Note 9/18/02: The Challenge seems to have run it's course. It was started in 1998 and it been almost 2 years since I last heard from anyone on it. I've also learned how difficult  it is to make and maintain the sites over time like the challenge calls for. For all of you who participated, I truly thank you. I've left the instuctions up in case someone wants to make rescue list pages like these on their own. 
 

SEE THE FINISHED SITES PAGE!
Also includes partially finished sites by state or province

What do I have to do?

 Put together lists and links of your state's All Breed rescues and shelters, or purebred Breed Rescue contacts. Or, for the Ultimate Challenge, do both! The hard part is making them complete lists, not just a few links here and there. The idea is to try and have ALL the rescue links and contacts on the 'net for that area. Putting rescues that are not online on your site is a big bonus for the animals, but not necessary for this challenge.  You will have to search hard. Here are my California pages as an example: California Shelters and Rescues and California Breed Rescues. I spent most all my on line time for a few weeks to put these lists together, and I spend a lot of time every so often maintaining them.

 Also, keep checking this page, I am updating the "rules" as questions are asked and the need arises, see the very bottom of the page for the last update date.

How do I find them?

 Start your search with a large search engine, such as Dog Pile. Set up your bookmark folders to make it easier too. For instance, I had file folders for breed rescue (such as breeds a-g), and for all breed shelters by county or part of the state (northern vs southern). Then start searching. I used "California shelters and rescues" to start searching with, on Dog Pile.

 Check the links pages on the sites too, they often lead to more links. You might want a bookmark folder for "check out", then you can look at those pages later to get links from. You are looking for rescues and shelters with contacts or addresses in the state you've chosen to do. Look at the contact pages on sites to find out where they are located, sometimes the donations pages will have addresses. Yes, it becomes a big snowball! That's the challenge! That snowball eventually melts down as you hit more and more pages. You will truly learn to appreciate the fact that links you have already looked at are usually a different color (but not always)! You are on your honor to do a really thorough search, and collect all you can.

Often a single contact will be on several pages, so beware of duplicates! You also should not list contacts or sites if you know they are disreputable, such as Greyhound rescues that are pro racing, rescuers who are really collectors and don't take care of the animals, etc.....

What do I do with the links?

 If you know how to build a webpage, build your rescue links page. There are several free web servers out there, such as Geocities. AOL users have free server space, and many other providers also have free space you can use.. You can look at mine (see above) for examples. Organize it in the most efficient way you can think of, to help people navigate it and find what they need. By area code or county is a good way. 

 If you do not know how to build a web page, check out my web building resources links at: http://www.wonderpuppy.net/links2.htm#buildsite. You may also want to check out my Open Letter to Rescue Site Webmasters for more tips. 
 

 I already have a page of rescue links for my area, will that meet the challenge?

 Well, ask yourself this question, are there any more links out there for your state that you don't have? If so, then it's not complete, and doesn't meet the challenge.  I will ask you if that's all you can find on the 'net for your state (in the category you're trying for), and until the answer is yes,  you haven't met the challenge.

  And the disclaimer is?

If you have a pet that needs a home, please do your own homework, I have put all my resources on these sites, I don't have others that aren't here,  and I cannot save him for you. Make sure to check out the rehoming info on Can We Help You, as well as the main Rescue Information page.  I am not in a position to help, other than refer you to these links.  Emailing me (or anyone else for that matter) that your pet will die if I don't save him for you is not only rude, but you are evading your own responsibility to your pet (yes, I get enough of these that I have to mention it!).  I don't need more heartbreak in my life over something I can't do anything about.

Anything else?
You will need to mainatain your links.  Please include a "last updated" date at the bottom of your page. You will also need to make a backup copy of your site, to prevent servers from chomping them, we already lost one really great site that way. If you are using a web-based editor like in Geocities, you can just open each page, then hit file>save as. Or, you can put it on 2 different servers, say, geocities and tripod.  (Great idea Bayoudogs!). 

The only other thing I can think of right now is that it would be really cool to add a link on your page to my Can We Help You Keep Your Pet?  site. Not mandatory in anyway, but you never know if someone gets that link from YOUR page and ends up not putting thier pet in rescue. The URL is:
http://www.wonderpuppy.net/canwehelp

Good Luck!
-Leilah's Mom

Wait! Who's Working on What?

 See the Finished Sites page to see completed sites. The sites below are sites in progress (I hope!)  If you DON'T tell me otherwise, I will put your email in.  You don't need to use your name, a 'net handle is just fine by me.

British Columbia  - Brindle  (6/21/99)

California All breed shelters and Breed Rescues - Leilah's Mom - **Ultimate Challenge finished** early 1999

Colorado  - David Perry -  (6/27/99) 

Florida  - Jen - (6/21/99)

Georgia - Christine - (12/15/99)

Illinois  -  Nikobie - ***All Breed Challenge Finished!!!*** on 1/31/00

Indiana  - Basenji Mom:  (6/21/99)

Idaho  - Jan M  (6/22/99)

Kentucky All Breed - Millie's Mom - (6/27/99)

Maine -  Laska's Momma -  ***All Breed Challenge Finished!!!!!!*** in1999

Maryland -  LindaC (7/17/99)

Michigan dogs - Emily -  ***Ultimate Challenge Finished!!!!*** on 12/18/99
MICHIGAN is up for grabs again! The wonderful site above was lost in a server crash, and won't be redone.

Minnesota -  CJ's Mom  -  (6/22/99)
(she would like help too finding links! - email me if you want to help her)

Mississippi - Bayoudogs - (10/30/00) 

Missouri  - Nikobie - ***All Breed Challenge Finished***(1/9/00)

New Hampshire -  Renee - (1/2/00)

New York -  Luvmycritters ***Ultimate Challenge Finished*** (8/27/00)

North Carolina * -  Hope4 and TeresaR - (7/17/99)

Ohio *  - Jo -  ***Ultimate Challenge Finished!!!!*** in 1999 (site is missing as of 9/18/02)

Oklahoma -  Poochini and Feet First: (6/21/99)

Ontario All Breeds * - Jetta - (8/1/99)

Oregon - Sport -   (6/22/99)

Pennsylvania *- Nak's Mom, Twinkie's Mom, and Little Aussie - (6/22/99) (page missing as of 11/3/01)

Tennessee - Sparkey's Mom -  (9/10/99)

Texas - Nikobie - ***All Breed Challenge finished!!!!***  in 1999

Vermont * - Debbie - ***All Breed Challenge Finished!!!*** on 12/18/99 
 
 

Rules last changed or updated 12/17/99
page updated 5/22/04