I think one of the issues is that rescues, like breeders, come in at all levels of quality. Some are great, and some are not.
I think that at the very least, a rescue should be able to do a basic temperament assessment on a dog, and be able to tell people if/what issues the dogs have, whether they will be good with kids, other dogs, etc. This shouldn't be something the adopter has to find out about on their own.
Placement is very difficult. The rescue I volunteer at has very few fixed rules AND very few returns, so that appears to be the best of both worlds. My guess is it works because:
- The rescue requires that all pets and prospective family members meet the dog first.
- The rescue assesses temperament before the dogs come in, and generally only takes dogs with mild or no problems. If there are problems, the staff will work for as long as it takes to get the dog ready to be a good pet. The rescue has a cheat sheet on every dog listing:
- If it's good with kids.
- How much exercise it needs.
- How much physical affection it enjoys.
- How much attention it needs.
- If it can live with other dogs, cats, or other pets.
- What kind of family atmosphere would be best - a lively, active family, or a calm, low-key one.
- How much formal training it's had.
- It's a popular, well-known place, so there are usually a lot of applications for every dog.
Which brings me to my next point, hopefully not heresy on YT
... maybe your next dog doesn't have to be a yorkie. I know I want Thor to get a sibling when he's ready, and I will probably get a dachshund because he gets along well with them. I've been told that a lot of dachshunds end up in rescues because they are adorable puppies and yappy little adults. I'm prepared to do some rehab work.
However, in terms of getting what kind of dog you expect in terms of size, playfulness, obedience, socialization, maybe rather than focusing on the breed, you can find a rescue that will tell you these things up front. This is also the benefit of adopting an adult - you'll have a better idea of what you're getting.
Also wanted to say, this rescue usually gets their dogs from high-kill shelters around the area, and it really is a crap shoot if a dog ends up in a shelter or not. You would never believe these dogs were "shelter dogs" if you saw them out and about.