I''m SICK of Dog Rescue Groups

Go to your local shelter.

OP, it's probably because many animal rescue people are nuts. A friend of mine runs a cat rescue group. Her group has spayed, neutered, and vetted thousands of cats for free over the years. They've really done a remarkable job with animal over-population in our area. My friend is completely normal, but most of the other people in the group are batshit crazy. They have zero people skills, many are histrionic, and none of them could fund-raise their way out of a wet paper bag. They have warm hearts where critters are concerned, but are horrible when interacting with people. My friend is continually having to run behind these losers doing damage control. She's just about to bail at this point. It's not you, believe me, it's them.

OP = Jeffrey Dahmer

Because once they find out you have a penis or are gay, they shred your application. Lesbians are VICIOUS and hateful.

R1 - I've been to a number of local shelters. Every time, I fill out an application before I go, email it in and by the time I get there, the dog is gone - or the "sweet adorable puppy" that they advertise on Petfinder has been deemed aggressive and frankly, that's not something I'm willing to take on. R2 - I would contact someone else in the rescue if I had another name or phone number. But they keep that stuff pretty secretive. When they respond to your emails, they don't even put the name of the dog or the name of their rescue anywhere in the email, which makes it next to impossible to know which dog they're referring to. I now have a separate folder with all my emails, applications and pics of the dogs. I'm not Jeffery Dahmer R3 - I want to adopt the dog, not eat it for dinner.

Bullshit, R4. These animal rescue groups are equal opportunity crazies. Yes, they do a lot of good, but they go overboard requesting references, checking out the home, etc. OP, is there an Animal Care and Control (that's what they call it in NYC) in your community? You could adopt a dog from there and save a life. Or if you have any neighborhood online forums, sometimes people advertise there when they're looking to adopt out a dog or cat. Slightly OT, but what is up with this raw food fad? I have a dog and two cats and have been checking out some online pet forums and some of the people are absolutely nuts when it comes to the issue of raw diet vs. regular pet food. They're like vegans in their missionary zeal.

Oh, I understand. A cat rescue group didn't want to give me my first cat because I had a job. Seriously, that was their reason, I couldn't work full time and have a cat. After I ranted and raved about how the hell someone was supposed to take care of a cat without working, AND be able to afford the $250 the rescue group was charging me for the cat, they finally let me take her. Poor cat was terrified of people, and had signs of having been severely beaten when she was a kitten. Years later they were shut down for abusing animals. I'm much more suspicious these days, not everyone who claims to be doing good truly is.

I think I've finally learned [italic]my[/italic] lesson.

R6 -

I don't get the raw food thing at all. My last dog lived 17 years eating freaking Gainesburgers and whatever my dad fed him off his plate.

I've contacted every place within 50 miles of my home that has a dog I'm interested in. My area doesn't not have anything like the NYC Animal Care and Control. Its pretty much by county, and if you call them they send the dogs to either one of 2 shelters - one is a high kill and the other is a no-kill. I've gotten so familiar with all the rescue groups in the area that I now know all the dogs by heart by their listings on Petfinder.

I've also contacted breed rescues to discuss fostering and/or adoption and I rarely hear back.

There is one group that only gets dogs from Puerto Rico. I have a feeling that the owner of the rescue is actually a breeder in Puerto Rico and ships her dogs here under the guise of adopting them out as rescues.

There is another rescue where apparently you only get a response to your application if you beg them for attention on the FB page.

Seriously.

I'm totally uninterested in the Staffies, Pits, and Rotties, which seem to be the majority of whats out there.

I'm looking for a small dog and want to raise it from a puppy.

I'm about thisfar from going to a pet store and buying a puppy - something I thought I'd never say, let alone do.

Go to your local ASPCA or Humane Society. Yeah, yeah, they're evil murderers, but they're reputable, established organizations that know what they're doing and will make sure you get a sane, healthy animal that'll make a good companion.

I work in rescue. People who put stipulations on the size or age of the pet are weeded out as douchebags, which according to trolldar, you are. A pet store? Really? This is what your "small puppy" is coming from.

Isn't there a DLer who runs a rescue? What do you say? Can you get an animal to OP and shut her up?

OMG I had the same experience. Then I went to Craigslist and got jerked around by a sicko with Daschund by proxy. "Yes, you can come take a look and take her home" "ohhh my boyfriend said he'd given him away" "sorry! good news! my boyfriend was kidding!" "turns out he wasn't kidding" *moved on to the person I got my little angel from* then "She's here, turns out..."

We found a VERY friendly, healthy kitten, who was loose but had been living in our garage/condo complex, took him to get a new home (we already had cats, but would've kept him if he had no place to go and told them just to call if he needs to be picked back up rather than euthanized...we were in the middle of moving). Next thing we know, we get a letter that they put him to sleep because he was nervous and wouldn't eat. But they did it right after taking him in, despite being healthy and cute and friendly and having a last-ditch home that would pay $150 to take him back! They knew this!

Crazy rescue person! Ha!

[quote]People who put stipulations on the size or age of the pet are weeded out as douchebags

Really? In order to get a dog you can't say that you're prefer a terrier to a mastiff? Or that you don't want to potty-train a puppy?

Size and age seem to me to be utterly reasonable items to stipulate.

Those rescue people are nuts and should be euthanized! As long as the people willing to adopt are not going to use them for dog fighting or experiments, they should be thankful and not uptight bitches!

Rescue groups and the people who traffic with them are mostly pathological. Severe mental illness abounds. Adopt from an animal control shelter (which is where they are mostly in need, especially kill shelters) or buy from a breeder. I love animals, but dealing with the psychotics at rescue groups is well beyond my patience.

Yes, I realize that I should check my posts.

Because of a friend's involvement, I became a board member and volunteer in a rescue group. It took me about six months to discover the group had become a front for cat hoarders. When I began investigating further, I discovered that the only local rescue group that was not a haven for cat hoarders was the Humane Association.

The people in the group who rescued dogs were an entirely different story, probably because dogs aren't as good for hoarding as cats.

I could tell stories for hours about the crazy damn people I met in those rescue groups. I feel sorry for the animals.

There are some good ones but the majority are staffed with nutcases who are into animals because they can't get along with humans. When I tried to adopt a dog, one came to check my house and actually opened drawers in my kitchen. I threw her out.

Go to your local humane society or county animal shelter. Sometimes Petco and PetSmart have "adoption days" where adoptable animals from shelters are brought in. These organizations really want to see their animals adopted out instead of euthanized, so you will get a much better reception. Yes, you will have to fill out papers, buy a license and pay an adoption fee, but you will be saving the life of an animal who might otherwise be put to death. Don't set yourself up for failure with the crazy "rescue" people, many of whom are just pathetic animal collectors who can't bear to part with any of their "collection".

Rescue people aren't "nuts" we've just seen some super fucked up shit. I'm waiting on a dog that was thrown out of a moving car so that I can foster it. It will be a lot of work. We take back pets that we've adopted for any reason. A few come back undernourished and obviously mistreated after a few years with their adoptive parents. (who turn them back in for such classic reasons as "We're moving" or "Well, we're going to start trying to have a baby") So forgive us if we're choosy in the prospective adopters.

If I interviewed someone who was only interested "In a puppy, who won't get very big" this is what I hear. "I just really want something cute and I think big dogs are a huge pain in the ass, I'm under the mistaken impression that a small dog is less work and that's what I'm interested in, less work" Well, a puppy is a hell of a lot of work.

A lot of rescue groups are being deluged with emails from people looking to get rid of their pets. My city kills 219 pets A DAY. If you want to help, become a foster or offer to help with paperwork, phone calls and emails.

I agree with R17. We got our dog from a breeder. We wanted a particular breed and we wanted a puppy. I guess that makes us bad people.

One of our cats was a stray that I adopted through a co-worker. The other cat I adopted through Kitty Kind, which runs adoption events at Petco in NYC. It was an easy adoption; I took her home the same day. I wonder if there's something similar in your community for dogs, OP?

One thing you could do, if you have the time, is volunteer at an animal shelter. You'd be doing good and meeting potential pets.

r11, you are too picky. yes, go to the county animal shelter.

Are you for real R11? Age and size should be irrelevant to a prospective pet owner?

We adopted our cat from the county animal shelter through Petco. We looked through the adoptable animal photos online, decided to go take a look at this cat, spent some time with him at the Petco "cat room" and took him home that day.

We paid a $50 adoption fee which included his medical exam while in the shelter, vaccinations, flea treatment, worming, and a collar and license (he was already neutered). We were also given a voucher for an exam from the vet of our choice. We had to fill out papers listing our home and work addresses, and agree to keep him as an indoor kitty (which we would have done anyway). We felt good about giving him a home, and we love him to bits. He's adorable and affectionate, so it was a win-win situation.

About a week later someone from the shelter called just to see how we were getting along, which I didn't find intrusive. I'd adopt again from the shelter in a heartbeat.

Wow, after reading all these posts, it's no wonder that puppy mills are flourishing.

The resuce people sounds completely bonkers.

They are.

This thread is so timely. My partner, our daughter and I were walking on the UWS recently and we met up with a local rescue group. One of the dogs they had was a six week old supposed Havanese who had a cast on her leg. She had been abused, her leg broken and tossed out into the street. We fell in love with her and wanted to take her but we were about to leave for a one week vacation. I was told to fill out an application and if the dog was still available I might have a chance of getting her, but under no circumstances would they hold the dog for us til we returned. I sent in the application the moment we got home from seeing the dog and of course, it was gone when we came back from vacation. I agree with OP that it is difficult to get a dog from these rescue groups. I have decided to adopt from North Shore Animal League www.nsal.org

[quote] If I interviewed someone who was only interested "In a puppy, who won't get very big" this is what I hear. "I just really want something cute and I think big dogs are a huge pain in the ass, I'm under the mistaken impression that a small dog is less work and that's what I'm interested in, less work"

Or maybe it's someone who doesn't have a huge yard, or someone who isn't able to walk a large or strong, rambunctious dog due to health issues.

Maybe someone had a larger dog before for a lot of years but as the person is getting older, realizes that a smaller dog is the only choice so that they know they will be able to pick up the dog and get them in the car and to the vet on a regular basis.

Some of us, should we choose to adopt another dog, want to make sure we can care for the animal properly, and that means a smaller dog who doesn't get very large, so that we can ensure their safety as well as their well being.

R11 - I'm not a fan of large dogs. I prefer small dogs. I also don't want a dog that's 15 years old who will probably die a week after I get it from old age.

Why is that an issue with you?

The idea of going to a pet store is only borne as a result of nutcases like you who think that a potential adopter who actually knows the kind of dog they want is an idiot.

Did you ever stop to think that a dog that fits the lifestyle of the person ends up actually having a "forever"' home instead of ending up back in a shelter?

I have a 5 inch scar on my arm from the bite of a large dog that I got when I was 15. As a result I have no interest in a large dog. Is that ok with you?

Feel free to troll-dar me all you like. What started this was a thread on Doxies that I started (and learned enough to realize that a Doxie wouldn't be a good fit for me - thank you DL!), and then after being approved for another puppy and then blown off by the rescue, I'm posting this thread.

You can go fuck yourself you self-important piece of shit.

Bravo, R31. R11 is a shit.

My Arthur is quite a character. He loves his Purina One cat chow and I think he's the handsomest cat around.

I'm a low level volunteer with both dog and cat rescues. I handle a dog once monthly at adoption shows. I also go in a couple of hours a week and volunteer with cats at the local Petsmart. They're placed there by a private rescue.

I had a huge falling out with the director of the private cat rescue over the care of my cats when they were first adopted and they were very sick. Long story, we silently agreed to a truce and I still volunteer. I like the local volunteers and I'm happy to volunteer a few hours out of the month for the poor cats. Some of the them are in cages for years waiting for an adopter. The saddest cases are the ones that do get adopted but for a myriad of reasons are then returned to the shelter cages. Some after being family pets for years.

I wouldn't call the director/full time workers/volunteers nuts...they have their hearts in the right place but there is a strong martyr streak in some of these people. They've devoted their entire lives to rescuing cats/dogs and therefore, you cannot ever question their motives and actions. There are things that they do and say that sometimes make me want to gnash my teeth but I just keep in mind that the couple of hours I'm at the adoption center I'm doing something good for the cats.

The cat rescue allows adoption without inspection and the third degree. The contract stipulates that the rescue can come by and check on adopted cats--but they do not have the capacity to actually do this. At most they'll send out a follow-up email. Having said that, unfortunately there are some sick abusers out there and rescues do have to set some hardline standards to ensure the animals aren't sent off with monsters and idiots.

And that's just the cat rescue. I volunteer with the dog rescue to get some doggie time since I can't have a dog in my apartment nor my current lifestyle. The dog rescue has its own issues. Again, nothing out of order, they really do care about the dogs--just a little gestapo-like with adoption rules and slightly out of touch. I'm the only non-white volunteer and I'm convinced that there is a latent inclination towards not adopting out to minorities and non-English speakers.

Woo, that's a long one. I love my kitties and wish I could have a doggie...

OP, not judging on your preference but wanted to point out why your search will be more difficult. Small dogs are very popular and go very quickly at shelters and private rescues. And puppies are also popular. Looking for a small breed puppy and you really got two huge strikes against you. You shouldn't have to adopt a large dog but based on your preference, you're going to have to deal with the supply and demand issue. Yes, going to a pet store will take care of this issue--personally I'd never support that industry nor would I ever buy. But if you're going to buy, go with a reputable breeder.

On the one hand, it's true you can meet some absolute nutcakes in pet rescue groups.

On the other hand, the "but they go overboard requesting references, checking out the home, etc." - well, almost every one of those adoptable animals came from somebody's home. And there is a never ending supply of them. A never ending supply of homes of people who should not be adopting animals.

Realistically, how do you expect the groups to at least try keeping each animal out of the infinite revolving door of unsuitable homes?

In the several years I once worked with such a group, we had consistently (meaning daily, weekly): - pets turned in who were left behind at rental properties or by home owners who'd moved - sick pets being dumped because the owners could not afford ANY vet care - sick pets being dumped because the owners did not believe in the concept of vet care ("when I was growing up we never...") - sick pets being dumped because the owners thought vet-prescribed treatments like giving meds or special diets were too much hassle - sick pets being dumped because the owners, instead of providing vet care, just "knew" their pets were being stubborn or were mad at them - litters being dumped because the owner didn't believe in spay/neuter - litters being dumped because now my kids have finally seen the miracle of birth but we really don't want any more pets - pets dumped because they were unwanted gifts - pets dumped because new partner doesn't like them or vice versa - pets dumped because two pet owners were joining households - pets dumped due to owner pregnancy - pets dumped because 'owner' is leaving for college - pets dumped because owner is graduating from college - pets dumped because owner 'falls in love' with no-pets housing unit - pets dumped because owner wants to travel/retire/relocate - pets dumped for not getting along with newer, more exciting pet! - pets dumped because thrill of 'new pet experience' has worn off and taking care of pet is boring and is like work and costs money - pets dumped due to failure of 'common sense training' by the owner ("we locked him in the shed for 6 days to teach him a lesson and he still wouldn't stop that peeing in the front yard!"... "no matter how many times I hit her with the spatula she won't use the litter box next to the dog's crate.")

I could add a dozen more, easily, and won't even go into domestic abuse issues. And I see even more ridiculousness among pet owners I know personally, like a co-worker "at wit's end" because she couldn't "train" her cat to stop going to the bathroom in their dirt-filled crawl space. When I suggested covering the small opening to the crawl space, she treated me like I was Einstein.

OP, if you really aren't having any luck with the rescue groups and shelters and pounds in your area, rather than buy from a pet store, please consider buying from a reputable breeder. Most pet stores are basically fronts for puppy mills, which are horrible places, and most of the dogs that come from there have multiple health and behavioral issues. Plus, the breeder dogs are put through hell. At least with a reputable breeder, you usually get to visit the breeder and see the situation the mother and the puppies are in ahead of time.

I volunteer at North Shore Animal League, and the first question we ask is what kind of animal they have in mind. That way we have an idea what animals we should introduce them to. I haven't dealt much with the smaller rescues, so I can't speak to them.

I will say that while the majority of potential adopters I've dealt with were awesome people, there were enough creepy ones that make wariness warranted. People who wanted our "meanest looking dog" to use as a guard dog at their business property, and then got upset because all our pittie and Staffie mixes were big goofy kids who just wanted to play. People who wanted to trade in the two cats they already had and get two kittens instead because they were "sick of the cats they had." Shit like that.

R2 here. Look, I said many animal rescue people are nuts, not all. R11/R22, it sounds like you're doing great work. I apologize if you took my post the wrong way.

As mentioned, I help my (normal) friend with rescue. An appalling number of dogs and cats are given up for ridiculous reasons every day in this country. Many of the dogs and cats that rescue people are trying to find homes for were just about to be put to sleep, or had been returned to the shelter multiple times by different owners. That's the cruelest thing to deal with, so the rescuers are right to be picky about sending these animals into new homes. (But NO, not raw food, looking in your drawers picky!)

What the most of the rescuers are doing is noble. What I was trying to get across is that a certain percentage of them are misanthropes with abysmal people skills. That said, most of them really love animals and take great care of them, often spending a lot of money to bring them back to health. It's a double-edged sword, however. I'm just feeling for my friend who's dealing with some really weird people right now.

[quote]I'm waiting on a dog that was thrown out of a moving car so that I can foster it.

The cat sitting on my lap right now was rescued from a water-filled roadside ditch, where he had landed after being tossed from a moving car. The folks driving immediately behind that car saw it happen and stopped to pick him up.

R35 - I've been attempting to adopt on and off for quite a while now and have always been willing to wait for the right dog.

My problem is that Friday I was approved for the adoption of a listed puppy and was told that they would call me to set up a home visit - something I had no problem with. And then...silence.

I waited until the next day and sent an email. Again...silence.

After sending an additional email and another phone call, I was told that the pup was being kept by the foster mom. Ok -they could have called me or emailed me back on Friday or any other time to tell me.

Then they asked if I was interested in 2 other puppies they just listed, and I said yes. They both fit what I was looking for and neither had been listed when I saw the listing (with no picture btw) for the 1st puppy. I even left it up to them as to which would be a better match.

And all I get again is...silence.

This is R36... sorry about the WOT, the formatting didn't take.

Yeah, there are just some awful pet owners out there. Not sick and abusive but also dumb and thoughtless. And I can't understand the ones who leave their foreclosed home/evicted apartments without their animals. They lock up and walk away. Do they really believe that their pets will fend for themselves? Or they know full well they're subjecting their pets to slow and painful death and just don't care? I have sympathy for those who have fallen on hard times but when they do not even make the effort to take their pets to a shelter or adopt them out...

OP (R40) - So this is all about not getting an immediate answer over the weekend?

Mermaid - I am well-aware of the puppy mills. Did you read the NY Times article this weekend about "designer mutts" and puppy mills? I was saying what I said out of frustration. But the fact is that with this level of frustration I can see why people give up and just buy at a pet store. If I had nothing else to do but go into the city or even drive out to the North Shore Animal League (about a 2 1/2 hour drive from my house)every day, then I probably could easily find a dog. But I'm limited to filling out and emailing applications during my work day and doing my best to follow up during the evening. And just so you know - I'm not a creepy adopter. I live alone in a nice house that I own, with a fenced in deck and a large yard. I also work from home, so the dog would be alone maybe 1-2 hours on any given day and hopefully would like to travel with me to visit friends and family. But yeah - there are a ton of creeps out there. I'm just not one of them.

R40, you realize it's Easter weekend right? You're dealing with a loose association of volunteers who may or may not all be communicating with one another. I know you want a pet right now but give them some time *while still expressing your interest, and you'll get your dog.

I'm not trying to judge you too much but when you have 30 awesome dogs that you've rehabilitated and trained who need homes and 150 people who want "puppies who won't ever get over 11lbs" you get pushed down on the list of people we're interested in dealing with.

No R43 - this is about being told I had the dog and that they had to arrange an immediate home visit since they don't like keeping dogs in foster for too long. I told them they were welcome any time. They told me they'd call me back in an hour.

