RESCUE or NOT ?

[Teresa Ford]

I was at the County Dog Shelter Tues I started a thread yesterday about rescue / shelter dogs. I was curious to see what others thought. The whole idea was set off by a conversation that went something like this. A woman said, "I want to adopt a little dog, a girl one, that will stay little, do you have any that are house broken and ready to go ?" She was politely asked routine questions like, do you have other pets , children, a fenced yard etc. She got huffy with the person asking. When she was told the cost of the puppy($46.00) and spay agreement , she ask what a spay cost and was told she was told around $65 if done at one of their clinics. She snapped, "You gotta be kidding, it is a mutt and you otta be glad somebody would want it. My friend said your dogs were cheap, that I should come here to get one. God ...Sixty-five dollars for a spay, forget it."
I am normally easy going, But, this really made me angry. I did tell my companion I wouldn't trust that woman to water a plant, never mind let her adopt a puppy ! GRRRR Most of us spend more than that, on flea & heart worm prevention. I thank you for all, the feed back. I knew it would be an interesting conversation.

[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by backwardsrain

I guess that makes sense, if it's just that particular rescue that takes in the dogs other rescues won't take, so they end up with more special needs dogs.
When I mentioned rescue dogs costing as much as dogs from breeders, I saw a few dogs on the rescue page for $700-$850. I've seen good hobby breeders on Yorkietalk selling 12 week old puppies for that much. They also required a stay-at-home parent to adopt the dog, with no children, a fenced backyard, and at least one other small dog in the home. These are stricter requirements than most breeders have.

Yes, they are more stricter requirements than what hobby breeders require. The point of rescue is to place a rescue with a family is so that it is never ever put into rescue or shelters again, so that means very thorough screenings. "hobby breeders" however, do it for a "hobby", their main goal is not to place rescues in need of good homes, their main goal is to do "something they love". IMO not helping with the fact that there are too many animals out there in need of good homes. Now the term hobby breeder can mean several things to several people, so I'm not going to go into it, but I hope you can see why these breeders can sell their puppies for about the cost of a adopting fee.

[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by Teresa Ford

I was at the County Dog Shelter Tues I started a thread yesterday about rescue / shelter dogs. I was curious to see what others thought. The whole idea was set off by a conversation that went something like this. A woman said, "I want to adopt a little dog, a girl one, that will stay little, do you have any that are house broken and ready to go ?" She was politely asked routine questions like, do you have other pets , children, a fenced yard etc. She got huffy with the person asking. When she was told the cost of the puppy($46.00) and spay agreement , she ask what a spay cost and was told she was told around $65 if done at one of their clinics. She snapped, "You gotta be kidding, it is a mutt and you otta be glad somebody would want it. My friend said your dogs were cheap, that I should come here to get one. God ...Sixty-five dollars for a spay, forget it."
I am normally easy going, But, this really made me angry. I did tell my companion I wouldn't trust that woman to water a plant, never mind let her adopt a puppy ! GRRRR Most of us spend more than that, on flea & heart worm prevention. I thank you for all, the feed back. I knew it would be an interesting conversation.

What the heck does she want a dog for then? She needs to get a stuffed animal or a chia pet. I paid over $400 for Uni's spay. Best decision I ever made.

[BabyGirl Rosie]

Originally Posted by KimInMD

Also, many people forget that rescue dogs are vet checked, receive dental care (if needed), are spayed/neutered, heart worm tested, all shots are given, and they are microchipped. For a healthy dog, that can cost $300. If the dog needs teeth extracted, mammary tumors removed, or other procedures done, that can run into the thousands of dollars the rescue has to pay. It upsets me when people balk at paying an adoption fee. They think a rescue dog should be "free". I hear it all the time at PetSmart adoption events. Well, who do they think should pay for the services the dog they are applying to adopt might need? Every dog I've ever fostered has ended up costing me money out of my own pocket. Some people forget about the "start up" costs involved with buying a puppy.

I agree. Many don't realize the expense of everything. $300 is really cheap considering all that has to be done. I got Mikki for $50 as a rehome. She was not in the best of shape. She has been to the vet 4 times in the last 2 months. During that time, she has been spayed, dew claws removed, heartworm tested, shots, checkup, and now needs a dental. That does not include the food, Advantix, heartworm preventative, grooming, etc. I know that our bill is WAY past the $300 mark. They just don't get the expense that the rescues are putting out. And think paying for them is crazy. But don't bat an eye to pay $700-$800 from a breeder.

[RachelandSadie]

it's ridiculous to expect to pay $400 for a crappy bred dog with thousands of dollars of health issues...IE: Sadie

when you could have $350.00 for a fully vetted, neutered, 10 month old puppy, good behavior, great teeth, great health, all his shots and check ups, ready to go to a forever home...IE: Bentley

Why not rescue/adopt when they are cheaper in the long run than any other dog out there and are completely vetted and ready for your love. It saves money and saves doggie lives...what could possibly be better?

