Rescue Organisations

[Maddy]

The only type of dog I'd take from a pound is greyhounds, does that mean I have plans to on-sell those dogs at crazy prices and one day retire to the Bahamas in a house with a pool just for my money? Not likely.

I take greyhounds because they're the breed I'm passionate about. They're the breed I can accomodate for and most important (for the dogs), they're a breed that copes in pounds very poorly (and they're not the only breed that copes poorly in the pound environment).

People who rescue certain breeds are almost certainly doing so because they're passionate about a particular breed and to imply that breed rescues are out to make money on dogs that would likely decline very quickly in a pound situation is disgusting. Sorry to be so blunt but.. you're suggesting that rescue should leave the rehoming of dogs to the pound when there are groups in place who specialise in certain breeds, know exactly what they need and can provide owners with the sort of ongoing support that a pound just can't offer. And often.. for around the same price.

I get that you consider you've somehow been stiffed by breed rescue but how about not tarring them all with the "unethical and out for money" brush?

Edited to add..

The current foster girl I have was pulled from a pound and she'd been there for about two months- I guess I need to work on my swooping skills.

Edited September 28, 2010 by Hardy's Angel

[HugUrPup]

I get that you consider you've somehow been stiffed by breed rescue but how about not tarring them all with the "unethical and out for money" brush?

I didn't

I also mentioned how wonderful pugrescue is plus with Grey rescues they have a special place in my heart.

I also admire Sharpei rescue and many others, it's just a few I have been suss on, but as Greytmate pointed out and I hadn't considered, was the proper assessment they do and on going support which pounds can't/won't supply.

Edited September 28, 2010 by puggerup

[Flye]

I am speaking about perfectly healthy dogs which are already desexed, taken from the pound on day one and on sold for twice the amount and I have SEEN that happen.

I am not speaking about EVERY rescue group, I am speaking about certain ones.

Most groups have a standard fee for every dog from what I've seen. While they might save money on one like you say, it goes back into the others who do need work.

[Maddy]

I get that you consider you've somehow been stiffed by breed rescue but how about not tarring them all with the "unethical and out for money" brush?

I didn't

There is a reason breed specific organisations will get these dogs from the pound and I don't believe it's all in the best interest of the dog.

Some of these breed specific organisations you've lumped in together almost literally give over everything they have to offer to help the breeds they feel very strongly about.

[HugUrPup]

I get that HA, I guess I just have my nose out of joint in regards to a particular rescue group...

Edited September 28, 2010 by puggerup

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

I sat with a group of work colleagues tonight and explained some of my last rescues in detail. They are staggered by the amount of time and money required to rescue and the amount of dumpage and death in Australia.

I also told them that I was on the way home last Sunday night when I saw a notice threatening that a dog was off to be euth'd the next day as the owner no longer wanted it. I made some calls, local, mobile and interstate, sent some emails and about 1.5 hours later, success. The dog was going to be safe. No I didn't have any vets bills on this occasion but there will be an increased phone bill and my lost 1.5 hrs (this is a drop in the ocean with rescue work) however I was just happy to have helped the dog.

[percyk]

yes i have had similar experience with rspca

and i have heard that some rescues are impossible

a girlfriend of mine was trying to adopt through several rescue organisations and was finding it very difficult

she has adopted all her dogs but this time round it has been like adopting an infant from the royal family lol

she finally got one through rspca

[Steve]

I agree, the RSPCA is ridiculous about homechecks- a few years ago I was interested in a dog there, they wanted to charge me $50 for a homecheck (redeemable only IF I was accepted) and then warned me that because I have a paved yard it was unlikely I would pass. I decided not to waste my money.

Another rescue allowed me to adopt without a homecheck, but the dog was unsuitable for my family (foster person assured me the dog was calm and non aggressive- NOT the case) I got no support and the situation ended badly.

Finally, my last experience involved a (free!!) home check by a lovely guy who brought us coffee- we passed with flying colours (despite our work hours, children and small paved yard!), they matched us with the most perfectly suited dog and sent her home with us for a 2 week trial, non compulsory DONATION payable after that if she worked out. I have nothing but good things to say about them and regularly recommend them to anyone looking for a dog.

have you nominated them? www.mdbaawards.net.au

[Rusky]

sounds like we're all in it for the money. Awesome. I'll contact my bank in the morning - inform them there must be plenty in there because I do rescue. Then I'll empty the account and and go on a nice long holiday because I can't actually remember the last time I was able to leave town, not check emails, take calls, check on dogs, update sites, spend the weekend doing home visits or the day washing dogs and beds. Who's with me?

Seriously, rescue takes a toll on every single facet of life and burnout is high.

I personally think threads where people jump up and down about a dog they didn't get are extremely demoralising. There is a line where constructive critisism crosses over into sticking the boot in for the hell of it and wild generalisations end up looking like the norm.

