 2 bite (as defined by Dr. Ian Dunbar’s Dog Bite Scale) will be evaluated by the placement committee as to their suitability for placement. The placement committee shall include the Placement Director and at least two other Board of Directors members. If necessary, a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant will be available for consultation.
Dogs who have delivered a Level 3 bite (as defined by Dr. Ian Dunbar’s Dog Bite Scale) will only be accepted after a full situational analysis. The placement committee and a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant must be in agreement for the dog to be accepted by NEOESR.
No dog who has delivered a Level 4 bite will be accepted unless the bite occurred under extraordinary circumstances, e.g. a person was bitten when putting his or her hand between two dogs engaged in a fight, in which case the above procedure for Level 3 bites will be followed.
No dog who has delivered a Level 5 or Level 6 bite will be accepted.
