Yes I really do believe this is the case. People seem to feel that just because it's a shelter or rescue, there should be low to no cost for the dog. Very ironic when these same people have no qualms about shelling out thousands for puppy mill dogs that are less vetted, mistreated and unhealthy.Do they think it's better because it's at the store??
They should not use the word "fee". They should call it "Shelter support donation" or something like that. Its all in the salesmanship. You say fee and I instantly feel ripped off. Its not even suggestive that I bought something like "price". "price" means I give you money, but I get something back. Fee almost has undertones of punshiment to it.. its like a softer version of "fine". you say "donation" and I instantly feel a surge of accomplishment as though I made the world a better place, whether it was voluntary or not.Our area got a Petland, complete with a full set of all breeds of puppies that soon became ill and were treated at a local vet who notified papers, etc.
These puppies were purchased by all manners of people who turn around and gripe at a $300 fee for a rescued puppy. It makes me sick and sad.
Then the puppies were dying all over of parvo. And people picketed the Petland and it sits empty now amid a parking lot of weeds. I am so proud of those who went and picketed. I'm too far away to have done that daily but some dedicated folks did, and educated the public while they were at it (we do that anyway).
What gets me is people will shell out $1000 + on a pet store puppy - then complain if our fees are $200-300, and they want a cheap puppy to keep their pet store puppy company during the day while they work.
I'm sorry. I'm just discouraged in general with rescue and slow adoptions, yet people will pay these outrageous prices for a petstore puppy. Do they think it's better because it's at the store??
Very accurate description, thank youThey should call it "Shelter support donation"
Yeah...we do know they come from puppy mills. Try to find a store selling dogs with AKC registration, won't happen. Each one uses some sort of registration that gives you a pedigree but isn't worth anything. But the biggest reason we know they come from puppy mills, good breeders would never sell their puppies to a wholesaler or a store in order to get them sold to the public. A breeder that has 2-4 litters a year, doesn't need a middleman to get rid of their pups. They also want to know exactly where the dog is going, so that they control the purchase.Also with the rescues, I think some people don't want to go that route because they hear about all the problems some adoptive rescuers have with the dogs they ended up with. Granted, that probably has more to do with the rescue not placing correctly or something, but even on the forum here I've seen a few stories about rescues not going well.
Don't get me wrong, I think rescues and shelters (well, non-kill anyway) are great and do awesome things. All dogs and most cats my family has had came from the Humane Society and I would someday like to adopt a rescue. But sometimes people will be scared away by things they read/hear and decide to go another route.
As to the pet stores, do you really KNOW that they all come from puppy mills? That seems kind of an unfair generalization to me. Do I think most pet stores are overpriced and pushy? Yes. Do I think some aren't always honest about the animals they sell people? Yes. But that doesn't necessarily mean they get their animals from awful, terrible puppy millers.
OK, I will shut up.
Sometimes it's necessary as the rules the rescue use it not bullet proof or fits all cases. I feed my dog raw organic, I bought a new car for it so it has more room in the back, I made my next home purchase with her needs for bigger space in mind and my current place is a single family with a yard also, I'm spending $2K in training (she's 6 months now), and much more money on other things. I work from home full time so is around plenty. I spend a lot of time with her daily and she gets alone well with my other small dog though I do have to watch their play in case the GS gets too rough. I've taken time off from work at the beginning to help her adjust. I don't think I'm any less devoted to her than the other GS owners that the rescue may approve. A negative blanket statement made by this poster is not a fair representation of owners like me. It seems to convey that I'm irresponsible just because I disagree with the rescue. I did go out and bought a dog so I can avoid those rules that I felt did not correctly assess my ability to own a GS. And I bought it from a craigslist person that couldn't keep it anymore (they weren't breeding for $). A piece of paper, the application, is not always the best or only way to assess a person's ability to own a GS.Rescue says no? Walk in and buy a dog where no one cares how you treat it, how you vet it, what you feed it, and what you do with it at all once you walk out their doors and they have their money.