READ BEFORE CONSIDERING TO ADOPT A PUPPY!…read more
Home At Last Dog Rescue spayed my Heeler/Golden Retriever mix at just 10 weeks old--well before the age recommended for large breed dogs. I adopted her at 11 weeks and only learned she had already been sterilized when a volunteer casually said as I was leaving, "Keep an eye on her incision. She was spayed Thursday." As a result, she now suffers from urinary incontinence, leaking urine while sleeping, requiring lifelong medication, repeat diagnostics, and possibly surgery. This is not an unpredictable outcome--it's a well-documented risk of early spaying in large breeds.
Each puppy's profile under one year old should clearly state that the dog will be spayed or neutered before adoption. That simple line might alert someone that the procedure is happening far too early--and give them pause to consider the lifelong hormonal complications they could be inheriting. Had I seen that information, I may have realized what I was walking into.
Had I not spent time with the puppies on adoption day--snuggling with her and her siblings, watching them play, and identifying my lifelong best friend--I would NEVER have adopted a puppy spayed this early. You shouldn't either. The incontinence doesn't become apparent until you finally realize that this puppy is trying so hard to be housebroken but just can't make it for the normal length of time between potty runs. There were eight puppies in this litter. Eight puppies all spayed or neutered too soon.
Buried deep on their website is this statement:
"To help reduce the number of unwanted animals, our dogs are sterilized prior to adoption unless there is a medical reason that this surgery can't be done at this time."
There is a medical reason--recognized by veterinary associations--not to spay large breed puppies at such an early age. The AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) recommends delaying spay/neuter for large-breed dogs until 12-18 months of age to reduce orthopedic risks and hormonal complications. My dog is a Heeler/Golden Retriever mix, and she now lives with the consequences of their "one size fits all" protocol. A puppy needs the hormones allowed by delayed spaying to support normal development of their bones, joints, and urinary system--removing them too early can disrupt these processes and lead to long-term complications.
Home At Last Dog Rescue claims to carefully vet their adopters. If they trust these individuals enough to adopt a dog, why not require a signed contract to ensure spay/neuter at the medically appropriate age? When I adopted my previous golden retriever at 7 weeks old, I gladly signed such a contract. It's a responsible, balanced approach--and one this rescue refuses to consider.
In their response to me, the rescue stated:
"We've adopted out nearly 25,000 dogs over 15 years--roughly half of them puppies--and have always followed pediatric spay/neuter protocols with the support of 19 veterinary offices, without similar reports or documented patterns of complications related to urinary incontinence or long-term hormonal issues."
I have her medical records and offered to submit them, but they never asked for them--so my dog becomes yet another 'undocumented complication.'
Adopting from this group isn't inexpensive. I paid $550, and they required another $200 donation as a "benefactor" for another dog's medical care. Yet when my own dog's complications became clear, there was no support, no refund, no shared concern--only a blanket policy stating they don't assist adopters with medical care after the adoption.
While I don't believe this rescue intentionally hands off dogs with medical issues, their protocol--despite being supported by some vets--carries known risks. My own vet, and many others, do not support pediatric sterilization in large breeds. This wasn't disclosed, discussed, or even acknowledged as a possibility.
Think very carefully before supporting this group. Ask hard questions. You will find that once you sign the adoption papers, you--and the dog--are on your own.