And I didn't hear from them until Monday, and only because I contacted them. They made no effort to let me know that the foster mom wanted to keep the dog.

The way they were talking was that they wanted to do the visit this past weekend. Since I work from home, I was was fine with that or any other day they could have chosen.

I also went out on Saturday and bought 2 crates (one for in the house and one for travel), dog beds, leash, toys, food, snacks, and ex-pen for the dog. All based on the promise that the puppy was mine.

Oh wait, I almost forgot my favorite bs line when people return animals.

I can't tell you how many times we get people wanting to return six or eight month old dogs that they'd adopted from us at two or three months. When asked the reason they're returning them, they say it's because they "want to travel" and can't bring the dog along. Being that they only adopted the dog at the most six months ago, I'm pretty sure they'd know of any future traveling plans at the time, and are just using that as an excuse. What they're really saying is "We wanted a cute puppy, but now he's getting big, and he's a lot more work than we thought, so you can have him back now."

Well, that's all well and good, except it's a hell of a lot harder to adopt out an eight month old, untrained (because fuck if these dogs are ever trained when they come back to us) dog than it is to adopt out a cute little three month old puppy. So now this poor dog is stuck in the shelter for months on end, sometimes close to a year, where we try to train it and socialize it, and hope and pray someone comes along and sees what an awesome dog they are underneath their bad doggie manners and adolescent behavior.

Meanwhile, there are signs all over the puppy room that say adopting a puppy is a fifteen year commitment at least, so take it seriously.

Sorry, I just needed to vent. Carry on.

Give it a rest, R11! You are a Mother Theresa! Hail & praise R11!!!

I give my dog cheese, I bet that is a sin with the crazy rescue group people!

They're crazy alright, and mostly vegan.

You can't swing a dead cat without hitting a vegan in one of those animal rescue places.

R11 - The dog was listed. I applied. I was approved via email and a call from the rescue coordinator. The dog was promised to me contingent on a home visit that they wanted to do immediately. I made myself available to fit their schedules.

And then I heard nothing.

This has nothing to do with a group of large dogs still needing homes. They were very interested in me by virtue of their response to me within 24 hours after my application.

I still think you're an idiot.

OP, I wasn't saying that YOU were a creepy adopter, I hope you realize. You actually sound like a pretty good adopter, and the working from home should be a plus when it comes to adopting a puppy.

Like I said above, I'm also just venting a bit. And yeah, remember that it was Easter weekend and it might take them a bit longer to get back to you.

Good luck.

No Mermaid - I know you were just venting. No worries.

I'm still trying to get over the fact that to R11, anybody who cannot accomodate ANY size dog is a "douchebag".

That's all very well and good, R36, but there are those of us who have had animals all of our lives, taken good care of them, and are just hoping to give a good home to another animal after we've lost one of our furry friends. My oldest cat died at the age of 17 three years ago. His sister/littermate died the year before he did at age 16. Both of those cats I rescued from the street when they were 6 weeks old. Another cat I had since she was 6 months old lived to be 12 before he died. My current cat, who I raised from the day she was born on a bottle because her mother didn't feed her kittens,is turning 13 later this year. My dog who I rescued from the pound when she was 9 weeks old died on her birthday last November at the age of 13. Based on my resume over the years, why do I need to supply references? Submit to intrusive home visits as though I'm not equipped to adopt and care for an animal?

[quote]Whats with these nutcases? Do they get off on this or what? Yes, some people like to feel important in some capacity, no matter how minor.

R11 is a self-righteous little shit who lives in a 112 ft sq. apt and has to sleep standing up.

[quote]They have warm hearts where critters are concerned, but are horrible when interacting with people. That's the typical scenario. So what makes people like this tick? Like crazy PETA types, I mean. Nasty people who are obsessed with animals. Anyone have any ideas?

I would also recommend a good, private breeder if you want a puppy and you're having trouble with the rescue groups. It's what I did, and my guy is wonderful.

Signs of a good breeder (and not a puppy mill) - they have one or two litters at a time of one specific breed and personally care for the puppies, socializing them while also letting them live with their litter under the care of their mother for at least the first 8 weeks (or until they get adopted.)

A good breeder will also want to know your experience with dogs and exactly what you're looking for, what your lifestyle is like, how much space you have, how much exercise you're planning to give the dog, etc. A good breeder will know the specific personalities of their puppies and will be able to recommend a good match based on what they've watched from birth and your specifics.

Most importantly, most good breeders don't really make much money at this. The money you spend goes to maintain and improve their breeding. A lot of them are show dog breeders (think the people in "Best In Show" - there could be a whole other movie about the breeding side of those dog shows which that movie totally didn't go into at all) and there will always be "pet only" puppies in every litter who don't meet the breed standard for showing or breeding, but are wonderful, healthy animals from good stock who make excellent pets and come free of "issues" like rescue dogs might.

A good breeder will also breed for temperament as much as physical perfection. They'll guarantee the puppy against specific disease for the first year or so. They'll also be able to provide references from previous adopters. It's also a bonus if they can provide an AKC family history, so you can see that there hasn't been any inbreeding for at least many generations back. That can be an issue with purebreds, especially popular breeds that can be overbred temporarily and "spoil" the breed unnecessarily (we're still dealing with the offspring of all the dogs people got when "101 Dalmations" first came out and there was all kinds of demand and lots of bad breeding with bad health effects, and then lots of people surrendering them when they couldn't handle the breed).

So if rescue hits a dead end, you might look online for breeders. Puppyfind.com and Nextdaypets.com are good places to start. A lot of good independent breeders list their dogs there.

I took in two stray kittens. Which meant no middlemen, no rescue society crazies, no fees (except vetrinary care), no paperwork, and no heartbreaking visits to a shelter full of animals I couldn't adopt. And they're sweet, healthy, and well-behaved, you'd never guess Junior is feral.

And you don't have to put in any effort to find strays, just put the word out, and before long someone you know will be trying to find a home for one.

I'm sure this isn't the thread to bitch (haha) about this, but it really is quite disgusting how obsessed Americans are with pets. Does it just come down to having something that loves you no matter what and you can have dominance and control over it, a pet being akin to a retarded child or something to people with this mindset? I mean, really... more children go hungry every night in this country than dogs or cats. That is a pretty sad state of affairs. Why on earth pet charities are considered tantamount to homeless children charities, or AIDS charities, or arts charities, or education charities says a lot about what we value in this country. Get over yourselves (and your pets). And, no, your domesticated animal is NOT cute and cuddly, Neanderthal. Read a fucking book or learn what REAL relationships and companionship is about.

Just wait until summer, go to a small town, and give the little girl sitting outside the grocery store a few bucks for one of the puppies in her cardboard box marked "puppies 4 sale."

Puppies 4 sale? Are you sure that that little girl wasn't actually Prince?

Yeah r58, it's like the folks who just love humanity but can't stand people. Pets need their advocates no doubt but not at the expense of practicality.

OP, call your local veterinarian or the one who has been taking care of your past pets. They always know of strays or dogs who need homes. Always. I got my two cats from my vet . They both are now three. She called me the other day and wanted to know if I could give a home to a seven year old abandoned dog. I just don't have the space for a dog but I did give her three names.

Call your vet.

[quote] I mean, really... more children go hungry every night in this country than dogs or cats. That is a pretty sad state of affairs.

I LOATHE children, so I couldn't care less whether they starve or not.

[quote]Yeah [R58], it's like the folks who just love humanity but can't stand people.

No need to bring DLers into this.

So do I, R65, but shouldn't we care for members of our own species over another, less intelligent one? Are you really saying you'd give a crust of bread to a starving dog before a starving child? As much as I dislike children, I am not that hardhearted (or hardheaded).

Why must it be one or the other r67? I do my part for people in need as well as animals in need.

It's not an either/or proposition for me.

R64 - that's something I never though about. I'll do that tomorrow. Thanks!

I don't believe animals are any less intelligent than we are, R61/67. If those starving kids are so intelligent why aren't they foraging for food like the animals would be?

You care for the little snot nosed rugrats, I'll take the animals any day.

Well, Mermaid, until more than half of this country can actually read and write and until we have a functioning arts community (subsidization seems to work wonders for the BBC and National Theatre in the UK) shouldn't we be prioritizing a bit? Sure, King and Tabby are cute and all, but, c'mon, we're talking about the future of fucking civilization here... so, no, you can't really have it both ways.

What would befall humanity if there were a few less thousand cats and dogs when our collective brains are shrinking by the minute and the ocean is boiling and the icebergs are melting precipitously?

Mia, there ALWAYS comes a choice. That is the way of life. It makes sure you know who you are and face it. Those with no set of principles other than 'i just love animals, sooooo much' are those who will invariably choose their own emotional obsessions over even the very thing they testify to love. Thus you have emotionally stunted individuals who will choose to keep animals in a cage rather than reasonably allow the system to place pets appropriately.

In my experience, many volunteers in dog rescues are convinced no one can do as good a job as they do. They get too attached to the dog, and will look for any excuse under the sun to turn down your application. Then they can claim they "couldn't find a good home" and keep it themselves. The problem is you, of course, not them.

I have mild dog allergies and needed a breed that won't shed. I'd love to adopt a dog in need, but poodles don't show up in shelters all that often, and I can't jump through hoops to reach the impossible standards of private dog rescue groups. "Oh, you live in an apartment? No, the 5lb Maltese needs more space! You work full time? NEVER!!!!" Not everyone who wants a pet lives on a large fenced lot and works from home!

I got a Yorkie from a reputable breeder instead. He cost the same as what some of the local rescues were charging, and without the headache of the three home inspections and five personal references from vets. He's healthy, happy and has a loving home, and those rescue dogs are still languishing in their "temporary" foster homes.

R70, I don't know what to say to that, besides: You're an idiot. You really believe animals have more capacity for intelligence than human beings? If that is the case, and it certainly isn't (100% of scientists would agree) why aren't they running things? We're not talking about whales here, but fucking dogs and cats.

"Science and humanity be damned, I love my little Tabby with all my heart and soul (and brain, if I had one)!"

National Mill Dog Rescue is an amazing group and not all that crazy! They get purebred dogs all the time that are either rescued or given to them by breeders because they are not needed in their mills. (Males usually ... they only need one sire!) It is in Eastern Colorado near Colorado Springs.

[quote]I got a Yorkie

Condolences.

No R61/whatever. I didn't say they were more intelligent. But the only thing that separates us from our chimpanzee relatives is a 2% difference in DNA and the ability of speech.

And judging by your obviously misplaced and highly suspect attitude of superiority, I'm guessing even puppies hate you.

OP - you're so right - they're a bunch of assholes who live to criticize others.

A friend of mine got his dog through an English Bulldog rescue society - you'd think he was applying for POTUS. Financial, job, personal references. 2 in home interviews.

And they told him they could not name the dog, although it had JUST BEEN NAMED by a rescue person 2 weeks prior.

AND - the dog only eats some organic expensive diet. WTF?

I think overall it cost him $2,000.

I threw a terrier I recieved out the window. I'm sure it wound up in someone's crockpot in my neighborhood.

No, R77, you are totally right. Humans and dogs are equally intelligent (do you even read your own posts?), I am a pompous ass who hates animals and dogs deserve to eat before children or humans. The arts and education don't matter. We're doing great as a civilization and you are the poster child for that.

I'm glad we've cleared this all up.

That's all very well and good, [R55], but I'm not clear on your meaning. Is that an answer to "Realistically, how do you expect the groups to at least try keeping each animal out of the infinite revolving door of unsuitable homes?"

Are you saying that supplying a history of pet ownership (resume) should be a) taken at face value and b) sufficient?

I mean, I have the same "resume" (even a better one), so it's not like I'm some 'other' who doesn't understand your position. If I decide to adopt another pet, I should walk into a shelter and say, "I've had a lot of pets and I'm great at it. Here's a list of them. Give me that one over there." ??

Supplying an ownership history and one or two veterinary references to verify that history would have thrilled me back when I was with the rescue group. I happily adopted out to those people.

A history on its own, not so thrilling, even though I'd want everyone to just let me adopt too.

A lot of people lied. They especially lied about being a renter or owner and whether or not their housing allowed pets. (Which I didn't put on my list but was another common dumping reason - being caught by the no-pets landlord.) And they lied about having kids and their ages cuz they wanted an animal listed as 'adult household only' or 'no small children'. They lied about their other pets cuz they wanted an animal listed as 'no other dogs' or 'no other cats', or because they were on their way to hoarding. They lied about whether or not all the adults in their household agreed to the pet adoption (another common dumping reason - roommate or partner didn't want a pet). They lied about what happened to their previous pets, and especially lied about leaving their pets run in the neighborhood or chained outside 24/7.

I don't know what the 'perfect' method is. I wish I did. It costs an awful lot of time and money to rescue, doctor, and shelter the infinite supply of abandoned and mistreated pets.

The folks who say to just watch for strays or call local vets or put the word out and you'll hear soon enough about an animal needing a home, I really support that. Unscientifically, I think folks who do that are - in general - more thoughtful about animals, more experienced with them, are more committed, and have more realistic expectations. I think folks like me and like R55 get more of their pets that way than from traditional adoption.

Shelters get a lot of people who have a kid who's been begging for a pet, or to whom a pet was promised as a reward, impulse shoppers, young women just starting college who want their own furry kitten... I think they get overall a less reliable group of potential owners (than the above).

R78, that is insanity. I think I would give each one of those so called animal lovers a surprise bulldog head in their bedsheets.

Here's the link to National Mill Dog Rescue. There are some cute doggies!

Are you kidding me, r61? What's with the American bashing, now we're such horrible people for caring about dogs and cats? Seriously? People, officially and unofficially take in children (and adults) all the freaking time. This is very common in my community, and NO ONE is rich, most live paycheck to paycheck. While your bashing this country, also note we give amongst ourselves AND in international aids more than any other country. BTW, there ARE more homeless pets than children in this country, where'd you even get that?

Nah, R76, I get compliments on how low key and well behaved he is compared to other Yorkies.

OP, on the raw food issue: Promise to feed the dog raw food, and then feed it whatever the fuck you feel like feeding it. Yup, lie to the bastards. Once they give you the dog, it's yours.

R86, to be extra cruel you could send a video to the rescue showing yourself feeding non raw food to the dog.

[quote]If those starving kids are so intelligent why aren't they foraging for food like the animals would be?

Wish I could fave, R70! One of my favorite Onion pieces, intelligence comparison of human babies vs animal babies.

I have been in so many dick-measuring contests in this city (New York) with people who adopted "abused" animals where they're trying to prove their dog or cat was The Most Abused Animal Ever Put On Earth. Oh my Snookums was peed in the eyes by his owner every waking minute of the day! Rex was sodomized with lamps! WTF is wrong with people?

Also, OP, if you've had problems with rescue groups, then go to a shelter. Those people have shitloads of dogs. When my current dog bites the dust (it'll be a long time -- he's an 8-year-old Golden Retriever, is healthy as a horse), that's what I'll probably do.

If they become ridiculous, then I'll go to a breeder, or maybe just find some farmer who's got an extra mutt. I heard the other day that 4,000 dogs are put to death every day. I will admit that I've never adopted a shelter dog (one from a breeder, the other a hand-me-down from my sister-in-law), but it's hard to believe you can't get one.

The raw food thing really takes the cake. What bullshit. My Golden Retriever will eat [italic]anything[/italic] except for raw onions. (So much for raw food.) Other than that, he's a goddamned garbage can on legs. But if you have to tell some geek you'll only feed the dog raw food, then tell 'em what the fuck they want to hear.

Once they give you the dog, make sure to laugh like a maniac while saying, "Raw food? Are you joking?"

Yeah, R87, I do like the video idea a lot. Show yourself zapping a frozen pizza, then putting a slice in the dog dish, then adding a slice of Wonder Bread, and some whipped cream, and topping it off with some Cheetohs.

My dog would wolf it all down like, oh I don't know, a hungry dog.

R91, I've heard on the net that there are some 'underground' videos showing people covertly taking their dogs out to dinner at Applebees. But I dared not ask any details.

R86/90, is your Retriever fat?

I think if you really want to make the crazies go 'round the bend, you should make a tape of you feeding your rescue dog regular old Purina dog chow or Old Roys from Wal-Mart.

I seriously doubt they would ever recover.

I'm okay with the raw food.

And the regular dog chow.

And whatever's in the neighbor's garbage cans.

No doubt. A dog's happiest moments are when he's smelling another dog's butt.

"OP, call your local veterinarian or the one who has been taking care of your past pets. They always know of strays or dogs who need homes."

My vet told me that there is hardly a morning when they don't find an abandoned animal left in a crate or box outside the clinic door. So please ask your vet, or any vet, for leads on adoptable animals.

I LOVE THIS THREAD!

I want to hear more from that bitchy "douchebag" rescue person.

You people are insane.

A question for those who work in rescue orgs. Is it considered a bad thing if someone wants a certain breed of dog? Do you toss out their applications too? And why get annoyed if someone wants a small breed - did you ever hear of people who live in apartments? They may want a smaller pet, or people with kids who want a smaller pet - why is that wrong?

I got my pug from a breeder, because I wanted a certain breed and didn't want to go through rescue because of much of what has been said on this thread.

It's like you're damned if you do go through rescue, and then criticized by rescue people if you don't "adopt" a pet (and go to a breeder).

I love my dog. I've had him 9 years and he's the best little guy ever. But yes to many crazy rescue people, I guess I'm a bad person/pet owner because I "bought him" at a breeder.

I'm happy with the decision to get my little guy at a breeder - he's awesome.

[quote]Is it considered a bad thing if someone wants a certain breed of dog?

OH YES> THE WORST THING YOU COULD POSSIBLY DO.

R93, nope. I don't let him eat a whole lot of crap. Just table scraps and dry dog food. And the occasional piece of cheese. No shit, if I am even thinking of cheese when I open the refrigerator door, he will come bounding down the stairs demanding to have some. It's unreal. I swear that fucker's a psychic.

OP, I think you need understand where these rescue people are coming from before demonizing them as "crazies."

First, we all have passions that only we understand but others may not. Well, for them, it's saving the lives of animals that people find disposable.

When people drop off their sick/annoying cats/dogs on the street, these are the people that take them in and try to rehome them.

The truth is that humans are very much the problem when it comes to animal overpopulation. One of the biggest concerns for animal rescuers is to ensure that the animals that they adopt out find a forever home. Most of the animals have been through a lot. Some have been abused/neglected and abandoned.

People dump their pets for the dumbest reasons. A couple who has had their dog for 10 years decides to dump the dog after the woman becomes pregnant (a very common scenario).

10 years with a dog and he is thrown out. Who will adopt a 10y/o dog? No one. These rescue groups take it in and try to find a home for it.

If these people sound crazy to you, it's because they've had to deal with a lot of flakes who promise the sun and the moon. After 3 months and the dog is acting like a dog, it gets returned to the rescue group.

I don't know your situation, but I suspect it may be that they're worried your home may not be permanent.

r94, my mom always say that animals depend on the kindest of humans for their survival. We're pretty much all they have.

Whatever you feed them, they just eat without protest (especially in the case of dogs). Purina and store brand dog food are really just crap that can make the dog sick over years of feeding. The dogs can't speak up for themselves. It's either starve or eat this junk. So they eat and they eat.

It really depends on your priority. If you think your pet(s)'s lives aren't worth any value that it is okay to feed them crap, then your dog must suffer b/c of that mentality. When your dog has an upset stomach, he can't come and tell you. He just sits there in pain.

Other people see their pets as part of the family. Moreso, they see dogs and cats as creatures that deserve not just love and shelter, but good nutrition.

All creatures are the same. If you feed them crappy food, their body will react to what it is fed. If you ate McDonald's everyday, how healthy will you be in 1 month? Why should dogs and cats be any different?

Wanting a certain breed wasn't some non-negotiable issue for me, however it sometimes led me to talk with them longer to draw out more information.

Why? Because people sometimes had really f'd up ideas that led to their desire for a certain type of animal. You'd get them to talking and it would become clear they had totally unrealistic expectations of pet ownership and a limited, rigid vision of how this would all play out in their home.

