Warning For Dolers Who Pledge Donations

[Kendra]

I would like to warn the kind dolers who make pledges of donations to go towards rescue of dogs on PTS lists to keep a record of the dogs that you make a pledge for. Even though i have done this i am being bombarded with abusive PM's from a rescuer demaning money from me for a dog that i have not even made a pledge for.

Just venting as it is like banging your head against a brick wall.

[_PL_]

That is very sad. Pledging donations is so generous.

xx

[Rescue List]

Kendra, that is just not on. I know you've made some very generous pledges and they can still be found in the archives. Please PM Pound List with the dog in question and we will also look into this for you.

[Kendra]

I am so upset over the abusive PM's i am receiving that i am not comfortable making pledges anymore on the off chance this rescuer rescues the dog that i make a pledge for.

Thanks for listening and your support.

[Rescue List]

Please PM us, and do not let one bad apple spoil things. You can always put a disclaimer in your signature / on your pledge like others do. Along the lines of "only ethical rescue" etc.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

As a person who has rescued many a dog, you should not need the pledges to rescue the dog and do all that is needed. The pledges if paid would be a wonderful bonus but should not be relied upon. Sorry that someone has been abusing you, some people just have to ruin things for everyone else and inevitably the dogs.

There are other ways to support rescue in case anyone reading this is interested, you can donate items or do some driving between pounds, vets and foster carers.

Any assistance is appreciated by most of us rescuers!

[Greytmate]

If you look at lists of dogs that need rescue, it can be overwhelming. There are a lot more dogs than there are people with the ability to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome them ethically.

So, avoid looking at the lists.

Instead find out who the ethical rescue groups are, and donate directly to them. (or volunteer for them) Ethical groups assess dogs carefully before they decide if they can be rescued, and so the funds you give them will be very well used. There will be no super-urgency, you can just donate however much you want to, when you are ready to. They don't post pictures of dogs that they are not already responsible for. They don't hassle volunteers or donors. But they need help to continue their rehabilitation and rehoming programs. Just getting a dog out of the pound in the first place is not something that requires outside fundraising, so do not donate to people who are only involved in this aspect of rescue.

The danger of sending money to groups that advertise dogs that are in the pound is that you are giving money to a person who may not spend it on that dog, and who may not have a clue how to find a home for it. Getting a dog out of the pound does not mean it gets a home, as some of the people fundraising this way just send the dog to somebody else to find it a home, after they have got the cash. That doesn't help the dog, it just takes the problem from the pound to an unsuspecting person's lounge room. There have been some horror stories from people who have ended up hurt by groups that do this.

It would be good if rescue was regulated by an authority, but it isn't. Be warned, there are people out there who will ask for your money who are not set up to look after that dog's welfare. They should not be asking for money.

The only thing we can do to make sure we are helping the right people is by asking questions. How many dogs has their organisation they placed in homes? What assessment do they do before placing the dog in foster care or a new home? How long is the dog quarantined for? Do they take back any dog they place if it turns out to have problems for the new owner? What is the structure of the organisation and who does the organisations auditing?

If a person does not have a very detailed explanation as to how they do these things, they should not be rescuing dogs, and should not be asking for money for whatever it is that they say they will do. Ethical rescuers will be happy to explain their answers so that people know they are doing the right thing by the dogs. Run away from anyone that doesn't want to provide answers.

[Meea]

+1

I had a similiar upset a few years ago and was given this advice. (maybe even by Greytmate!)

I now have 'adopted'two rescue organisations and give them $/and or time as I can.

I know my $ goes to dogs in need who really are getting a second chance. I have also found it best to stay out of the rescue forum and now I let the experts do it.

Meea

[Little Gifts]

Don't let one idiot put you off doing something you have a passion for. Since being on DOL I have also offered monies for dogs in the rescue threads as sometimes money can help to transport, short term kennel or vet work a particular dog that has found its way into your heart. I've never had to be chased by someone for the money as like you I know what I'm doing and do it willingly. I had an incident where I tried several times to get a dog released to me and transported interstate to me but the pound just kept telling me the dog was taken. It ended up on the PTS list and I put my money towards a local group rescuing it at the last minute. Unfortunately someone broke into that pound and the dog I loved plus some other bull breed types were stolen, probably for fighting. Ever since then I knew I had to stay out of the pound threads and generally my monthly donations go to a handful of rescue groups and individual rescuers that I have a fondness for (rather than specific animals). I am now fostering myself again and have some new ideas on ways to make some money so I can continue to donate as well as foster because it is something that makes me feel good about the world. Every little bit helps when it is in the right hands.

