Rescue Groups that have problems

crittersitter · 04-23-2011, 09:57 AM

I commend all rescue groups for their time and obvious love for the dogs. However, I have heard some horror stories from really good dog people that have tried to adopt through several of the groups. They seem to be terribly disorganized and frankly control freaks. Applicants are put through the ringer only to end up having it nearly impossible to adopt one of their dogs. And I'm talking about people that were approved, have great references and a wonderful home inspections. One of the people I know got so upset about being strung along for months that he gave up on the idea. What's the story? I have been thinking about using a rescue group myself but don't want to go through this kind of a struggle.

NewbieShepherdGirl · 04-23-2011, 11:05 AM

I guess I don't know anything about the problems that some people have had with rescue groups. I know my rescue experience was AMAZING! I looked at several rescue groups near where I lived, and when I settled on the one that I got Sasha from it was a very pleasant experience. The experience I had was I looked at the dogs they had available. I picked several that I thought would mesh with my family, and then I printed off their pictures/info and my mom and brother and I voted on which ones we liked best (ironically Sasha wasn't my first or even second pick and is MY dog, not the family's dog lol) Then I went online and filled out the application. Within a few days we got a phone call, as did my references. We then scheduled a home visit, and the people were very friendly and understanding. I'll just say I was super nervous about this, as I did not know what to expect, but they weren't trying to find reasons why we shouldn't have a dog, they were just getting a feel for what kind of dog would best suit our lives (and I'm sure also to make sure we were who we said we were). I don't know how old you are, but one thing my rescue did want to know because of my age was whether or not my mom would take in the dog IF for some reason I wasn't able to take it with me somewhere. This would be because I am a 20 yo college student, and let's face it some of us in my age group are really impulsive and don't think about the long term commitment of taking care of another living thing. A few days later the rescue contacted me again and told me that Sasha (who we had put down as our first pick) was still available and put us into contact with her foster family. I spoke to her foster mom several times and then (because of the distance between our two homes) we met her and I brought Sasha home

I have been in contact with Sasha's foster mom several times, and the rescue has been very supportive in helping us with a few issues that cropped up in the beginning. Overall, I would DEFINITELY recommend rescuing! I love my girl, and I am so glad that she is in my life.

Also, I think there are quite a few people on this forum who are from your general area. I would definitely talk to some of them and see which rescue groups they recommend. I'm sure there are some groups that are better than others, and many of these people would be able to point you toward some very reputable rescues in your area.

Achielles UD · 04-23-2011, 11:11 AM

My biggest pet peeve about some rescues is the demand that a fenced in yard is required. People are more than capable of walking a dog on a leash!

Myamom · 04-23-2011, 11:18 AM

You will meet "rescues" that keep their dogs in deplorable conditions, hoard, give their animals to anyone unscreened..send dogs out unvetted...do not take dogs back...etc......

You will meet rescues that will vet, work very hard with you to match you to your perfect dog, do the appropriate screening...take dogs back... and become your new extended family.

Not all rescues are bad.

You will meet "breeders" that keep their dogs in deplorable conditions, sell too young, no health screening or vetting, etc.

You will meet breeders that do health screening, title their dogs, match their adopters to appropriate puppy, take dogs back, are there for support...etc.....

Not all breeders are bad.

Your child will have a teacher that will make their year ****....

Your child will have a teacher that will take a special interest in them...be a role model...and impact them for life.

Not all teachers are bad.

You will meet a policeman that takes bribes and looks the other way...

You will meet a policeman that dedicates his life to making sure his community is safe.....

Not all policeman are bad.

etc...etc...etc....

No group can be judged as a whole.

Do your homework and find a reputable rescue if you wish to go the rescue route. I wish you luck

BowWowMeow · 04-23-2011, 11:20 AM

Why start a thread about rescues that is set up to bash them?

There are far more unscrupulous breeders out there than rescues. So why not start a thread called, "Breeders that have problems."

