Winter 2013
When Beverly was rescued from a local Houston shelter, she was a brown, matted mess. Poodle Rescue of Houston (PRH) cleaned her up, and two hours later, she looked like a fluffy, cream dream. The non-profit haven assisted 800 distressed and homeless poodles last year alone. “Once we rescue dogs, we rehabilitate them and offer them for adoption to carefully screened families and individuals,” says PRH Executive Director Guinette Peebles.
Peebles is a dog obedience trainer and owner of Prestonwood Kennels with an affinity for poodles. When Bluebonnet Poodle Club asked for a volunteer for rescues, Peebles had the land for a dedicated facility as well as the know-how, so she accepted the job. The small scale endeavor began in 1999 and grew quickly. PRH typically has 50 dogs in its program, but sometimes, that nearly that number is gathered in a single day.
Poodle Rescue
Peebles relates the details one memorable rescue. A woman, referred by the Humane Society, said she had 22 two-year-old standard poodles from three litters and wondered if PRH could help. “I took the cargo van thinking they might all fit,” Peebles says. “We turned down her road, and I saw two large pens of standard poodles that looked like wild buffalo. They had never been off the property, had never been groomed in their life, nor had they ever been on a leash. We quickly realized that they would not all fit in the van so we rented a U-Haul trailer.”
The women carried the 85-pound dogs to the trailer, strewn with two bales of hay for comfort. Then, Peebles caught sight of five more five-year-old poodles she knew were adoptable. The woman relented, and as Peebles loaded one particular female, she realized the dog was pregnant and very close to having her litter. Just before Peebles pulled away, the woman bought out seven additional puppies. “She truly needed us, and I’m glad that we could help her,” Peebles says. “It took us almost a year to place all 33 standard poodles.”
The Greatest Satisfaction
As a 501(c)(3), PRH has the equivalent of three and a half full-time paid employees, including a veterinarian and vet tech, who spay and neuter dogs and provide other medical services, such as heartworm treatment. Other employees handle transport services, kennel care, feeding, bathing, and brushing. Volunteers are instrumental in helping PRH get the word out about the adoptees.
They also help socialize and groom the rescues, so that they are ready and waiting for the perfect family. It’s a great deal of work that yields the greatest satisfaction when PRH matches their poodles with the right, loving home.
Beyond dog-centric volunteers, PRH needs donations to assist in paying for vet care. “This year, we’ve accepted several with broken limbs, usually as a result of being hit by cars,” Peebles says. “Other dogs are surrendered in old age, and may have failing eyesight. Many strays have severe dermatitis from mange, and about half are heartworm positive. All donations go the poodles.”
Adopt a Poodle
The process of adopting from PRH is straightforward. Interested people can go to PHR’s website and view the dogs online. The next step includes on site meeting with the dogs to gauge a personality match and to fill out an application. After interview approval by PRH, the prospective owner pays a fee that covers neutering or spaying and any necessary health treatments. If everything is in order, have a leash and collar ready to take your dog home with you.
PHR reminds everyone: If you’re in the market for a dog, don’t shop, adopt.
To learn more, visit poodlerescueofhouston.org