FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you have a question that is not answered here, please feel free to contact us.
How does a rescue program work?
We are a not-for-profit run solely by volunteers. We take in Siberian Huskies primarily from kill shelters. Husky Haven of Florida does not have its own shelter location so all of our dogs are housed in foster homes. We are only able to take in dogs when we have an opening in a foster home, therefore, we can only accept owner surrenders when we have room. Our primary mission is to help dogs in immediate need of being saved from being euthanized before taking in a dog that is being surrendered by its owner.
Are Huskies Wolves? Or aren’t Huskies closely related to wolves?
Huskies are no more related to a wolf than a Lab, German Shepherd or even a Chihuahua. Huskies are a domestic dog, just like any other breed of dog, and is recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). Wolves are a non-domesticated animal. They should not be kept as pets by the average pet owner.
Where are you located, what hours are you open and when can I meet some dogs?
We do not have a shelter facility nor do we have any set open/closed hours. All of our dogs are located in foster homes around the state of Florida, so there is no easy way to meet any or all the dogs. Sometimes there are events that foster dogs attend if they live close by and available for the event, but there is no guarantee every event will have a foster dog attending. We cannot guarantee any dog is available until a prospective adopter has filled out an application and is approved.
Do you have puppies?
As is true with most rescues, because we get dogs mostly from kill shelters, we rarely get puppies. Puppies don’t usually last long at a shelter. Also, most people don’t get tired of the puppy attitude until the dog is 12-18 months old.
Puppies are quite a bit of work, just like an infant is. They require a lot of attention, patience, and supervision. Unfortunately, most people just look at the cute puppy face when they purchase the dog and are not ready for the challenges of a puppy and, after losing their patience one last time, decide to give the dog up, be it to a rescue or a shelter.
The advantages of an older dog (over one year) often include not having to deal with the puppy chewing, the mouthing, the accidents in the house, the endless puppy energy, the crying at night, and the hundreds of things a puppy will have to be taught. An older dog will bond with you, often harder and faster than a puppy, because a rescue dog knows what it is like to lose his family, or to be kept in an animal shelter, or to live on the streets without the love and affection of a good family. If you decide a puppy is still the only route for you, please keep in mind that our rescue rarely has puppies in need of homes.
How do Huskies do in Florida?
Isn’t it cruel to have them in Florida?
Huskies adapt to the weather here in Florida just like humans do. It is too hot for Huskies (and other breeds of dogs) to be outside 24/7 here in Florida. However, Huskies will often sun themselves for 30-45 minutes at time.
Dogs do not sweat like humans so the hair helps insulate them from the heat as well as the cold. They cool themselves from panting from the mouth and sweating at the paws. In Florida, their undercoat will not get as thick as it would if they lived in Alaska as compensation for the difference in temperature. However, SHAVING YOUR DOG IS NOT NECESSARY AND NOT RECOMMENDED!! Shaving your Husky will change the way their coat looks and feels and quite often it will grow back with different color tones. Also, Huskies have no pigment in their skin due to the fact they are supposed to have hair and they can become sun burned very easily. They are also more susceptible to heatstroke since the hair helps them keep cool.
Do Huskies Shed?
YES they do! Huskies, in cooler regions, tend to “blow” their undercoats twice a year at the change of season. However, here in Florida, Huskies shed year round and still “blow” their undercoats as well. During regular shedding times, you need to comb out your Husky a couple of times a week. However, during “blowing” times, most Huskies require daily brushing to keep the fur balls you will find around your house to a minimum. So if you don’t want a dog that sheds, Huskies are not the dog for you and your family.
Why should I spay and neuter my pet?
Here are the top 10 reasons from www.aspca.org:
Whether you’ve recently adopted a pet or you’re considering it, one of the most important health decisions you’ll make is to spay or neuter your cat or dog. Spaying—removing the ovaries and uterus of a female pet—is a veterinary procedure that requires minimal hospitalization and offers lifelong health benefits. Neutering—removing the testicles of your male dog or cat—will vastly improve your pet’s behavior and keep him close to home.
Many states and counties have established low-cost spay/neuter programs that make surgery easily affordable and accessible. To find a low-cost program near you, search our Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Provider Database.
Not convinced yet? Check out our handy—and persuasive—list of the top 10 reasons to spay or neuter your pet!
Your female pet will live a longer, healthier life.
Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast cancer, which is fatal in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.Neutering provides major health benefits for your male.
Besides preventing unwanted litters, neutering your male companion prevents testicular cancer, if done before six months of age.Your spayed female won't go into heat.
While cycles can vary, female felines usually go into heat four to five days every three weeks during breeding season. In an effort to advertise for mates, they'll yowl and urinate more frequently—sometimes all over the house!Your male dog won't want to roam away from home.