Every single day there is at least one horror story posted on this board about a breeder. In fact, there is usually a horror story about a breeder that ends with the poster saying they had to take the pup because it was essentially rescuing the pup to get her/him out of a bad situation.

And obviously many breeders would do well to be more discerning about the homes their pups go to or so many dogs wouldn't end up in shelters or with rescues in the first place. So maybe you should start a thread called "Puppy buyers who have problems."

Just take a look on petfinder at the number of pb gsds in shelters and/or rescues. That might help you understand why rescues are so careful about who they place their dogs with. Better yet, start volunteering with your local shelter or rescue. There's no better way to understand the homeless animal problem we have in this country and understand why it's important that rescues be thorough in their vetting of potential adoptees.

NewbieShepherdGirl · 04-23-2011, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Achielles UD

My biggest pet peeve about some rescues is the demand that a fenced in yard is required. People are more than capable of walking a dog on a leash!

I kinda don't like that rule either, but I can see why they have it. How many people say they'll be responsible (ie: "Oh yeah we'll walk the dog every single day!") and what not, and then aren't. I know if I worked in a place where I saw so many really good dogs in really terrible shape because they had been left to roam on their own, I'd be a little cautious too.

Myamom · 04-23-2011, 11:32 AM

I don't like the fact that Sam's club requires a yearly fee to shop there...so I buy elsewhere.

BowWowMeow · 04-23-2011, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myamom

I don't like the fact that Sam's club requires a yearly fee to shop there...so I buy elsewhere.

Their stuff isn't that great anyway. It's all junkfood.

sit,stay · 04-23-2011, 12:16 PM

As has already been pointed out, there are some pretty poor rescues out there and there are some pretty wonderful rescues out there. I wouldn't judge ALL rescues by the actions of a few.

There are so many different organizations out there. It is entirely possible to find a rescue that is more than willing to work with a potential adopter despite that potential adopter not having a fence, or having an intact animal in the house already. If someone wants to go the rescue route, there are choices out there. If there is a will, there is a way. Don't let stories of the cruddy under belly of the rescue world turn you off.

I have yet to hear of someone saying that the stories of bad breeders have turned them off buying from a good breeder, if buying from a breeder was what they wanted to do to begin with. I have heard people say that stories of bad breeders have made them more educated on what to look for in the good ones, but never have heard them say that they refuse to buy from a breeder ever. And yet, we hear that all the time from people about rescue: "I got turned down by rescue, so I was forced to buy from a breeder".

Someday I would like to run a little experiment here. I would like to take one of the really harsh threads on rescue (preferably one that names names) and change the word "rescue" to "breeder" throughout the thread. Then I would like to copy and paste it into a new thread in the breeder section and see how long it stays up. Not that the OP here is being harsh! Far from it.

We are told over and over again to not view all breeders based on the really craptastic few. And yet, if someone uses that same argument to defend the good work done by many rescues we are called militant and even mocked for being PETA dupes.
Sheilah

Rerun · 04-23-2011, 12:32 PM

Regarding the fence rule...I think it should be able to be waived for the right owner, I don't care for the "set in stone rules" that many rescues adhere to.

However, 99% of the dog owning population doesn't want to leash walk their dog morning noon evening and night 24/7, 365, for 10 - 15 years. The reality is most will start just opening the door and letting the dog potty while they watch, then it'll progress to "well they never leave the yard" to "they only go a couple houses down and then come back" and eventually "he comes back at night" to..."Hi I just registered here and I'm looking for a breeder because my dog disappeared/was stolen/lost/hit and killed by a car/poisoned/etc..."

Thus, many have requirements for a fence.

04-23-2011, 09:57 AM	#1 (permalink)
crittersitter New Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Central VA Posts: 21	Rescue Groups that have problems I commend all rescue groups for their time and obvious love for the dogs. However, I have heard some horror stories from really good dog people that have tried to adopt through several of the groups. They seem to be terribly disorganized and frankly control freaks. Applicants are put through the ringer only to end up having it nearly impossible to adopt one of their dogs. And I'm talking about people that were approved, have great references and a wonderful home inspections. One of the people I know got so upset about being strung along for months that he gave up on the idea. What's the story? I have been thinking about using a rescue group myself but don't want to go through this kind of a struggle.

