So angry at local pet adoption rules I could spit (paws, shelter)
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I hope you know I totally agree-operative word being "good" i.e.,.rescues dogs that for one reason or another aren't highly desirable and then makes a sincere ,reasonable effort to find forever home-in a reasonable amount of time-they don't stay in foster homes for mths. due to onerous rules.
New Haven, Conn.: I tried to rescue a small dog from a breed specific group and, after applications, interviews and general excitement about my new friend, they rejected me. Why? Not because of long work hours, small children or concern for the health, safety or happiness of the dog. They rejected me because I don't have a yard -- despite the fact that I live 10 feet away from a lovely park with an enclosed dog run. I have heard this from others, too. I understand that these groups don't want dogs bouncing in and out of homes but I had my last dog for 12 years. Long story short - bought a puppy from a breeder.
Melissa Bell: I'm sorry to hear it didn't work out for you. I have a sad story to admit to: I am a rescue group reject too! The groups try their best to match dogs up with owners, but they are really careful about the selection--in some cases, maybe too much (I'd like to think in my case definitely too much. Hmph!), but they often see dogs in really poor conditions and are trying to find the best possible scenario for the dogs. I hope you're happy with the breed dog!
This from a washington post news article about rescues
i just glanced through some of this thread again.... it really looks like you are surfing the net in search of blog posts, newspaper articles and message board posts that support your position of rescues being evil....
i am sympathetic to what you went through in December and based on your telling of the story, it appears that you were dealing with one of the "difficult" rescues.... i know they are out there, but the VAST majority are in it for the love of the dogs..... i don't foster, but i do transport, i do home visits and i pull dogs out of kill shelters for rescues... i am affiliated with a couple of rescues, but am more of a free-lancer.... and i have done this long enough to know that NONE of us who rescue for altruistic reasons are in it for money or glory.... i have put over 78K miles on my car in the last 2.5 years.... all out of my own pocket.... the fosters feed and train and socialize the dogs that come into their homes, the rescues pay for vaccinations, spay and neuter and for treatment for any illness or injuries the dogs come in with ..... and people think $300 is EXHORBITANT??
maybe the rescues should start showing vet bills to propsective adopters for a reality check... never mind kibble expenses, heartworm preventative, flea and tick preventative, treats, toys, beds, crates, collars, leashes..... trust me, it adds up in a HURRY......
and MOST dogs and cats in rescue have already been dumped by humans at least once.... many more than once... the point of the application and home visit process is to ensure that the best possible home for that animal is found.... i have approved a young woman in an apartment, an elderly couple living with their son, a family with no fenced yard, among many, because i talked to these people and got the sense that they were committed to providing that dog with what it needed to have a safe and happy and loved life...... and while i am talking to them, i am also watching how they interact with the dog they already have or the dog i have brought.... either my own or one from the rescue.....
people can be at an adoption event and say whatever they want to paint themselves as the perfect pet owner.... but until information is verified, the rescue has no way of knowing what is true and what is pie in the sky....
you had ONE bad experience with ONE rescue group.... and are tarring and feathering every single other one out there.... have you contacted any other rescue groups in your quest for another dog?? or are you just surfing around looking for negative experiences by others??
Late to the party: How YOU handled connecting forever homes to pets is exactly how it should be done-best home placement should be based on common sense, reasonable facts and yes intuition but SOME pure breed, small dog private rescues have enacted unrealistic criteria so the dogs never get adopted just stay in their foster homes for months. Where is the rescue in that?
Buying from puppy mills is apparently quite common-and some pvt. rescues now state this on their web site-- Most everyone is familiar with North Shore Rescue and they are open about this as is Southern Shih Tzu. My question is: Is this not keeping puppy mills in operation-they openly state dogs would be killed if they didn't buy them but if puppy mills have a ready buyer for dogs when they feel they should no longer be bred, then pvt. rescues are not "rescuing"-they are purchasing them.
So, my research, seems to show it's no longer a rescue but is just marketed as such-many tax exempt pvt. rescues are now actually businesses ( and tax-exempts are still a business) And they are very good at pulling in well meaning animal lovers who want to help save and really rescue dogs-people who are unaware they are helping busineseses that are BUYING puppy mill dogs.
This is a discussion that brings up issues that need, to be brought out. And I don't see it freely discussed anywhere else. And so,I thank you for your thoughtful response
Last edited by 2dogsonly; 03-26-2011 at 06:28 PM..