An intact male will do just about anything to find a mate! That includes digging his way under the fence and making like Houdini to escape from the house. And once he's free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other males.Your neutered male will be much better behaved.
Neutered cats and dogs focus their attention on their human families. On the other hand, unneutered dogs and cats may mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house. Many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering.Spaying or neutering will NOT make your pet fat.
Don’t use that old excuse! Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to pack on the extra pounds—not neutering. Your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor food intake.It is highly cost-effective.
The cost of your pet's spay/neuter surgery is a lot less than the cost of having and caring for a litter. It also beats the cost of treatment when your unneutered tom escapes and gets into fights with the neighborhood stray!Spaying and neutering your pet is good for the community.
Stray animals pose a real problem in many parts of the country. They can prey on wildlife, cause car accidents, damage the local fauna and frighten children. Spaying and neutering packs a powerful punch in reducing the number of animals on the streets.Your pet doesn't need to have a litter for your children to learn about the miracle of birth.
Letting your pet produce offspring you have no intention of keeping is not a good lesson for your children—especially when so many unwanted animals end up in shelters. There are tons of books and videos available to teach your children about birth in a more responsible way.Spaying and neutering helps fight pet overpopulation.
Every year, millions of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized or suffer as strays. These high numbers are the result of unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering.
Why is it so important to you that our pets are on Heartworm preventative?
Heart-worm disease is a serious and potentially fatal condition caused by parasitic worms living in the arteries of the lungs and occasionally in the right side of the heart of dogs, cats and other species of mammals, including wolves, foxes, ferrets, sea lions and (in rare instances) humans.
Heart-worms are transmitted by mosquitoes, which are highly prevalent here in the state of Florida.
Heart-worm preventative is an inexpensive way to keep your dogs and cats safe. The preventative is normally around $5-10 per month to protect your animals. However, heart-worm treatment is anywhere from $750-$1200 to save the animal’s life.
Quite a few dogs that enter rescue are heart-worm positive and require the expensive treatment to be saved. This is why we are so adamant that animals in the home already and adopted dogs are tested yearly for heart-worms and treated monthly with preventative.
For more information, go to www.heartwormsociety.org
Your dogs are so soft and their coat is so nice. What type of food do you use?
We get asked about our food choices frequently and we feel it is a very important part of being a responsible pet owner. We have found the better the food is... the better the dog is, as far as coat, health and even better, the WASTE is much smaller, which is great for us multiple dog homes. So please take a look at this site Dog Food Analysis and make your decision on based on your needs and budget. We do recommend you chose a dog food that is 4 stars and above. Just remember even though a food appears more expensive, you may actually feed your dog less each day, which in turn could cost you less overall.
How do I surrender a dog?
As stated previously, we do not have a shelter facility. We can only take dogs when we have available foster homes. We mostly take in dogs from kill shelters first and there is an almost continuous need for us to take in dogs from them. Under normal conditions, we will not have room for you to surrender your personal pet to us. To surrender your pet please press on this link for more information. HuskyhavenFl@gmail.com
What do I do when I have found a dog?
We are not a shelter that takes in stray dogs but we can give you ideas of how to find the owner.
• Take the dog to a local vet and see if you can find a microchip or look for tags on the dog. This is free!
• Post flyers around the area you found the dog.
• If you can’t keep the dog until owner is found, locate the shelter in the area you found the dog and take the dog there. PLEASE notify us of the shelter you took the dog to so we can monitor the dog.
• If you decide to keep the dog until the owner is found, you can post the dog’s information and pictures on Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor and/or Craigslist. We also can put the information on our website if you email us the picture and information.
• List of online websites:
Find Toto
Lost my Doggie
Pet Amber Alert
Mission Reunite
Fido Finder
• Also if you decide to keep the dog, some local shelters will take down the dog’s information and your information so if the owners show up, they will know where the dog is and they will contact you.
I have a Husky that needs medical care and I can’t afford to pay for it, can you help?
Unfortunately, we are not formed as a charity to help owners with medical bills. Here is a list of websites for non-profits that may do that:
Redrover
The Magic Bullet Fund
Shakespeare Animal Fund
The Pet Fund
Care Credit
Handicapped Pets
NY Save
Driving with your dog!
It goes without saying that we all love our canine friends, and many of us can’t wait to bring them with us on car rides. However, it is important to stay well-informed on the best ways to keep both yourself and your dog safe while you drive.
From the fit of your dog’s harness to the containment methods you use in the car, there are a number of key factors to consider when getting ready for your next tandem drive. Take a look at these 7 great tips for driving with your dog in order to prepare yourself for a future of safe car rides with your four-legged companion!