A Topic I Read On Fb About ' Rescues'

[Angeluca]

I found this interesting and would like others opinions

Meant for discussion not argument, not meant in offence to anyone, and Not meant to witch hunt any people or organisations

thanks

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10202950215785601&id=150005925060837

[RuralPug]

There is some merit in the article, however most Australians do not expect vet discounts for pets they have acquired from pounds or rescue organisations, so I am not sure if it is really relevant here.

I understand that you have no intention of starting a witch hunt or fight, but, hey, this is DOL I'm putting the popcorn on now.

[Angeluca]

There is some merit in the article, however most Australians do not expect vet discounts for pets they have acquired from pounds or rescue organisations, so I am not sure if it is really relevant here.

I understand that you have no intention of starting a witch hunt or fight, but, hey, this is DOL I'm putting the popcorn on now.

yeah just made my intentions made i had seen a thread on here about fosters ans rescue organizations sayin something about vet discounts, not necessarily the owners but the fosters and rescue groups.

I understand that those groups usually dip in their own pockets to look after dogs and i tip my hat to them.

but is it expected of vets to be charitable and if they say no do they loose the asker's business and are frowned at or worse?

[Tibbie_tabbie]

There is some merit in the article, however most Australians do not expect vet discounts for pets they have acquired from pounds or rescue organisations, so I am not sure if it is really relevant here.

I understand that you have no intention of starting a witch hunt or fight, but, hey, this is DOL I'm putting the popcorn on now.

yeah just made my intentions made i had seen a thread on here about fosters ans rescue organizations sayin something about vet discounts, not necessarily the owners but the fosters and rescue groups.

I understand that those groups usually dip in their own pockets to look after dogs and i tip my hat to them.

but is it expected of vets to be charitable and if they say no do they loose the asker's business and are frowned at or worse?

From my experience, rescue orgs (as in orgs that have are a registered charity) do get discounts on certain vet procedures, such as spay and neuter or all procedures. The clinics still make a profit and so are usually very happy to make these discounts, due to the large amount of work the rescues bring in. I think if a clinic was to not make this sort of agreement then the rescue would go to another that would.

It's basically a bulk discount, that's exceptable in any other type if work so why not this?

As for individuals wanting discounts for their dogs due to the dogs background, well that's just strange and I can't imagine anyone expecting that.

[Loving my Oldies]

"A rose by any other name .. . . . . ." etc etc.

The knowledge that there are organisations which take dogs from pounds and put them into to foster care is slowly being disseminated throughout the community and, with that, has come the term "rescue".

If people ask where my dogs came from, I tell them: over the years, some I have adopted straight from a pound, a couple I took from pounds intending to rehome, but funnily enough that didn't happen, some I was fostering and became foster failures.

There is no doubt that if it weren't for people setting up rescue organisations, thousands more dogs, cats and other animals would die in pounds, so in that case I think the term "rescue" is totally valid.

As for vets giving discounts: all the vets I've been associated with have done this and, although I am no longer rescuing or fostering, my vet still gives me a small discount.

Some vets are like other organisations and give pensioner discounts.

But I cannot imagine asking a vet for a discount because of the animal's provenance.

[Steve]

Lots of vets probably most give at least some discounts for rescue groups but none I know give discounts after the dog has left the rescue group and become someone else's dog.Most vets give breeders discounts on litter vetting too but no one expects discounts throughout their life time - same thing as far as Im concerned - bulk customers get discounts.

The term rescue has become something it wasn't in some ways.

Rescue for me - go back 20 years- always meant hurry quick save this dog or it will be killed - didnt really matter where the dog went or what happened to it after that - whether it had puppies or got run over, bit the neighbours kids etc as long as it was taken form death row and saved. Some like pound rounds are clearly stuck in that view.

When I first started working out that some groups were fighting over getting some dogs in care, that pregnant dogs and cats were able to give birth and the pups were considered rescued, that one rescue who specialised in saving pregnant dogs actually whelped and sold over 250 puppies in one year , that some rescues actually buy dogs from breeders to save them, go after dogs advertised by owners and breeders to save them from ending up in puppy farms, that rescue we so picky about where the dogs went to a point they actually go and check to see if you have fencing and you have to jump through all manner of hoops to prove you will be a good match for the dog in order to be able to save it I have to admit that it took some time to get my head around it all.