It seems from this thread of complaints that you are a good rescue if you are nice and sweet to people and give the dog for free as there is no cost involved apparently. I mean all the people who call are absolutley wonderful especially the "I had my last dog pts he ate the washing " and "I just got a yard with cars in it and need a guard dog " and my favourites " we want a dog for the kids or a dog for the other dog who is out of control and needs company"

We get fantastic people too, a joy to talk to and a perfect home for the dog who has already had more than enough to cope with in his life and absolutely deserves the very best we can find for them.

See you at the airport :D

[Quickasyoucan]

Puggerup:

Dogs best interest remember? If the dog is likely to be placed straight from the pound, then leave it there, don't take it, foster it, raise the price of it and confuse it more.

There is a reason breed specific organisations will get these dogs from the pound and I don't believe it's all in the best interest of the dog.

Really? Why do you think they do it then?

I have difficulty with novice dog owners taking a dog from the pound. Most of them have no idea what they might be taking on.

I'd far prefer an experienced breed rescue to take on dogs, evaluate them, retrain if necessary AND rehome them to suitable families.

It sure beats the revolving door situation that sees some dogs surrendered to be rehomed again.

ETA: The idea of a Whippet being released to be an outside only dog here in Canberra makes me shudder. Its simply too damn cold.

Good post as usual PF.

Not to mention that good rescues quarantine dogs (not all pounds vaccinate and you might have an existing dog you don't want to put at risk), temp test them away from a kennel environment and do a multiplicity of other things the pounds don't have the resources to do (talking straight ponds here as opposed to RSPCA as they do have more stringent criteria it would seem).

I would definitely prefer to get a dog from a rescue rather than straight from the pound, though the PJ's story does seem totally wacky !! . I have been known to get up walk the dog and then get back into my PJ's for lounging around the rest of the day guess I would be a fail too then - no one is going to separate me and my pj's. :D

[Guest Willow]

Ill probably cause a drama when I talk about this one but the experience changed some things that go on in my house.

I was asked by a rescue group via this forum to do a house check for them as the people didnt live in their area. I wasnt able to do that for 2 days so they sent someone else around and they had decided not to give the lady a dog.

O.K. Fair enough so perhaps she told lies or something, perhaps she didnt have fencing etc.

The reason given was that the person who had done the check attended at around 10 am and her 3 kids were still in the pyjamas.

I thought - bloody hell if that's what people think if they catch your kids in their pyjamas past a certain hour Id better be aware of that. I threw out every single pair of pyjamas that were in the house and from then on my kids sleep in Tshirts and track pants - so if any dog people come to my house they wont think Im a bad dog owner

if I havent made sure the kids get dressed as soon as their feet hit the floor. - True story we have not had pjs or dressing gowns in this house ever since.

:D

That is extremely sad. For a rescue to judge a family because their kids were in PJ's at 10am.

Now that IS bizarre and over the top...

We're often still in our PJ's here at 10am....it's cos we're too busy playing with the dogs to get dressed ;)

[Greytmate]

I wouldn't blame an organisation for charging $50 for home visits.

The number of people that ask for a home visit when they are not committed to purchasing a dog is huge. This wasted time and petrol contributes enormously to volunteer burn-out.

I would like to see this become the standard. If people had to pay what it actually costs, they might understand its value better.

A group that asks for a voluntary donation rather than an adoption fee probably isn't adopting out too many dogs, or are only adopting to people from certain demographics. This devaluing of their dogs does no favours to other rescues.

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

if rescues are going to charge for home visits then they would need to document exactly what their criteria was and what passes and what fails.

this would be required to protect the rescue from charges of money making or taking money and not providing a dog. i think it would cause more problems.

additionally, i dont think too many people would pay it.

[Greytmate]

if rescues are going to charge for home visits then they would need to document exactly what their criteria was and what passes and what fails.

this would be required to protect the rescue from charges of money making or taking money and not providing a dog. i think it would cause more problems.

additionally, i dont think too many people would pay it.

All homes visits should have a criteria of what passes or fails. Good rescue organisations can do this, and people need to ask the question, before they hand over any money, or before they agree to a home visit.

The main reason why many people wouldn't want to pay it is because they don't see the value of it. Part of the job of placing dogs responsibly includes ensuring that the owner does see the value in what they are getting. When this is done well, and if the home really is committed, people generally are happy to pay a fee and many have offered when they find out what is involved.

There would be no value in paying a home visit fee to an organisation that was not run properly. With the lack of regulation in rescue and the obvious problems that some are having (as evidenced by this thread), it is up to the buyer to be happy with who they are dealing with, and make a decision on whether to deal with the group at all.

Because $50 is nothing, a paltry pittance, compared to the massive problems that can be caused to a new adopter by irrepsonsible/unethical rescue practices.

Edited September 29, 2010 by Greytmate

[dee lee]

I agree, the RSPCA is ridiculous about homechecks- a few years ago I was interested in a dog there, they wanted to charge me $50 for a homecheck (redeemable only IF I was accepted) and then warned me that because I have a paved yard it was unlikely I would pass. I decided not to waste my money.

