If you have made the decision to adopt a pooch from a bichon rescue, good for you! Puppies are great, but there are so many needy bichons waiting for a second chance at a loving home and family. However, depending on where you live, you may have no idea where to start your search for rescues, or know what you should be looking for to determine if an organization is legitimate and reputable.

The following are the different ways you can locate a bichon rescue:

• Local animal shelters or human society. Most cities have a shelter for lost or abandoned animals. Though these shelters are not an ideal place to obtain a bichon, simply because it is highly unlikely they'll have this particular canine, they are a good resource for finding rescues. It is not uncommon for these two organizations to work together. Therefore, they may be able to help point you in the right direction.

• Veterinarian. If you already have a vet for other animals you own, you can always ask them if they know of any rescues in the area. Many veterinarian offices help out these types of non-profit organizations by providing rescued dogs with care at a discounted price. If your vet does not personally know of any place, don't be afraid to visit other offices to see if others are aware of one.

• Local breeders. If you learn that there is a local bichon frise breeder in the area, find out if they know of any bichon rescue. In fact, you may even discover that these breeders take part in this type of charity work themselves and may actually have dogs you can adopt.

• The Internet. The web is full of many great sites that can assist you with your investigation. In fact, the first two websites you should lookup to help you on your quest is your nations kennel club, and your national bichon-frise club. Many reputable rescues register their information with these places that support their operation. Thus, by viewing the names of the non-profit organizations listed, you will be able to find out where they are located, obtain their contact information, and may even have access to an online link if they have their own webpage.

You can also search the net to find out if there is a place near you by looking up the name of your town or city with the dog breed (I.E. "bichon frise rescue boston").

However, regardless of how you go about tracking down a bichon rescue, remember that there are certain things you should expect from a trust worthy place, such as:

- A long and detailed adoption application

- Adoption fee

- The rescue workers will insist on meeting you before giving you one of their dogs.

- They will want to know about your lifestyle, as well as your previous experience with dogs and this particular breed, so they can match you with the right pooch.

A bichon rescue should have their dog's best interest at heart. Thus, their primary concern will be to make sure that their pooches are going to a good and loving home.