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10/05/2016 06:00 AMSue Hotkowski, the market manager and community organizations coordinator for the Chester Sunday Market, loves dogs. Anyone who’s been to the Chester Sunday Market can see that. Dogs are welcome. There are plenty of places for dogs to get a drink of water. And the market often features dog events and rescue organizations interested in placing dogs in good homes.
But, somehow that just wasn’t enough for Hotkowski, who has also helped start up a non-profit, all-volunteer organization called Homeward Bound Connecticut, that works with and on behalf of dog rescue organizations in Connecticut, along with a few national organizations, to put on adoption events, and provide other support.
“We are a group of avid dog lovers and have some close relationships with some amazing rescues. Homeward Bound CT is not a rescue, but helps rescues in any way we can. We host adoption events, do fundraising for dogs in need, some of our volunteers will foster for rescues and much more,” she says. “We’re registered in Chester, but our events are mobile. We’ll go wherever we can get a location.”
The organization’s next adoption event is Saturday, Oct. 8 and Sunday, Oct. 9 at the Guilford Fairgrounds, Lovers Lane, Guilford. More than 60 dogs are expected to be at the event, along with trainers, and other dog experts to help make sure any matches made are best for the families, and the dogs.
“Homeward Bound secures the location and takes care of any expenses involved in the event. We promote the event and the dogs, pre-screen applicants, have trained volunteers to help with handling the dogs during the event along with interview and much more,” she says.
Belinda Ahern of BNA Dogs in Old Saybrook, an in-home trainer, will run meet and greets with existing dogs and their potential adopters, along with talking with first time dog owners. In addition, the Guilford Animal Medical Center will attend.
The dogs coming to the event are listed at www.homewardboundct.org/october-2016-event.
“We are updating the list of dogs daily so be sure to keep checking,” she says. “We do not pre-approve for specific dogs but for good adopters. Homeward Bound does not take finding homes for these dogs lightly... We want these dogs to go to the best possible home for them and to insure that we need to take time to get to know the adopters. We ask all family members to attend and also if they have existing dogs in their home, to bring them so we can be sure they will get along and meet on neutral ground. A great deal of time goes into preparing for these events and most of our volunteers have gone to multiple training classes to be able to help these dogs find that perfect home.
Open Heart, Open Mind
“We ask that you come with an open heart and open mind and we’ll make every effort to make sure the dog you do take home is the best dog for your lifestyle and family,” she says.
Hotkowski herself has two dogs, one is a rescue, and can attest to the fact that a dog can make life better and brighter for their owners. But she says her group insists that anyone interested in adopting a dog consider it a lifetime commitment, and to make sure they are in a position to honor that commitment.
“Obviously, if someone lives in an apartment, that is a concern. Your current living situation might be fine, but what happens when you need to move to another location?” she asks. “If it’s a couple and they are just dating, what happens when you break up? Who gets the dog? People always looked shocked when you ask, but you have to ask.”
Trainers will evaluate family members with the dog, and so parents are asked to make sure their children understand that dogs are not a toy or plaything, that they shouldn’t be teased, and that need to be treated with respect. For more information on this, see barkpost.com/dog-safety-for-children/. Families will be asked what they plan to do with the dog during the day, if the dog is going to be home alone. Information about dog walkers will be provided to prospective adopters.
“The trainers will take time to watch the whole family interact with the dog. If there are children who really don’t understand personal space and boundaries, we’ll discuss that with the parent. We want all parents to be on board with that,” she says. “I’ve had people say, ‘My son is ready to get a dog, it will be good for him,’ but parents really have to be prepared to take on the responsibility if the child is not ready. Some people take offense at the questions, but for us, it’s a lifetime commitment for the dog.”
Anyone interested in starting the process early can go to the Homeward Bound website, and fill out an application at www.homewardboundct.org/want-to-adopt-a-dog/.
Spay It Forward
Homeward Bound has also started a program this year called Spay it Forward CT.
“This program started from a seed planted by one of our core volunteers who felt we needed to help educate the importance of spaying/neutering your animals and to help insure that dogs in our CT Shelters are spayed/neutered prior to adoption,” she says. “We had a large fundraiser at The Blue Hound thanks to the amazing generosity of Matt and Tracy Carroll and also reached out to Connecticut Veterinarians for donations of free or discounted spay/neuter operations.”
Hotkowski said all Connecticut shelters are welcome to go to the Homeward Bound Connecticut website and register dogs in need of spay/neuter operations.
“We find veterinarians in the area that can help or help transport them to where we can have the operations done, we fund the cost if there is any,” she says. “To date we have spayed/neutered almost 15 dogs and all of them but one have found their forever homes. We hope to make this an ongoing event and continue to help reduce the shelter population.”
Editor's Note: Sue Hotkowski has two dogs, and one is a rescue. That information was incorrect in the original version of this story, which was updated on Oct. 5, 2016.