Reason: incorrect rescue name
the money that goes into vetting and otherwise caring for these dogs precludes any possibility of a rescue turning a profit.... tax exempt or not........
and how is taking in dogs that face certain death, or sale to other mills for more breeding somehow dishonorable?? i would prefer that a miller be paid $25, or $50 or $100 for a retiring breeder than see it killed or sold to yet another miller because it has reached or is reaching the end of its "useful" life.......
many of these mill dogs come out of the mills with physical AND psychological issues.... both of which take time and money to overcome..... so i really don't understand the preoccupation with rescues being tax exempt......
i have always agreed that some of the rescues go overboard and are entirely too stringent with their criteria..... but still maintain that they are the minority.... and that every rescue should not be painted with that brush.....
instead of only searching out negative experiences with rescues, i suggest you look for the more common positive experiences..... and maybe educate yourself more about how rescue works in the grand scheme of things......
BUYING dogs is not dishonorable BUT is it RESCUEING?
I didn't say it was dishonorable but is it an honest portrayal of what has occurred? When money is exchanged, then there is a purchase-not a rescue.
As to "hungup" on tax exempt, the 501c3 is given to nonprofits who are determined to be rescues-but again, I ask, if rescues purchase puppymill dogs, then aren't they rescues in name only?
More importantly, isn't that enabling, somehow, the puppy mills to continue operating? The puppy mills make money selling their puppies,right? and then know they have a willing buyer for their 4-6 yr, old dogs?.
As to finding happy rescue stories, mine was a wonderful one in 2004.she was a distemper survivor w/ cohrea (st. Vitus dance) ,still happy and healthy-but I can't find any recent ones-I mean specific like the sad disappointing stories being posted here.
I love how some humans just decide to make arbitrary rules such as "cats should not be outdoors." Says who? God? God made animals and they normally live outdoors.
Some people may believe cats should not live outdoors, but that does not make it a universal truth.
I would make a huge issue out of this if you have the time or energy for it. Go to the organization and ask to speak to a supervisor. Don't give up on that cat!
would you rather the dogs be killed by whatever means handy.... gunshot, brick or hammer or rock to the head, dumped out in woods or the side of the road somewhere....humane euthanasia costs money.... money that comes out of the miller's pockets.... or maybe it should be sold to another miller who thinks they may be able to squeeze another litter or 2 out....
the fact remains that MOST of the retiring dogs ARE killed or sold to other millers.... if it takes a few bucks to the miller to save the life.... what is the issue there??
and once the dog is in safe hands, now the rescue has to deal with vaccinations, spaying or neutering, infections, physical injuries (you should see the feet of the pug girl i transported Thursday) .... flea and tick control, tooth and mouth and gum issues, heartworm testing and treatment if needed or even feasible, malnutrition issues, grooming issues for the cute little fluffies..... the list goes on....
so, please explain to me exactly how the rescues turn a profit as your posts allude?? even those who are tax exempt and charge a couple or few hundred dollars for these dogs.....
these dogs (cavalier king charles spaniels) were rescued from a backyard breeder.... not a big enough operation to be considered a mill.... they were living in a "house" with no running water, had never stepped foot outdoors, stunk so bad that it took 2-3 days to get the smell out of my car, and that was with them never even coming out of their crates..... they were so terrified, i could not even get them to take a drink of water or a treat.... much less come out of their crates for a potty break....... no matter anyway, they were so used to just "going" wherever they were, it wasn't any big deal for them...... just gotta change out the pee pads... without being bitten....
and check out the difference in this girl......
i GET why you are upset with the shih tzu rescue..... based on what you have posted, they treated you HORRIBLY..... but they are not the norm.... yes, there are rescues, particularly breed specific rescues... PARTICULARLY cute little fluffy breed specific rescues, who are ridiculous in their criteria.... but i continue to urge you to wade on in and learn about rescue first hand.... don't let this one bad experience paint the entire rescue community in a bad light.....
I just don't understand why these puppy-mills aren't reported and put out of business as they crop up. As Rescues find out about them - turn them in. Every time one is discovered here in TN, they shut it down. There were some horrific ones here in the past. Probably still are in some places yet undiscovered.
The Rescues who pay for their worn out sickly brood females just encourage them to unload the older ones faster and move more productive younger females into their cages.... and the beat goes on.
There doesn't seem to be an answer to this horror-show known as Puppy-Mills.
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and maybe educate yourself more about how rescue works in the grand scheme of things......
BUYING dogs is not dishonorable BUT is it RESCUEING?
google" rescues buying puppy mills dogs"
