I am a rescue reject :(

[megansmomma]

Originally Posted by QuickSilver

That's correct, which is why you shouldn't generalize. The "shelter" I volunteer at is a rescue. The dogs all come from death row at kill shelters in the surrounding areas. If necessary, the dogs are rehabilitated before they are made eligible for adoption. The dogs stay as long as necessary before they are adopted.

Reasonable practices are in place to ensure good matches. The entire family, including pets, must spend several hours with the potential adoptee to make sure everyone gets along, for instance. And still, most dogs are adopted within a few weeks, and the return rate is incredibly low.

I will say as a caveat that we generally take small-to-medium sized dogs, and almost never take dogs with serious aggression problems.

I think the problem with some rescues is stated in your original quote - they wait for the perfect applicant to apply, rather than someone very good. They think they are doing the animals a favor, but they are not. It's sad, really, that a pure-bred animal in a rescue is more likely to spend time in this stressful environment (and no matter how nice the facilities are, it's still stressful) than a mixed breed who goes to a place with more reasonable adoption standards.

I would have to agree that all rescues are not alike as we can see from people that have posted their stories right in this thread. There are good rescues and there are bad rescues and sadly there are rescues that even turn into hoarders because they think it is doing the dogs good.

A lot of rescues deal with dogs that would otherwise have been put down. Look at Truman, the foster that I have right now. The shelter had him on a list to be PTS, they gave him no medical care and he is was so malnourished that he was literally falling over. Nobody else wanted him and if you look at him now he is a totally different dog. All it took was a love and attention~plus a good groomer and vetting but he is thriving. He will make someone a wonderful pet and I hope very soon.

The fact that you work for a rescue that has a facility that is capable of taking larger quantities of dog on death row is wonderful. This of course also puts a different burned on your shelter. Would they be capable of taking in a dog that had hundreds or even thousands of dollars in medical expenses, nursing it back to health and rehoming at a fraction of what was invested? Many rescues specialize in this type of rehabilitation so they in turn want to be sure that if they do rehome one of their dogs that further medical care will be given. Yes, both a shelter and a rescue take in homeless animals but you really can not fairly compare the two.

I have adopted from both a shelter and a rescue. By far I had to jump through more hoop and pay a high price all around for Doodlebug than for Bogey. I also looked into my local shelter and they would not even allow me to look at the small dogs because my daughter was 12 and considered too young by their standard. I moved on and found a rescue that would allow me to adopt from them.

[QuickSilver]

I agree with your post and don't want to be argumentative, but I do want to answer your question about medical care - this rescue is associated with an excellent veterinary clinic that funds the shelter, so yes, we do take in animals with very expensive medical needs. We adopt out a few animals with chronic conditions, of course to a home that can provide the necessary care. Sadly, some of these animals do die at the shelter before they are adopted.

Obviously, this shelter is lucky to be so well-funded, and the shelter manager selects dogs that are likely to be adopted. There is a huge pit bull problem in central California, and we don't take any pits, unless they are puppies and can be called something else. We had a GORGEOUS, sweet puppy dog a few months ago that was clearly half pit, but he was labeled 'Lab Mix'.

However, it's not just the money: I really think it's a model for how all adoption centers should be run.

Anyway, I do support rescues, and I hate to see stories about people being treated badly because many people are already reluctant to consider a rescue dog.

It's great that you are a foster!

[Gennies]

Originally Posted by megansmomma

If you figure out how to change your setting?

Sorry, I know this doesn't go with this thread, but I wanted to answer your question. I looked at my User CP and can't figure out which ones I need to change. Is it that I have to have an instant messaging account with someone? I don't want to install that on my computer as it causes viruses everytime I've done it before. Any advise?

[megansmomma]

Originally Posted by Gennies

Sorry, I know this doesn't go with this thread, but I wanted to answer your question. I looked at my User CP and can't figure out which ones I need to change. Is it that I have to have an instant messaging account with someone? I don't want to install that on my computer as it causes viruses everytime I've done it before. Any advise?

Go to User CP and then EDIT OPTIONS.
Check:
Enable Private Messages
Enable Profile Messages

If you want to have notifications by email of thread that you have posted to you can also enable these options as well.

When you change the setting then you can send and receive PM and posts to your profile page. You will be notified by a pop up on the top of your page on the right side under your user name.

It is not necessary to download any type of messenger to send or receive messages within YT.

I don't think anyone minds that I am helping you because I would think people would like to be able to communicate with you.

[Gennies]

Great! Sounds easy. Going there now. Thanks tons

[Potter]

Originally Posted by monarchmom

I had NO idea I just assumed all rescues were good!!!!!!! Holy cow how do you pick a rescue? What kind of things should I be looking for? Do I interview them before I fill out an application? What would I ask them? Honestly some of these rescues are alittle strange, one application asked is your yard fenced, what is it made of, how high is it & is the fence buried to curtail tunneling? Who the heck buries the bottom of their fence & if it made out of wood it would rot for pete sakes.

Lol..I don't really know how to pick either. I just applied to a few rescues and got some really rude response as well. I finally manage to talk to one nice lady who runs a rescue but it wasn't through applying for a dog. It just so happens that I saw her email on petfinder and wrote to her to ask more about fostering and etc.

