Lockport rescue has Siberian huskies that need good homes

A Lockport woman has run a home-based rescue for Siberian huskies for almost 30 years.

And the need for her rescue is as great as it ever was.

Linda Gondek, founder of Homes for Huskies-Siberian Husky Rescue, said people often relinquish or even “dump” Siberian huskies because they fail to learn the particulars about the breed before they adopt one.

Siberian huskies are much more than beautiful blue eyes and soft fur, Gondek said.

“Most people don’t understand they need some type of firm confinement,” she said. “They need a secure fence. They need a secure kennel run. You can’t just open the door and say, ‘Go do your business and come back when you are done.’ They are bred to run. They’re escape artists. They’re very clever, very smart. And they’re funny. They will talk back to you. They’re very vocal.”

Both the American Kennel Club and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) surmised the popularity of “Game of Thrones” fueled interest in owning Siberian huskies for pets.

How a Siberian husky rescue came to Lockport

Gondek said she started the 501(c)3 nonprofit Homes for Huskies-Siberian Husky Rescue in late 1994. Her husband already owned two huskies when she met him. Gondek brought two more huskies home that someone had abandoned, even though she knew nothing about animal rescue.

“We thought placing ads in the paper and charging a fee way was the way to go,” Gondek said.

“They are bred to run. They’re escape artists. They’re very clever, very smart. And they’re funny. They will talk back to you. They’re very vocal.”

—  Linda Gondek, founder of Homes for Huskies-Siberian Husky Rescue

A malamute breeder then “took us under her wing and gave us a little bit of guidance,” Gondek said. Talking to other rescue groups about their policies and processes helped, too.

“We pulled the best from everybody,” Gondek said. “And we hit the ground running.”

Gondek said she filed her nonprofit paperwork “right from the get-go.” Homes for Huskies-Siberian Husky Rescue also is registered with the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

Once the nonprofit was official, Gondek was flooded with requests to accept dogs.

“I had animal controls and dog wardens and other shelters calling us once they found out a Siberian husky rescue was out there,” Gondek said. “Of course, you can’t bring them all in. There’s only so much space

.”

Gondek limits the amount of huskies at her home at one time, including her own huskies.

Top priority goes to stray dogs that wind up in local shelters and animal controls or come from animal controls downstate.

A veterinarian examines all dogs who come into Homes for Huskies, she said. The dogs are tested for heartworm, vaccinated, spayed or neutered and microchipped, Gondek said.

She then works hard to find the right family for each dog. She schedules a “meet and greet” for possible adopters. Homes for Huskies-Siberian Husky Rescue does have an option fee, which covers food, housing and vetting, she said.

In the beginning, most people contacted Gondek by phone. Then email became the popular method, she said. Now, people are simply impatient.

“If you don’t get back to people in 20 minutes, they’ve moved on,” Gondek said. “For some people, they just want to grab any dog they can get…but not every dog is appropriate for every family.”

The right kind of homes

Overall, huskies are a friendly breed, with people and other dogs, she said.

“But every now and then you get a dog that’s a bit more aloof, kind of standoffish, a little bit catlike,” Gondek said.

Siberian huskies do best living with dogs their size or larger, she said. Huskies might intimidate cats or “other little critters in the house,” Gondek said. Siberian huskies typically do well with older children, too, she said.

“The concern with toddlers and babies is the size of the dog versus the child,” Gondek said. “Will they knock them over in their enthusiasm?”

However, the right fence is definitely a must.

“That can be an issue for some of these dogs,” Gondek said. “They can get over a low fence quite easily.”

Homes for Huskies-Siberian Husky Rescue does not have a website or social media page. But potential adopters can view available huskies on Petfinder, Gondek said.

To contact Gondek at Homes for Huskies-Siberian Husky Rescue, call 815-439-2313 (landline) or lh4h@hotmail.com.