04-23-2011, 11:05 AM	#2 (permalink)
NewbieShepherdGirl Elite Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Ames, Iowa Posts: 1,497	I guess I don't know anything about the problems that some people have had with rescue groups. I know my rescue experience was AMAZING! I looked at several rescue groups near where I lived, and when I settled on the one that I got Sasha from it was a very pleasant experience. The experience I had was I looked at the dogs they had available. I picked several that I thought would mesh with my family, and then I printed off their pictures/info and my mom and brother and I voted on which ones we liked best (ironically Sasha wasn't my first or even second pick and is MY dog, not the family's dog lol) Then I went online and filled out the application. Within a few days we got a phone call, as did my references. We then scheduled a home visit, and the people were very friendly and understanding. I'll just say I was super nervous about this, as I did not know what to expect, but they weren't trying to find reasons why we shouldn't have a dog, they were just getting a feel for what kind of dog would best suit our lives (and I'm sure also to make sure we were who we said we were). I don't know how old you are, but one thing my rescue did want to know because of my age was whether or not my mom would take in the dog IF for some reason I wasn't able to take it with me somewhere. This would be because I am a 20 yo college student, and let's face it some of us in my age group are really impulsive and don't think about the long term commitment of taking care of another living thing. A few days later the rescue contacted me again and told me that Sasha (who we had put down as our first pick) was still available and put us into contact with her foster family. I spoke to her foster mom several times and then (because of the distance between our two homes) we met her and I brought Sasha home I have been in contact with Sasha's foster mom several times, and the rescue has been very supportive in helping us with a few issues that cropped up in the beginning. Overall, I would DEFINITELY recommend rescuing! I love my girl, and I am so glad that she is in my life. Also, I think there are quite a few people on this forum who are from your general area. I would definitely talk to some of them and see which rescue groups they recommend. I'm sure there are some groups that are better than others, and many of these people would be able to point you toward some very reputable rescues in your area. __________________ ~Sasha~{GSD}~ 3ish~Gotcha day January, 29, 2011 ~Monte~{Golden Retriever}~ (RIP)~ 1997-2009 Last edited by NewbieShepherdGirl; 04-23-2011 at 11:09 AM.

04-23-2011, 11:11 AM	#3 (permalink)
Achielles UD Elite Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: MO Posts: 1,449	My biggest pet peeve about some rescues is the demand that a fenced in yard is required. People are more than capable of walking a dog on a leash! __________________ Moxie vom Triton RA CD (GSD) Breaca von Dog Pound (BC) APRI Ch Royalty's Jinx'D Ya RN CDX (Sheltie) RIP Achielles UD, Axel CD, Hella & Malfoy (GSDs)

04-23-2011, 11:18 AM	#4 (permalink)
Myamom Crowned Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: PA Posts: 12,144	You will meet "rescues" that keep their dogs in deplorable conditions, hoard, give their animals to anyone unscreened..send dogs out unvetted...do not take dogs back...etc...... You will meet rescues that will vet, work very hard with you to match you to your perfect dog, do the appropriate screening...take dogs back... and become your new extended family. Not all rescues are bad. You will meet "breeders" that keep their dogs in deplorable conditions, sell too young, no health screening or vetting, etc. You will meet breeders that do health screening, title their dogs, match their adopters to appropriate puppy, take dogs back, are there for support...etc..... Not all breeders are bad. Your child will have a teacher that will make their year ****.... Your child will have a teacher that will take a special interest in them...be a role model...and impact them for life. Not all teachers are bad. You will meet a policeman that takes bribes and looks the other way... You will meet a policeman that dedicates his life to making sure his community is safe..... Not all policeman are bad. etc...etc...etc.... No group can be judged as a whole. Do your homework and find a reputable rescue if you wish to go the rescue route. I wish you luck __________________ Mya - Queen GSD-..the void will never be filled...Love you always and forever! Until we meet again..... Ava - Princess GSD Cheyenne-GSD Buddy-Sweet lap cat - Forever in my heart...until we meet again... Baby - Crazy cat Spencer - Eclectus parrot

