The Down Side of Rescue

The recent upheaval regarding a celebrity's dog dilemma has brought a light to rescue that many never saw before but has been common. The dogs lose when people bicker. Is rescue an option for you?

When I inquired about helping with rescue some years ago I was discouraged from doing so - because my own dogs were unneutered on the idea I might want to breed a litter someday. The recent media frenzy over Ellen Degeneres' dog fiasco has brought to light a problem that has existed for years but many weren't aware of...the controlling obsession of rescue organizations. When ordinary people talk about it it's a means of attack - when it is a celebrity then it somehow gains legitimate consideration. It's brought up that there are a lot of people out there who have been deemed "unsuitable" by rescues - and found a dog by another source, often buying from a breeder. Those are homes - not just one or two but hundreds, perhaps thousands of homes that WANTED these "unwanted" dogs and were denied a chance to have one. The reasons are said to be for the good of the dog but is it really?

In the spring of 2006 an elderly man on a farm lost a beloved Pyrenees at 11 years old to cancer. He knew he wanted another Pyr - an all white male. In the same area 42 Pyrs were taken from a home - from puppies to old dogs - and desperately needed homes (or so was said). Because he lived in the country, didn't have a fenced yard (no provision for what WAS in place) and was elderly (might pass away and leave the dog in need) it wasn't even possible to talk about getting a dog let alone get one. So what happened - he drove two states away and bought a male puppy from a breeder for more than the cost of the "adoption". He has in place a home where he is with the dog most of the time, being outside and in a climate controlled shop when the weather is bad. The dog gets steak trimmings and other goodies on a regular basis. When he's outside unsupervised he has a chain link kennel at the back door, to keep him from getting to the road and becoming a target of teasing from kids. He has several cats that curl up with him and lives totally loved, spoiled and healthy. He doesn't want for anything and is current on all vaccinations and whatever else is needed. Isn't that a good home? One rescue said no.

Another upset person in another part of the country added "I have been working with the Mastiff Rescuse to try and get a Mastiff boy out of a shelter not far from where I live, as have many other Mastiff owners in Florida. This shelter refuses to let anyone adopt him who has kids, pets, or lives outside of thier county (which is very very small). This is a 3 year old neutered male, who was an owner surrender due to deployment. This dog, from the shelters words, came out of a home with 3 small children and several cats. Why wont they let anyone with kids or pets adopt him? Because hes over 30 lbs and falls in their own personal "dangerous dog" catagory. So, basically, instead of letting him go into foster with Mastiff people who will care and understand him...they have him in a cage that is barley big enough for him to move in." What part of that is in the best interest of the dog?

"Terry" added "I am STILL on the list for a rescue puppy/young adult at my local shelter and have been since before I got my 1st dog 7yrs ago. I wasn't able to even look at the dogs in the kennels until i was housechecked etc and the dogs I liked "weren't suitable"." In 7 YEARS there was not a single dog available for this home? Where is the "overpopulation" often claimed - that indicates there isn't enough dogs if in 7 YEARS not one has been available?

Still another farm home - on 50 acres with a large fenced area. "Sandy" was turned down as a home "because I didnt have "enough" referances(not to mention they didnt want to call another country to confirm my vet references. from previous animals!) and they didnt want to drive "so far out" to do a housecheck even though I was in thier adoption radius." She continued "I have no children. This was great.. as they didn't adopt to people with children, but since I'm young, how did they know I wasn't going to get pregnant right after I got the dog? .. When telling them I didnt want children they came back at me with.. If I was so heartless as to not want children then how did they know I actually wanted the dog?" Clearly there is no right answer - the rescue will not adopt to people wanting a dog. She was asked what activities she was interested in and replied herding (GREAT use of energy for the border collie she wanted). "This was fine and dandy and they would love to see their dogs herding ducks and sheep, no cattle. Until they learned I OWNED ducks. These weren't pets and lived outside in their own little fenced off coop." Even helping at a shelter didn't qualify - it was suspect why did she go to rescue when working with a shelter.

Another source, "Andrea", added more information " She decided she'd get a former racing Greyhound and applied to get one- she had the dog in her home for a week and they called to check on it- she mentioned that the dog was put in a crate while she was at work (she worked 3 days a week, only a couple hours at a time cleaning peoples houses), and they took the dog away from her. But according to that groups adoption policy, the dogs weren't supposed to be crated." This was a dog who had a great home - and like Ellen's dog was removed from it.

Jenn added another point to the discussion "For each 1 wonderful rescue there are 50 bad ones, thats what hurts the needs of rescue dogs everywhere. How many good homes get turned away from a rescue, or get turned off by nasty attitudes and go to another rescue? My bet...none...they go buy from the paper instead."

