When the wife and I were looking for a dog, we had our specifications in mind (not much shedding, not allergenic, clean, and mid-size). We decided that a basenji, a rare African breed, was the way to go for us. We wanted to go through a breeder but these types of dogs only breed during certain parts of the year and since I had an itchy trigger finger and wanted a dog right away, we looked into the Humane Society. Nothing in Wisconsin peeked our interest but we found what we were looking for in Iowa (keep in mind, we are in the middle of the state). We called and asked if she was available. They said yes, we drove four hours, spent 20 minutes there, and then took her home. We have had her for a year and everything is swell. I guess the point of my ramblings is to maybe think about out of state options.