[kdhawks]

I cannot even express how grateful I am to have Levi. He is a perfect example of a young adult rescue with (thankfully!) no health or behavioral issues. He was two years old when I got him, healthy, and fully vetted. He's energetic, fun, friendly, housebroken, trustworthy...I couldn't ask for a better little companion. Not all rescues come with tons of baggage. Some do, of course, but that's why it is so crucial to know your limits and also get to know the pup before you bring him/her home. Levi's foster mom was amazing during the whole adoption process.

[roseylovestosho]

There's a pretty big difference between adopting a dog from a shelter versus adopting a dog from a rescue. Adopting a dog from a rescue requires greater commitment as the application process can be quite daunting, there's home checks, etc which is far superior to much of the screening tests that breeders do when they're trying to sell you a dog. While the process is not perfect, it does help reduce the probability that someone who cannot handle certain types of behavioral issues/health risks will not be accepted as an adequate fit for the particular dog that they requested. The process may also serve as a learning experience to a potential dog owner who may be unaware of the full responsibility of what a dog entails and thus may postpone adoption (or buying from a breeder). In short, of course not everyone can handle a "rescue" dog, but it is definitely a better learning experience to go through the application process versus finding a dog online pay the money and find out about that dog's temperament, health issues etc later down the road. Furthermore, those who do not put the time and effort to train their dogs regardless of whether they bred the dog themselves or bought it off a breeder will still end up with dogs with behavioral issues or health risks...who may then just end up being dumped at a shelter. So you're left with three options:
1) Try to adopt from a rescue (where you might get rejected)
2) Try to adopt from a shelter...give the dog a test drive and return it back after taking care of a dog is not as easy as it seems OR
3) Buy a brand spankin' new dog from a breeder...STILL don't take care of your dog like you're supposed to and then dump the dog at the shelter.

At least with option 2 you're not adding more dogs to the shelter population.

[TwoforFun]

I have one rescue. I didn't know his background, age or behavior. He was pretty healthy which that was a big plus since I don't have a lot of money. And my Lil' Man is the most behave breathing thing in my household

The special need dogs do require special owners. I wish I could adopt any dog with any need. But with three skinkids, three furkids theirs not a lot of time or money in my hand to do so.

[KimInMD]

My current foster dog is nippy, yet people with small children insisted on applying for her. I've seen home checks where the applicant says they live in a house with a fenced yard, and in truth it was an apartment that didn't allow dogs (and they wanted a big dog). Just last week I rejected someone because they live out of state, and the applicant said her daughter lived in Maryland, so could we "fudge" the application and let the daughter apply, then she could give the dog to her mother. We try hard to match our dogs with a home that best suits each individual dog. A fearful dog straight from a puppy mill would do best in a quiet home as opposed to a loud, busy family. Rescues are strict because sometimes the applicants are less than honest with us. Our primary concern is always for what is in the best interest of the dog. Sure, there are rescue dogs out there with serious problems, but foster parents work hard on leash, chewing and potty training, fear and trust issues, skin and health problems, socialization, behavior issues and good manners. Many of our dogs have never even experienced living in a house before. Dogs are less likely to be returned to us if their problems are addressed prior to their adoption. Often, people who adopt a rescue dog get the benefit of someone else's hard work. They forget that it's my carpets and furnishings that get ruined. Will I excessively screen potential adopters? You're darn right I will. I hate rejecting anyone who applies, but I want my foster dog to have the very best new family and a wonderful new life. They deserve nothing less, and I promise them that on the first day they come through my door. I dont want to sound mean, but if you don't like the fees or the application process, then clearly you aren't the right match for this fur baby I've grown to love and been called to protect.

[Buster Brown]

You know many of us that love and treat our dogs wonderfully DO NOT HAVE BACKYARDS! I live in LA and many people live in apartments. I tried to get a Yorkie from a rescue but since I did not have a back yard I was refused. I understand how a bigger dog could use a yard but with a Yorkie what is the difference between hanging out in your backyard or going to a park to play. Many people have dogs that they just put out in their yard and never interact with and it's not like you can just leave your Yorkie out in the yard between predatory animals and predatory people it is just not safe! I do feel that rescue's should take into consideration that not everybody in urban areas have the luxury of owning or renting a home but still could be great dog guardians.