They saw a friend's pet do X so they wanted the same breed so they would also have an animal that would do X. They don't know anything about training, they just figure the animal arrives in their home with this ability.

They heard or read this type of cat won't jump up on things and that type of dog didn't really need to be walked. I listened to people saying that orange cats wouldn't shed and white dogs don't bother people with asthma. This breed of cat "never" meows and adopter wants a cat who doesn't make any noise, they can't stand kids or pets who make noise.

And then they'd feed us back all this shit when they'd dump them or call to complain. How this dog needs too much exercise (as compared to other dogs in the universe) and that cat won't stay off the counter and talks too much and blahdeblah.

Folks on DL are always going on about how stupid and clueless most people are. Well, yeah. And they want to own pets too. At least until the shine wears off.

That said, it's clear that some folks here have been shabbily-treated in their quest to adopt, and that's not good for animals needing homes either.

I got a dog from a rescue. In the history of the dog, since the first wolf came indoors, he is the best ever. I can't speak for all rescues, but I suspect that they have the best interet of the dog at heart. ALWAYS adopt from rescues or humne societies. They are doing great work. NEVER adopt from puppy mills.

I was only kidding r101. I must say, this has been an informative and engaging thread.

My mutt is psychic anout cheese too! She will come from the other side of the yard when I reach for the cheese in the fridge. Not every time I open the door, just when I open it for cheese.

Oh lord, I still have vivid memories of my mother chasing our German shepherd mutt all over the neighborhood, holding a piece of American cheese whenever he'd get loose. It was the only thing that would tempt him home. Well that, and an open car door, even though he got horribly carsick.

And the bitch (literally and figuratively) that they have now gets spoiled with all the fancy cheeses my father gets. Seriously, I don't eat half the expensive shit she does. She'd probably turn her nose up at Kraft singles.

Our English Bulldog is a total cheese whore. He prefers American and mozzarella; doesn't like Swiss so much unless it's in a sandwich with turkey. He would do just about anything for cheese. He doesn't obey me too well when I walk him (my partner is the Alpha in the house) so I always bring cheese along in my pockets for those difficult moments when he sits down and refuses to walk. This strategy has created a bit of a vicious cycle wherein he now sits down because he's expecting cheese.

"A question for those who work in rescue orgs. Is it considered a bad thing if someone wants a certain breed of dog?"

FYI some city shelters will take orders for dogs of a certain breed. A friend called them up and asked them to call him when they got a young dog of a certain breed, and they did. And he's now an old dog of that certain breed, one who's lived a happy and healthy life.

PS: Speaking of the power of cheese, I had a cat who would eat anything a human would eat, and his favorite food in the universe was mozzerella. Get that out of the fridge and he appeared as if by magic, sqwaking and purring and hanging from the cutting board by his claws. It was unbelievably goofy.

This has been a really enlightening thread. I never knew that these people could be so crazy. But it explains the one experience I ever had with one of these people.

I was having Thanksgiving at my mother's and found a cat lying in the snow. I am a huge cat lover, so I took it into my mother's house and tried to feed it and warm it up, hoping it might recover. For two days I cleaned it up when it shit itself and let it lick food off my finger. By the third day it barely breathed and I took it 45 minutes away to the closest humane society. I explained that I was from out of town, had found this cat, had done what I could and was now bringing it in in hopes they could do something or make its passing easier.

After explaining all the details, the woman behind the counter asked me in the snottiest tone imaginable if this was really my cat and I was just trying to get it rid of it. For days I had kept it together, though this dying cat was breaking my heart. This bitch (I'm sorry...she was a bitch) had the nerve to say something like that. I just started crying...thinking I had tried to do a good thing for a cat and tried to make its end of life more comfortable and this bitch accuses me of dumping my cat. Thank god my partner was there to say more forcefully than I could at that point that that was not the case...and thank god for the other worker who told the bitch that he would handle it from there.

This really breaks my heart. My male cat died last December and I've been toying with the idea of getting an additional cat to keep the female company. But after reading this thread I will look more to strays or someone giving away kittens.

Op I hope you find the dog of a lifetime. One poster suggested you call your vet, I would like to suggest also calling an animal hospital. Good luck.

I once had a rescue coordinator tell me that they needed my 85 year old dad to sign a piece of paper to promise to take care of the dog if I died.

Really.

They also wanted copies of my closing papers to prove that I own my home.

This is the same group that gets all its dogs from Puerto Rico - and as I said earlier,I believe that the owner of that rescue is selling her own puppy mill pups (using the guise of an adoption fee).

I'd like to adopt an indoor cat. I have birdfeeders and don't want to entice birds to their death. I live in a very expensive area and cannot afford $10,000 to put a fence around my property. We are surrounded by fields and woods. Just last night I heard a pair of great horned owls, one in my yard and one in the woods. People here think it's great to just open the door and let their cats out. Meanwhile, we have feral cats, raccoons, possums, redtailed hawks, fox and big, big owls. A neighbor will say, "Fluffy disappeared! I guess she found a new home she liked better!" Yeah, right. Some day I will decribe how my sister's cat was disemboweled by an owl that tried to take off with him in its claws. The cat survived the attack but my sister had to run to an emergemcy vet at dawn with the cat howling in pain so it could be put to sleep.

That's why I want an adult cat that is already acclimated to being housebound. I don't want to have a kitten always trying to get out of the house. I would make sure it stays in, but my partner is an absentminded dolt who would let the cat escape every. fucking. day.

I adopted each of my cats from Petsmart and Petco in Paramus, NJ. They have adoption days, and are eager to place the animals. Yes, you do have to fill out an application that asks some very non-instrusive questions about your history with animals and where/how you plan to keep your pet, but other than a brief follow-up phone call they haven't bothered us since. However, you do have to take the pets that have available--rescue groups are not puppy mills, so they can't just spit out whatever animal you want based on your size/age/breed preferences. Nothing wrong with having such preferences/restrictions, but no rescue has the time or resources to do more than make a very limited attempt to honor them. You just have to be patient until they have the pet you want if you have specific needs.

You *better* know what kind of breed you want, not because of looks, but because of temperament. Please don't ask for a Border Collie if you live in a 900 square foot apartment, etc.

R114, although I am not against letting cats enjoy the outdoors in *appropriate* settings, you sound like a very responsible potential owner. Good luck in your search.

R115, we adopted Hector through Petsmart too. We had a very positive experience, both with Petsmart and the animal shelter.

R112, kittens are always easy to place, because they are adorable and people love anything tiny and cute. It's the adult cats who have a tough time finding a new home. If you want to adopt, please consider an adult cat. Hector is 4, and he'd been at the shelter for quite a long time because people were more interested in kittens.

[quote] Nothing wrong with having such preferences/restrictions, but no rescue has the time or resources to do more than make a very limited attempt to honor them. You just have to be patient until they have the pet you want if you have specific needs.

Or you could, you know, go to a BREED SPECIFIC rescue. They exist for virtually every breed available, and will often help with "re-homing" costs if they are in a different state.

Raped womyn with fanny packs are angry people.

@ Hector's dad.

Thanks for your suggestion. I would not turn away a cat of any age if it can get with the grove of the home. I am a true cat lover. I love dogs as well I'm just to lazy to have one. Hate walking in bad weather.

Cats should be shot on sight! Dogs should be nurtured and given a good home.

r 122 should be shot on sight.

OP, use a local shelter, and find a doggy or kitty that needs a home.

The first place you should be looking for a pet is at a shelter that kills animals. Why is this so fucking hard?

[quote]so I always bring cheese along in my pockets for those difficult moments when he sits down and refuses to walk. This strategy has created a bit of a vicious cycle wherein he now sits down because he's expecting cheese.

This made me laugh. Bulldogs are brats.

For some reason this slipped my mind last night, but NSAL does mobile adoptions where they basically bring the animals to different parts of the tri-state area. I don't know exactly where you're located OP, but here's the calendar of upcoming mobile adoption events and they're pretty much all over the region. Also, the offsite people tend to take a lot of the more desirable animals with them, I've noticed, so there should be a good selection.

Just a suggestion.

I hear you OP. I'm the tasteless raped wymen poster but that is what a friend said to me when I conveyed my story of these people. I guess you had to be there. After the third attempt I quit. I visit my parents in the country at least once a month. There's always a sign up for a free kitty or doggy come Summer. So that's what I did. My prescreening lasted about five minutes. Plus I got a glass of lemonade and a few cookies.

While I don't see anything wrong with someone having a preference in terms of size and age when selecting a new pet, especially if you living space isn't big. I think that a person looking for a young, small dog would be better off going to a reputable breeder rather than to an animal shelter.

From my own limited experience, shelter dogs overwhelmingly seem to be medium to large-sized dogs that often come from "problem" or "high energy" breeds. That's not to say that shelter dogs don't make wonderful and loving pets, but they seem to do best in experienced homes that are committed to providing an especially highly-structured training environment.

I also think that a lot of people who say they want a small dogs should probably just get a cat. Cats are way less high-maintenance than dogs, and a gregarious and affectionate cat is a wonderful companion animal.

If you want a nice, small, even tempered apartment dog may I suggest a Caucasian Mountain Dog?

Weren't there a bunch of chihuahuas shipped to NY animal shelters from CA a couple of months back? Of course, not everybody likes chihuahuas (they're certainly not my favorite).

R126, yeah, the English bulldog is a brat. He also waits on the stoop and I have to show him the cheese ("Show me the money!") before he'll proceed down the steps. He doesn't pull any of that crap with my partner but he will sometimes run away when being approached with the leash for walkies.

Like R121, I'm a cat person and a lazy dog-owner. Fortunately, we have a lazy dog who sleeps late and refuses to go out in the rain. He'll take a look at the weather, a look at me ("Are you crazy?"), turn around and head right back inside. Lucky for us we have a backyard for such contingencies. It must be such a hassle to have a dog and no yard.

Mermaid - thanks. The closest that van come is Nanuet (I'm in northern NJ). I had no idea such a thing exists and have signed up for the newsletter.

I would love a cat R129, but both my BF and I are highly allergic.

R125 - If you read the thread (which apparently you didn't) I have searched both no-kill and high-kill shelters without success. The "sweet dog" advertised on Petfinder seems to be an aggressive mess by the time I get to the shelter. That's if the pet is still there at all. I've had dogs promised to me there only to be given to the next person who walked in. I live no more than 15 minutes away from 2 shelters and have left work in the middle of the day to see a dog, so its not like I'm asking them to hold the dog for a week.

I monitor the local shelter sites daily - sometimes during conference calls at work.

Have you thought about writing Sarah McLachlan?

Dogs are auctioned off like cattle in the commercial dog industry. Rescue groups get some of those purebreds that are no longer useful to breeders. I was appalled to learn this was happening and it goes on all over the Midwest.

Don't blame the animals because of the operational problems and crazy-ass people with the rescue groups. It's frustrating but they do have to perform due diligence to make sure the animals are going to be safe and cared for.

If you really want a particular animal bad enough, you will do whatever it takes to get the lucky one home. Hang in there!

Most reputable rescue organizations will do a home check to make sure you are properly set up for a dog. Some of them can be over the top, from what I understand, and balk if you work and leave the dog home alone. I'm sure their intention is good...if you take your time and get to do your homework on the organization, you will find a good one and the right dog. Good luck!

R136 - I work from home and have been very open about allowing a home visit.

R137, there are MANY rescue groups. If one is wacky and won't give you a dog, try another. I posted earlier about National Mill Dog Rescue. They are based in Colorado, but volunteers arranged to take a dog to its new owner in Tennessee.

I am not a volunteer for the organization or the PR person, but am a big fan. The next dog I get will be from them.

Keep looking at different groups. If there is a particular breed you are interested in, try All Breed Rescue Network. Good luck!

Save the Chihuahuas!

Go to the animal shelter and rescue a dog from certain death.

Our animal shelter is not any different, OP. We had to take our own dogs down there for a meeting, get written permission slips from our landlord, abide by their rules in which they could cancel the adoption at any point, the whole concept was ridiculous. People who are saying just go to a shelter have no clue. Shelters just don't give you dogs until you promise them your first born. It's just the same.

R141 has obviously never adopted an animal from a Los Angeles city or county shelter.

Pay the fees and take an animal home.

Obviously not, R142. As shocking as it may be, we all don't live in L.A.

As nutty as it sounds, they are probably very well meaning in their requirements. They don't want the dog to come back to the shelter. Not only is it hard on the people who operate the shelters, but it is emotionally tough on the dog. Too bad pet stores don't have more stringent requirements. Maybe there would not be so many unwanted animals if people thought about it before impulsively buying a puppy.

r143, you're the one who painted shelters with a broad brush. "People who are saying just go to a shelter have no clue. Shelters just don't give you dogs until you promise them your first born. It's just the same." I agree with r141. All adopted my cat at a shelter in SF. All I did was fill out a form, look my the kitten I wanted and pay my adoption fees. In less than a week, there was a new kitty in my home. The microchipped and neutered him. I like shelters. I would love to have a purebread, but unless I can find it at a shelter, chances are that I will always own a moggie.

I'm not ragging on shelters, I actually think the stringent requirements we encounter here are better than someone who just throws a dog at you if you pay a fee. That's not really caring for animals. I think there could be a good middle ground. Our shelter seems to be at one extreme with LA shelters at the other.

It's just the comments that said "just go to a shelter and adopt" made me want to point out that not all shelters are so lax and unconcerned about animal welfare.

Oh, lord. I just reread my post and it's a mess.

Excusez moi for the typos and misspellings.

Lax shelters, shitty pet stores, dumbasses who sell puppies to people woefully unprepared for the commitment are the reasons we have 1,000s of dogs and cats a day gassed and ground up into pet food (check your pet's food label for "Meat")

A few simple questions. A tiny run around and a bit of paperwork to get a creature totally dependent on you for the next 5-15 years of its life is a lot less smaller than a pain in the ass than a midnight trip to an emergency vet b/c your dog found a ballpoint pen under the couch and swallowed it. If you can't take the hassle of getting the dangling electrical cords off of the floor and putting batteries in your smoke detectors for a brief home visit, maybe get a hermit crab.

Fuck, I've shown up for a meet and greet (brief home visit) and listened to a 70 year old father scream at his 40 year old daughter that in no way would a dog be coming into his house. She'd been hounding us (heh) for weeks to get a dog. A dog that according to the hopefully drunken father would end up in a box in a ditch. Seriously. We have to check you out. Sorry some people have a hard on for abusing animals and make it more inconveniant for you to get a dog w/o a waiting period. If I adopted two dogs out who made national news as bait in a pit bull ring, you can bet I'd get questions asked to me.

The shelters are full of AMAZING and perfectly behaved fucking dogs, dumped by people who have Compassion Deficit Disorder. They thought cleaning up dog hair or paying for shots or grooming was too big of a pain in the ass compared to the companionship of a wonderful pet. Friday is usually the kill day, so you missed a lot of good dogs.

r11, winded and a little burnt out with dealing with some nuts who want pets. You can't keep it to yourself for 10 minutes that you have shock collar for your 7lb yorkie b/c it jumps on you when you leave for work? And now you want a Lab mix b/c you like big dogs?

Most adopters are awesome. The shitty ones seemed awesome at first. You can see why I like to see things like your landlord's signature on the contract saying pets are always welcome. Sorry.

GREAT post, r148. As for the people who want purebreds, there are plenty of them in shelters for the very reasons outlined by other posters. Impulse purchase because the puppy is soooo cute! Then, they get it home and realize it poops and pees... and needs attention and they can't deal with it.

Thanks R148. Well said.

Unfortunately our first was from a "store" and bought her as puppy. She was pure hate, evil, and vicious little monster and we absolutely adored her. She was our baby. She died at 15. 5 years before she died, we got another as a companion from a rescue center (at Petsmart). He instantly became family but they lied to us about him. He was abused and malnourished and his teeth started falling out. His "voice box" was cut (according to our vet) so he would not bark.

We were told he was two years old, when in fact he was at least 8 (again, our vet told us). Took me 6 months to get him to eat out of my hand. But him and our other dog became fast friends until she died. He then became our center but alas, he died of kidney failure. Our hearts were broken with their deaths.

We are not picky, but we have requirements because we know it's at least a 15 year commitment and don't want a hyper dog, big dog, or one with severe emotional issues. No jetting off to far distant lands without finding a sitter or boarding center. Vet costs, food, medical, the poop, dear god the poop.

Strangely, we were rejected awhile back by a rescue center for a medium size dog (mutt) because we live in a townhouse (backyard size and fenced though). I suspect it was because we are gay. We have the money, time commitment but she seemed taken aback by two guys wanting to adopt.

She told us she wasn't sure she could let US adopt because of Virginia's ant-gay laws. We walked out and will think about it next year.

r151, if an animal rescue person actually told you that she was unsure of letting you and your partner adopt because you are gay, then I don't know what the fuck she's doing in animal rescue. The prime objective is to find good homes for the animals where they'll be loved and well-cared for. Sexual orientation should have absolutely no place in the equation.

I've never seen bullshit like that go down at the shelter I volunteer at, thankfully.

And I really don't get what VA's anti-gay laws have to do with pet adoption. Maybe I'm missing something? Personally, I'd get in touch with whoever's in charge of the rescue and let them know what you were told. This may not be the center's policy so much as one fool's personal bias. And if it does turn out to be policy, go somewhere else if you do decide to adopt.

Mermaid, she was in charge. she ran it. There are all kinds of homophobes, even liberals. After what she said, we just left.

But if I were to take this to court, I suspect I would lose the case. VA anti-gay laws go beyond the usual hate shit. Here, you can't have a contract (legally enforceable) that would generally be reserved for hetro married couples.

With our current AG, he would pounce on it show his white, old christian base how good he is. An "adoption" can be construed as one of those "rights". We will at some time in the future we will go to the animal shelter and get a pet.

There, they care only if we can maintain and retain a pet and treat it well. Not make decisions based on hate.

I am sick of having to deal with the mentality of people who generalize about groups. I have been rescuing dogs for years, and I get so upset witnessing the abuse that these poor animals have suffered. You wonder why rescue groups are so meticulous about letting the dogs who they have nursed back to health out to anyone? Watch a dog suffer with heartworms because someone would not pay for heartworm preventive. Watch wounds heal from dogs who have been staked out and the chain has embedded in the fur. Yes, maybe rescue people are passionate and cautious. There are reasons for that. Meanwhile, maybe the rescue group was right if the emotions that you vent are so negative---it may be the right choice. Rescue dogs need someone who will love unconditionally--despite their accidents, their shyness, their quirks....They need someone who may come off as "crazy"... who gives them a voice.

[quote]raw diet vs. regular pet food.

WTF is a raw diet for animals? I hate to break it to these freaks but animals, particularly cats, need meat.

I love my dog, and adopted her easily from the NYC aspca in one day. I saw her listed on petfinder, went in, sat down with a volunteer who read me her history, met the dog, met with the vet (20 minutes) and a behaviorist, paid the fees, took the care package and my new dog and went home to Brooklyn. Read her history and you might shy away (8 years old, hernia, some mammary tumors operated on, a dental, only recently spayed). The reality is I'm pretty sure now she's at least 2 years younger than they thought, I think they thought a bit older because she needed fixing up, she's gorgeous (shih tzu mix), smart, housetrained, cooperative and pretty much all I could ask.

I went to the APSCA after a nightmare experience with a foster mother/rescue group in Jersey. I wasted more gas, froze my ass off walking the dog around a parking lot 9pm at night while foster mommy watched, exchanged a lot of emails and phone calls and then the foster mother disappeared while the dog stayed on petfinder for weeks after I got the dog I have now.

The ASPCA 92nd Street was painless. No third degree, just a normal interview and staffers willing to help you if you had questions about managing anything they'd evaluated in the dog. It helped that I knew the energy level and size dog that would be a good fit, and the breed. And please with size being a sign of a douche bag. I live in a one bedroom and I work. I exercise my dog before work and after work, and just about meet her exercise requirements (it's about an hour and a half to two hours a day). I seriously doubt I could meet the requirements of a large dog. Does this mean the shih tzu mix should do without a good home?