Clearly a fire has been lit in the discussions of the topic from different people, different breeds, different part of the country, indicating this is not an unusual thing in rescue. Often shelters and rescue organizations approach kids via schools and other programs. "The shelter used to come to my elementry school and tell us about how the animals needed homes. My sister's old dog at the time died of old age so she wanted one from there. All the dogs were in small, dirty pens and were barking. She found one she liked that had already been returned once and they let her play with it. Then my mom had to fill out a lot of paper work and one section asked how many animals we had. So we wrote the cows down and an old un-neutered fullblood beagle (brother to my sister's old dog) and they said we weren't a suitable home for the MALE puppy because we had a MALE dog and they we worried about breeding and they said they didn't like cattle farms." She continued "There might be a few good shelters out there but all of them I've dealt with have been greedy and rude. They don't care about the animals, they care about their own selfish pride."

I've seen other cases where a breeder wants a pet dog - and because they breed border collies (example) and are experienced dog people they are denied a home for a pet pug. Why - because their other dogs are not spayed/neutered. Never mind the great home that awaits, or that for $300 for a dog that may have health issues they could get a puppy and start with a clean slate. Some "rescues" are little more than non-profit dog brokers.

On the other side of the table it is appropriate that rescues ask questions. It's a means to get information and match you to the best possible dog, maybe one not on the website or that you called about that will be even better. Some rescues have a long form with many questioned designed to get you to THINK about all things. The standard name, address, phone number, own/rent (and is there landlord permission to have a dog), children and other pets in the household, fencing available or how you plan to exercise and handle the dog when outside - all good questions. How long are you gone during the day can be intrusive, but if you're gone 14 hours a day do you really have a situation to spend time with the dog? On the other hand, if you're gone 10 hours a day and the dog is with you, it shouldn't be automatic elimination of the home.

One rescue asks questions of another kind. Why do you want a dog? From which rooms will the dog be restricted? Does anyone have allergies? What is the noise/activity level in your household? Who will be responsible for the care and training and what is your experience level with dogs. Have you ever experienced behavior or training problems with your current or previous dog and what did you do about it? Have you ever surrendered an animal to a pound or shelter and if so what were the circumstances? How long are you willing to give the dog to adjust and after training options have been exhausted what would be a reason for you to give up or get rid of a dog? These are questions designed to get people to THINK. People that answer honestly are encouraged. One in response to the last one would be if the dog bit someone without provocation - absolutely understandable to relinquish an animal under those circumstances. Good rescues ask questions sincerely wanting to find you the best dog they have that FITS. A good fit, a dedicated owner and a dog in need can mean a permanent home without micromanaging it.

If people are responsible enough to get a dog they shouldn't have to be told what kind of food to feed and when/how the animal will be vaccinated - and yes, I have seen that on an "adoption" agreement. You never own the dog - you take care of it by their rules. It's little wonder people get frustrated and just go buy a dog, defeating the purpose of rescuing dogs (to find homes!). I've even seen one that wanted a copy of the driver's license, employer names, addresses and phone numbers; personal references and much more - and indicated in writing if anything changes from that they will come get the dog. So if you lose your job - or change to a better one! - you lose your dog!

There ARE rescues out there sincerely looking at the best interest of the dog. After many bad experiences with rescues I have fostered dogs for one that sincerely has the DOG as the one in need. It is rewarding to see a dog within hours of being put to sleep simply because the family moved and couldn't take him - and give that dog a temporary home while a great one can be found - and he's now in the hands of a couple who absolutely love him. Even better, when he was taken to meet them this normally obedient dog pulled me across the parking lot to his new owners, picking them out. Dogs KNOW things sometimes and in this case it was absolutely clear this couple was HIS choice. Going to the meeting I, as his foster, mentioned to the rescue if he hung back or was uncomfortable I wasn't comfortable letting him go, as this was an outgoing happy dog. When he literally pulled me to his new owners there was no question it was a great match. With honest communication they were prepared for his quirks of wiping out a casserole off the counter when they forgot it was warned he was a chow hound. There is no perfect dog - they all have quirks! There is no perfect home - we all make mistakes and thankfully our dogs forgive us for ours. However, to me this was a classic example of an imperfect dog and imperfect people making a perfect situation where the dog has a loving home, the people have a dog that, for all his quirks, thinks the sun rises and sets on them. THAT is a reason to get a rescue dog. For all the bad publicity and all the problems when people get out of the way and sincerely look at the best interest of the DOG there ARE loving homes waiting.

