HSUS is not a rescue shelter any more than PETA. People confuse them with the ASPCA or other animal shelters. HSUS does this on purpose. They want people to think they are an animal rescue so that you donate money.
These organizations do not want you or anyone else to OWN animals for any purpose. They want to stop ALL animal breeding.
Most of the “rescue” organizations are for profit businesses. Their business is importing dogs from foreign countries and then charging you to “adopt” them. In the northern US, with the exception of places like Detroit, there is no problem with unwanted dogs. Most people spay or neuter their pet. Therefore, hardly any unplanned litters of puppies happen. This is not the case in MS, AL, AR. So, to get their product to sell(dogs), they have to bring them in from other places. This has led to importing dogs from abroad. Some of these dogs have diseases, like rabies, that have not been present in the US for 50 years. Many of the dogs coming from other parts of the US are typically Pit Bull Terrier cross breeds. They will then LIE when they make out the registration and call it a Lab mix. This is done because most homeowners insurance companies do not want to insure you IF you own a Pit Bull Terrier. The liability risk is too high.
The other place that most “rescue” dogs come from are your neighborhood pet store or companies like PETCO. This is because they let people make impulse buys. Most responsible dogs breeders carefully screen applicants because you never want to get puppies back. It happens occasionally, but rarely. In the 10 years we have been breeding beagles, I believe I have given two refunds. We will always take back one of our pups. Pet shops do not give typically in refunds.