Me too.

I volunteer with a dog rescue group and I have to admit sometimes the demands they make exasperate me as well. Not to mention a few of the lead volunteers are Teabaggers. So I have adopted a policy of holding my tongue on adoptions and politics. Overall though, they are doing good for the dogs. I just wish they would lighten up a bit. I volunteer because I can't have a dog nor can I afford one right now and volunteering gives me my dog fix.

I also volunteer with a cat rescue who sends them out to Petsmarts and Petcos. I volunteer at one a block from my apartment. They're far less stringent and cats can be taken home right away. Still, we do turn people down and take the time to suss them out. It's just the basic stuff--we're not going to adopt out a shy scared cat to a family with 3 screaming kids for example. Nor will we adopt to someone who wants their cats to roam the neighborhood.

For both rescues, it's true, some of the head honchos seem to have the people skills of mallets and anvils. I'm currently out of work and spending a lot more time volunteering--I guess others may say the same about me soon...

R155, what the hell are you going on about? Raw diet means raw and unprocessed meat.

That's what I was asking R159. To me raw would mean a vegetarian diet since vegans are always going on about that shit and I've heard of some of them trying to make their pets vegan too, which is nuts. One crazy woman had about 35 blind cats from giving them a vegetarian diet.

For those who really want a puppy, I'd ask that they at least consider an older dog. Sometimes the selling points for older dogs sound dreary - sweet, experienced, grateful - i.e., boring. I'm the person who adopted the ASPCA shih tzu and if she were a puppy I'd be dead of exhaustion. We have an elevator but she romps down four flights of stairs for her walks and races me to the door, she jumped into the lake (illegally, and to my surprise) and paddled around calmly for about 20 seconds to cool herself off, she chases after balls like a bat out of hell and hikes around with me in the park trails, great car manners and beats the shit out of her cong. Other dogs also think she's the shit, maybe it's her confidence. And she looks like a puppy, so what's the difference. I see people in my neighborhood with puppies - one's a Jack Russell and his owner has circles under his eyes, another is a corgi whose owners are barely keeping up with his exercise needs and he's only 4 months old, and other puppies try to hump everything that moves in the dog run and chew everything on the floor in the house. Dogs really don't take up knitting and become sedate once they're no longer puppies. They can also be taught new stuff just like a puppy - they can be taught better leash manners, new games, new routines and be just as fun and funny and playful.

OP, I wish I had some advice on how to get these people to respond to you. One thing that might help your case is to call your local newspaper. Find a reporter who is an animal lover and present your problem to him or her in a concise, interesting way. I'm a journalist. If someone called and told me the same story you're telling, I would be interested in doing a story on this, particularly focusing on how these groups use over-population and adoption as fundraising tactics, yet are reluctant to actually carry out their stated mission. This kind of story would be very popular with readers everywhere.

Good luck and hang in there.

R160, a vegetarian diet for cats is animal abuse plan and simple. Vegans or vegetarians who insist on a meat-free diet for their cats or even dogs, are lunatics. They really have no understanding of anything beyond their nose.

Raw diet in the pet world means feeding raw meat rather than cooked or commercial brands. It has nothing to do with vegetarianism. Raw diet supporters are the polar opposites of vegetarians. They believe cats and dogs need nothing else but good old bloody meat.

That's not true, R164. My dogs were on a raw diet for a time until I had health problems and was unable to shop often enough. They ate raw bones and meat, but they also ate vegetables. One of my dogs ate fruit. No grains, no fillers of any kind, just real food.

It's true, some animal rescuers are hostile, rigid, socially maladjusted weirdos.

It's too bad. So many people want to adopt, or volunteer, but those running things view thmeselves as Jesus Christ or Ghandi and are insane. I've seen kindly people fill out volunteer forms only to be rejected because they are black or if a woman, too shapely. Understand that some of these women feel themselves too homely to be around people, and have given up on romance or relationships. These animals are viewed as "children" or "family" to these kooky women. In reality, these hostile animal-fanatics are harming the animals, and really, it's all about their own lack in life.

Oh, and yes, I have seen white animal rescue kooks refuse adopting out to black people. I've seen this with my own eyes. Black people get a special rap about how these dogs are not to be used in dogfights. They get the special lecture on how to be kind to a dog, and not to use them for criminal purposes. I've seen this rap given to very attractive, professional, well-dressed black people. I have also seen attractive, shapely women virtually ignored by rescue kooks, or refused adoption to prettier women. Some maladjusted rescue kooks must think that attractive people spend all day fucking and ignoring pets!

I've also seen social-climbers join or start animal rescue groups hoping to hob-nob with celebrities and the wealthy. These are mostly women as well, and it's never about the animals, it's about hoping to advance their children's career in show-biz. But this phenom is probably limited to LA. Mind you, these women are fewer in numbers but they do exist. You can spot them because they have had all kinds of plastic surgery done to their faces.

And isn't it ironic that so many so-called "animal lovers" get botox treatments. They must know that every batch of botox gets tested on live animals, and that the testing is excruciating for the poor things. Also, peeing out botox into the environment is hazardous to plant and aquatic life. Yep, these botox queens don't really care about the animals and are in the "rescue" business for the prestige.

wrangled with a pug rescue group - applying was a many week series of bizarre hoops. They *let* me adopt because I promised to take 2 siblings.

Trust me these pugs are CRAZY too - oh & going blind w/o any warning from rescue group.

ASPCA adopter here again - there's a rescue in my neighborhood that absolutely adopts out dogs without the runaround. They're available, a resource after adoption, and supportive if the owner is having post-adoption issues. I think almost half the dogs in my neighborhood came from that rescue. They have a "come when you can, as long as you can" nonscheduled volunteer policy and their volunteers are mostly teens and retired people. They rescue everything - reptiles, cats, dogs, turtles, birds. They're neighborhood people with a great reputation. OTOH, the New Jersey experience I had in the process of trying to adopt - the dog in question was, supposedly, a biter - nothing new in a small dog that wasn't given much structure and had people trying to kiss it and handle it constantly. But even though she was the foster mom and the dog was housetrained she used wee wee pads and didn't take the dog for a solid morning walk before work. She had other rescues and didn't socialize them outside, only inside, where they became a bored, whiny and bitched out each other. It's great she loves dogs but IMO it's less than great to be the sort of foster who boards them and doesn't provide the sort of routine and structure an animal needs. I never wanted a dog until a realized most of the dogs I knew - the hyperactive, don't respect personal space, excitable types were like that because you're supposed to actually exercise your dog, create boundaries, and give them a framework, and communicate what you wanted from them. And if you did that, dogs are great. If you're adopting a puppy because you want to train them or raise them - know what that means.

I want a puppy. I don't like baggage in my human companions I certainly don't want it in my pets.

R162, you're not a journalist.

I had a good experience with the area rescue group. I went to Petfinder to find our puppy and then e-mailed them on Tuesday. They called me on Wednesday night and interogated me for an hour. Yes, I thought she was a little intense but she explained that they want the dogs in a good home and they don't want to get them back. The one thing that makes them hesitate to give you a puppy is if you are at work all day but my partner works close to home.

We had a meet and greet at Petsmart that weekend and we came home with two puppies instead. It could be a good experience too.

We have an 8 or 9 nine year old cat recently returned to living in a shelter cage. She was adopted by a family as a kitten and came back with an eye missing and a busted jaw. They wouldn't tell us how she received those injuries. She was probably allow outdoors which contravenes our adoption contract.

Now how easy do you think it's going to be to adopt out a near-senior cat? Especially when people find out she's been returned (something is "wrong" with her)? And during kitten season?

Sure some of the rescue groups questioning is overbearing but there are some irresponsible assholes out there and we have to do the due diligence to keep them away from our rescue cats and dogs.

Also a guy who adopted from my shelter was convicted of torturing kittens. He and his girlfriend had some sick fetish. He got a year or two and I have no doubt he'll go right back to "adopting" cats from other shelters.

I avoided reading the details of the case because I didn't want to have any idea or image of him hurting a cat I may have taken care of.

I quickly learned not to tell cat rescue groups i planned on declawing their precious FiFi afer one woman screamed at me declawing was tantamount to being an SS guard.

Perhaps, OP, they suspect that you have anger issues.

I've told this story before but it works on this thread. Many years back, my friend had the misfortune of living on the same block as a "rescue." Dogs were howling all night long, the place stunk to high heaven and the demented lady often left dead dogs in trash bags in front of her house for the garbage.

The place was reported numerous times and the local CBS affiliate came out to do a story. The "reporter" was none other than DL favorite Ann Curry. They came out and the owner met them with three of the cutest puppies you ever saw. Ann did the entire story while holding one of the puppies. The crew wasn't there for more than ten minutes. They never went inside. Of course, the story Ann came up with was a total love letter to this "rescue" and the neighbors were portrayed as animal haters who had nothing else to do with their time.

The house was closed only two months later by the city. Ann did not follow up.

[quote]Oh lord, I still have vivid memories of my mother chasing our German shepherd mutt all over the neighborhood, holding a piece of American cheese whenever he'd get loose. It was the only thing that would tempt him home.

One time when I was at my brother's place, his dog got loose (front door didn't close properly, but of course nobody told me that).

Brother and his bitch gf freaked out on me, that now the dog's loose and it won't come home for hours and omfg what are they going to do!?!?!

I grabbed the dog's leash, stepped out the door, and called the dog: "Timber! Wanna go for a walk?"

And that beautiful, sweet, extremely dumb dog came running home as fast as she could, thrilled to death that she could get a walk (even though she'd been loose and could've walked anywhere on her own, lol)!

And all my fellow dog-lovers will be happy to know that I *did*, in fact, praise her for coming back home and immediately took her for a nice walk around the neighbourhood (instead of, say, yelling about the running away, or dragging her into the house without actually walking her).

"I quickly learned not to tell cat rescue groups i planned on declawing their precious FiFi afer one woman screamed at me declawing was tantamount to being an SS guard."

No, it's just tantamount to cutting off all your fingers at the first knuckle. Asshole.

I bought my dog on Craigslist. She needed a home and the family who wanted to "re-home" her had taken Cricket in after their neighbor went into a nursing home. They already had four chihuahuas and wanted Cricket to have a good home, so they asked for $100, which I gladly gave them.

And I must say, as her mother, that she's the best dog I ever had. And she has a great life -- a dog door, a fenced-in yard, a feline sister to play with, and a doting mother who walks her to the park every single day.

No more rescue groups for me. They're draconian in their demands and they ask too much for their dogs.

It's kinda frustrating. They want all this experience but how am I supposed to get that experience if they won't let me have a dog because I don't have experience?

I worked with a woman who was a cat rescuer. When I first met her she had 13 cats that she was fostering until she could find good homes for them. When I left the job two years later, guess how many cats she had? The same 13 cats. No one could ever live up to her impossible standards.

Our local no kill cat shelter had a huge dust up a couple of years ago that even got covered in the paper, such was the viciousness of it. The incoming people accused the old director of hoarding cats that were so ill they needed to be euthanized and the old people said the new director was a cat murderer and didn't have the best interests of the cats at heart because she also wanted to increase adoptions.

"Now how easy do you think it's going to be to adopt out a near-senior cat? "

Not very easy. But it still doesn't justify letting other younger cats sit in cages because you think you are adopting out Romanian orphans instead of cats.

I went through the shelter shit too. I walked in and they were all wearing fanny packs which should have been a warning. Fanny packs usually are a good sign of crazy.

Anyway I tried to adopt a cat. A CAT. I get you might want to adopt out more than one for companionship but I couldn't take the "brother" and "sister" cat of the one I wanted. Plus I grew up on a farm and could give classes on animal care.

So I gave up on the shelter. Then one day this fluffy little white kitten, tiny little thing, followed me home in an ice storm. Brazenly meowing at the top of her lungs. How could I resist?

She was skin and bones, and a lot of fluff. Probably a day or two away from starvation. She was infested with every bug a cat can be infested with. That night I took care of the infestations as best I could and fed her. Then took her to the vet and got an eye infection cleared up and a groomer who got her completely groomed.

She's an adult now. Still a tiny thing. Can still be mistaken for a kitten. Crazy as you could imagine. If something in the room moves she's after it. But little Tomato is treated like a princess. I really don't know how I came up with the name. She's a little Tasmanian Devil but always shows me a little extra love. I think she realizes that I saved her.

When we are sitting watching TV, even in the Summer, she demands to be on a blanket that's on the heating pad.

You want a cat? You go out into the alley with a can of tuna...BOOM you got a cat.

I am a do rescue person, and been a foster home for 11 years. II will be the first to admit that some of the folks in the groups are a bit loco. But there are a lot of good folks in the groups.

We rescue for 4 different organizations -- an all-breed rescue (takes in anyone), a breed specific rescue, and two county SPCAs. With all dogs we take in, they have spay/neuter surgery as well as get up to date on all shots and bordatella. We also test for heartworms, lyme disease and erlichia. The all-breed rescue group charges $150 for adoption; the breed specific one charges $250. We invest $125-150 in vetting. If a dog has more serious medical issues (needs surgery, treatment for heartworms, etc), we also do that. On some dogs there is a bit of profit; on some dogs we are thousands in the hole.

Yes, we are careful on where they go. We check with their prior vet to make sure that any animals are up-to-date on immunizations. We may check with landlords to make sure that dogs are permitted in apartments. We will try and arrange introductions if there are other pets involved (two of my present fosters have killed cats in prior homes; they will not go to a home with cats or small dogs because of this prey drive).

Don't paint all rescue groups with the same broad brush.

I think I'm going to go with a breeder for the dog I'm planning to get. Disappointed to hear about the racist, hypocritical freaks volunteering at rescue groups.

R183- You don't need experience. You just need to show that you will be able to take care of them properly and that you will be home to take care of them especially for the first year. There are too many people that get puppies and crate them for 10 hours while they are out. You can't do that.

Many people think that the puppies are so cute and fail to realize how much work it is. That's why rescue people are so suspicious all the time. They are trying to weed out the ones who don't understand the responsibility.

R188 you're just an ass. Read this thread again. There are aot of good reasons to get a rescue dog.

Dog Rescue people are socially retarded. The reason they work with animals is because they can't get along with people. Controlling an animal is a lot easier than the give and take required with a human relationship, even a professional one.

Unless you're only friends with pre-schoolers, 171, everybody has baggage. Even a puppy.

R190 is 100 percent correct.

We just rescued two dogs from two different rescues and had a completely different experience. Most of these people just love dogs and have seen to often people commit to dogs only to return them later on. They don't want to have that happen. Or see people who adopt two at once and don't realize that it takes a little time and patience for them to work it out and that the dog might chew up your favorite chew. Some of them are a little on the eccentric side I'll admit. We even got to meet Linda Blair. But both groups realized that we were serious dog parents and didn't give us any crap. I'm sorry about your experience but I don't believe that about all rescues.

Made a mistake once with a joke about puppies and Koreans. Never again, folks. Yeah.

You know what Im sick of? Im sick of PEOPLE making it necessary for the need to rescue to exist.

Im sick of rescuing a dog so scared and abused that it gives you nightmares thinking what his nightmares might be about.

Im sick of spedning so much time, love and money on an animal to get them back to a condition that they CAN be adopted and then having my heart break when they leave to go with a new family that honestly, I dont KNOW will treat them right or not.

We are all sick of something.

Yesterday I went to my local animal shelter "Broward County Animal Control." They had so many cute adoptable dogs that are all in need of homes. These dogs get put down if they do not find a home. The older ones get put down much faster (3 to 5 days). It is very easy to adopt from the animal shelter and you shoud always try them first because those animals are facing death row. Please everyone if you can adopt a dog from the shelters that will put them down.

Gee, all my dogs came from either shelters or rescue groups, and all the adoption proceedings worked out just fine. Maybe y'all all just give out creepy vibes.

On last week's "Dogs in the City" a shelter (Animal Haven?) on Centre Street near Little Italy let people take dogs as soon as saying they liked the pooch.

Is it true that "No Kill" North Shore on Long Island sells animals to shelters that kill when North Shore becomes overcrowded?

Katie and Suri were in Citipups on Eighth Avenue near 18th this weekend. When Katie wouldn't buy a dog Katie had a tantrum. Pictures in today's papers. Just as well, Anti puppy mill women have a table outside the store.

adopt a ferret

That's where I got my mutt, R196! I adopted her in May of 1999, and she is still fun, vibrant, playful, loving, and a BLAST to have around. When I called to see what we needed to do to adopt, they told me *all* the documentation I would need - copies of leases, letters from landlords, letters of reference, etc. My partner (at the time) and I went in just to check out the facilities. As soon as they saw a gay couple, all those requirements went out the window. They knew we were adopting for the long run.

We did adopt a puppy, but there were some amazing older dogs there. If I ever adopt again, that's probably the route I will take.

Days after we took her home, she starting coughing uncontrollably. Our vet said it was kennel cough. I called the shelter to see how her litter mates were. They said they could not give me any information. I think that answered my question.

[quote] If I interviewed someone who was only interested "In a puppy, who won't get very big" this is what I hear. "I just really want something cute and I think big dogs are a huge pain in the ass, I'm under the mistaken impression that a small dog is less work and that's what I'm interested in, less work" Well, a puppy is a hell of a lot of work.

Really? Because my reasons for wanting a smaller (under 15 pounds) dog is that I don't have a lot of strength, and though I love all dogs, I know that I cannot manage a bigger dog on a leash, or if I had to lift it into the bathtub to bathe it, or lift it into my car.

So no, it's not always about YOUR reasoning.

R182

I want to see Cricket's pic

It took me about 2 months, and I finally adopted a sweet pug. I filled out applications with 3 rescue organizations, they checked my references, wanted pictures of where I live, checked my vet reference etc. I was open to any age group - actually I preferred an adult because I already have an elderpug and I was nervous that a puppy would be too active for my older pug. But they had a puppy come available - and well, who was I to say no? He is just adorable. And my elderpug is proving to be a great big brother to the puppy.

Here's my Cricket.

I have gone twice to my animal shelter to adopt a dog. We own our home, are in our thirties with a 6 year old child. I am a animal lover who personally would never buy from a breeder or any other place. I would just prefer to keep going to the shelter until I find a dog that I fall in love with. I don't understand why I am not being approved as an adopter. I actually tried volunteering with a rescue organiziation just to help these homeless animals and was met with rudeness, superiority, and fianlly denied to foster. I made it very clear that I would provide a loving home and would be home nearly all the time to train, socialize, etc. What the hell is going on. I am just an animal lover trying to save a homeless dog anyway I can.

You're just too needy, R207.

You're crazy, R207, but rescue people are 10 times crazier.

Well i tell you animal rescue is a very depressing process. Most of you people say rescue groups are doing so much, but you are wrong. Animal rescue groups average, good, great or horrible all know they are butting their heads against the wall. We breed far too many mutts in this country to every have animal rescue groups make any headway. There are no restriction in the U.S to slap the hand of the backyard breeder and until they get caught and punished you will hate animal rescue groupsl. Yes these people are over the top, I work with them and dislike most. I agree most could not raise funds for anything. This is because the only people involved in animal rescue are degenerate type people. Your normal, socially adapted person is to busy raising funds for something other than animals. Animals simply are way down on the totem pole for those who could help finically, but even then they too would waste time in a battle won by backyard breeders. They are the champions in this battle leaving the rest of us in the dust. Poor animals will pay the price for all of our stupidity for many generations to come. In fact, my next prediction will be large dogs banned from neighborhoods due to the fact too many people will actually sue you for minor incidents. People will begin to have so much fear of what others will do to them they will not adopt a large dog. Dogs and cats are doomed unless most all people understand that it is the backyard breeder that is directing the program and laughing while we all try to kill each other over our indifferences when it comes to dogs and cats. It's sad you people will never get this, you would prefer to argue issues instead of wipe out the problem. You don't know a solution because you don't know enough. The backyard breeder is banking on your lack of interest in really getting to the truth of the matter. Animal rescue is extremely expensive, and time consuming no person should be subjected to it, because it simply isn't right. Euthanasia is extremely expensive and takes it's tole on the poor people putting the shot in them. Those that it doesn't bother are twisted. Yep you guys are really on the right track, you are wasting your time and wasting the lives and time for animals. You are rewarding backyard breeders. Yea you are really great people too!!!!!!

