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About NBSTR
New Beginnings Shih Tzu Rescue is a charitable organization consisting of volunteers dedicated to rescue of small dogs. The dogs brought into our rescue program as fosters come from surrendering owners, shelters or pounds, puppy mills, breeders who are reducing their stock, and other sources such as those involved in confiscation of dogs in abuse/neglect situations not limited to veterinarians and humane organizations. Our foster dogs live with foster families, who volunteer for New Beginnings. In their foster homes, our foster dogs are treated as family pets and live with their foster families until adoption. They are given medical care such as needed vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery, and any other medical treatment for conditions diagnosed during their period of foster care, by licensed veterinarians. NBSTR's ability to pay for veterinary and other (grooming, etc) care is contingent upon available fundraising. Only 30% or less of our funding comes from adoption fees. The other 70% comes from charitable donations to our rescue through monetary donations, sales (of items donated to or created by NBSTR volunteers), and grants. NBSTR's other overhead (production costs for promotional materials) is kept as low as possible and is often donated to our rescue by its volunteers or other outside parties. NBSTR has no physical shelter structure, and no members receiving compensation for their services to NBSTR. Donations are both needed and very welcome! Go to our Donate page to learn more. Our volunteers are people from widely varied walks of life, locations, and backgrounds. They are men and women who love dogs and wish to use their personal homes, time, and talents for the benefit of dogs needing care and permanent homes. We currently have rescue volunteers in 13 states, and we are always in need of more! If you feel you might enjoy being a rescue volunteer, please go to our Volunteer page. |
Our adoptable dogs are featured on Petfinder and also in this website on Our Dogs. An adoption application with references is required in order to be considered as an adoptive candidate for one of our foster dogs. We do screen all applications. Once your application and references is approved, one of our volunteers will meet with you in your home to discuss a potential adoption. You may also have the opportunity to meet one or more of our foster dogs in your home. If you are interested in adopting, please se our Adopt page. You may also meet our adoptable dogs at various adoption events and other special events. Please see our Calendar for a schedule and location information of our events. All NBSTR are up to date on vaccinations, spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vetted for those conditions which are diagnosed during their time in foster care, unless any of these medical interventions are found by a veterinarian to be an endangerment to the dog's well-being and health. Basic manners appropriate to a house dog are assessed and implemented
while the dog is in its foster home. Because of each dog's unique
background and disposition, NBSTR cannot make any guarantees as to
the temperament or house-training behavior of any dog. Thank you for viewing our website!
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Mission Statement
We provide a safe haven for Shih Tzus (see definition
below). We “rescue” dogs that are:
* that can not be placed by traditional shelters for health or behavior issues or are at the end of their time in high-kill shelters
* found as strays
* confiscated from abusive owners
* deemed no longer desirable or supportable by their owners.
To that end:
2. We provide medical attention, regardless of the amount required, to restore their health. For those dogs that are terminal we will make them as comfortable as possible and provide the best quality of life attainable for the remainder of their lives.
3. We provide LOVE, something many of these dogs have never experienced in their lives.
4. We rehabilitate dogs that have either physical or behavior issues.
5. We find forever homes for the dogs taken into rescue, once they are healthy and rehabilitated.
6. We provide educational information to prospective dog owners
7. We actively work toward the elimination of puppy mills and backyard breeders that inflict so much pain on our friends
8. We work with shelters and other rescues to get our friends out of harms way and into safe environments.
We are driven to this mission because we believe that over the centuries, man and dogs have forged a special relationship built on respect, trust and mutual benefit. We believe that each generation is responsible to steward and maintain that relationship. We believe it is a violation of that stewardship, for dogs to be treated as livestock and bred strictly for profit. We believe it is a violation of that stewardship, to force dogs to live out their lives deprived of human companionship, in deplorable conditions, only to be disposed of at the end of their economic usefulness. We believe it is a violation of that stewardship, to mistreat or abuse a dog for any reason. We believe that it is a violation of that stewardship, to bred dogs as fashion accessories that can be discarded like last season’s shoes. We believe it is a violation of that stewardship, not to provide the type of food, shelter and medical care that dogs have come to depend on humans for while being their caregivers. We believe that every dog deserves the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the relationship forged with humans by their ancestors.
Shih Tzu: Most dog breeds were created overtime to support their human companions by performing certain tasks (e.g. hunting, herding, etc). The Shih Tzu were bred strictly for companionship and are one of the most popular breeds in the US (consistently on the AKC top 10 list) because of their small size, cuteness and friendly, trusting, gentle personalities. This makes them extremely susceptible to the abuses of the puppy mills, backyard breeders and inattentive caregiver. We consider any Shih Tzu mix-breed part of our family. Occasionally small “friends”, (dogs of other breeds) find themselves in the similar predicaments and there is no room for them in the rescues dedicated to the breed or the no-kill shelters. When called upon, we will not turn them away (resources permitting). “Small” in this context is defined as the breed’s standard adult male weight is less than 30 pounds. In the case of mixed breeds the dog’s adult weight or expected weight (if a puppy) is / will be less than 30 pounds.