Clearly "rescue" has evolved from saving dogs from death row no matter what to another level, where dogs can go before they are in desperate need as they are in a pound ,where they are assessed and kept safe and well where a home can be found without desperation of it dying if that doesn't happen.

where there are a group of people who see that the long term well being of the dog and the families who take them is a higher priority than saving them all.

Whilst Im in horror at how some rescue groups operate and some are way up there with law breaking and hoarding and doing what they do primarily for money and they have lost sight of what is best for the dogs on the whole I think rescue is still rescue even though some dogs are in more depserate need of rescue than others.

Edited January 20, 2014 by Steve

[~Anne~]

I'd say the article is spot on. I agree with almost everything the writer says.

Rescue has morphed into an unhealthy beast and I'm not sure that anything is on the horizon to tame this beast.

I agree with much of your postal well Steve.

[Staffyluv]

There is some merit in the article, however most Australians do not expect vet discounts for pets they have acquired from pounds or rescue organisations, so I am not sure if it is really relevant here.

I understand that you have no intention of starting a witch hunt or fight, but, hey, this is DOL I'm putting the popcorn on now.

yeah just made my intentions made i had seen a thread on here about fosters ans rescue organizations sayin something about vet discounts, not necessarily the owners but the fosters and rescue groups.

I understand that those groups usually dip in their own pockets to look after dogs and i tip my hat to them.

but is it expected of vets to be charitable and if they say no do they loose the asker's business and are frowned at or worse?

As a foster carer for dogs that need to be rehomed, I pay my own fosters vet bills.

It is my choice to do it - if funds are low, then I simply don't foster for a while and when things pick up, I foster again..

My last foster girl had mange. Our vet charged for the medicine and gave me the appointment and check ups for free - I never asked for this but they did know that she was a foster dog. It was very much appreciated.

I don't think it is 'expected' that vets give a discount to rescue organisations - but I do think it is very much appreciated.

Also there are vets who don't discount for dogs bought into foster care and there are vets that do.

[korbin13]

My vet often gives me a discount. I have no idea why but am presuming it has nothing to do with where my dog came from and more likely to be because I have spent a fortune at the vet on one of my dogs. :laugh:

So in my opinion, if they have a bit of flexibility in their fees on some procedures/items, why not offer a discount to rescue? No different to the local bakery sponsoring the football club. Shouldn't be expected though.

[mixeduppup]

Definitions of words evolve as the world evolves. It's up to a vet who they give discounts to.

[Leah82]

My OH doesn't agree that Sarah is a rescue dog. When he thinks of rescue he imagines the RSPCA charging in, taking all the animals and shutting down the breeding operation - in that instance the dogs are rescued from their captivity and poor living conditions.

In Sarah's case the rescue org has an agreement with the breeding establishment that they will take on the retirees, however if that was not in place then she would most likely have been taken out the back and shot.

I consider her to be a rescue case although I've never expected to receive cheaper vet bills because of it. We made the decision to get another dog and that includes all the costs that go along with it. If we got an adult dog off it's previous owners from gumtree or DOL then I wouldn't consider it to be a rescue dog.

[_PL_]

I'd say the article is spot on. I agree with almost everything the writer says.

Rescue has morphed into an unhealthy beast and I'm not sure that anything is on the horizon to tame this beast.

I agree with much of your postal well Steve.

Agreed!

Anyone can call a vet and call themselves 'rescue'. Even claim the dogs they BYB'd are rescued in order to get discounts. And they do.

I'm not sure how vets are supposed to know the difference between good and bad. Or between the ones that settle their accounts and the ones who don't. I have seen 'rescue' shop vets against each other to save $20 on a basic desex package and never have any extra work done over and above that flat rate even if the dog desperately needs it.

Doesn't surprise me when vets get sick of people taking advantage. And sorry but just because a dog flinches doesn't mean it was beaten. And just because a dog has had puppies doesn't mean it was from a puppy farm. A staffy with scars isn't from an evil dog fighter. I'm sick of people making up stories to sucker people in. Dogs have a new start when they are rescued, why do people insist on holding on to a fictional past?

[Loving my Oldies]

........why do people insist on holding on to a fictional past?

Because people tell lies, self aggrandise, perpetuate myths, etc etc etc. Happens all the time on DOL where there are enough people who should know better.

[_PL_]

........why do people insist on holding on to a fictional past?

Because people tell lies, self aggrandise, perpetuate myths, etc etc etc. Happens all the time on DOL where there are enough people who should know better.