[KimInMD]

Originally Posted by Buster Brown

You know many of us that love and treat our dogs wonderfully DO NOT HAVE BACKYARDS! I live in LA and many people live in apartments. I tried to get a Yorkie from a rescue but since I did not have a back yard I was refused. I understand how a bigger dog could use a yard but with a Yorkie what is the difference between hanging out in your backyard or going to a park to play. Many people have dogs that they just put out in their yard and never interact with and it's not like you can just leave your Yorkie out in the yard between predatory animals and predatory people it is just not safe! I do feel that rescue's should take into consideration that not everybody in urban areas have the luxury of owning or renting a home but still could be great dog guardians.

I agree with you 100%. We do place small dogs with people who live in apartments, (I just processed such an application) as long as the applicant can prove dogs are allowed in the building. We would never match the apartment adopter with a hyper "barker", and the dog would have to be leash trained. Fenced yards are required dogs that are flight risks. Since my Lola was leash trained and very low key, Md. Pet Match allowed me to adopt her without having a fenced yard. We were renting then.
I'm sorry that the rescue refused to place a Yorkie with you. It does seem unfair. I'm guessing that the rescue was flooded with good applications for that particular dog, so they tightened the criteria in order to whittle down the the number of eligible adopters. I can't speak for other rescues though.

[Buster Brown]

Thanks it is good to know that they do place in apartments ( the right apartments) I was so sad at the time. I had waited for 3 years between deciding that I wanted a dog and getting one because I wanted to make sure I was ready for the responsibility and my schedule was flexible enough to be able to have enough time to acclimate the dog to it's new home so when they said no I was crushed. I do understand being very careful because these dogs have been through so much all ready. I really appreciate you reply.

[BanditSocks2]

Originally Posted by Buster Brown

I think you bring up some very valid points. I respect those who take on the challenges of special needs dogs. I feel everybody has the right to decide if they want to purchase or rescue their dog. If they decide to purchase it is important that people should research where their new dog is coming from and make sure it is from a reputable breeder. Also they must realize that it is a life time commitment to a living being and be prepared to assume responsibility for the animals care. If you are not sure you can handle the responsibility then wait until you are ready.

I agree with you, just because you cannot rescue doesn't mean you should buy a dog from a petstore! No matter what you decide to do you need to make an educated decision.

[Britster]

Originally Posted by Buster Brown

You know many of us that love and treat our dogs wonderfully DO NOT HAVE BACKYARDS! I live in LA and many people live in apartments. I tried to get a Yorkie from a rescue but since I did not have a back yard I was refused. I understand how a bigger dog could use a yard but with a Yorkie what is the difference between hanging out in your backyard or going to a park to play. Many people have dogs that they just put out in their yard and never interact with and it's not like you can just leave your Yorkie out in the yard between predatory animals and predatory people it is just not safe! I do feel that rescue's should take into consideration that not everybody in urban areas have the luxury of owning or renting a home but still could be great dog guardians.

I agree- even a big dog. Honestly my dog without a fence (we live on 3 acres but unfenced, so he's on leash) gets a HECK of a lot more love, attention, training, etc, than most people I know with backyards, who simply let their dogs out there a few times a day to entertain themselves. Think about it- even with a big dog, they are most likely not going to be running around the house anyways so what do you need a big space for, so long as you getting the dog exercise, it doesn't matter how big a home is or a backyard.

[caribear]

Originally Posted by addevo

The OP may not be intending to blur the line, but let me emphasize that not all rescue dogs are automatically "special needs."

There are alot of healthy, well loved, well adjusted dogs that end up at shelters or with rescues. Sometimes people's situations change, and they can no longer take care of their dogs. The previous owner of our current dog developed a brain tumor, was facing surgery, months of recovery and follow up care (chemo,etc) and had no family or support system nearby. She loved her dog enough to turn him over to a rescue because she felt she wasn't going to be able to continue giving him the spoiled, pampered life style he had become accustomed to. He was house trained, healthy and sweet as can be.

Any good rescue or shelter will make potential adopters fully aware of any known health or behavior problems with their "candidates." It does no good to try to hoodwink an adopter into taking a dog that they are not going to be up to the financial or emotional burden of caring for.

So please, don't automatically put all rescue dogs in the same category. They aren't all emaciated, mean, sick and abused basket cases. I'll say it again, there are alot of healthy, friendly, well adjusted dogs out there waiting for you.

And as other posters have pointed out, you can get a well bred puppy from a good breeder and still end up with a special needs dog. Our friends researched breeders, carefully choosing one that was reputable, paid alot of money for an adorable Westie puppy, and still ended up with a dog who went blind before she was 3 years old. There are no guarantees that a dog will NEVER develop a health problem down the road. And all dogs, if they live long enough, become "special needs" near the end of their lives.

I agree with this. I think helping a shelter/rescue dog is a wonderful thing. Getting a dog with special needs is different then a shelter/rescue. Training should be done if needed & a person shouldn't just go jump into getting a dog regardless of how they acquire it.