I am done with animal rescue groups - they are fascists and they ARE the reason people turn to backyard breeders for a dog or any other animal. Which I am going to do. Our vet gives us a triple A rating - we have a GREAT home - we have experience with dogs (have myself rescued abandoned pups and raised them and kept them AND cats AND horses) but for one reason or another we aren't good enough for some self-appointed "expert" to get a new puppy after our big old family dog who had been with us for 12 great years recently died. ASSHOLES is right.

As soon as I hear the "Angel" music come on, I switch the channel. I'm glad they're out there, but these people are crazy control freaks playing God. My best friend set up an animal rescue operation in San Francisco that turned into a big nonprofit practically overnight. People were throwing money at it. The woman who runs it has been profiled on television. Wealthy people donate vacant estates for the animals to live a better life. But I've watched my buddy, the most patient guy in the world, tear his hair out dealing with the "volunteers."

They had a thing in the paper. Name the profession with the most mentally ill employees. My friend said "law" because I work in a law firm. But it turned out the answer was animal services. Right away he agreed. "They're right!"

when are people going to stop keeping animals and start taking care of each other?

Well put! Go to your local shelter and save a life. Make those that work there happy to see one of their cared for residents go home!

SHELTERS are fair adoptions!

www.GimmeShelters.org

Lesbians and middle aged, lonely/single women are the main culprits here.

Sorry, but it's true. Every single animal shelter/rescue organization is full of these types of folks who are all batshit crazy. They're the gay/single versions of the psycho mommy crowd who control what kids are allowed to bring to school for lunch. Something about women in power at a local, non-political level. They're fucking crazy and it's why, back in 2006, I stopped volunteering and giving money to a local shelter.

Pet store dogs and cats need homes too. There are also more and more 'private' rescue groups with good people finding homes for homeless animals. Try to find one of them. As for the brick and mortar organizations, stay clear of them.

Craigslist. I got my last girl from there. I did run into ONE crazy but the rest were straight up and wanted to find the cats good homes.

I got my other from the newspaper. My family's cats came from the shelter, the vet's office, and one was a kitten from one of our cats before they were spade (always spay and neuter within 6 months). We're happy to have him, however. :)

FYI: The crazy was this chick who put up a photo of a yellow and white kitten. You'd contact her and she'd say sure come on by! Then she'd contact you back and say Oh I'm so sorry my boyfriend gave the kitty away! So then I kept looking. She contacts me AGAIN and says, "He was only kidding! Sure you can have her." Then she contacted me AGAIN saying "he wasn't kidding :(" By this time I found the cat I have now but she still contact me one last time saying she really had the cat. Pure nutter. I bet she still has an ad up and is messing with prospective cat adopters. She honestly reminded me of the woman from Dr. Phil who acted like she was giving her baby up for adoption...but there was never a baby, she kept stringing families on, saying she miscarried, etc.

1. You don't "adopt" animals, you buy them. Animal rights crazies are pushing the new language, but the law is clear they are personal property. It's perfectly legal to feed your precious kitty to your boa constrictor.

2. Pet contacts don't hold up in court. Ellen would have her dog back if she sued.

3. Cats exist to keep your home free of vermin. They've lived with humans (outside) for at least 10,000 years. "Cat food" is a very recent invention. Cows milk was usually the only thing fed to them by humans.

4. Dogs exist to guard your property and warn of intruders. Wolves dont bark. They've also lived with humans (outside) for about 10,000 years. Leash laws are only around 40 years old. Dog food is a very recent invention. You used to feed them scaps and bones or buy horse meat for them. Canned dog food was almost always horse meat. WEHT dog houses?

5. Cats and dogs have fleas, ticks, and diseases that they transmit to stupid humans who sleep with them.

6. "Crazy Cat Lady" looks like it may actually be caused by cat parasites.

7. Modern humans are insane wirh their animal obsessions and have way too much free time on their hands.

The harder they make it to adopt, the more people will buy from pet stores.

Oh the irony!

Somebody think about the rodents!

Don't live in SF but I've heard they are the worst of these groups. A friend named a few groups that he said were horrible... "Mutts" or something (yeah I know, big clue).

I've always adopted by shelter, so I have no group experience. They do sound crazy.

Many, many older people join rescue groups hoping to get laid. They feel as if appearing to be a compassionate person that others will want them. I'm not talking about the young ones, just the blousy old critters.

You know, when you get to be an eldergay like myself you really think about how so many children die or suffer for no reason. You think about that famous photo of the litle African child, who is clearly starving to death, dragging itself alone to a food distribution center. Then you think about the vulture that is shown standing there, watching, waiting for the child to die in order to pick at its bones.

I love animals. It hurts me to know that they are abused and suffer. But I also balance my love for animals with my love of humanity. When we complain about the rescue group crazies we are can see that they hate people. This is what bothers us, no?

[quote] My family's cats came from the shelter, the vet's office,

The vet's office/clinic is always a good place to check out for cats. Two vets in my area usually have a few on hand, usually not kittens, but you never know. And it seems fairly commonplace across the city.

About 20 years ago my sister's old cat had to be put down and the vet gave her another one a few months later.

I've had two from mine. Both given free of charge. When my old cat died about ten years ago, the vet offered me a lovely long haired Calico whenever I was ready for her.

I took her a short time later and had her about a year. She was a bit problematic, only bonded with me and didn't tolerate anyone else. She had belonged to an old man who lived nearby and he had to give her up when he went into palliative care. One cold day in winter she slipped out of the house and disappeared. She was found dead on the doorstep of the old man's former residence. She'd have had to cross a busy street to get there and it looked as if she'd been hit by a car.

The vet sucked me in again, gave me the little gem I have now. He's the sweetest cat I've ever had, a little black thing, he purrs and kneads and trills, answers to his name, and is dropping his toys at my feet as I type this.

Gotta go. Time for CAT HOCKEY.

Good Grief! Where I live people are constantly trying to give away dogs and cats to anyone who will take them. They had to pass a law in Shreveport making it illegal to set up in shopping centers and other parking lots trying to give away puppies and kittens. The pet breeders felt that it was harmful to their business. They kill unwanted animals by the thousands every day in the dog pounds around here. I have three dogs living in a pen on my property, and two cats roaming free to keep the place free of rats and mice. I don't treat them like humans, but I do pay for vaccinations and neutering, but if they seem to be suffering and unlikely to recover, I just put them out of their misery. I'm not going to pay for medical care for an animal as though it were human. It is easy to get new animals. I would just stay away from the nutjobs who think they are running an Edna Gladney home.

r223

Stupid freeper.

There's no doubt that rescue people are socially challenged to say the least, but you only have to put up with them for a day or two. The dog you save is with you for a long time.

[quote] I'm not going to pay for medical care for an animal as though it were human.

Anyone who wants a pet should know that part of the deal will one day require putting the pet down. Any responsible pet owner knows this.

R224, I don't even know what that means, but I am not the one on here complaining that nobody will give him a dog. Now when somebody does not have sense enough to get a dog in a world where they are killing millions of unwanted dogs, that is somebody who is remarkably stupid.

s/R223

Good grief, dogs are on the menu in some countries and Americans have to endure the Spanish Inquisition just to adopt some unloved, unwanted pooch.

I've been involved with animal rescue for a number of years, and foster for 3 different groups (one all-breed, one any-breed, and the local SPCA). There are all sorts of personalities involved with rescue in general, but with all three of them the foster home (us) decide who gets the dog. The rescue organization is great for maintaining the website and making the calls (vets, landlords, etc), but then it is up to the fosters to decide who gets what.

Some of our basic groundrules: have your present pets up to date on shots; have approval from your landlord that a dog is OK; have a fence -- if your dogs run free and you live in the city/suburbs, you are not getting one of our dogs! If you have returned an animal, tell us why. If you are 80yo and want a puppy, ain't gonna happen.

Good points: have had a dog before. Have moved your dog from state to state or to another country. Up to date on shots. Know that the a new dog will take some time to get adjusted to a new home. Know that a new dog is not going to be identical to your old/dead dog.

Fostering sure sounds like parenting, which is illogical, as we don't give birth to dogs.

Again, I love animals, but we sure put in a lot of time and effort into these animals that will eat us when we die if they are hungry.

I was just thinking of this thread the other day when I went to a house visit. I went to the address and the house next door was ramshackle at best with a yard full of dogs, cats and chickens. All of them darting into the street. I went to "123 Main Street" and did the visit. The owner seemed nervous which isn't unusual but what was unusual was that she and her husband didn't look ANYTHING like the family photos. The photos were a Mexican family and the mail didn't have their name on it. (I wasn't being overly nosy, it was just everywhere) The house was just as they said it would be, no pets, securely fenced. It was just weird though. So I told them I'd get back to them and mentioned to my director how odd the situation is. She called them and asked them fax a copy of their power bill in and they balked a little and did but their address was "124 Main Street" the animal hoarding Joad nightmare, next door. Apparently this shit happens once a year or so, I thought I'd seen everything. The dog I'm placing "Brewster" didn't like them either.

R231, Immigrants are a concern, at least from poor countries, as they do not care for animals like we do in America and the west.

So yes, you have to check them out.

Question: do you place dogs with the Vietnamese?

Why do people like r217 enter threads like this? You see from the title it's clearly about pet owners, people for whom he/she seems to have contempt. It's weird.

If you were being cute, r217, I apologize, but I just picked one of these type of comments, the others are clearly not kidding.

People have had pets for thousands of years, in every single corner of the globe. Only in America, have I ever met people presumptuous enough to declare that people who don't have [INSERT CRAZY requirement] should NOT be pet owners!

Apparently, only upper-middle class American white people of this day and age are the only people who know how to handle or take care of pets.

The family doing the main part of the fraud were white Americans. And of course we adopt to other ethnicities. In my anecdotal experience, only white waspy families were liars, starvers, returners and hoarders.

R230 "parenting" is not "giving birth" either.

[quote]Immigrants are a concern

Yum!

No, R235, I am specifically referring to the Vietnamese because they EAT dogs. You know this, and you are being politically correct in your reply. You darn well know that they have been caught trapping and eating their neighbor's dogs, here in America.

This is why I asked about about them.

R235, And I have caught you in another lie when you claim that WASP's are the typical abusers.

We all know that WASP's treat dogs like they are human beings, like family memebers. In fact, that's who runs these dog groups and who has started them all.

You are a liar and suffer from political correctness---the TYPICAL dog rescue person, I might add.

Yes, these people seem to be getting crazier every day, and they beg for money like TV preachers. You are none too bright yourself, OP, if you really gave these wacko groups all of the personal information that you mention.

R238, there are lots of people who eat dogs and cats, not just Vietnamese. It is very common in Korea and parts of South America also. I haven't heard of anybody being caught killing and eating neighbors' pets though, Vietnamese or otherwise.

R239 what we all know is that you are a loon and it has nothing to do with dogs.

Leave it to a bigoted nutcase to not understand the word "anecdotal"

And in Mexico they often serve dog from those street vendors.

I think that's what Anthony Bourdain was stupidly eating on his show. The meat looked yellow-y.

R238, yet R235 was blaming WASP's for the dog abuse when we really know that WASP's worship at the alter of dog.

Most shelters and organizations are well meaning.

People feel entitled to get what they want, and of course you want a good match, but here's what you need to understand about the volunteers: They are there because a lot of people said OH THE PUPPY IS CUTE I WANT IT I WANT IT I WANT IT and then, in six weeks when the puppy stopped being cute, they opened the back door to their SUV and threw the puppy on the side of the road. These folks clean up the mess left behind, literally and physically (and emotionally).

It is totally hard to hear some of those questions and demands and not take it personally. And God knows, the people at shelters are often not exactly the most socially adept people in the sandbox, so to speak. But they aren't doing that much due diligence to be a dick TO you. They are doing that FOR the dog or cat.

Wow -- the knee jerking in this thread is disheartening.

Wogs eat dogs. Rescue freaks make it hard to help. Many of us fear for our pets and for hapless strays in light of both groups.

The dog rescue grops are a pain in the azz to deal with. I filled out several applications, spoke to some of the people, but they don't get back to you. The requirements they have are crazy. From now on it's to the local county shelters for us if we seek a new pet. And I'll continue supporting the local shelters thru donations. cage sponsership, dog events / fundraisers or in any way I can. To all the rescue groups who thought my wife and I weren't good enough to adopt to - you can stick it where the sun don't shine. I feel sorry for the pets under their care in a way.

Cat Rescue Groups are better.

The same thing happens to me. I think it is an egotistical thing and I would love to expose them. United Yorkie is one of the worst ones that I have dealt with along with other Yorkie rescues. THis is the type of dog we were looking for.

I went through the hoops to "adopt" a small dog from an upper midwest animal rescue group. Worst experience ever. The dog was aggressive and bit my son several times, completely unprovoked. I returned the dog within the specified time and yet to get any of my money back. In fact, they have not even returned my emails or phone calls. I noticed the placed this dog back up for adoption within three days of my returning it, never noting it was aggressive or had bit someone. They also did *not* give me the dog's medical info until after I signed the adoption agreement. Very shady group in my opinion. I'm out $375 dollars and I am raising a disabled son alone. I'm about ready to call the attorney general's office or a lawyer. These people are, in my opinion, less than honest and nuts !

To Animal Lovers Everywhere – Avoid – PeaceforPawsOhio.org like it was a bad night on a Carnival Cruise ship. I fostered an eight week old puppy from this agency. I trained him six to seven hours a day for five weeks. When the puppy was nine weeks old, the agency instructed me to have him neutered. They sent me to veterinarians they designated and the vets refused to do the procedure saying it was unsafe before five months. I researched the issue and talked it over with some local vets and persons online. The consensus was that it was unsafe. Even if you adopt from this group – you never own the dog. They can take you to court for reasons they deem appropriate (at your expense) for the life of your adopted pet. On March 2, 2013 they came to my house to take the puppy and did not allow me to say goodbye or take the expensive food and toys I had purchased for him. I got into this to do a good thing. PeaceforPawsOhio.org sure did not make me feel too “PEACEFUL”.

Thank you,

Lou Anne Michel

[quote]And in Mexico they often serve dog from those street vendors.

Uh no. Unless you're talking about some rogue street vendor, this is not common at all.

In fact Mexico has stricter standards for meat consumption than America and has in the past, refused to import American beef because of safety concerns.

[quote]Somebody think about the rodents!

I know! I saw a NOVA special recently and it was incredible that in the experiments they conducted, rats actually helped each other and shared their food. When they had a choice to help a trapped rat or eat some chocolate, they always helped their fellow rats first and then shared the chocolate. It was touching and disturbing.

Now, I had thought that rats easily became cannabalistic.

I wouldn't believe the things you say if I hadn't experienced some of it myself and sent my dentist to a rescue: they said he wasn't experienced enough as he's never owned a dog before. Just two children and about 200 patients.

They are over the top and stupidly judgemental.

Ultimately, anybody can go out and rescue some old mangy pit bull if they want to. You don't have to apply to a rescue group, and any group is going to make its own rules.

Maybe they got sick of your shitty attitude. Maybe they found a BETTER home for the dog. Just sayin'.

I must say I have experienced the EXACT SAME THING from two different rescue groups and was completely appalled. My first experience was two years ago. I rescue group in the New Orleans area known as ARNO banned me upon meeting me. A stray dog and found me right outside of my apartment one night. Because he was sweet to me, and I lived on a busy road, I gladly invited him into my apartment. He however did not get along well with the stray cats I already had and the two dogs I already had. I kept the stray dog for one month, and after that I, and my pets were unable to handle him anymore. I put an ad in the paper, and wanted to avoid bringing him to a shelter, as he was an older mix who would have probably been put down. I visited ARNO with him and they demanded that I leave their premises and NEVER return. I ended up finding a black dog rescue a few hours away. My other dealing with a rescue group was only a month ago. My pomeranian mix of only four years from a shelter had a seizure after taking rimadyl and passed away. I wanted another pom, and with there being none at any shelters, I looked up a rescue group in my state. They had only four available who were former stud dogs. I emailed them with my interest. They told me that they would send me an application form, and never did. They told me that they would be sending someone to my home for inspection, which was creepy, but I agreed. I was never phoned. I emailed them a second time and they never said a word to me.

However, my friend, a dog trainer, and who's mother works at a shelter, was called right back for the husky hybrid she just adopted. I suppose I sounded too stupid or too unworthy.

Wow I must say I am so shocked that "so called rescues" were represented in this way. I reputable rescue does check references and does a home check. - not looking in drawers you look at a home to insure there is nothing that will injure animal or allow him to run free. Also of hard work and hours of communication and vet bills goes into rescuing the dogs. I agree some are not the best at dealing with people however they are saving dogs lives. For those who wish a specific age/sex of dog sometimes the wait is longer but that should be communicated to the applicant upfront. Just as you would research a breeder you should do the same with a dog rescue. Just because they say they are a rescue does not mean they are one.

True rescues do not discriminate-it is illegal.

Thank god for some sane people. I just got attacked online by a bunch of 'em. I call them "dog crazies" now. Plain old nutbars. I work with pets happen to hold a very high standard to the clients priorities over being in the "cool" group of sh**ty service crowd so got reamed out by those who pump out 14-18 dogs a day like a milling machine. I think it is abusive to do that. Then there is the animal rescue crazies who think it is okay to treat people like crap but claim to love animals...love the comment about the rescues being a front for animal hoarders because that is exactly what I was thinking too. I have had so many clients come to me and tell me it is impossible to adopt anything from any of them for all the same reasons listed already. I searched dog crazies and found this post and boy am I ever glad...I thought I was the only one noticing this crazy sh*t. I also heard that they wouldn't adopt to someone who had a job,because they wouldn't be home enough. Then refused a retired lady because she didn't have enough income to pay the fee they are supposed to waive. Most of them don't even have a proper non-profit status. They just fundraise and use the money and donated food to pay for their hoard that they keep or fly all over the country back and forth on donated flights...BS

I am so glad I am not alone.. I have two lovely dogs and was looking to adopt a 3rd from a rescue place.. But apparently you loose points if u don't put your drivers lic# on the application or if your are not a religious fanatic about rescuing a dog.. I can go buy a dog from a breeder.. Done it 3 times.. Can do it again but I thought there's a big lovely dog that no one will want because its too big or too old or it has a health issue.. I should help that animal.. BUT I'5 really LIKE TO SEE THE DOG before I pass our my drivers lic and first born and a blood sample to get a dog someone didn't want and give it a better life!!! My dogs are free.. I put up a 7' high fence so they could always be loose in the 70x200' yard - I work from home.. They gets lots of attention!! They go to the vet - they do what they want.. Wish I could have it that good!! But what's up with these people - don't they want the dogs to find homes or what??

Maybe it's because I listed a fairly expensive dog food, grain free with glucosimine and condroitin I it.. It wasn't a raw diet.. My bad!!! That and no drivers lic# on my adoption application.. Maybe I failed when I said if the dog was growling I would leave it alone and try to find out why it was growling.. Maybe since I was looking at a 7yr old large breed dog what I should have said was I would run.lol. Maybe its because I grew up around police dogs / service dogs that was a bad thing - but apparently having a very large, fenced yard, owning your home having 2 dogs nearly 8 and 10 since puppies and no children under 18 at home means u failed the application..and that means you shouldn't even have a dog I guess.. I'll have to let my furry babies know how rough their life is.. When they wake up and get off the couch for a treat I'll break it to them..

R260, it may be illegal but I worked for a German Shepherd rescue and if you were African American or Latino, you shouldn't have wasted your time filling out the application because they will deny you. They'll make a clever excuse but that's what it is.

And yes, these are women enclaves and are not hospitable to men.

I went to my local rescue yesterday. Indidnt even get to see the animals. I asked to see the dogs and any pups there might be and they insisted I should take a cat. I said I am allergic to cats, so they legit told me I couldn't see any dogs and I should try the pet finder website to see.... Are you fucking kidding me?!