True. And it certainly doesn't help the dogs to move on to their new lives.

[tdierikx]

I get reduced rates at 3 vet clinics - for both fosters AND my own dogs - even when I designate that the dogs are my own and am happy to pay the going rate for regular clients.

Then again, none of the vets see my own dogs very much at all - they are remarkably healthy specimens if I do say so myself... *grin*

I have established good relationships with all 3 vet clinics, and always pay my bills at the time of consultation or within the next couple of days if I have to scrape up a bit more for an emergency visit... which goes a VERY long way towards vet confidence in a customer...

T.

[Kajirin]

I only have a pet dog, but do tend to get discounts for mine at my vet. They usually waiver consult fees and just have to pay for medication or vaccinations. Don't know why but it happens...they're nice vets :)

[D'smum]

I dont see the issue with asking-no different to bargaining a car salesperson or asking "best price for cash right now" or as already mentioned, a bulk discount. I would imagine most vet clinics would immediately be able to distinguish the wheat from the chaff in terms of genuine rescue groups and scabby animal hoarders.

I get a bit sick of the people that "rescued a dog off gumtree" (so in other words FTGH) despite them not having a cent to their name to vacc, chip, worm or desex it and then expect us to foot the bill because its a "rescue". Why? If you cant afford it, is its situation better than that which it was rescued from?

And people speculating about dogs pasts and them being "abused" fascinates me. I own a dog that i know to be from an abusive background and i foster one which i am 95% sure is just a timid scaredy-cat and people love to focus in on it. Neither dog benefits from all the mollycoddling people try to give them and they look at me like im a heartless biatch when I tell them these dogs live like royalty now and their sympathy is not required nor beneficial. Some people seem to WANT their dogs to be from bad situations so that they can be the heroic knight in shining armour.

[Little Gifts]

I don't think giving discounts should be imposed on any vet. They are trying to run a business and we don't know how they are doing financially behind the scenes. They may have an expansion plan or need to buy new equipment.

From my personal experience there are vets who for a variety of reasons like to work with rescue and they usually offer reduced rates and possibly even some services for free. Even though my vet isn't linked with a rescue group she is very philanthropic. I have taken foster dogs in to get their desex stitches out when I've had trouble, preparing to pay, but she has done it for free. I have taken in abandoned and sick dogs and cats that have been dumped on us that we are moving into rescue and she has treated them at minimal charge and given me free tablets and creams, all without me asking. She also made me a VIP client about 10 years ago so I also get 10% off everything for my own dogs. That was also her choice.

One thing about vets who do support rescue is they are very giving of their time and talent and I'd hate to see that abused by people demanding discounts. It is not the vet's fault a dog was neglected and abandoned any more than it is the dog's fault. We can't keep supporting a cycle of dependence.

[tdierikx]

The vets that give me discounts have all offered same of their own accord - I have never asked for "rescue rates" or discounts when taking any dog to a vet other than the one my rescue has a deal in place with - and those are done on the rescue account anyways, and only the rescue foster dogs get to use that account. I'd never dream of using the rescue account for my own dogs, but the same vet clinic will give me a reduced rate for my own dogs anyways - I just pay the bill at the time of consultation.

I think also the fact that I'm not running to the vet for every little thing, and have amassed a fair bit of doggy medical expertise over the years, and can describe symptoms, put forward possible diagnoses, and have a pretty good idea of treatment options for various illnesses and ailments - gives me a little bit of an edge over the "average" pet owner fronting up at a vet clinic.

T.

[Angeluca]

I tend to agree with most here my vet offers me breeder discounts and I offer continuing business loyalty. both weren't asked or expected.

Vets that recognize continuing business (rescue, breeder, ongoing customer) and do their best to support that customer with discounts where possible is not only great business but appreciated. But both win in this situation.

No one should ever haggle a vet, Woolworths or telstra won't haggle they have set discounts or bundles and thats it end of story. Why should a vet be forced to deal with a problem cause by ignorance, (tho some vets are becoming twice as bad when promoting mix breeds as a posed to 'inbred pedigrees' ) they spend a fortune on uni and so much time devoting themselves to a career which is supposed to support them for the rest of their lives. So what if most live comfortably they earned it.

It should always be offered if given and accepted with a smile if not, who knows they might fund a wellfare group or charity through their profits you'd never know and it's not our right to.