Oops is not a puppy broker, for a number of logical reasons... first brokers buy dogs, flip them for a profit. They buy mostly little breed dogs and sell them on kijiji type places for $1000+ and are done. I take in owner surrendered mutts. I take applications and home them to the best homes, continue to offer ongoing support and a place for the dogs to return, should something happen in the home that warrants it. They live with me, and the adoption fee is $350 (plus $50 spay/neuter deposit)
2. Puppy Mill
Nope, not one of those either. A puppy mill houses a lot of intact female dogs and breeds them frequently.
3. Paycheque
Boarding, Vet Care, Grooming, Food, Training, Transportation, Food or products. Photography. Apparently I can make money off dogs in any number of ways, but... if I do all of those things, I become some awful entity. These dogs stay with me (boarding would charge $20 a day) I walk the adults off leash when possible, on leash when needed (Dog walker $25 per day) Board and Train... all things I do. Nail trims. Web design, social media, clerical work. There are people working in shelters that earn their living while they do a focused portion of what I do. They get a paycheque, I get a paycheque.
4. Not a Rescue
Thank you!!! Finally something we agree on! Rescue is a verb, not a permanent state for these dogs. There are no organizations that are plucking dogs off the sides of ice mountains as a general rule. I've never liked the word, have done blog and Facebook posts denouncing it! I do however take in owner surrendered dogs, the same as every other organization in the province. I do look after their vet care, I do take applications, I do stay in touch with them post adoption. I do.....
5. Spaying the Momma's
Every once in a while, because I work with people who have free will, a Momma dog doesn't get into the vets. It is not because I haven't offered (repeatedly), it's not because I'm unwilling. I, however have no power to make a person take a dog to a vet and have surgery. In 2018 I took in 10 litters and spayed 10 mommas. It was a good year. Not all are like that. Sometimes dogs go immediately back into heat and become pregnant. Sometimes life happens with the families, I continue to support and encourage them to get into the nearest vet. My goal from the start was to get to the core of the rescue challenge. I feel that if we stop these dogs from producing 2 litters a year, for their lives, we eliminate a huge number of unwanted dogs. I also feel that if that final litter can go into responsible, loving homes where they are not destined to go on to have litters, we have a double win.
6. Oops Doesn't Spay/Neuter
Correct again! And here's why... I don't think I am the only person on earth that can be responsible for an animal. I feel the Momma dogs and her human family need the assistance. I feel strongly that I adopt to caring, capable and well intention-ed families. That was the original blueprint. Spay Momma, adopt the babies to the best homes who will look after them for life. It's been working really well for over 8 years now. Is it a bullet proof plan? Nope! Again I work with humans, and we do make mistakes. I have made a bad decision on an adoption, a family doesn't adhere to the adoption contract or the pup gets rehomed. It happens with every single organization out there. We are all human. None of us have a crystal ball.
7. Vet Care
The dogs and pups are seen by my vet (Berwick Animal Clinic). They are all checked (before it was law, this was my personal policy), vaccinated, micro chipped. They are flea and worm treated. They get fecal checks when necessary and meds for what ever that show. They get a dose of Acute Care on adoption day, to help keep their bellies calm. All visits are paid for at the time of visit. I have no outstanding vet bills. 47% of the adoption fee goes out to vet clinics. The Momma dogs go to whatever clinic is close for the family. I do not receive discounts on those spays.
8. My Friend was Banned
Oops is my baby. It's part of every single waking hour of my life. When I start to cringe over notifications tones on my cell phone, I feel it's a sign that I need to change something. I am an open book, you can ask anything you'd like. What I don't tolerate is lies, malicious intent or plain old shit disturbing. If the banned people behaved that same way in a store I owned, I'd call the police and have them removed. I do not feel I should put up with harassment, just because it's online. I do not tolerate people being unkind. To me, to the surrendering families, to each other. I think, it is my responsibility to set the tone of my business/page. Bashing in any form is not permitted.
9. Oops! Puppies! Family
I do my best to stay in touch with families who have adopted. I am always willing to help with food allergies, or training, or interactions. I set aside 2 hours on adoption day, for families to be comfortable, to start to build a relationship, and for all questions to be answered. I cannot stalk or make people participate. I can only offer and stand by that.
10. The Math
At the end of the day the "profit" per pup is about $150. Some are a bit more, some are less. Almost half of the fee goes out to vets. I receive no discount on the spays, those are done all over the province, from where ever the pups were surrendered from. I pick up all the pups/dogs myself. There are supplies like shavings, pee pads, toys, blankets, food and crates. There's office things like phone and internet. There's heat and lights. There's all the things that go into getting a puppy ready for a home. There are the normal things like taxes, ei and cpp. (yes a proper tax return is submitted every year) There are transportation costs. When you love what you do, there's a value added and that's not measurable.