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Let break down what happens to a dog that is accepted to a rescue. The prices I'm quoting are rescue rates that many sympathetic vets offer to rescues. As for the rest, its first hand knowledge based on affiliations with 20 something rescue organizations over the years.
When the dog is accepted into a rescue, it is first taken to a vet for a medical assessment. This is important not only for the dog's health but to also be sure that any contagious diseases it may be carrying are diagnosed and treated. If its health allows, it is also neutered or spayed and brought current on its vaccinations at this time. Minimum cost to assess, vaccinate and neuter/spay is around $160.00. If the poor dog is suffering from a disease or parasites (ticks, fleas, heartworm, ring worm, hook worm) of course there are additional cost to treat the dog. You can add $200.00 to $1,000 on to the medical tab depending on the problems.
With most rescues when the dog is well enough, it is placed in a foster home with a person or family that understands the breed (if its a breed specific rescue) or at least understands how to help rescued dogs to adjust. The dog is assessed for temperment and basic training and housebreaking are started. An average for most foster families to care for their charges is 8 months to a year. Some have had their dogs in their care for a lot longer than that too. They help shy dogs to trust, wild dogs to learn boundries and abused dogs to learn that they will not be hurt again. Are they picky about where the dogs go? You bet! The foster families know the dog's personality and any quirks and are the best people to find the right home - no just an OK home THE RIGHT HOME.
So - how much does a rescue dog cost the rescue? At the very least around $450.00 including food, vet bills, treats, toys, leash, collar, etc. Many cost a lot more than that. The fees charged to the adoptive families are usually based on at an average to cover even the most extreme cases. Please remember, rescues are not in the business to make money. They are in the business to make a difference for the animals in their care. Most do a very fine job of it too.
yes.... this^^ is how the vast majority of rescues operate..... clearly, concisely and accurately described......
Quote:
Originally Posted by carolyninfl
What a wonderful mix that would make I love labs and st bernards!
I would love to see a pic
me too!! actually... pictures are a REQUIREMENT around here.....
I completely understand that rescuing dogs is a labor of love. Heck, I don't even want to know what my "free puppy" tied to a tree has cost me.
But, I have no tolerance for what seems to be blatant misrepresentation by *some* rescues. As far as I'm concerned, the dog is what it is, and if you truly want it to go to the best home, you wouldn't be lying about things. If, GOD FORBID, I ever had to give up Kizzy, I'd be sure to let whomever took him know all of the good, bad and ugly. For sure, he's crate trained, he waits until he's released to eat his dinner, but he's for crap in the car. Now, one would think, ALL OF those things would be good to know.
In my mind, rescues simply do things for the love of the animal. When I hear of someone having found a dog that looks like a certain breed, my first thought is to tell them to call the local _____ rescue. Maybe that's not the best idea??? To even second-guess this is so saddening to me.
Sure, Kizzy found a wonderful companion in me , but what about all of the others? I guess this can go in the same category as seemingly everything else in our world today...buyer (or adopter) beware. Always watch your back. SO DAMNED SAD.
I do not believe that mixed breed dogs, or dogs without registration papers should be sold at all, but only given away.
I actually agree with you on this one to a point, if people couldn't make money on mixed breeds (now termed "Designer Breeds") the number of unwanted dogs would be drastically reduced.
The only pets I have ever paid for are the ones I own today. My parents however always bought pedigree dogs with KC papers etc..
I acquired a rabbit, two Jack Russells, a stray cat, then two kittens all free to a good home.
The problem today is that we live in a throw away Society, easy come easy go. There are a lot of people who acquire pets who are not fully committed to them. With a high price tag potential owners may give a bit more thought about whether they really want the pet. I think this is the crux of the problem. A price tag encourages indiscriminate breeding, and unfortunately it is not a guarantee for the security of the pets life.
There are only two places I would buy a dog from a reputable breeder or a rescue centre.
Rescue centres do an absolute sterling job, helping these dogs find their forever home.
