Need opinions - especially from others in rescue

[Rescuemomma]

Ok, I need opinions here, am I being to harsh?

For the last 10 years I've been running a rescue focused mostly on Italian Greyhounds, especially those from puppy mills, back yard breeders, or with special needs (often the more adoptable dogs I send on to other groups so I can keep my focus on the dogs that need me most!).


Right now it's no secret I'm very stressed and emotions are running high. Everyone knows how passionate I am about the dogs I rescue - Of course I don't keep them all, I actually keep very very few of the dogs I rescue, or I couldn't have saved so many! 99% of them I rehab and place in foster homes until forever homes are found, or straight into good forever homes.

I got a call this evening from a lady saying she'd found a little boy IG with one of my rescue tags on him. He just went running into her house scared to death! She said he was skinny as a rail, his nails where overgrown, and he was filthy. I couldn't think of a dog I'd adopted out that matched his description - So I sent a volunteer to pick him up, clean him up, and send me a picture. Then I knew immediately who's dog it was, and I'm very upset.

I really went out on a limb for this family. We had a very long talk before I agreed to let them take him I was VERY clear that they needed to get an ID tag with their information on him ASAP, and they needed to keep working to get his nails cut back, as the quicks where quite long when he came into rescue. It was a very young, very healthy, very highly adoptable little dog I turned others down for because I thought they'd be the right home. They've had him about 2 months.

Now this isn't what really fired me up. In addition to that, not only did I spent over an hour very carefully going over my adoption contract with them, but I know both me and his foster mom really stressed that he was just a pup and needed more socialization to learn to be a well adjusted social IG. That he'd become spooky if that didn't happen. We also both really stressed he was never to be left outside even fenced in unattended, and if anything happened and he did get loose, they needed to immediately let me and his foster mom know so we could organize a search party! They where also to call Animal Control and check if he'd been picked up and report him lost so if he was found he'd be returned home instead of taken to the shelter (AC where they live does that as long as they're licensed as they where also suppose to do!).

From what I've been told and understand so far, it sounds like he's been out for awhile, and NONE of these guidelines where followed. I already checked with animal control, I already checked the classifieds, and I've already spoken with his former foster mom to see if she'd heard anything. Nothing.

I'm sorry but I'm really feeling like being a bitch here. I've got him safe and sound in a temp foster - And I'm thinking I'm just going to tell her to keep him there for a week or so and say nothing to the people that adopted him. If they don't call me or his foster mom within the next day or two, I'll consider that abandonment and terminate their adoption contract. As it is, I always reserve my right in the contract to repossess the animal for any reason - And I have plenty of reasons not to return this dog to them! And they better have a DARN good reason why he appears so neglected and why they haven't followed ANY of the guidelines or requests we had even though we where extremely clear with them what we expected if they expect us to let them have him back!

Reality is - I turned others down that I know if I contact will HAPPILY take him, and I know the volunteer I had to call late at night to go get him so we could sleep easy knowing he was safe tonight has been wanting to adopt another IG from me as a companion to the one she already has - and may very well want to adopt him herself. I turned down several other really good homes. I'm not going to even take the "we where out of town" excuse because not only did I make sure they understood that any pet sitter they hired needed to understand the same guidelines I set for them on his care, but the former foster mom doesn't live to far from them is a licensed pet sitter - And offered free services for a year with the adoption, so if they went out of town, they should have called her to come in and take care of him while they where gone! Any way I look at this, they didn't follow their end of the agreement!

I know I'm being a real bitch here, but this is a very young dog, he has no street sense, he could have easily been stolen, hit by a car, attacked by a coyote, there are alot of things, especially in the area they live in, that could have happened to him, and I'm really angry that they've so far made no attempt to let us know, and the dog has been safe and sound with my volunteer I had pick him up for several hours now!!! I'm really not feeling like they deserve to have him back! I know in their shoes I wouldn't be happy to have the rights to my dog taken away - But at the same point, if any of my dogs ever got out, I'd be frantically posting flyers, calling animal control, posting notices, and getting the word out! I've seen zero efforts on their part, and aside from keeping my ID tag on him, they followed NONE of the guidelines we set! At the moment I really am not feeling like they deserve to have him back!

[Yorkiemom1]

If I were in YOUR position, I would IMMEDIATELY TERMINATE THE CONTRACT. I would not contact them with any information about you having recovered this pup, and see if they eventually contact you. After two weeks, I WOULD SEND THEM A CERTIFIED, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED LETTER, STATING THEIR CONTRACT HAD BEEN TERMINATED AND i WOULD LIST, IN BULLETS, ALL THE REASONS WHY....list every single thing they have done that was NOT in accordance with the contract. As far as them getting this baby back, I would be like Charlton Heston, "FROM MY COLD, DEAD, HANDS.....". I would not only NEVER let them have this pup back, I would blackball them from every rescue organization I possibly could....I have no idea how rescues work, but I can imagine you all communicate amongst yourselves. This type of misconduct infuriates me!!! Willful and intentional neglience!

