tdierikx Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 (edited) Thanks Tdierikx. I guess not to a first time foster carer though..... It's a kind of common sense game really - if you don't know the foster carer well on a personal basis, then you'd maybe want to vet both them and the dog appropriately when deciding on placing a dog with them. Some long term foster carers will actually choose the dogs from the pound themselves - they will have facilities for quarantine, etc... but a first time carer may not have thought all of the possible ramifications through before sticking up their hands for a dog to care for. I recommend Shmoo's Foster Carer Manual... http://www.fostermanual.com/ - worth every cent... and more! T. Edited November 26, 2012 by tdierikx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 (edited) RADAR is pretty close to your neck of the woods and they are MDBA members. They work to this code of conduct and have third party accountability. My link Edited November 26, 2012 by Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aphra Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 I came across this and thought it made a lot of really pertinent points. It's US-centric, but useful all the same. "Great animal rescue or great scam." http://petadvocatesnetwork.org/wordpress/2012/11/04/great-animal-rescue-or-great-scam-a-complete-guide-by-alison-hector/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 I came across this and thought it made a lot of really pertinent points. It's US-centric, but useful all the same. "Great animal rescue or great scam." http://petadvocatesnetwork.org/wordpress/2012/11/04/great-animal-rescue-or-great-scam-a-complete-guide-by-alison-hector/ That is absolutely spot on ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ams Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Wonderful article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greylvr Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 (edited) I haven't read all the replies but wanted to say I talked to them about a dog a bit back and it was $150 plus $130 for transport to Victoria. Edited December 12, 2012 by Greylvr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greylvr Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Just a quick question - do most reputable rescues temp test (or at least meet) a dog that is surrended (never went to the pound) before being given to a foster carer? I would assume they do more. I cant speak for all but I wont just get a dog and place it. IMO you have to have some time with the dog especially since sometimes dogs into a new home can act very differently day one then day 12. A lot of times in my experience the behavioral probs don't come out until the dog feels comfortable in its new place this is why its important to me to have a dog in a home environment for a bit. I am not saying any rescue who doesnt is bad but just throwing my 2 cents in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddy Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Just a quick question - do most reputable rescues temp test (or at least meet) a dog that is surrended (never went to the pound) before being given to a foster carer? I would assume they do more. I cant speak for all but I wont just get a dog and place it. IMO you have to have some time with the dog especially since sometimes dogs into a new home can act very differently day one then day 12. A lot of times in my experience the behavioral probs don't come out until the dog feels comfortable in its new place this is why its important to me to have a dog in a home environment for a bit. I am not saying any rescue who doesnt is bad but just throwing my 2 cents in. I think I probably would go as far as saying that. In my opinion, dogs should be held for at least 14 days after the pound, if only for the purposes of disease control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greylvr Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Just a quick question - do most reputable rescues temp test (or at least meet) a dog that is surrended (never went to the pound) before being given to a foster carer? I would assume they do more. I cant speak for all but I wont just get a dog and place it. IMO you have to have some time with the dog especially since sometimes dogs into a new home can act very differently day one then day 12. A lot of times in my experience the behavioral probs don't come out until the dog feels comfortable in its new place this is why its important to me to have a dog in a home environment for a bit. I am not saying any rescue who doesnt is bad but just throwing my 2 cents in. I think I probably would go as far as saying that. In my opinion, dogs should be held for at least 14 days after the pound, if only for the purposes of disease control. This is very true, especially if there is a high rate of Kennel Cough or Distemper in the shelter. The last thing you would want to do is have an adopter spending money to treat their pets because you were in a hurry to re-home. IMO quality placements trump Quantity placements I mean sure its great to re- home a ton of dogs but if you are not making sure they are in a home that is good for them you are just adding to the problem in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddy Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Just a quick question - do most reputable rescues temp test (or at least meet) a dog that is surrended (never went to the pound) before being given to a foster carer? I would assume they do more. I cant speak for all but I wont just get a dog and place it. IMO you have to have some time with the dog especially since sometimes dogs into a new home can act very differently day one then day 12. A lot of times in my experience the behavioral probs don't come out until the dog feels comfortable in its new place this is why its important to me to have a dog in a home environment for a bit. I am not saying any rescue who doesnt is bad but just throwing my 2 cents in. I think I probably would go as far as saying that. In my opinion, dogs should be held for at least 14 days after the pound, if