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| Welcome to SCBR Transports |
UPDATED 9/25/08
| Transports Regardless of how they enter rescue, once arrangements have been made, the Transport Coordinator makes plans for the dog to reach its fosterhome. A post is put out to the email groups, and people respond to fill all or part of the route. Sometimes the transport or the leg of a transport is referred to as a "run" or a CUR (Canine Underground Railroad). Because the welfare of these dogs rests on us as soon as we agree to bring the dogs into our program, we use only internal volunteers to transport our dogs (with the exception of dogs originating from other states). Some groups must depend on the many email lists and internet groups that exist to assist in transports. Dogs are moved for several reasons The most common is to get them into a foster home from a shelter or owner surrender. Sometimes they are moved between foster homes if the have been held there temporarily, or if it's necessary in order to resolve a conflict or make room for other dogs. Transports can occur any day, day or night, but generally are scheduled during the day on weekends. Requests for transports are posted by the Coordinator to all the SCBR lists. There are some guidelines for doing transports as this is a highly stressful time for a dog in transition. Once the plans are completed and the day set, information and phone numbers are passed out. When they day arrives, the first transporter must complete any paperwork required at the shelter, or have the surrendering owner sign the official surrender agreement. The run is started as early in the day as possible. The next leg is contacted and met and so forth until the dog reaches its destination. If the run is late or something goes awry, there is a dispatcher on call all day to assist. The fosterhome notifies the dispatcher or emails the transport list once the dog is in. Transport Safety Rules: Please do not bring children on a transport. If you must bring a child, the dog must be crated. Keep a leash and ID on the dog at all times. Do not have a loose dog in your car, please crate or tether the dog out of reach of all people, or use a barrier One or both dogs in a multi-dog transport must be crated, please keep that in mind when offering to volunteer. Do not feed the dog. A biscuit is okay. But remember that every transporter has probably also given one. Many dogs have severe food aggression. Do not give chews or bones. Light watering only, bathroom between runs. Do not hug, kiss or over-handle the dogs, as you would not do with any strange dog. The less fuss and the calmer the whole process, the easier it is for the dog to transition into the foster home. Be prepared for emergencies; what would you do if the crate is too big for the car, the leash got chewed through, the dog gets sick, you can't find the next transporter? If you are one of the first transporters, please start as early as possible. Call the next leg as soon as you are underway. Please email or call the dispatcher when your run is done. Please use extreme caution handling incoming dogs. They under extraordinary stress. Even a good dog can snap under these conditions, and that could mean a death sentence to a normally nice dog! Be safe! |