Check out www.loveunderdogs.org We actually want our dogs adopted out to good homes and we love people too :)Proud to say we have a lovely team of nice people who care and we are try to be as efficient as possible!

I'm gonna get flamed for this one but I don't give a fuck.

When the term "rescue dog" first became fashionable, I thought it meant it was the dog who had been doing the rescuing, like in earthquakes, building collapses, avalanches in the Swiss alps, etc. I couldn't understand how all of a sudden there were all these former dogs who had been doing rescue all their lives and all of a suddent they were all retiring to be taken care of by these wonderful and caring people.

I finally got it that it was the HUMANS who had done the rescuing of the dog! And was really code for, I'm a kind, considerate and good person! Actually, a lonely, usually fat loser.

I have two rescue dogs. I went through a place that did not do home inspections. They did interview me for an hour on the phone and check my references before I could even see the dogs.I got interviewed again in person and spent time with both dogs to make surethey got along. It was a tremendous pain in the butt. Three years later I can tell you it was totally worth it.

Here's a dog rescue group that specializes in rescuing dogs who are chained outdoors, called Dogs Deserve Better.

I got my dog from Animal Care and Control, a city agency. She was abandoned and found wandering the street. She is a pure breed, house broken and perfectly trained. Puppies of this breed cost about $1,200. I paid $75 for her. I just filled out a few forms and she was mine. I also got a month of free pet insurance and a free vet visit. So happy not to deal with the Rescue Group nonsense.

R270, your post is not nearly as nice without a photo as it would be with.

We just adopted from a rescue, and it was very easy (despite the obvious nuttiness of the rescue operator). She was unable to give us the dog we asked about, but asked questions about our life and situation, and matched us with a perfect little mixed-breed puppy who has melded right into our household.

Not to disagree with the insane stories here (cause the five page application we filled out was a bit much, and a bit onerous), but they do seem to have some success stories.

Dog #1 - Las Vegas shelter. No problem.

Dog #2 - friend of a friend. No problem.

Cat #1 - Tucson shelter. No problem.

Cat #2 - San Francisco shelter, for a kitten that had been found malnourished under a MUNI track. Two lesbians came into our home for a visit, in which they would not leave, and when they finally brought the cat over, they stayed for TWO HOURS to "see how it was." Well, mostly it licked its asshole, like a cat does.

They threw a FIT when we said we were going to name him "Vegas" because we were from there - literally telling us that was no appropriate. I told them to get the fuck out. Vegas is sleeping on my lap right now, fat and 14.

Isn't it great how R217 came here to tell us all how animals work?

Listen twig, I've had animals for years. On a farm. For hunting. For company. For mice. And one that slept in my bed. Only an idiot who doesn't know how to take of their animal lets them get in such a state as you've described. It's not "natural" - it's nature. If you were outside all year, you'd be dirty, flea infested, and burr covered too - but so? I wash my car - by your logic, I also wash my cat and dog, as they are property (and are you a fucking idiot or something? Feeding kittens to boas is "perfectly legal"?)

They are usually run by damaged women whofeel victimized by life and want to "rescue" and save the animals as the wish someone would save them.

What R275 said may very well be true. I've had little to do with rescue group women, but the ones I have had contact with seemed to have "issues," shall we say?

I'm looking at you, GSP ladies of MD/VA/PA. And the Bichon Frise ladies of PA.

Italian Greyhound rescue people (not all women, as it happened) were much nicer. Couldn't say why.

Haha. My sister in law has become one of those crazily obsessed dog rescue people, except for one thing. She does not volunteer for or contribute money to dog rescue groups. She just signs a bazillion online petitions and has turned her Facebook into an advert for rescue dogs and a wail-a-thon against kill shelters.

She is a classic narcissist. The reason why she is crazy about "rescuing" dogs is because she adopted a pit bull. Anything she does is brilliant and must be flogged to death. But not to the point where she would ever deign to lower herself to working as an actual volunteer or contributing money. No, no. Her strident emails and posted dog profiles should be enough to convince the world they must drop what they are doing and instead do what she wants of them.

So go out there and get a dog! NOW!

Actually, R277, what your SIL does is very helpful. Facebook reaches a lot of people who actually might "go out there and get a dog! NOW!"

This is my girl -

Oh, so CUTE, R270 R279. So CUTE.

I have worked in rescue for many years....sad to say. Many who run rescues are a bit off their rocker.Many have been hurt themselves in life and are trying to right some wrong by helping animals. Some, not all, start off wanting to do right by the animals but it ends up with hoarding mentalities or over analytical judgmental ideals towards others. Example one, "you cannot have an animal you do not have air condition". When all in all these people have ten poor animals in their home that are not being cared for properly. I have found more rescues that are bad than good. Remember though....there are still some of us who are out here that really do love animals and do right by them. Blanket statements are not fair to anyone.

I to just got a good dose of the crazy rescue people. After I was told I would get the 2 puppies they closed their facebook page. Tried and was able to get a phone number and called and left message and all I got was silence. Finally tracked the woman down via her friend and was still under the dead line but as I dug deeper I found out the pups went to a "foster home", they adopted them the same day I was told I could have them. I hate liars more than anything but now I can add the nut case rescuers to the list. Stay away from MCPAT's in Bluefeild va. They where all pissed off when i busted them on the facebook page they where advertising on.

IME rescues vary a lot depending on the volunteers. I recently dealt with three rescues when trying the adopt a dog. The first was just very disorganized: long wait for email replies, lost my application. The second was run by a woman that seemed a little crazy and volunteers that weren't the most social; they also seemed to pressure their adopters into being a lot of toys and stuff for their dogs, to the point where I wondered if they had some kind of deal with Petsmart, which is where they usually had meet-and-greets. The third rescue I talked to was great. The volunteers seemed to really love dogs, were very fast with communications, and seemed very invested in finding homes that would be able to give a lot of love and care to their new pets. I adopted from the third rescue and love my new baby; I will probably adopt future dogs from them as well.

All three rescues require home visits and recs, and the third called my vet just to make sure my older dog was uptodate on his shots. Having seen first hand how horrible some adopters can be, I wouldn't adopt from any place that didn't take these precautions. My friend in FL went to her local humane shelter and just picked out a dog right then and there, no interview or home visit or recs, but that's probably because there's such an overpopulation problem there that they figure any owner is better than having to kill the dog. But I've met some really irresponsible owners in FL, like one women who had five UNneutered rescue dogs that she let run loose during the day, where they were probably impregnating any bitch in heat that they came across and doing who knows what else.

have you tried the local spca or petsmart, there are tons of dogs, and cats who need loving homes, and they could care less if your gay,bi or hetero. Finding loving homes for these animals is top prority. A persons sexual preference shoudl not

The OP is just sick of them because he wanted a dog to do some sick perverted stuff to. You know the stuff you're average 'mo is into?

I can't imagine why people who have taken in beaten, abused, starved animals would be picky about the homes they send them to.

After all the dog can stand more abuse if it cuts down on paperwork.

I'm sure if you aren't willing to go through a an approval process it is no indication that you won't have the patience or time to take care of a pet.

We adopted a cute little doggie. we asked the rescue group about the doggies health and they said he was perfectly healthy. We did everything they asked us to do... even spayed our old doggie, since that was a requirement. After two months the new doggie showed signs of kidney failure and died a week later. I wish they would have informed me about his condition... I would have given him special food and treatment. We spent about 1000 dollars in three days of hospital treatment... but the worse part of it all is that we got very attached to the doggie and it was a really painful episode for us.

Thank you! I had a hideous day at the local petsmart trying to find a recue to take in two abused dogs that are roaming and eating trash. One group was nice, but the other deflected everything and kept asking questions. It is well known that the local animal control has been cut in funding, and doesnt ever do anything except in emergency. They basically said it was my problem, and I should take them to the pound. I tried to explain they need medical care, and socialization. The pound will kill them. So I talk to this other volunteer and he was going to help, but a steely eyed, skinny, blonde banshee told me that they dont rescue strays. She told me that humane society and animal care will euthanize and she will not intervene in any way because taking in abandoned dogs off a street is theft.t this btch is racist as hell. I mentioned where I live (hispanic area) cut me off, and walked away. Why in the fk is it a rescue if the dogs must meet certain requirements? These people are self rightous @ssholes. They pat themselves on the back while mowing people down. This is Tucson, BTW. Shithole town full of nuts, criminals, and racists.

R288 - I find many animal rescue folks to be intolerable.

I don't know anything about the woman you dealt with.

The unfortunate reality is that dogs which are roaming the streets are terrible candidates for rescue.

I do know one person who does animal rescue that I respect and she has some heartbreaking stories to tell about dogs she had to turn away. Abused abandoned dogs whose behavior is so unpredictable she could never in good conscious place them.

I have met many people that run these so-called rescues. Mental illness runs rampant.

I agree "rescue" is a self congratulatory title bestowed upon their own businesses, which generally consist of hoarding animals and feeding them bizarre diets unfamiliar to wild or domesticated creatures.

While I understand some dogs might not be good for rescue, these are small scottish terrier mixes. The problem is not they they wouldnt help, its how I was treated. I do believe racism was a factor, ive never been glared at so hatefully and humiliated for asking a question. I looked up the rescue website, and they have a long spiel about rescuing abandoned street dogs, injured and abused. Apparently not if you live on the wrong side of the tracks. Bullsht really. I vent, therefore I am.

Anyway, I hate talking to rescue groups. Dont evan get me started on the cat people. I suppose the mentally ill, anti social, and plain weirdos have a right to contribute to society as best they can. But, if they are to work with the public, they out to be taught basic courtesy or to sht the fuck up when their internalized anger spews forth. I am not going let them mistreat me and act like I did something wrong. To hell with them.

Huh, I just realized what happened to me recently. I was driving past a pedestrian. I park, then sit on my friend's porch. The pedestrian comes up to me with a weird overly nice smile and asks if I wouldn't mind slowing down when I drive because cats live here. I looked at her, shrugged and said I am comfortable driving the speed limit. She got upset and started going off about how that was great, so I don't mind killing a cat because I want to drive fast, while she walked away. I was taken aback and angry, since that's not what I said at all.

Another day, I was walking down the same street and saw this VW bug dressed up like a cat. There are white wires used as whiskers, some sort of cement structures molded on the top as ears, and a detachable long furry tail that is kept inside the car on rainy days. The Bug is painted like a cat and has professionally-applied slogans and sayings about cats and how important they are, we need to spay them, they get pregnant at 4mos old, etc. This person has spent a lot of money doing up her car this way. And it turns me completely off. But that's because I prioritize children in need above animals in need.

Anyway, this thread suddenly made me understand I had been accosted by a rescue crazy! I never knew about rescue crazies, because we've never used them. We got our old dog when he ran away from somewhere and noone came to pick him up, more than a decade ago (notices posted in the paper, all reasonable efforts made, etc. - to preempt the RCs from accosting me here, too).

XYZ - I don't believe your story.

But you certainly are a stand-up guy. You find a racist group lying about what they do - and you post an anonymous complaint on a website that will accomplish nothing.

You all may find the people who rescue animals intolerable.

But are you denying that they rescue the animals?

Are you denying that they then take care of them and try to place them?

Let's have some actual examples. Not unsourced anonymous anecdotes.

Spare me the nonsense about the welfare of children being more important than animals. How is someone who rescues animals taking away from the welfare of children?

Go away troll this really happened. Most people are venting here and if you dont like it, dont read. Now, im not saying all rescue groups are bad but plenty are and need regulation. I once volunteered at a cat shelter. It was a house filled with cats, hoarder style. The smell was unbearable. I came with cleaning supplies, including febreeze and offered to vacuum the mountains of cat hair. I was lectured that I could take my cleaning supplies right back because the smell and noise would upset them. So I ended up beating rugs and stuff outside, and ended up covered in cat hair. I was given a broom to sweep, and I didnt do it "right" . Try sweeping hair, it flies around. The cats were overweight, unhealthy and depressed. They had a backyard overgrown with weeds, had they built an enclosure, the cats could at least get fresh air. I never went back. I think its good to discuss these experiences out in the open. If you think im lying, keep your opinions to yourself. Im sure plenty of people have experienced worse.

r291 is right; animal hoarders use 'rescue' to deflect criticism. It amazes me how many people take in too many animals and think they are performing some social good.

Many of these people are "difficult" to deal with, just keep in mind they are not a business. They are not being paid to handle you like a customer. They have to deal with the horrors of animal neglect and abuse every day. They often have real jobs to keep a roof over their heads and overextend themselves at home by taking in as many animals as they can possibly handle because they'll be killed otherwise.

(I know someone who rescued a pregnant dog at a shelter, then had to bottlefeed puppies every two hours for weeks because mother's milk wasn't happening)

It may be easier to buy a puppy farm dog. Put a few hours in to deal with the bullshit, save some cash, and get a rescue.

What I have not seen anyone mention are the rescues that are in it for the money. There are plenty of them. You hear all the time that there are plenty of adoptable pedigrees in the shelters. Guess what? The rescues scoop up all the healthy dogs that would have been adopted and leave the pitbulls to be killed. Then they put maybe $50 into this healthy dog and charge hundreds in adoption fees (sales). Fact. Then they pat themselves on the back for rescuing kill list dogs and puppies when it was unlikely they would have been. A real rescue would take the pits too. My favorite though ( I'm in NY) is that they will go down south to "rescue" cute smaller breeds and pups and beg for donations to pay for the transport. Meanwhile NYC is slaughtering dogs every day amd that transport money can be used locally to save them. very few offer spay/neuter programs and many rescues only pay $5 for that at the ASPCA. if you find an animal in need, they will npt help unless its a pedigree. They pat themselves again for being Heroes while charging hundreds more for a purebred. Then they have the nerve to tell people not to buy dogs. I agree you should adopt, not shop but I'm not the one selling Maltese puppies I "rescued" for $700. Disgusting! I'm sure there are good rescues but by me it's a business. I wish they would model themselves like NSAL. That's a real rescue!

R299, you are full of shit. You have no idea what goes on with rescues. I've been involved with a pure breed rescue for almost 20 years. No one makes money. Vet care is expensive, particularly for starved, abused, puppy mill breeding dogs and others. You need to take your head out of your ass and work on becoming a human being.

I 'm thinking of volunteering for the local rescue group. I would love to help these dogs. I'm rather a sociable person. Will I not fit in?

R11/R22 bless you, and I agree. Many shelter people seem "crazy" because they've seen a lot of horror and know that people are capable of anything. We foster for a "virtual" online shelter that has "meet and greets" at Petco every week. Yes, the woman that runs the shelter is strict but not unreasonable. The other people who foster aren't crazy and aren't hoarders. Our fosters go to wonderful forever homes.

You can look for any size dog you feel is right, and we try to help the potential owner out. If you had a sedentary dog in the past, a rambunctious terrier might not be the right fit for you.

I don't think it's right to categorize all animal rescue people as crazy. Granted, some are. Some really care but have seen such unhappy situations that they go overboard to make sure the animal gets a permanent home. And I agree, sometimes, they can be unreasonable.

We need to make sure of the people we ALLOW to adopt a pet - The PUBLIC is uninformed & NUTS - we must be very, very careful with the incidents of torture & murder by those who say they are adopting

[quote]I'm about thisfar from going to a pet store and buying a puppy - something I thought I'd never say, let alone do.

Too many bullshit restrictions drive people to pet stores.

The animal lovers are actually making the problem worse.

God bless animal rescue people. There are too many fucked up humans putting animals through hell

And you have to remember -- anyone working in animal rescue has seen such depraved indifference and horror, it makes them extra careful.

One of my cats - and this by an animal rescue person is far from a horror story - was thrown into a sewer as a kitten. Another one was found as a kitten with his litter mates behind a restaurant covered in glue. If you told those stories to someone running a shelter, they'd tell you that's nothing.

The problem is that most people are nice and don't understand what some of these people have witnessed.

R306 No, the problem is that professional rescue people need to be able to put their personal trauma aside and deal with reality in a rational way. And the reality is that most adopters are decent people who may not be perfect but will not throw a kitten down a sewer.

Why do dogs and cats get such special treatment over mice and rats?

I find that the rescue shelters attract the uneducated, skill-less and sociably handicapped. Who else is going to do their jobs for pennies? Volunteers are a different story.

What do the Nazi-sequel shelter people think they're accomplishing. People who are unfit to be pet owners just go to pet stores and puppy mills to get what they want.

$5 for a spay or neuter? Wow! Where can I get in on that deal? Those clinics are for individuals not Rescues. It cost us $86 to spay/neuter, vaccinate, Heartworm test, deworm, flea treatment and HW treatment and believe me, that's a deal! We charge $125 for adoption. No matter what breed, purebreed, age or otherwise. Where are we making money? If the dog comes out to be Heartworm Positive, we treat that dog before it's adopted. That is around $400. So IF that is the only thing wrong with the dog we have $486 in it. That doesn't include food, crate, toys, flea and hw treatment for EVERY month we have it. Adoption fee is STILL $125. Unless my math is REALLY bad... That's not doing it for the money jackass! No one has ever said "I think I'll get into rescue for the money!" If you have a problem with a vet check or a home check, guess what, no dog. Plain and simple. Most of these dogs come from bad situations and we don't rescue them to put them into another one. If that makes us CRAZY then I guess we are CRAZY.

Rescue groups need to drop the spanish inquisition tactics with pet adoption.

The just need to advise buyers they will take the animal back if the owners can't/won't care for it anymore.

OP, if you are SICK of dog rescue groups I'd helpfully suggest you direct your SICK towards the section of humanity that abandons/abuses and neglects these animals for so many rescue groups to have to spring up everywhere.

You can only try, r301.

How do any of us know if we'll fit in anywhere?

Run it up the flagpole and see who salutes, I say.

I read an article on "where the crazies are" in various fields.

The top answer was "Animal Activists."

We had similar experiences to many of the people here. We had no luck getting any cooperation from a rescue group. We were able to adopt our dog from our veterinarian. I would suggest contacting the local vet's offices to inquire about animals in need of adoption.

To the rescue group supporters that spoke up on this forum in defense of rescue groups: Go back and read what you wrote and consider how judgmental you sound. I understand that you may deal with an great number of jerks however, alienating well-intentioned prospective pet owners does nothing to advance your cause. Do you think that your holier-than-thou attitude is winning anyone to your cause? Isn't that what you need most? If you don't care that's only reinforcing the negative experiences people, here, have already had.

I am a gainfully employed homeowner with a family and a big yard. We adopted a stray mutt with "man" issues who loves my wife more than life itself. Our vet tells us he is ideal health. As far as I'm concerned that's all you need to know about us.

THIS IS NOT A SITE FOR STRAIGHT PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANIMAL RESCUE COMPLAINTS.

It's a GAY site with ONE thread about this topic.

No one wants straight people on here. Go the fuck away.

Idiot fuckwads who google things and then just type wherever they find themselves.

Some humans should be put to sleep.

R317: go fuck yourself you worthless piece of shit.

Hello, I know you said you don't want straight people on your site. I'll make my point and not post again. I work for a small rescue group. I have encountered some crazies in other groups. All I want you to know is we are not all like that. We love to adopt to gay/lesbian people. We have found that they treat animals wonderfully. We don't question people like we're the FBI. We want our animals to find homes unlike some other groups that are on power trips. I can't stand them either. Sometimes it becomes more about the people than the animals. Ok. I've had my say. Happy life everybody! :)

I am currently working with a rescue for a certain breed of dogs. I am finding the "area coordinators are power hungry histrionic nut jobs. Don't think i can do it anymore. It is making me nuts. I thought it was just the cat people but i was wrong.

I'm sick of them too. Crazy people.

Let me just say on the subject that if I were to look for a German Shorthaired Pointer, I would probably go to a breeder rather than put up with the rescuettes.

A friend of mine who lived in an apartment at the time called about adopting one when he moved to a house. Since he didn't live in a house that day, they wouldn't introduce him to any dogs. He called again after he moved, and the nutbag wouldn't show him a dog because she didn't believe him that he'd bought a house. He's on a permanent shit list for GSP rescue dogs.