[lillymae]

I don't think you are being a "B" at all. I would absolutely not return this pup to them & would call 1st thing in the A.M. & tell them that you have him & their adoption has been terminated, THE END ! Thank God they didn't remove your tags & get their own or you would not have known & he could have been PTS if no one adopted him from the shelter.

[Rescuemomma]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

If I were in YOUR position, I would IMMEDIATELY TERMINATE THE CONTRACT. I would not contact them with any information about you having recovered this pup, and see if they eventually contact you. After two weeks, I WOULD SEND THEM A CERTIFIED, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED LETTER, STATING THEIR CONTRACT HAD BEEN TERMINATED AND i WOULD LIST, IN BULLETS, ALL THE REASONS WHY....list every single thing they have done that was NOT in accordance with the contract. As far as them getting this baby back, I would be like Charlton Heston, "FROM MY COLD, DEAD, HANDS.....". I would not only NEVER let them have this pup back, I would blackball them from every rescue organization I possibly could....I have no idea how rescues work, but I can imagine you all communicate amongst yourselves. This type of misconduct infuriates me!!! Willful and intentional neglience!

That's how I'm feeling tonight! I mean the kicker to this all is that the lady that found him was less then a block away! She had him for about 2 hrs while I found someone that could go get him! She had her kids out in the yard watching for someone looking for a dog - They never saw any signs of them even looking for this poor boy My bet is they broke the contract in another place and left him outside in their yard while they went somewhere, or even while they where inside doing things. Regardless my contract states they're never suppose to be allowed outside unsupervised. I won't even adopt to people with dog doors for that reason! And if in 2 hrs they hadn't even gone looking, either they didn't know he was gone or they didn't care!

My volunteer that picked him up on the other hand didn't only drop everything she was doing to run and grab him - She was in the car on her way before I even hung up, not only did she refuse to let me reimburse her gas expenses, but this same volunteer already has another dog from me she went above and beyond for, and did this all at 9 at night when I knew she had to work tomorrow. She's already said if I decide not to return him she wants to be first on the list to be considered. I think he's already right where he belongs!!!

[Rescuemomma]

Originally Posted by lillymae

I don't think you are being a "B" at all. I would absolutely not return this pup to them & would call 1st thing in the A.M. & tell them that you have him & their adoption has been terminated, THE END ! Thank God they didn't remove your tags & get their own or you would not have known & he could have been PTS if no one adopted him from the shelter.

Well, this is why in addition to always having one of my rescue tags on a dog when I place it, I also always have them microchipped and keep the microchip registered to ME! I've had many adopters upset that I wouldn't transfer the chip registration when they adopt the dog - But this is EXACTLY why I NEVER will, I've been able to save a few dogs that, like this dog's owners, I'd misjudged and the dogs ended up in a shelter! Without a chip, the dog would have been euthanized. Not only that but if it does happen truly by accident, such as when an owner is out of town and the dog got away from a pet sitter, kennel, vet, whatever - A microchip registered to me gives me the legal right to claim the dog. Without it I have no proof of ownership, and the shelter doesn't have to release the dog, so if the owner doesn't come back in time, the dog could be killed. Microchips are a very valuable tool for any breeder or rescue to insure their babies stay safe!

[lillymae]

I agree, I think he's rite where he belongs.

[Princess_Sophie]

I dont run dog rescue, but I do run exotic/parrot rescue.
And I would have terminated the contract for much less.
I agree I think he is currently in the home he needs to be in.

[sbgooljar]

I am so sorry you and one of your pups had to go through this horrible nightmare. At least he is now safe and sound and with a foster mom who will care for and love him in ways that they both deserve.

[Tae1107]

I am with rescue and we would not be returning him! They broke the contact in my opinion, by not contacting you that the dog was missing. All of our dogs are microchipped to us also.

[mugwee1]

I agree he is right where he belong's. Some people have a lot of nerve . To destroy something you are working so hard hard to prevent. I am so glad you have him back. Make's me shudder what could of happened to him. I would black ball them from ever adopting again. It's people like you that make a better world for these dog's.

[sbgooljar]

I am so sorry you and one of your pups had to go through this horrible nightmare. At least he is now safe and sound and with a foster mom who will care for and love him in ways that they both deserve.

[Rescuemomma]

Thanks everyone! This upset me so bad I was up all night, makes me physically ill - this baby isn't only an Italian Greyhound, but he's a mill dog! I've had other milldogs escape and never be seen again, and in an area wildlife is frequently seen? I shudder to think of all the things that could have happened!