04-23-2011, 11:20 AM	#5 (permalink)
BowWowMeow Crowned Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 14,798	Why start a thread about rescues that is set up to bash them? There are far more unscrupulous breeders out there than rescues. So why not start a thread called, "Breeders that have problems." Every single day there is at least one horror story posted on this board about a breeder. In fact, there is usually a horror story about a breeder that ends with the poster saying they had to take the pup because it was essentially rescuing the pup to get her/him out of a bad situation. And obviously many breeders would do well to be more discerning about the homes their pups go to or so many dogs wouldn't end up in shelters or with rescues in the first place. So maybe you should start a thread called "Puppy buyers who have problems." Just take a look on petfinder at the number of pb gsds in shelters and/or rescues. That might help you understand why rescues are so careful about who they place their dogs with. Better yet, start volunteering with your local shelter or rescue. There's no better way to understand the homeless animal problem we have in this country and understand why it's important that rescues be thorough in their vetting of potential adoptees. __________________ Ruth & the 4 Legged Rescue Gang Rafi the malaroo http://www.dogster.com/dogs/693238 Gio & Varda, the krazy kittens ....In my heart: Cleo Kitty Chama Kai Basu Massie

04-23-2011, 11:32 AM	#7 (permalink)
Myamom Crowned Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: PA Posts: 12,144	I don't like the fact that Sam's club requires a yearly fee to shop there...so I buy elsewhere. __________________ Mya - Queen GSD-..the void will never be filled...Love you always and forever! Until we meet again..... Ava - Princess GSD Cheyenne-GSD Buddy-Sweet lap cat - Forever in my heart...until we meet again... Baby - Crazy cat Spencer - Eclectus parrot

04-23-2011, 12:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
sit,stay Knighted Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,056	As has already been pointed out, there are some pretty poor rescues out there and there are some pretty wonderful rescues out there. I wouldn't judge ALL rescues by the actions of a few. There are so many different organizations out there. It is entirely possible to find a rescue that is more than willing to work with a potential adopter despite that potential adopter not having a fence, or having an intact animal in the house already. If someone wants to go the rescue route, there are choices out there. If there is a will, there is a way. Don't let stories of the cruddy under belly of the rescue world turn you off. I have yet to hear of someone saying that the stories of bad breeders have turned them off buying from a good breeder, if buying from a breeder was what they wanted to do to begin with. I have heard people say that stories of bad breeders have made them more educated on what to look for in the good ones, but never have heard them say that they refuse to buy from a breeder ever. And yet, we hear that all the time from people about rescue: "I got turned down by rescue, so I was forced to buy from a breeder". Someday I would like to run a little experiment here. I would like to take one of the really harsh threads on rescue (preferably one that names names) and change the word "rescue" to "breeder" throughout the thread. Then I would like to copy and paste it into a new thread in the breeder section and see how long it stays up. Not that the OP here is being harsh! Far from it. We are told over and over again to not view all breeders based on the really craptastic few. And yet, if someone uses that same argument to defend the good work done by many rescues we are called militant and even mocked for being PETA dupes. Sheilah

04-23-2011, 12:32 PM	#10 (permalink)
Rerun Crowned Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 5,608	Regarding the fence rule...I think it should be able to be waived for the right owner, I don't care for the "set in stone rules" that many rescues adhere to. However, 99% of the dog owning population doesn't want to leash walk their dog morning noon evening and night 24/7, 365, for 10 - 15 years. The reality is most will start just opening the door and letting the dog potty while they watch, then it'll progress to "well they never leave the yard" to "they only go a couple houses down and then come back" and eventually "he comes back at night" to..."Hi I just registered here and I'm looking for a breeder because my dog disappeared/was stolen/lost/hit and killed by a car/poisoned/etc..." Thus, many have requirements for a fence.

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