There are a ton of rescue groups out there and I think the key is to NOT even try to continue with the ones that don't respond to applications or don't return calls or have over the top requirements from the outset. Immediately drop it and move on to the next one. When it clicks pretty quickly and the person gets back to you right away and the group has a reasonable application, work with that group. It shouldn't take more than 5 tries to stumble onto the right one.

Wow - sorry to read some of the horror stories on here. We adopted a cat from a Brooklyn foster group two years ago, and had such a great experience that we foster for them now.

The woman who runs the group warned me early on: some animal rescue volunteers are great with animals but dreadful with people.

Meeting with potential adopters who visit our foster cats - I've heard really bad things about hoarders, filthy apartments, unreasonable behavior, etc.

Our group doesn't tolerate that, but we purposely stay small. Too many groups get overwhelmed and take in too many animals/volunteers.

A person earlier in the thread asked about $5 spay/neuter. In NYC, if you take a free TNR class given by Neighborhood Cats, you have access to ASPCA rescue services and The Toby Project - both offer $5 sterilization and immunizations.

You guys know the fosters have families and full time jobs right? Like if they don't email/call you back in minutes, it doesn't mean they won't or are dicking you around.

My friends were interviewed THREE times over a period of TWO MONTHS before they were approved as adopters. At each interview, the entire family had to be present. In their case, this included older teenage children (15 and 18)from one partner's previous relationship who didn't even live with the couple. One of the interviewers from the rescue group was apparently vaguely homophobic and asked questions about the "stability" of my friend's partnership. I was genuinely pissed off on their behalf, but they had their hearts set on a reserve dog from this organization - which they eventually were able to adopt, after jumping through more hoops than would have been necessary to foster a human child.

Well, the group we work with has one visit after the application, during which they bring the dog, and if the place isn't a pit and the people are nice, they leave the dog there. That's what they did with us before we started fostering for them.

By the way, Iowa University teaches a course in running puppy mills. I've put the petition link in the url box for those interested in signing to discourage them from having the class. The shelter my group works with in South Carolina had 64 Pomeranians dumped there (a kill shelter) by a puppy mill going out of business. We got 8 - the shelter works with groups all over the country. The two we fostered went to a bed and breakfast and are doing great. Puppy mills are a big part of the overpopulation problem. Please help if you can and pass on the link.

Wow, there's lots of hate on here. I've "worked" in rescue and by that I mean spent countless unpaid hours of my free time outside of my full time corporate job as a senior manager (yes, I get on well with other humans) to help rescue, market, train, and transport dogs while reviewing applications and performing home visits to help the lucky few we are able to pull from kill shelters get into good homes.

Those who work in rescue aren't perfect and can sometimes be difficult to deal with but they also have the compassion, strength and drive to face grim daily reminders of the horrors of our shelter system while also trying to put on a happy face with the general public and try to reason with people that have no business having human children let alone dogs but we don't have the power to regulate that unfortunately. So, given there are strange perverts that like to molest animals, burn them with chemicals and cigarettes, throw them in the dryer and countless other horrors that those of us who actually volunteer in shelters see on a regular basis you may have a little more understanding and patience for these rescues and their troubling questions and processes. And for the rescues that are just terrible (because they do exist), stop supporting them.

hi I have been volunteering with a rescue for year she does not do any of that stuff .and believe me the rescue trash her for it any way check out her website any time none of what you are saying is what she does best of luck,,,,, www.give4pawsasecondchance.com

I've adopted all of my cats and dogs over the years from municipal animal (kill) shelters. They have all been good pets and lived long lives.

There are more of the prison dog programs all of the time, I think that would be an excellent place to adopt a dog. The prisoners have trained them in basic skills such as leash work, socialization, house training. Each prisoner lives with the dog for a number of weeks. It's good for the dog and good for the men in the program as well.

I'm willing to bet the reason you're not getting a dog from a rescue group is because you're a punk, a lowlife, don't have a home, a fenced yard, or adequate living conditions for a dog. They're probably trying to be polite to you by "approving" you. Would you rather they come straight out and say "you're a douchebag, we'de never adopt a dog to you because you're a POS"? You're on here whining and crying and cursing out rescue groups, and as a rescue owner I've seen your kind a thousand times. The truth hurts, I know, but you have to remember they are looking out for the DOGS best interest, not yours. Suck it up and quit whining.

[quote]All three rescues require home visits and recs, and the third called my vet just to make sure my older dog was uptodate on his shots.

I'd be damned if I let some crazy nut into my house to judge me. Fuck off. Home visits, my ass.

Judging by your choice of words...its because they see that you have an attitude problem! They want to find these pets FOREVER homes! If they see anything in the way you act or your application they will not allow you to adopt a pet! I know cause I've volunteered for many rescues! And we are not crazy people. We just want to be sure that we don't end up getting that smae pet back a few weeks later!

& obviously if you won't agree to a home visit they've made the right choice!

Forever home. Anyone who says that phrase needs to be shot.

I know really old post BUT I'm in midst of adopting a dog from Romania...lost count of the amount of cries.. 'There are so many dogs in uk for re homing why don't you get one here'?

I'll tell you why... 1) filled out copious amounts of forms 2) zero stipulation about what dog we want to rehome apart from they need to be ok with cats (as we have three) 3) we've heard NOTHING, no phonecall, no email, NOTHING. (Except from a sharp email from RSPCA saying 'they're no ready yet, fill out form and IF you're deemed suitable we'll be I'm touch' (um so we 'll just sit and wait for an undetermined length of time with a 50/50 chance ..great

So the Romanian dog .. 1) an email sent 2) a reply within hours 3) dog choosen 4) confirmed he is cat tested 5) seen videos, seen photos 6) this is all the same day! 7) home check booked for three data time 8) confirmed receiving date within a month

Spot the difference!!!

GOD SAVE THE PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR ANIMALS!

I would assume that most dog rescue people are terrific, compassionate people. There are undoubtedly a few who feel powerless in most other aspects of their lives and grasp on to their roles as "rescuers" in obnoxious and aggressive ways.

There is a very simple solution.

Buy your dog from a breeder. Don't go to a rescue.

I've never dealt with any rescue organizations and have no desire to. The two cats I have now (like other cats I've had over the years) were giveaways from co-workers who couldn't take care of them anymore for whatever reason.

One of my dear friends works with a few animal rescue groups, she is also a pet hoarder. She currently has 10 dogs, 30 annoying birds and God only knows how many cats. Her house is an utter disaster. The smell is horrendous. Anyway I casually mentioned to her I was considering getting a chihuahua. Well she got to work on this. She found a 1 1/2 year old female. So she gets me in touch with the foster woman.....this nut bag had demand after demand. I filled out an application, gave her my vets name yada yada yada.. Then she wanted to do a home visit. All I heard in the background while speaking to her on the phone was a lot, I mean a lot of barking. Of course she never admitted to how many dogs she had only offering "a few". I had daily phone calls and emails from her. I was suspecting she wanted to keep the dog forherself. I called my friend and told her I'm losing interest and that she should call the foster woman as she speaks her language. Next thing I know I'm in a grocery store parking lot ready to meet the nut bag and pick up the dog. Of course I had to park in a certain area behind the grocery store like I was making a fucking drug deal. So up pulls this shitty van. Out comes the foster nut. She's of course all butchy and filthy. The girlfriend is in the front seat silent and my guess is pissed at her mate. So the sliding door van is opened to reveal trash all over the inside. In the back are 3 what I'm assuming are adopted children of varying degrees of disabilitys and ethnic backgrounds. The eldest girl of about 12 is clinging to the dog. I'm told to just take the dog, which I do not do. The foster nut grabs the dog and hands her to me. Oh and I forgot to mention they had a crate in the van with a mangled dog that should gave been put to sleep. They were off to a city 3 hours away to take that dog to some vet. This was dusk on the night before school started. Off they sped and my chihuahua just clung to me and has never left my side. She's a great dog. These animal rescue nuts are just addicted to the next animal. They don't care for the pets they gave. Just want the next fix.

My experience with these loons wasn't all that pleasant. After filling out two applications and waiting over a month, they wanted to visit my home. I told them to fuck off and went to the local animal shelter and bought a dog. That was 4 years ago. There's nothing wrong with adopting from the local shelter. It was a good experience all around.

I ordered my dog from the internet and had him shipped. No home visits, easy pleasey. And he's a full breed, not a mutt.

[quote] he's a full breed

And you're a half-wit. I'm sure the two of you make a great pair.

Rescue -

Not all are bad. I have fostered for an organization for several years, now. Believe me, they have the pets best interest in mind. Maybe there is something about your status/information provided that is keeping you from being a potential pet owner. Do you have a vet? Do you take your pets to the vet? Can you afford to do so? Do you rent or own your home? Does the landlord allow pets? After raising a dog from birth to 8 weeks of age (appropriate adoptable age) I am VERY particular about the adoption candidate. Sorry, but I would never adopt a rescued puppy to a person, say-- in their 70's. A life expectancy for a puppy can be 15+ years. It is a better chance that the dog will be "homeless" again and at an age that make it harder to adopt. There are many factors involved.

R346 Sorry, but you sound like a self-important tool.

I'm with R346.

I've never fostered a rescue pet, but I did volunteer for a rescue org. Put in a couple hours a week walking the dogs and playing with them.

It was heartbreaking to see some of the pets being brought in. The worst were the dogs the staff couldn't take. In particular dogs with no training and a history of attacking other animals.

I can understand why they go to extremes to make sure they aren't putting an animal right back in a bad home.

Wow, some of these posts were interesting to read. About a year after my 17 year old chow mix died, I missed having dogs around and decided I was ready for another one.

Some of the local rescue groups looked friendly at first but the rules scared me. I thought it was bad that one place wanted a $75 non-refundable application fee even if I never get a dog from them... but the one that really took the cake was a place that said they get to do random house visits over a period of two years and that at any time of their choosing they can take the dog back from me. They also said that if I ever move out of the county in that same two year period, I have to return the dog, but if I move from one place to another without leaving the county, it was fine. What a way to kill the bonding process.

It also does make me wonder what they've seen because those rules had to have popped up for some reason.

I caved in, hit Craigslist, and adopted two 3 year old yellow lab mixes for free. They're 7 now and I wouldn't give them up for anything.

Omg they are run by volunteers who work their butts off around family and work to rehome dogs as soon as they can. They have procedures they have to follow and not only deal with enquiries but transporting, vet appts, assessments, surrender dealings, caring for the animals, administration, yard checks, events, FB enquiries and management, developing profiles, photographs, fundraising, website upkeep amongst emergencies and fostering themselves. They are not paid workers sitting at the computer with all day to address the varied and numerous enquiries immediately. They work tiredly around their busy lives purely for the dogs. They deserve praise not judgement from those who don't volunteer their time as if you did you'd understand. Taking applications first allows for having the info to find the right match for both the dog and interested adopter and helps prevent just rehoming a dog in a home it's not suited to and digs bouncing around unnecessarily. Everything they do is in the best interest of the dog and new owners to ensure its a good match for life.

[quote]People who put stipulations on the size or age of the pet are weeded out

That's insane. You expect someone to accept a 10 year old Rottweiler when they were looking for a beagle puppy?

Yes, R350. Every single person involved in animal rescue is a walking saint who poops rainbows and butterflies.

PS: lots of us have difficult jobs. Some of us actually do them well, without martyr complexes.

Lots of wild dogs roaming around Sochi in packs. Pick one.

Too late, R353. Most have already been poisoned and left to die.

I'm so frustrated about trying to adopt a puppy. The county shelter requires proof of home ownership within the county to adopt. I rent.

The stupid rescue groups... don't even get me started. They scoop up all the puppies (the dogs most families look for) from the shelter before anyone else can adopt them for a reasonable fee. The 'rescue groups' are often old biddies operating out of their homes who flip the puppies for twice or three times what the shelter charges, under the pretense it goes to charity.

These old women not only want to talk to your landlord and employer, they want personal references and insist on the right to come by unannounced for an indefinite period to check on the welfare of the animal. I want a puppy in my life, not a surrogate grandma!

Craigslist is full of poor people too irresponsible to get their pets fixed who think they've hit on a gold mine because their dog got knocked up. 'I SWEAR they're pedigree, I just don't have papers!! $1,000 rehoming fee only because I want to make sure they get a good home." Right. Meanwhile you can see in the pictures the puppies are living in their own waste. It's disgusting. All that's worse are the people who are trying to give away obviously sick and/or elderly animals because they're supposedly moving away and can't take them.

What a racket.

Here's a good one: we passed the sniff test, and then got a dog who is NOTHING like she was described to be. Oops. They just didn't do their end of the work. They are taking her back in a few days as she is beyond my capabilities. Nice folks but they are not really helping. Unless you count the exercise I got jumping through hoops. I made the mistake of driving 4 hours each way for the 'right' dog and would have done better staying local

i worked at a rescue,worst experience with humans i had in my life,especially when the owner is a verbal abusing control freak,and doesnt really care about the animals.she sees them as a way to make profit off them,especially the pups.

Waitress: Morning!

Man: Well, what've you got?

Waitress: Well, there's egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and spam; egg bacon and spam; egg bacon sausage and spam; spam bacon sausage and spam; spam egg spam spam bacon and spam; spam sausage spam spam bacon spam tomato and spam;

Vikings: Spam spam spam spam...

Waitress: ...spam spam spam egg and spam; spam spam spam spam spam spam baked beans spam spam spam...

Vikings: Spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam!

Waitress: ...or Lobster Thermidor a Crevette with a mornay sauce served in a Provencale manner with shallots and aubergines garnished with truffle pate, brandy and with a fried egg on top and spam.

Wife: Have you got anything without spam?

Waitress: Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.

Wife: I don't want ANY spam!

Man: Why can't she have egg bacon spam and sausage?

Wife: THAT'S got spam in it!

Man: Hasn't got as much spam in it as spam egg sausage and spam, has it?

Vikings: Spam spam spam spam... (Crescendo through next few lines...)

Wife: Could you do the egg bacon spam and sausage without the spam then?

Waitress: Urgghh!

Wife: What do you mean 'Urgghh'? I don't like spam!

Vikings: Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!

Waitress: Shut up!

Vikings: Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!

Waitress: Shut up! (Vikings stop) Bloody Vikings! You can't have egg bacon spam and sausage without the spam.

Wife: I don't like spam!

Man: Sshh, dear, don't cause a fuss. I'll have your spam. I love it. I'm having spam spam spam spam spam spam spam beaked beans spam spam spam and spam!

Vikings: Spam spam spam spam. Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!

Waitress: Shut up!! Baked beans are off.

Man: Well could I have her spam instead of the baked beans then?

Waitress: You mean spam spam spam spam spam spam... (but it is too late and the Vikings drown her words)

Vikings: (Singing elaborately...) Spam spam spam spam. Lovely spam! Wonderful spam! Spam spa-a-a-a-a-am spam spa-a-a-a-a-am spam. Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Spam spam spam spam!

It's reassuring to see so many people affirm my sentiments about animal rescue groups.

We had done our research about what kind of breed would be the best match for us and set out on our search for a new puppy for our kids to grow up with. Finally found some cute puppies at a nearby animal rescue. I was stunned at the list of requirements and condescending questions on the application. They even required a background check to see if we had a history of domestic violence -- WOW! Now, they require a visit to our home, while they are complete strangers to us! Do I get a background check on them too? Naaahhh!

Nevertheless, I filled out the app and kept sending emails asking questions about how old the pups were, if they had more info on the pups' backgrounds, could we come and see them BEFORE doing a home visit, what the adoption fee was, etc.? They never replied back. I gave up after a month! By then I figure the pups aren't even little puppies anymore anyway. I sent emails everyday for a couple of weeks with NO replies! No phone number to call, no address to go check them out. It starts to look a little queer. Are these guys legit? Do the pups actually exist? Is it some sort of bait & switch technique?

Not only that, but these groups ALWAYS insist on spay & neutering BEFORE being released to your home... Pups can't even be spayed & neutered until they are at least 5 months old, better if it's at least 6 months. By then, these pups are well on their way to adulthood and getting set in their ways.

I have concluded that animal rescue groups are the latest PC pop phenomenon, and sooner or later the jig will be up.

The demand for cute little toy and small breed non-sporting puppies is much higher than the supply. It's like all that is out there are hunting dogs, bully dogs, and shepherds. That's why designer dog breeders can demand $1,000- $2,000 for a mixed breed poo-puppy!

What I learned from this experience is that animal rescues are mostly a bunch of political hype, even though they are touted all over the media as the ONLY humane route to get a pet! It's a social guilt trip just like green energy and militant gay rights.

Even if you COULD cut through the red tape, it would cost you enough to buy an animal from a breeder- and then at least you know the animal's history, can see the premises, and meet its parents; AND then YOU get to decide on issues regarding micro-chipping, feeding, neutering or spaying, what vet services to provide, etc., because it's YOUR pet; you don't have to keep reporting back to some overlord after you adopt- it's your pet free and clear; you don't have to endure humiliating applications, questionnaires, home visits, and background checks just to provide a good home for an animal needing one; and YOU get to decide on the breed and age of the animal you want! What a bunch of high-nosed crappola that if you try to narrow down the age and breed of dog you want you immediately get eliminated! Screw them!!! NO ONE should support such tyrannical bull pucky!

So we got our puppy from a friend in another state. They had decided to breed their little dog with their neighbor's little dog before getting them both fixed. They ended up with the most adorable litter of pups. Even with airfare and the cost of the puppy ($300.00), it cost us less than if we had bought from a local breeder of designer puppies, and probably about the same as the adoption fees they charge for a complete unknown at a rescue shelter (if it were possible anyway)- and we couldn't be happier with our mixed breed mutt.

Maybe just maybe there is too much attention given to dogs when human beings are living in horrendous conditions, especially children.

I love animals but I don't get the pet worship, sorry. That doesn't make me a bad person, it's just that I know the difference between an animal and a human.

If half of the effort given to dogs/dog rescue would be given to abused children we could really change things in this world.

I can relate to your frustration. I also recently have been trying to adopt a dog. First they advertised puppies, and approved my long application, but the puppies were not in the state where they advertised them. So I was told in acouple weeks the puppies would be at an adoption event in New York somewhere, but I was approved to attend. Mind you I am in Connecticut and was looking at ads that said these puppies where in Connectcut. I' m not going to somewhere I don't know in Ny. Then they send me pictures of adult dogs that needed homes, so we decided to help out one of them, that was in Guilford, CT. This meant filling out another lengthy application. I was told the pet was with the women who emailed me and asked me to fill out her groups application, so I did. Then I waited for a week before she emailed me to tell me that the foster mom decided to keep the dog. Yet this dog remains on several adoption sites as available. Next I found another dog and emailed about him only to be told that he was somewhere down south and can't be adopted to CT because of our state laws. I looked into it to find out the law was that this group doesn't want to have the animal vet checked in our state so they won't adopt here, yet they where on the site as available dogs in CT. Finially I picked another dog that was avertised as being in Westport, Ct. I emailed about him, only to be told he was down south also and I would have to fill out another long application before being considered. I filled out the application and sent it, but don't have much faith in hearing from them. I am beginning to think all these sites are some kind of hoax. My husband and I have decided to wait and purchase a puppy from either a breeder or pet club. Just thought I' share my story with you. I to am sick of dog rescues.

Maureen

Please don't turn to breeders or pet shops because of this. Many crazy people are attracted to pet rescue. I think it's because they seek/want power and haven't a clue how to relate to people. I have known rescues to falsely advertise, but most really do have many animals in need.

My suggestion would be to stick it out for the animal, find what you want and then tell the crazies to kiss it once you're finished dealing with them.

Interesting that this thread is four-year-old thread has occasionally been bumped in order to keep it going.

R359 writes, in part, the following:

[bold]I have concluded that animal rescue groups are the latest PC pop phenomenon, and sooner or later the jig will be up.

...

What I learned from this experience is that animal rescues are mostly a bunch of political hype, even though they are touted all over the media as the ONLY humane route to get a pet! It's a social guilt trip just like green energy and [militant gay rights].[/bold]

Take out your anti-gay sentiment—you homophobic piece of shit—and your response to this topic may be [italic]worthy[/italic]!