I wrote out a letter I plan to send if they ever e-mail me to let me know he's missing. Sound to harsh?

While I appreciate you getting in contact with me, I regret to inform you I was already aware that he had strayed, and have discussed this with my rescue committee members and we have decided to terminate our adoption agreement with you and revoke your ownership rights of Odie for the following reasons.* Attached is a copy of your signed adoption contract so you can clearly see what you agreed to but failed to adhere to.

- Term 3, to keep this animal as an indoor pet, and provide with proper care at all times including nail care.*
******* - His nails have clearly not been trimmed in the 2 1/2 months he's been in your care.* They where very long but the quick wasn't, which tells me that they just hadn't been kept trimmed as you had agreed to.* I know you and I had discussed this needed to be done every 1-2 weeks, and you said you where aware from the other IG you had owned before.
******* - Also as part of this term, you had agreed he would be kept as an indoor pet.* We discussed this in depth before you agreed to it, and you fully understood this ment he was not to be left outside unattended.* He was found by one of your neighbors less then a block away.* They held him for 2 1/2 - 3 hrs before my volunteer arrived to take him home with her for the night so he could receive proper care.* During this period of time they kept watching for someone in the neighborhood or any sign that someone was out looking for him.* Had you been out looking, they would have returned him to you.* We also discussed that should you choose to use a doggy door, that he wouldn't not be allowed access to it when you weren't home.

- Term 4, This dog is never to be allowed outside of a securely fenced yard unless on a leash securely attached to a martingale collar or harness.*
******* - Again, obviously he was outside your yard when he was found, and wither this was intentional or not - He was roaming free with no attempt was noted to rectify this.* I know we had a very clear understanding of the dangers IGs face when they're allowed to wonder freely, and we where very clear that this alone would result in us taking him away from you if we found out he'd been allowed to wander loose.

- Term 8, to notify rescue and animal control immediately if the dog ever becomes lost.*
******* - This is one of the biggest disappointments to his foster mom and I.* We where VERY clear on this point.* You knew Megan lived very close to you and would have been happy to help search if he ever got out.* We have also checked with animal control and they received no report from you that night, nor did either I or his foster mom.* As of right now now (1 am Vegas time, 2 am your time), there has been no missed calls, and no e-mails to me or his foster mom, and animal control hasn't heard a word from you reporting him missing.

- Term 9, to keep a collar and proper ID on the dog at all times, this is to include a personal ID tag, a rescue ID tag, and licensing where applicable.*
******* - This to me is the least of your violations, but I feel it must be mentioned non-the-less.* Had you had an ID tag with your information on it, or even a license, your neighbor probably never would have called me.* I also assume that part of the reason you didn't notify animal control is because you failed to get him licensed as you had agreed (again, we checked, and there is no record of you ever licensing him).* The only part of this you did follow was not removing the rescue tag that I placed on him.* I know I told you several times how important I felt it was to keep proper identification on him, as I believe Megan did, and you had told me you intended to get this done ASAP.* You also assured me that if I agreed to lower the adoption fee on him (which I did very hesitantly), that the excess money would be spent on the things he needed.

Your name, address, and other pertinent information has been sent to all the area shelters and rescue organizations, including but not limited to the other sighthound rescues in the area, the national Italian Greyhound rescue, as well as all breed rescues so they are aware of the reasons Odie has been removed from your custody.* You will also never be considered again as a potential home for any future Iggy Palace dogs.* I hope if you do get a dog of any breed in the future, you carefully consider these reasons we feel you are no longer a suitable home for Odie.*

Please also note if you do wish to pursue this matter further, as agreed upon in our adoption agreement, any and all court proceedings must be filed in the head of rescue's city of residence at the time of filing.* This would mean these papers must be filed here in Las Vegas where the Iggy Palace Rescue Head (myself) now resides.

I'm sorry this had to end this way, but here at Iggy Palace, our bottom line is to insure that every dog we take in remains safe not only while in our care, but for the rest of it's life once it's entered our rescue program.* Your lack of compliance with the terms of our adoption agreement placed Odie in an unsafe situation where he could have easily been stolen, injured, poisoned, sickened, or even killed.* You made no attempt until now to notify us or animal control of this situation as soon as he was discovered him missing as per our agreement so we could help you locate him, and we feel it's in his best interest to be placed in a more suitable home.

Sincerely,
IPR Rescue Committee

[rubymoon2072]

I agree term the contract and get the boy into a loving furreva home. you have every right to be upset and I do not think you're being a biatch at all you are watching out for the furr babies. =*(())

[lillymae]

I do not believe the letter is too harsh, I think it is perfect.

[msyorktown]

I dont think you are being a biacth at all!! people this this are the reason i am haveing a hard time trying to rescue a pup! i agree with other posts...he is right where he belongs!