So Kendra I hope you can continue to do what makes you feel good too. Get that crazy PMer blocked and report them to Troy as well as provide the details to Pound List as suggested above. And thank you for doing your bit to make a difference.

[sterlingsilver]

The rescuer in question is silly to be rude or insulting. Biting the hand that feeds them, so to speak.The majority would not do this, and would just be grateful for whatever they get and certainly not send offensive messages to a person that has been kind enough to put their hand in their pocket.

If this person is so quick to be rude when they dont get what they want or have demanded, would be a worry that they are desperate and therefore may just be in financial difficulties.Hopefully they are not a scam artist,in it just for the money and not for the welfare of the dogs.

It is a hard lesson to take on board that not ALL rescuers are honest or above board.There are bad apples in every barrel.

Thankyou Kendra for your previous kindness, I am sure is has been appreciated by the "good" and "honest" rescuers that thankfully are in the majority.

Edited April 10, 2012 by sterlingsilver

[Kendra]

Thanks everyone for you kind words and advice. What upset me the most was that i did not even make a pledge on this dog and this "bad apple" rescuer was trying to take advantage of my kindness and scam money from me.

In her words it was only a "lousy $25". I informed her of the dogs that i made pledges on that day and to no avail, the nasty PM's still kept coming.

Fingers crossed that she has now been blocked from sending me anymore PM's. I don't need the grief

[megan_]

Report them to Troy - people are not allowed to harrass others via PM's.

[Kendra]

Kendra, that is just not on. I know you've made some very generous pledges and they can still be found in the archives. Please PM Pound List with the dog in question and we will also look into this for you.

Thanks but that won't be necessary as when i make a pledge i keep a diary next to the computer with the dog's details, the date, the shelter name and the amount i pledge.

Once the dog is adopted, rescued or sadly PTS, i record that information to avoid any confusion.

Thanks again .

[Scallywags DOGrescue]

Very sorry this happened, we don't accept any money until the dog is with us in our care as there have been times where people donated straight away, and the dog was adopted straight from the pound. When this has happened we promptly returned the funds. Don't be too disheartened by one bad egg. Thanks for all you have contributed to rescue dogs.

[Greytmate]

It is a hard lesson to take on board that not ALL rescuers are honest or above board.There are bad apples in every barrel.

Thankyou Kendra for your previous kindness, I am sure is has been appreciated by the "good" and "honest" rescuers that thankfully are in the majority.

There is also a lot of people that mean well, but just don't have what it takes to properly run a rescue in a way that protects dogs and volunteers.

Skills required to run a rescue org include admin and thorough documentation, the ability to keep updated and follow local laws, tax laws, welfare laws, dog control laws etc., the ability to deal with volunteers appropriately, a knowledge of dog first aid, parasite control and disease control, a knowledge of dog training and behaviour, the ability to publicise dogs and engage with the public, and very importantly, access to qualified professionals for advice on all of the above.

Yet so many people become involved in running rescue and do not know their limits. Donating these people money isn't going to help dogs, because they may not be using the money effectively. If you are new to rescue and want to help and learn, the best way to do this is to become a sponsor or volunteer of a rescue organisation that you find to be very responsible. One that is happy to answer questions about their process. Too many people are tempted to do things their own way without any understanding of why all of the above listed things are so important, and when questioned become defensive or dismissive.

Getting a dog out of a pound is only one small part of rescue, and we should applaud the groups that put just as much effort into other aspects that ensure that dogs are not just out of pounds, but that they will go on to live a happy and satisfied life with the right new owner.

Thanks for bringing up this topic in public Kendra and continuing to help rescue rather than walking away in disappointment.

[Diva]

Funnily enough I stopped donating after similar hassles, someone claiming I hadn't paid them when I had the bank records to prove I had, someone who didn't followed through with the vet details to donate to until the last day when it was suddenly urgent and I wasn't on DoL, that kind of thing. No-one abusive though.