Me, too! We tried to adopt a dog from Midwest Small Dog Rescue in Ohio. After filling out the 60 question adoption application, we were called by Gloria Balusik, the owner of the Rescue. She told us we were the first and best application she got. After talking to my husband for 20 minutes on a Wednesday, she told us we got the dog and could pick her up on that weekend. Then two days later, she sends an email telling us she changed her mind and was going to keep her. When we told her that was a cruel thing to do and she never should have put her up for adoption in the first place, she got defensive and told us she wasn't a cruel, even though she admitted she never should have put the dog up for adoption. She put us through so much heartbreak it wasn't funny. This is the fourth time a rescue agency has treated us like garbage, and we are done applying for a dog through them. We will stick with our local shelters and humane societies.

pet rescue groups = animal hoarders

That's why they make you jump through all the hoops to try to get the pet then pull out the rug from under you once you've done so. They have no intention of giving up any of the animals.

I would always go to a shelter and not a rescue group because the pets at a shelter get put to death quickly. They need someone to give them a home more.

I've been in and out of the rescue world for nearly 20 years and been involved with more groups that I can count (there is a common trait of new groups splintering of from one old ones due to personality issues). I am currently affiliated with 4 groups as a foster home and have 5 fosters.

Breed-specific rescues tend to be full of prima donnas in the leadership and are the pickiest in finding homes. A typical rescue person in this organization will only adopt out to a home that is better than they would provide the dog themselves. This is the group where fosters are most apt to keep the dog (since they are already in love with the breed).

Local groups and those affiliated with SPCAs generally have much more lax standards. They want to find good homes for their dogs so that more can be saved. But be prepared to ensure that your own animals are current on immunizations, are fixed, and that you have a fenced yard or good walking schedule.

Standards on puppies are high everywhere though. Puppies have high bounce-back/return rates; people do not realize that puppies tear things up, poop/pee a lot, and need lots more care. No group wants to see a dog come back into rescue at 9-12 months because the family is tired of them. Returned animals are all the more difficult to adopt out again, and may have more ingrained bad habits.

If you really want a great dog (that is broken in) look at the adults and senior animals. There are LOTS of great dogs that are age 5 and up that have many more years of great companionship left. But too often these great dogs are overlooked and neglected.

Bottom line: look local. Look for a dog older than 2. You'll be glad you did.

I'm with [R67]. Older dogs are already trained, so they're much easier than puppies. They also have a sad backstory: owner died or abandoned them, or they jumped the fence to see the world and couldn't find their way home. Dogs tend to put all their ego ID into the relationship with their master, and it's incredibly hurtful to them to be cut off from it.

As for the rescue groups, people who spend all their time with animals obviously have a problem with humans, so they're going to make things as difficult as they can for you. Go straight to a shelter and save a dog's life.

Pit Bull Rescue types are mentally ill.

Always themselves unlovable fraus, they will defend Pit Bulls forever and reject any evidence that pits are ferocious.

Pit bull owners = unlovable assholes

While there are always bad eggs in the bunch of animal rescuers it is easy to spot a reputable group. They are the ones who are not posting about their personal issues and you see that they are adopting dog throughout the week. Even run by volunteers. Each rescue has stipulations on who gets an animal but as long as it goes to loving family that is what is important. As an animal rescuer who keeps my fosters (I have 2 tops at time so please don't call me a hoarder) in my home our rule is that they cannot be outdoor dogs. Find a real rescue group that is in it to help and work with shelters and not for the drama or money. There are rescuers who have people skills we aren't all nutcases!

Hey, I fostered dogs for a local rescue and I had a completely different experience. My old, beloved dog unexpectedly died and I didn't want a replacement, but I needed the canine presence so I signed up to foster. It was a rewarding experience and all the dogs that I fostered ended up in new homes, save for one unadoptable terror - who I ended up keeping after six months of failed meet-and-greets.

The foster organization was mostly women, who I know are not so popular with many DLers, but I liked working with them, and they really did want to find permanent homes for the dogs. It was indeed not a dog-giveaway, however. Applicants did have to pass the requirements. Eventually I ended up doing the home visits for dogs that I fostered. I wasn't unreasonable at all and never turned anyone down.

I echo the sentiment of other posters searching for a dog: try the local pound or Humane Society if your efforts aren't panning out. Don't be stuck on just one breed. Mutts are fantastic! And consider an older dog. They are calmer and often already trained - and they will reward you with all the devotion and loyalty that you would expect.

they should be euthinized they r vey disturbed people and they do not like animals. how can u say for free then want people to pay money

Thanks for the reality check, R271. All the liars and creeps on here need to get over themselves. R271's experience is the experience of most people in rescue.

I placed dogs for years. I feed raw and never required anyone to feed raw or even feed a certain food.

[R371]: What was the problem with the "unadoptable terror?" Did he chew things up? Resist housebreaking? I'm curious to know what bad habits a dog might have.

DVGRR caretaker. Absolutely nuts. Never ever met someone that messed up.

Unfortunately, many are attracted to animals because they can't relate to people. Got smeared and lied about by this nasty, disgusting person who worked for a rescue because she has a personality disorder. Really broke me for a while but I came to realize what a nothing she is...and how blessed I am that she is out of my life. N-U-T-S.

I got my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel from a rescue group and they were FANTASTIC! Not crazy or rude at all. The adoption form was a touch off putting in its nosy-ness and I have to admit that the idea of a home visit was intimidating, but but it ended up being great. The woman who did the home visit was a total gem and super informative-- I really learned a lot and it was great to connect with another Cavalier lover.

My dog is a total angel and I am forever grateful to GCCR (see link below) for bringing us together.

I am a former rescue volunteer. Why former? You might ask... well, the person I worked with was a racist bitch, just to be plain and simple. I've been told she now actually has a rescue license of her own. Anyway, I met her online through facebook and because I was volunteering as a foster for moms and babies (cats) for my local shelter, she then asked if I would like to get into a bigger organization and being that I was relatively new to rescue, I said sure. She had asked me to move into one of her rental properties and I could foster more animals for her, rent & utility free. I could still keep my job of course, but the stipulation was that I'd keep the cats for her so she could help more of them. She claimed that she was working with a licensed rescue for all of this, and showed me her permit .. at this time everything was legit. 2 months later, the rescue dropped her for pulling out too many dogs for their rescue that they didn't have fosters for, and then putting them in boarding without their consent and she expected them to pay for all of it. She didn't tell me about any of this, so for the next year I continued to "foster" cats for her. At one point, there were about 70 of them total, moms and babies, as well as other cats but mostly these were kittens who were vulnerable to catching diseases. I was very attentive and made sure that they always had clean litter boxes and enough food, and that the entire place was clean, in fact I actually hired 2 girls to help with the cleaning sometimes. They were all perfectly healthy cats and kittens, until she decided to pull 2 litters of ill kittens from a shelter, then bring them back to me!! I had previously discussed with her that I couldn't take anymore in, so I was upset about that as well as the fact they were sick. Despite quarantine, the virus spread, killing half the kittens and making the rest ill. When I asked for veterinary care, she never took them, so I had to out of my own pocket. The only reason the ones that survived did, was because they were older. One 7 year old cat also died, but the rest were kittens 8 weeks and younger. It was very heartbreaking and not to mention expensive. Then, a month later, department of agriculture showed up at my door, and wanted to talk about the rescue I had going on. So I told them who I was working through, and they said they had an open investigation on both of us!! I stated that I wasn't aware that she wasn't licensed because she had shown me her permit... and they had informed me that the actual licensed rescue had dropped her a year ago. I then surrendered all the remaining cats to the actual rescue organization... however I was still labeled as a hoarder. I like cats, don't get me wrong, but I had absolutely no problem with letting them go. Come to find out, she had over 30 cats in her house along with 12 dogs. This person was/is a sick freak of nature, and not to mention the fact that she is incapable of proper social interactions with people. I feel bad for the animals in her care now, but there is nothing more I can do. I have absolutely no desire to ever do rescue work again.

A home visit is a deal breaker. Who are you to judge me and my home?

Hear-hear to all of this. Really getting turned off of rescue groups. I'm a great candidate and it doesn't seem to matter. I can go get a puppy any time but am TRYING to rescue and they are so effing elitist and entitled. Who the eff do you think you are, anyway? An animal hoarder justified by a "rescue" title. You are NOT special, you are NOT better than ANYONE. Get some business acumen and some real-world common sense and maybe some good would be done.

YES!! Hell no your coming in my house! Do I have something to hide? NO! Would I meet someone on the street and say "oh hey want to come into my house?" Absolutely not!!how in the hell do I know if some crazy ass person that comes into my home is not going to murde me????? Really!! It's easier to get a child! That brings me to my next point. THESE ARE DOGS!!! Not children! I had my wonderful Jack Russall for 15 years. I do believe I'm "acceptable" candidate to care for another dog. I think rescue groups get off on being in control of an animal or animals. Good grief! Get the stick out of your ass and do some good!!!!!!

Yes I agree we are trying to adopt a dog from SA Dog Rescue, after having our property inspected, and having made the changes was requested, they want more chances which will cost $$$. We are EXPERINCED dog owners of many many year...aarrgghhh..its so frustrating. I view this how 'adopt a pet' thing very differently now.

I work for a animal rescue and at times get frustrated with how animal rescue people are. Much of why they screen potential adopters I understand. But I do feel many of them go too far with questioning and researching the adopter. "We got into rescue to give the animals a home. Right?" If you want to understand it a bit more look up compassion fatigue syndrome. This is not to excuse their behavior. Just maybe shed some light on the whys. In a nutshell these people have no balance in their lives and have allowed rescue to take over every part of their lives and they expect everyone to think and do as they do. This hold true for employees and volunteers working under them. It can take a perfectly sane and nice person and turn them into what we are talking about here. What upsets me more is that not all rescue people are like this but the ones that are certainly make a lasting negative impression.

If people have problems with Dog Rescue Groups, refrain from adopting a new dog from them. Don't like any alternative choices, don't adopt a dog at all.

It's not ok to be a rescuer and treat people poorly. Yes people have a choice to not adopt from the rescue. But there is a bigger picture here ultimately it is hurting the animals. They are loosing good homes! Because of burned out unhappy rescue people. As more and more animals are loosing their lives in shelters waiting to be rescued or adopted. The unhappy rescue group is holding out for that so called perfect person to come along. I agree with screening but judging is different than screening. Burn out and fear is no way to run a rescue. And too many run it that way. Its sad. I am sorry to see this happening all of this country.

Sad thing is, many rescue groups that claim to be non profit actually make hundreds and thousands of dollars simply by going to county facilities and placing holds on dogs. Then they will sell them, yes they charge fees above and beyond the $35 to $85 that the county facilities charge to adopt out these dogs. It is trafficking. Such a shame. These animals are not available to the public because the rescues scoop them up so quickly.

There is one rescue group in Ft.Lauderdale Florida that claims to be a non profit organization yet I know for a fact that the owner and her wife have scammed over$400,000. From donations and fund raising. The money is constantly coming in because they post all over facebook and profit from trafficking the animals. Most of these animals come from the Miami dade county shelter, where they go to put holds on 5 to 10 dogs at a time. This money goes towards BMW s and elaborate living expenses for the director of this organization.

Peoples from Rescue groups are heroes!

My company did a volunteer day at a dog shelter and they were all batshit crazy. Each one of them had multiple, multiple pets. I think most were animal hoarders.

I looked on their Facebook page and one of them posted a suggestion of implementing "surprise home visits" from time to time after the dog is adopted to make sure that the dog is being treated well. This got so many likes and comments from her colleagues agreeing and saying that they can never be too careful and how they need to monitor these people after the adoption. I would rather buy a dog and be free and clear than have to be subjected to these "surprise" home visits periodically. Who knows when they'll end.

You DO realize getting a dog and putting them into a "Stu Suprise" isn't rescuing the animal?

What's a Stu Surprise??

We adopted a dog in January after being screened to death. Two weeks later, our vet said we needed $2000 worth of knee surgery on the dog because both legs had Grade 4 patellar luxation. The shelter's response? "Oh we knew about that, but our bet said surgery wouldn't be necessary." WTF? Call us stupid, but we kept the dog and got the surgery and now the dog can run and climb stairs and play. We could afford it, and we loved the dog. But don't adopt from a small shelter half an hour west of Boston.

I hate how they choose who's best and not who's first they should be greatful that somebody is wanting to adopt they shouldn't be picking and choosing

IT's SOOOOOOOO ANNOYING. Can someone actually list a dog that's in the right location. I find dogs then realize they're 10 states away...I will not adopt site unseen, and telling these groups that is the kiss of death...you'd think we were nutz. Look if I wanted to rescue anything, I'd probably pick up the stray down the block....I do not, which is why there were these portals such a petfinder and adopt a pet.

F$#%-IT....I'm gonna buy a PureBred....I'm gonna do it - watch me!

I've been with a very large dog shelter (Humane Society) for many years, and I can affirm, there seems to be an inordinate amount of cold employees who have a vengeful, gossipy rude and even hateful side to them. I think places like this attract people who have serious issues with humans, originating from their childhood, and find love only with animals who aren't a social challenge to them.

There is a rescue called Animal Alliance L in New Jersey that takes animals from PA. These are lost animals that are found and are supposed to be taken to shelter. Animal Alliance intercepts this unlawfully. This rescue takes them before the stray hold is up. They give bullshit stories and don't allow prospective owners who have lost a pet to view or attempt to claim it. They claim "abuse and neglect and charges will be filed if any owner comes forward" yet they are lying so no one will claim the dog. what is this kind of thing -an illegal dog ring? Trafficking?? They know how to work the system - they know by taking dogs out of state there is a very slim chance an owner will find it PLUS they know the police can't enforce them to return the dog to the state in where they stole it. The police can't seem to help. They were notified when this happened the last time to someone.

Wow - just googled this and was led here after a horrible experience with a shelter doing similar things to be described above (changing their mind, making bizarre excuses, etc...).

I read / post here all the time so I think chrome or google led me here, but this thread is GREAT. Animal rescue people are FUCKING NUTS!

Thank you DL! Oh btw, the shelter is 90% staffed by women, which I find odd. All white women. Is this typical or is this hiring bias?

Care to share more details r396?

It's just a cover for hoarding.

Just pretend to go along They're hyper vigilante toward the crap people in the world.

R396 yes and uneducated, usually. If educated, cray

They all wear fanny packs. As I've said many times wearing a fanny pack is the number one indicator of crazy. The list goes like this:

1. Fanny Packs

2. Tattoos

3. Vegetarian or vegan.

If you stay away from any of these you'll do fine.

Yeah, the story is a bit long but it's really no different from things that have been said 400 times above my post here. Anyway, here goes:

First, they asked so many invasive questions on their application. This was extremely bizarre compared to other shelters, and I shouldn't have filled it out. Someone who is well-known in the rescue community (and runs a very great shelter) recommended them to me personally. She just doesn't foster any dogs, so that's why I didn't adopt from her shelter (I want to foster for now until I move to a new place). Anyway, the application consisted of questions including these (and far more):

My income

Employer

Job title

How long I've worked there

My full birthday (not just age)

Address / If I plan to move & when / type of fence / height of fence / Proof of ownership or rental

All kids, if they ever had pets, their ages / names

Who lives with me / how often I am here / they are here

My 3 friends' names and numbers...and it specifies "no relatives"

My vets name and number

All of my former pets and how they died (was super fun filling that out...I couldn't lie about any of them cuz the vets have known me forever)

Were former pets declawed / docked / neutered / vaccinated / euthanized (answer for every pet)

Then, there was a gigantic essay section where you had to answer questions about what you'd do if your dog barked too much, pulled on the leash, wouldn't eat, had anxiety, etc... as if you are Caesar Milan.

After all of that, and having a 45 minute phone interview where no concerns were raised, I was turned down a week later because I said that I have a mild cat allergy...so I can't foster a dog (even though I have a dog here right now...it's my friend's dog who is renovating his house. I'm not allergic). And now, they will not talk to me whatsoever. They won't let me explain the difference between cat dander (which is a different protein - fel d1) and dog dander. During allergy season, I sometimes use nasocort or Neilmed...big freaking deal. I have plenty of allergy tests showing I am not allergic to dogs as well. I'm just basically banned / cut off / dead to them.

On yelp, 9 of their 22 reviews are 1-star and say the same exact kinds of things. Some people had even worse experiences. One girl posted about her dissatisfaction on their Facebook page (as a review), and the owner responded with "you don't own your house - that was a lie....red flag - we're glad we didn't adopt to you after seeing how you reacted on facebook" or something like that. How nice that the owner put her personal info out there. She replied that her BF owns the house, so it is not "rented" - as asked on the application. They don't care. The decision is the decision.

Here's a great article about the BS that shelters put people through & how everyone basically ends up at breeders after dealing with people like this. I do know of 2 super nice shelters that have great yelp reviews and treat the animals AND people very nicely. I just wanted to foster...so I got mixed up with these bitches (this organization is also 90% women...so I thought that was a bit odd too...).

It's easier to adopt a Romanian orphan.

^ lol true

My mom was like "ALL THIS FOR A STRAY DOG??? WE FOUND WINNIE IN THE YARD!" (winnie was my cat growing up...and she was born outside).

Oh she also declawed Winnie, and I was honest about it (shouldn't have been because then I had to give a 10 minute speech about why people did that in the 80s still, and how i never did that to any subsequent cat)... and I had to do this even though I was adopting a dog...it was just weird. Yes, sorry my mom declawed a cat when I was 8 years old. I didn't have much say, but I suppose that was a "red flag" too.

So I've read through this whole damn thread befor I realized it was older than me.

How credible is puppyfind.com?

Amazingly I found just what I was looking for in my small hometown. They're asking for 5 bucks to see more info on the owners. Do people that have good quality dogs post on it?

Go to Craigslist. Lots of people moving who can't take fido.

Do these dogs ever get placed?

That's the million dollar question I guess. I've always wondered.

[R61], you're working yourself up into another one of your frizzes, dear. Remember now, we talked about this the last time you were allowed 'outside' time. You remember, when you were allowed out of the group home without your Hannibal Lecter mask on? & how that didn't work out as well as we expected? That's right, because of your 'issues'. Now, I've just received a new prescription for an increased dose of that lovely Thorazine. So, I'm going to pass it into your cell, I mean, room, on the nice tray here. Drink it, bitch. And shut the fuck up already.

Linked pic is R61 as a sweet child. NOT

R61 Dogs don't annoy me in restaurants.

How funny this got pulled up. I never read it the first time because I had my shelter dog and it was pretty easy. She died two months ago and I am looking for a similar dog from an all volunteer rescue. They do seriously takes weeks to do anything. I have a "house visit" this week for the last part of the application. I haven't even been able to meet the dog yet. And they've told me the dog has another application ahead of mine, but they go with the best fit. They told me that with my last dog, but it ended up being an out for them if they thought I wasn't dog worthy so I am hoping that is what's going on here. But you think I would be able to meet the dog first (I found her online).

Good luck [R411]. I've wanted a dog but I know it would complicate my life because I don't have the cache of $ available for any emergency vet bills. I think lots of people adopt a dog on a whim without really thinking it through. The thing is, I'm retired, so there wouldn't be any separation anxiety. Heigh ho. But I do get sort of pangs once in a while.

I just got a dog from a rescue. He's adorbs. And the rescue seemed like they really wanted to place the animals.

In 2012, I was trying to adopt from a breed specific rescue group. Like other posters, despite jumping through their many hoops, got nowhere. Frustrated, I Googled "dog rescue group problems" and found DataLounge. I ended up adopting from a shelter. He's the breed I wanted and a love. Most of the time.

[quote]He's the breed I wanted and a love.

What breed, r414?

R415. Beagle.

Thanks R412. It is expensive. Luckily here in Austin we have Emancipet where anyone can get their cats and dogs fixed and vaccinations for 100s of dollars less then a vet. So I just take them to the vet for everything else. But when everything else happens it is expensive.