only for the purposes of disease control. This is very true, especially if there is a high rate of Kennel Cough or Distemper in the shelter. The last thing you would want to do is have an adopter spending money to treat their pets because you were in a hurry to re-home. IMO quality placements trump Quantity placements I mean sure its great to re- home a ton of dogs but if you are not making sure they are in a home that is good for them you are just adding to the problem in the long run. The other issue is parvo. If you manage to infect a foster carer's property with parvo, it can be difficult to ensure it's clean/safe enough to place dogs there again (let alone the risk to their own pets and the spreading of the virus through normal activity). Personally, I like to keep dogs for at least eight weeks. They get vaccs done first and then testing. If they pass testing (at roughly four weeks) they get desexed. And then tested again at about six weeks, stitches come out and so on and so forth. Even doing it that way though, we've had one dog somehow slip through testing- ended up being DA (although it is possible the issue developed further in his new home, I consider that there should have been some sign of it that I missed. Either mistake in testing or mistake in placement, my fault whichever it was) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plan B Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Even doing it that way though, we've had one dog somehow slip through testing- ended up being DA (although it is possible the issue developed further in his new home, I consider that there should have been some sign of it that I missed. Either mistake in testing or mistake in placement, my fault whichever it was) Not necessarily, HA. Dogs display different behaviours in different environments (and it doesn't have to be a bad environment, just a different one). It's not always something we can see or predict until it presents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddy Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Even doing it that way though, we've had one dog somehow slip through testing- ended up being DA (although it is possible the issue developed further in his new home, I consider that there should have been some sign of it that I missed. Either mistake in testing or mistake in placement, my fault whichever it was) Not necessarily, HA. Dogs display different behaviours in different environments (and it doesn't have to be a bad environment, just a different one). It's not always something we can see or predict until it presents. The idea of thorough testing and an extended stay in foster care though is to expose the dog to as much as possible to make sure things like that don't slip through. In the case of the dog concerned, it was a situation I wouldn't voluntarily put a dog in because it would be very stressful for the dog and a very negative experience but it could have been tested for (and I regret not pushing that dog further, I might have seen some sort of reaction in a controlled version of that situation that could have hinted at a lower than normal tolerance). There was undoubtedly handler error involved but we do have to account for things like that and try to ensure dogs are as bomb-proof as possible (and if they're not, we need to know exactly how far they can be pushed and what their triggers are). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plan B Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Absolutely. But like I said, different environments factor into it too, even with thorough testing and assessments. It is important to make sure mistakes are identified and not repeated but it's also important to note that, regardless of how much we do, there are some things we can't know/observe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddy Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Absolutely. But like I said, different environments factor into it too, even with thorough testing and assessments. It is important to make sure mistakes are identified and not repeated but it's also important to note that, regardless of how much we do, there are some things we can't know/observe. I'd like to believe that but I can't help but feel it's a bit of a cop-out, if you get what I mean. We probably can't know everything but we have a responsibility to try to. When we fail, the consequences can be terrible- not just for our own groups but for rescue as a whole. Still, I suppose failure can be a positive thing. As a result of that failed rehoming, adoption policies were looked at very carefully and they've been changed to ensure (as best we can, anyway) that it won't ever happen again. That's about the best I can do but I have to admit, it still doesn't satisfy me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plan B Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 I'd like to believe that but I can't help but feel it's a bit of a cop-out, if you get what I mean. We probably can't know everything but we have a responsibility to try to. When we fail, the consequences can be terrible- not just for our own groups but for rescue as a whole. Still, I suppose failure can be a positive thing. As a result of that failed rehoming, adoption policies were looked at very carefully and they've been changed to ensure (as best we can, anyway) that it won't ever happen again. That's about the best I can do but I have to admit, it still doesn't satisfy me I don't think it ever will - and I don't think that's a bad thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisey Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Just a quick question - do most reputable rescues temp test (or at least meet) a dog that is surrended (never went to the pound) before being given to a foster carer? I would assume they do more. I cant speak for all but I wont just get a dog and place it. IMO you have to have some time with the dog especially since sometimes dogs into a new home can act very differently day one then day 12. A lot of times in my experience the behavioral probs don't come out until the dog feels comfortable in its new place this is why its important to me to have a dog in a home environment for a bit. I am not saying any rescue who doesnt is bad but just throwing my 2 cents in. Thanks Greylvr.... I'm interested in different people's opinions on this. I volunteered to foster a few months ago and the whole experience was awful It felt like I was just lumped with a dog (that no-one from the rescue had met) and had no support at all. I will never foster through that group again & may not foster again at all due to that experience (which sucks because I really wanted to help). It wasn't pound rounds but now that I look back not sure if maybe they are associated with them.