That doesn't address the accidental litters, or someone like the girl in another thread who wanted to breed her 2 dogs because she thought the puppies would be "cute". No one makes money off that, and how are the shelters that eventually have to find many of these dogs a home supposed to sustain themselves?
Having done rescue and adoptions for many years, my past rescue group, if they suspected the dogs were 5 or over we sometimes took off a year or two. It was not done to cause harm, but the truth is that most older, rescue dogs stand very little chance of getting adopted. Everyone wants puppies. It is so important that every rescue dog gets their second chance and a shot at a wonderful, loving home. As most have never had neither.
Having done rescue and adoptions for many years, my past rescue group, if they suspected the dogs were 5 or over we sometimes took off a year or two. It was not done to cause harm, but the truth is that most older, rescue dogs stand very little chance of getting adopted. Everyone wants puppies. It is so important that every rescue dog gets their second chance and a shot at a wonderful, loving home. As most have never had neither.
While I can appreciate the intent, the practice is what gives a lot of rescues a bad reputation and is exactly what the debate has been in this whole thread. I have never had any problems placing dogs which were 7 plus years old - everyone has different wants and needs and some people have no issue with it or even prefer it.
I remember this woman confined to a wheel chair and she and her older daughter took a liking to a dachsund I was fostering. I told them both, "You understand this dog is 7 years old." The response was, "We don't care in fact that's even better." Even my next door neighbors saw him in my backyard and came over to ask about him and I let them take him into their house for an afternoon. They loved him, but they had 2 guinea pigs and the dog sat in front of the door to where they were the entire time otherwise they would have adopted him.
I just cannot advocate misleading anyone when it comes to the adoption process no matter how good the intention.
I've got to say, that I'm glad my dog and I found each other, and I really didn't care how old he was....he has become the most patient doggie...he's so kind hearted and thoughtful...he's a real gem. Had dogs all of my life, and each one of them were outstanding pets, which I raised from puppies, they all have they're own unique personality....but the dog I have presently was my first rescue, and by Gosh, he is amazing....even all my neighbors are amazed at his progress...
2 years old or 7, I'd love him just as much....and I gotta admit, even if they knew, which they might not have known, giving them the benefit of the doubt, I'd have still taken him, b/c I had been looking at petfinder for years, and never did a dog, reach out and grab my heart like he did...therefore, it was meant to be....
So, I didn't mean to offend, anyone, I just wanted to state, that I thought perhaps the rescues do fib about they're age, so they get adopted quicker, but now that I've been reading all of you, I get the picture...
thanks so very much...
Also keep in mind when you've got older dogs from unknown backgrounds it's VERY difficult for even a vet to determine age. I've had my vet tell me a dog is 8 to 10 years old just to adopt them out and the adopter's vet says it's over 12 years old. Well, not knowing the background you can't really accurately determine that. If a female dog has been bred constantly over and over in a puppy mill or BYB situation, it saps her body of a lot of the calcium she has and that can take a massive toll on her teeth, which is a big part of what a vet uses to determine age. So while she may only be 7, she could have teeth like a 12 year old dog. In a situation like that, any vet's guess is just that - strictly a guess on the age.
Many, many years ago I went to a local cat show. There was a little cat in the corner of a cage that I felt sorry for, I inquired and the breeder said she did not want her anymore. I adopted her for free. She was a little bicolor Himalayan at only 5 lbs named Winter Berries. The lady told me she was about 4 or 5. I only had her for about a year and she died of kidney failure. Vet said she was around 11!!!
She was very underweight when I got her and very tiny, she looked so young.
In the end, age did not matter to me. I was glad to have her in my life even for that short time and was able to give her the love and affection she so needed and deserved. She had obviously been somewhat neglected.
Age is just a number! Does not matter how old they are to me, all rescue animals are in desperate need of homes now more than ever.
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Mama loves to show off her darling dog
, but what about all of the others? I guess this can go in the same category as seemingly everything else in our world today...buyer (or adopter) beware. Always watch your back. SO DAMNED SAD.