[dogbert]

Originally Posted by Potter

Lol..I don't really know how to pick either. I just applied to a few rescues and got some really rude response as well. I finally manage to talk to one nice lady who runs a rescue but it wasn't through applying for a dog. It just so happens that I saw her email on petfinder and wrote to her to ask more about fostering and etc.

Most homes in AZ have 6 ft high wood fences and yes they rot or get termites. I always hated them, they blow over in a dust storm too. But I guess they are better than nothing. It sounds like they want to make sure the dog has a safe, secure place to play. Some fences really are a joke when it comes to containing an animal.

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by dogbert

Most homes in AZ have 6 ft high wood fences and yes they rot or get termites. I always hated them, they blow over in a dust storm too. But I guess they are better than nothing. It sounds like they want to make sure the dog has a safe, secure place to play. Some fences really are a joke when it comes to containing an animal.

I lived in AZ for over 10 years and the majority of the fences were either cement blocks or cement blocks with stucco over them. I lived in Tucson and Phoenix but covered most of AZ in my travels and smaller towns did not have fences at all. Where did you live that has wooden fences because I agree with the heat they would fall apart fairly fast.

[dogbert]

Originally Posted by livingdustmops

I lived in AZ for over 10 years and the majority of the fences were either cement blocks or cement blocks with stucco over them. I lived in Tucson and Phoenix but covered most of AZ in my travels and smaller towns did not have fences at all. Where did you live that has wooden fences because I agree with the heat they would fall apart fairly fast.

I moved to Phoenix in jan of 1974 and lived there for 20 years. There were alot of cement block fences too but mostly on newer or higher price homes. I have been gone for about 16 years now so alot could have changed.

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by dogbert

I moved to Phoenix in jan of 1974 and lived there for 20 years. There were alot of cement block fences too but mostly on newer or higher price homes. I have been gone for about 16 years now so alot could have changed.

My house in Phoenix was in an older section just off I-17 and it had cement blocks. From what a lot of the old timers tell me area's that used to be country/farm are all now subdivisions and they are all putting up the walls now. In Tucson even in the old sections and poorly run down sections they also have the walls...it sure is nice with the dogs and if you want to be outside without much on...

Are you glad to be out of the heat?

[Symph2001]

I had a friend who was interested in getting a rescue dog and after going over all the paperwork and being with her when she had one of the many interviews I would have to say in her case it would have been easier to adopt a child than it would be a dog form that particular group.

I know I would pass every criteria for our local groups except one. Small children. I do in home childcare and have the older toddler preschool crowd. Most of the groups near me won't allow their dogs into a home with small children. I understand some of their hesitancy BUT I have to say the 3 small dogs my family has in common all get along very well with the children and once the children understand the dog rules get along famously with the dogs.

Sometimes I wonder if they really want to give the dogs up. You're never going to find someone 'perfect', ever. When someone can either go through a rescue group or a private breeder or the animal shelter which one will they choose? Most likely the path of least resistance or the one that makes them jump through the fewest hoops. The only ones hurt in the end are the rescued animals.

What the vets office did was basically criminal cause it was patently false information. I'd be having a word with the administration.

[dogbert]

Originally Posted by livingdustmops

My house in Phoenix was in an older section just off I-17 and it had cement blocks. From what a lot of the old timers tell me area's that used to be country/farm are all now subdivisions and they are all putting up the walls now. In Tucson even in the old sections and poorly run down sections they also have the walls...it sure is nice with the dogs and if you want to be outside without much on...

Are you glad to be out of the heat?

I only went to Tucson a few times. The field across the street from our first home had sheep in it for years, then one day years later I drove through just to see the old neighborhood and there was a grade school there. The brick made more sense it lasted longer and looked better but the wood was cheaper. Sounds like they are being replaced by brick which is a good thing. I remember climbing over many of the wooden fences in high school. LOL

[monarchmom]

Originally Posted by Symph2001

What the vets office did was basically criminal cause it was patently false information. I'd be having a word with the administration.

Thank you for saying that because I am very upset about this & some other posters have said I should have made sure my vet info was correct but that is what I thought I did when I copied Precious' paperwork from her old vet & hand delivered it to the new vet. And yes I am going to tell the vet that the office staff made a HUGE mistake & ruined my chance on getting any dogs from from that rescue ever! I am just so bummed but i'll let you know what the vet says after the 18th when she goes for her boosters.

MOMMY OF PRECIOUS

[dogbert]

Originally Posted by monarchmom

Thank you for saying that because I am very upset about this & some other posters have said I should have made sure my vet info was correct but that is what I thought I did when I copied Precious' paperwork from her old vet & hand delivered it to the new vet. And yes I am going to tell the vet that the office staff made a HUGE mistake & ruined my chance on getting any dogs from from that rescue ever! I am just so bummed but i'll let you know what the vet says after the 18th when she goes for her boosters.

MOMMY OF PRECIOUS

I thought that too till you said you hand delivered the info. I paid off our account in person only to get a bill later with added fees. That was years ago and to this day they never found the check I handed to the girl, and I used to work there. This crap happens.

[cindyvalente]

I care for my brother's Yorkie Benny who is more like mine, He spends most of the time with my children and I. So when I went on to Petfinder.com and found a couple places nearby that needed a yorkie to be rescued I got turned down. Most of these places have a dog that is all ready fixed. What difference does it make if my Benny isn't fixed, I don't get it? That was 2 questions that I got the rest didn't even bother to answer.