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddy Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Just a quick question - do most reputable rescues temp test (or at least meet) a dog that is surrended (never went to the pound) before being given to a foster carer? I would assume they do more. I cant speak for all but I wont just get a dog and place it. IMO you have to have some time with the dog especially since sometimes dogs into a new home can act very differently day one then day 12. A lot of times in my experience the behavioral probs don't come out until the dog feels comfortable in its new place this is why its important to me to have a dog in a home environment for a bit. I am not saying any rescue who doesnt is bad but just throwing my 2 cents in. Thanks Greylvr.... I'm interested in different people's opinions on this. I volunteered to foster a few months ago and the whole experience was awful It felt like I was just lumped with a dog (that no-one from the rescue had met) and had no support at all. I will never foster through that group again & may not foster again at all due to that experience (which sucks because I really wanted to help). It wasn't pound rounds but now that I look back not sure if maybe they are associated with them.... This is just my opinion but.. foster carers are a bit like adoptive homes. Not every foster carer will be suited for every dog and dogs should be placed so that carers get a little bit of experience with something different but without pushing their abilities or making it a negative experience. I think it's also incredibly important to provide support as foster carers aren't easy to come by. A group that mistreats foster carers is a group that shouldn't be in rescue at all. Down here, finding suitable foster carers is painfully hard, it seriously irks me when other groups don't realise how good they have it and take for granted the very people who support their entire rescue. Personally, I'd name, shame and then move on. There are some awesome groups around that would appreciate your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic.B Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Speaking of fostering, I was just sent this. Below is pound rounds latest Visit now and impulse foster today 'I want to speak to you about a win, win situation. So you want a doggy for the xmas holidays because you have seen the doggies in the pet stores and you love the idea of a doggy - only let's be honest you are human and haven't really thought out the next 20 years of your life - come on be honest - who has right?! BUT DAMN! those doggies are so cute and you have so much love to give and they need "rescuing" right! BUT another damn is that for $1000 bucks you could probably buy that holiday you will need after all that Christmas shopping and there is no way you can afford presents, the holiday and the doggy! Well here is an offer you are never going to be able to refuse. If you have no other pets (or lovely ones at least) - our shelter wants to give you a free dog - but without the lifetime responsibility! That's right - who doesn't like the word FREE before Christmas! Who here doesn't like to commit to a lifetime of responsibility!? You? ME! So what's the catch I hear you say??!! Free dogs, Free doggy training. Here is the catch. You must be willing to accept the waggle bum, the snooky waggly tail lovely smiley faced love bug into your home. Some doggies can only be inside doggies - some need people home all day - some need a good long run every day - some need to sit on the lounge beside you and watch Oprah, some just wanna hang outside & sleep. Some doggies need training on a lead and some doggies just want to be loved so much it breaks their heart to be alone. Some doggies love a clam pool, others love to chase the ball. A doggy for everyone! If your foster dog is still with you after 12 weeks and you have fallen madly in love then as long as you are an approved long term home and you have undergone the doggy training required, you can apply to adopt your doggy for free too. Fureva adoptions for free are only available to the most strictly approved homes who commit to ongoing doggy training. So let's sum up here - you need a doggy for Xmas - you can have a doggy for Xmas for FREE - you can receive FREE doggy training AND you can adopt the doggy for FREE after 12 weeks. Better yet - no after Christmas pet dumping. Fostering a doggy means YOU help save lives too! Call right now - email right now. You will need to fill in an application form. A beautiful shiny new re-fur-bished doggy is waiting for you!! Visit STAR right now! If you visit the STAR page and order your free doggy within the next 24 hours you will also receive FREE a) a FREE collar and lead b) a FREE tick treatment c) a FREE rawhide bone d) a FREE tail on your doggy e) a FREE wag of that tail!! Disclaimer: FREE tail wags cannot be guaranteed and may depend on whether or not you are holding the free rawhide. All FREE items - especially tail waggles on doggy to approved homes only. So visit now and impulse Foster today!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 How very frightening but oh so typical of PR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 OMG... now I think I've seen it all... *sigh* One good way to completely stuff up someone's Christmas would be to lump them with an unsuitable dog... grrr! T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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