Old English Sheepdog Rescue
PROGRAMS
Community Outreach
We set up booths and tables at events/fairs to meet people and explain our breed. We are there for people to ask questions about the needs of animals in general. We also answer questions about Old English Sheepdogs as a breed. We explain what an animal rescue does and what steps we, in particular take when we rescue a dog. We go through how the veterinarian checks the dog, we spay/neuter the dog, make sure the dog has necessary shots, and do different temperament testing to see what each dog know about and what they have not yet been trained about.
We started 36 years ago doing events. For many years, ads in the newspaper and this type of event were the only way to meet people looking to adopt dogs. The fact we are still here says the events are worthwhile.
Therapy Dog
Many of our rescue dogs have gone on to be therapy dogs working at hospitals, schools, rehab centers, nursing and senior homes, libraries, airports and with victims along with first responders at disasters. We are working to develop a program that will help with identifying appropriate candidate rescue dogs to train and bring into therapy work. This effort was so important when the January, 2025 Los Angeles County fires started. WE want to double our efforts as we found out how important it was to help first responders. We wrote an article in the March online version of the AKC Gazette about our experiences.
We hope the more Old English Sheepdogs that we can add to the therapy programs in existence locally will help coordinate visits to those who will benefit from such visits. We are so proud that 9 of the graduates from our rescue program have gone on to work as therapy dogs at major Suuthern California and Arizona hospitals. We have already had two Old English Sheepdogs rescued through our program that have gone on to be named an AKC Distinguished Therapy dog and had been a member of HOPE - Animal Assisted Crisis Therapy for the past year. The HOPE program deploys trained dogs to victims and first responders of disasters. We saw some outcomes in January, 2025 when the Los Angeles County fires started. WE want to double our efforts as we found out how important it was to help first responders. We wrote an article in the March online version of the AKC Gazette about our experiences.
Disaster Relief
Assist animal welfare agencies set up at natural disasters located in our Southern California area. Help with volunteers to assist with generators, lighting, transportation and manpower when the need arises to help temporarily relocate or evacuate animals.
We help supply volunteers and some needed items (generators, crates and cages, lights etc) when help is needed for animals in natural disasters. We hope helping will make more animals safe when natural disasters such as fires or earthquake strike. We hope we will not be needed to help but feel that if we are kept current in protocol and procedures that we can be helpful. We realized how important these efforts were - sadly, we lost our generators and some crates to fires in the Los Angeles County fires when winds changed near Topanga Canyon Blvd. and Pacific Coast Highway. We hope to replace them.
Education of Children about animals with coloring books
The best way we have found for kids to learn about animals is through our coloring book program (Doggie Do's and Dont's). Kids seem to be better interacting with other kids so at almost all our events we try to have teens spend time with the kids and coloring books. Kids talk to each other in only a way they can. They will discuss things with each other and not with an adult. Even adults benefit from the books.
We started the program about 12 years ago. The goal is to have kids learn about animals and their needs so there will not be the same needs in later generations. The importance of spay/neuter, knowing an animal is for life etc. We buy the coloring books thru the American Vet Assn. and the crayons on Amazon.
Rescue OES
Our mission is to place unwanted OES in loving homes. So rescue is what we do! We pick up OES from animal shelters and owners who can no longer take care of their dogs. All dog go to our veterinarian to be checked for any medical/physical needs including: spay/neutered, given vaccines due, groomed and temperament tested. When our vet and the placement volunteers feel the dog is ready to be adopted, we go through our applications to find a match for the dog. All homes are given a personal home visit prior to adoption. We have a 7 day trial period.
Since 1989, we have placed over 2600 OES in loving homes. Over the years there have been about 10% or 230 OES who were deemed unplaceable due to medical and/or temperament issues.
CONTACT
Old English Sheepdog Rescue
820 Wilson Pl
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Jane Dempsey
Phone: 310-3923366