Another rescue allowed me to adopt without a homecheck, but the dog was unsuitable for my family (foster person assured me the dog was calm and non aggressive- NOT the case) I got no support and the situation ended badly.

Finally, my last experience involved a (free!!) home check by a lovely guy who brought us coffee- we passed with flying colours (despite our work hours, children and small paved yard!), they matched us with the most perfectly suited dog and sent her home with us for a 2 week trial, fee payable after that if she worked out. I have nothing but good things to say about them and regularly recommend them to anyone looking for a dog.

have you nominated them? www.mdbaawards.net.au

Yep, just did.

I wouldn't blame an organisation for charging $50 for home visits.

The number of people that ask for a home visit when they are not committed to purchasing a dog is huge. This wasted time and petrol contributes enormously to volunteer burn-out.

I would like to see this become the standard. If people had to pay what it actually costs, they might understand its value better.

I'm sorry, but I refused to pay the money knowing that in likelihood I would not pass. Having a paved courtyard, no matter how high my fences are etc was a big NO NO according to the RSPCA.

BUT, I do think home checks are important- I was very happy to have GGR send someone (a volunteer, who incidentally turned out to be someone I now know to be VERY involved in rescue :D ) who lived nearby. I enjoyed chatting to him about how we shaped up and his experiences of having a GR in a terrace house like mine.

I do understand that I may be in the educated and responsible minority of people who want to adopt dogs, but he and GRR didnt know that and I was treated with respect, which I very much appreciated.

I get that rescues are constantly out of pocket, but I was really moved by the heart displayed by this organisation. It certainly was the polar opposite of what I had experienced before.

Edited October 1, 2010 by ✽deelee

[Adza]

Sorry I should of clarifed my post. I meant no one to rescue them from the pound. I will go back and edit my post.

It's clear that you don't operate this way but I find odd the sort of semi-suggestion that because a dog would otherwise be dead, an inquirer should just take any old nonsense from a rescue group. If any rescue group operates like this then their dogs won't be adopted anyway.

That's the thing, people go to pounds before rescue groups often because they know it's 1: easier to get the dog, 2: they are saving the dog from having to go to another place before being permanently placed, and 3: they are saving them from death row.

What I don't understand is why a rescue group would think that a dog which has been in a pound for a while and potential owners have come and seen the dog and declined, would then go to a rescue organisation to get this unwanted dog and pay twice as much for it as they would have straight from the pound.

I see many dogs at the pounds which rescue don't want because they know they probably aren't re-homeable and the ones which would be easy to home they snatch up. What's the point in that if the dog would most likely be sold straight from the pound to a good family?

I think some pounds it's easier, but some aren't. What about pounds that puts dogs on a tender system so whoever bids the highest $$ gets the dog no questions asked. Sorry but I think that's wrong 1.) Putting an "auction" on a dog like that 2.) Family/Person meet the dog, then be told sorry you need to put a bid in, then the family get upset when they don't get the dog over a price. The other issue is you don't know who is buying these dogs and some may not be desexed and making the problem worse.

I know of one they are trying to stop the tender system because it may be doing the opposite and turning people away from rescuing these dogs.

[aussielover]

Sp the RSPCA won't rehome dogs to people who have a paved courtyard?

Ridiculous!

Unless it was a large/giant breed puppy, I can't really see what yard size has to do with it?

Surely a dog would be better off in a house with a small yard where they can spend lots of time with their owners or thier owners are willing to exercise them very regularly or participate in dog sports etc.

OK, yes a DA dog would be better off in a home with a large yard, but I personally don't think DA dogs should be first in line for rehoming, when there are many dogs with great temperaments waiting for homes.

There are very few dogs that actually self-exercise, when we had an acerage, where would the dog be if we were away? By the back door.

Yard size is only one factor that contributes to the well being of dogs, and not the most important imo. I know heaps of dogs that are relegated to a "large backyard" and not exercised or interacted with because "we have a large yard for him to play in" A large yard is only useful if you actually get of your butt and spend time playing with the dogs in it!!! Which can be just as easily done at a dog park etc.

I would not want to deal with an organisiation where the yard size was the be all and end all decision for getting the dog.

[dee lee]

I should clarify my comment- that was my experience and that comment was made by one of the staff there, its quite possible that it isnt policy, just more of a generalisation by the staff member. I was quite annoyed at the time by the comments.

I totally agree about the yard (obviously ), Honey only ever goes into it when I go out there, or if I leave her there with a bone.

I have had a rescuer I contacted express dismay at how hard it must be to have a dog in the inner city- Hardly! I have 3 enormous parklands to choose from all a 10 minute easy walk from my house. Plus 4 small parks within several blocks.

Sadly there is a common notion, by many people who have only had dogs in large yards, that it is cruel to have them in the city. I fear this seems to also be the case in many rescue orgs.