There are some dogs that the chances of finding homes are slim to none. I have one of those here - abandoned by former owners with five puppies that were borderline feral, she'd learned to not trust people and passed that on to the pups. During their time roaming they learned people are not nice. When rumblings began of shooting them it was clear there was only one choice - catch them. I began leaving small bowls of food out and they'd come up to eat. The first time I stepped out on the porch the mama dog, "Blue" ran in such a panic she ran into the chain link fence then yelped all the way up the side and off the property. Clearly she had issues but didn't appear to be an old dog. The pups learned the same thing - but one black and white boy (pictured) decided a steady meal was worth the chance and came up, allowed himself to be petted and picked up and clearly longed for attention. As he relaxed the others came up. One by one I laid hands on the pups. One pup was so wanting to come up and so scared it took laying on the ground and whining like a wounded dog to get her to overcome her fear and come close enough to touch. The first time I picked her up she screamed and bawled like she was being tortured and every fiber of her body showed fear. She has since become a spoiled, mostly outgoing young dog that loves sleeping on a soft cushion. She no longer panics when disciplined. Her sisters took longer and will still hide and act uncomfortable at raised voices. Those two and their brother have been put up online many times and no one will give them a chance - even after months of care and their "issues" a bad dream now. They seek out attention rather than run from it. Blue, the mother, had been confined and the former owners said they wanted her back so she was given back. Within a couple days she got the collar off and returned to here, clearly more comfortable being here where she wasn't pressed to interact but had positive attention. The first time she came in the house she looked like she expected to be beaten. When she was roaming and in heat for the second time I knew where the resulting puppies would end up, so took her and securely penned her up away from any males. Thankfully, she did not get bred. Her house manners eliminate her from most homes. She'll climb on the stove and kitchen counters just to see what's there. One morning found her on the table, curled up in a large basket doing an imitation of a cat. Suspected to be cattle dog and beagle mix, she can be a barker and is an escape artist, which means our normal fencing isn't enough and she must be even more tightly regulated for her own safety. Finding a home to deal with all her quirks, some of which training has not thus far eliminated, is not likely. She will probably remain having a home here. Her three offspring have a chance, if opportunity presented itself.

Not all foster homes are like that. One person reported seeing foster homes where dogs are in crates 14 hours a day, something that would never be accepted in their permanent homes even for much less time. There were fights, sometimes serious fights, because the person didn't understand DOGS and couldn't manage multiple males. One had 17 dogs inside the home, with complaints from neighbors but rather than letting the dogs go to good homes (with better conditions) there is an insistance to have access to the dog any time in it's life. Others race to get certain breeds that are more easily placed than others. There's reports of one with so many fights she began stitching them up herself - and while being able to tend to dog emergencies is an advantage the need to do so is amazing. There are cases of "hoarding" that began as rescue - but so many animals came in and none were placed out. How many are cases of homes ARE available? How many are cases of there truly isn't an interest in the dogs that are there.

Shelter and rescues still say there is an overpopulation of dogs - it's held up to enact mandatory spay/neuter laws. Of the statistics of dogs killed it's important to remember a few things - some areas kill ANY "pitbull" or any dog that looks like one without any attempt to place them into homes. Dogs that are severely injured are euthanized; dogs unsuitable for rehab due to problems from abuse or neglect. There are, sadly, many healthy dogs that simply run out of time waiting - and while there are fewer than 30 years ago there are still too many. There are also too many homes who WANT those dogs, are denied having one so a dog bought from a breeder gets a home. This actually CREATES a demand for breeders and at the same time dooming other dogs to a longer period of transition or, in some cases, time runs out and they don't get that home they need.

Others contend there is no overpopulation of dogs - something often claimed by animal rights groups and many rescues. Redistribution is needed along with responsible owners. Has the owner researched the breed? Many Pyrs are given up at 6-7 months because people didn't research to see they are BIG dogs and their apartment isn't suited to their size or their natural guardian instincts, expressed with barks to warn off intruders. Someone working 60-70 hours a week and not taking the dog with them is asking for problems. Expecting the dog to be perfect is unreasonable. Lack of training is a reason for 98% of the dogs turned in to shelters - **98%** - and this is TOTALLY controllable by owners! It's not the dog's fault you need a dog under 20# by your rental contract and you bought him, a 40# adult because he was cute as a puppy. Individual responsibility is an issue.

The numbers of animals being destroyed 30 years ago was saddening. A shelter worker described part of the day cleaning and the afternoons spent killing dogs. Spaying/neutering, better education, better expectations and responsibility on the part of owners has reduced the numbers in some shelters to where without bringing dogs in there would be empty kennels. That doesn't keep money roaming in. According to a report by Tufts University shelters in the northeast have imported dogs not only from other states but from other countries - over 6,000 of them! They showed shortages of mixed breed adoptable puppies and small dogs. One documentary described a shelter BUYING small breed puppies from "puppy mills" in Kentucky in order to have adoptable dogs available. Other parts of the country still have problems. The southeast still has far too many dogs put to sleep. While many parts of the country can't keep up with bulldogs Georgia is euthanizing them. In Alabama on a regular basis are free mixed breed puppies - sometimes dozens or hundreds of them, German Shepherds and sometimes small dogs. Sheltie mixes, small terrier mixes and many others are common, while other parts of the US don't have enough and import from other countries rather than taking dogs right here in the US that need homes.

The Ellen fiasco has done a good thing. It's raised the awareness of the controlling nit-picking attitudes of rescues who obviously don't think anyone is good enough for a dog. It's raised the awareness there ARE rescues out there that do have the dog's best interest at heart. Good evaluators of the dogs and of the people are best for a happy placement. The dogs are central - the unwanted dog that is in transition for months and now has a home with plenty of room to run and his own caretaker to give treats and belly rubs is just one that did get that home. The unshowable sheltie that was the wrong color for most pet people has a home and although some would deny a dog to the home he has a fenced yard, food, hugs, baths, a sofa to sleep on and attention almost 24/7. This is the ideal. More dogs need a chance to have that.