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If you need information about rescue, the rescue process, including having to re-home a Great Pyrenees or behavioral issues, please email: rescue@floridapyrs.org.
Every Great Pyr should be wanted, but in the event that this is not true, we offer a rescue service. Dogs are accepted from local shelters or are given directly to Rescue by persons who, for whatever reason, can no longer keep the dog. Rescued Pyrs are given veterinary care, vaccinations and heart worm tests (and treatment if needed), started on heart worm & flea preventative, are spayed or neutered, and micro-chipped. The dogs are fostered by dedicated volunteers until suitable homes are found. All adoption donations for dogs go right back into the rescue fund for other dogs in need.
Why do pyrs end up in Rescue? All Great Pyrenees started out being adorable white fluffballs but somewhere along the way got too big, barked too much, shed too much, etc. Some owners felt they no longer had time to care for the animal properly, or they could no longer afford it, or they didn’t understand what it was like to own a giant-breed dog. Some dogs are removed because of neglect or abuse. Owners get divorced, have babies, develop allergies . . . the reasons go on and on.
You can share your life with a rescued Pyr who will be loyal and devoted to you and grateful for a loving home. There are many pyrs waiting for adoption and you could make one of them your next four-footed friend and lifelong companion.
Please see our Dogs Available page and complete an Adoption Application if you would like to adopt one of these wonderful dogs into your family.
BUYER BEWARE
Should you decide to purchase a Great Pyrenees from a breeder, you should be prepared to ask lots of questions. This applies whether you are buying a puppy or an older dog. If you don’t get answers to all your questions, or answers that satisfy you, be prepared to walk away… no matter how badly you want that Great Pyrenees.
Some breeders have older dogs for which they are looking for homes. If you encounter this, ask why the breeder wants/needs to place the dog.
For a puppy, it is recommended that both parents (the “sire” and “dam”) have been health tested. Ideally, both parents would have had the following tests completed:
1. Hips (OFA)
2. Knees (CHIC)
3. Shoulders/Heart/or Thyroid/ or Eye (CHIC)
4. Eyes (CERF)
5. Thyroid (OFA)
At a minimum, the parents should both have had their hips tested x-rayed and sent to OFA.
Ask to see the health certificates showing the results of these tests, or, in the case of OFA, ask the breeder for the parents’ full names; you can then look up their certifications on the OFA website. The OFA website is also a good source for helping puppy buyers understand what these health tests mean, and why they are so important.
For a puppy or an older dog, you should consider:
1. Getting references (prior “buyers”) from the breeder and contact them.
2. Getting a vet reference from the breeder and call him/her.
3. Checking to see if the breeder is a member in good standing of the Great Pyrenees Club of America (www. http://clubs.akc.org/gpca/)
4. Asking knowledgeable Great Pyrenees people if they have ever heard of this particular breeder and, if so, would they recommend him/her.
5. Finding out how many litters/puppies does this breeder breed per year; does s/he keep any? If not, why?
6. Reviewing the contract ahead of time to make sure you’re comfortable with, and understand, its terms.
As with any major purchase, it pays off in the long run to take your time and do your research. If you purchase a Great Pyrenees puppy, s/he will be with you for many, many years. There is no reason to make a hasty or uneducated choice when making this important decision.