Rescues “saving” adoptable dogs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The shelter just wants animals out. It doesn’t matter to them which ones go.

Mostly this. Every day a dog is in the shelter, its chances of being adopted out sane decrease dramatically. A shelter is NO place for an animal. I'm glad they exist, and I respect the volunteers who work so hard to help the animals they can, but they'll all tell you the same thing. Shelters are loud and smelly, with hard floors. They're stuffy in the summer/chilly in the winter, and full of scared, anxious animals who spend most of their days (sometimes ALL of their day) in a very small pen, without much stimulation or individual care.

Rescues with available foster homes will pull some of the easier-to-manage cases out of the shelter environment, leaving space for shelters to handle more complicated cases, including animals with medical issues. Some breed-specific rescues coordinate with shelters, know their "dropoff days", and yes, get "dibs" on whatever breed(s) they're working with. Why? Because those animal have a better chance going straight to a foster than spending even a handful of days in a shelter, waiting for a new owner who may/may not show. Those same owners (I'm @ing you, pekinese person) can search a little bit harder to find a breed-specific rescue if they really want a particular type of dog. Other owners may be fine with getting a "whatever" mutt from a shelter. There are options, and they're not hard to find.

The bigger problem is that people have confused animal shelters and rescues with bargain shopping stores. They only want an animal they can adopt right now, for cheap. It's a mentality that frequently leads to animals coming back to the shelters. Good, Cheap, Fast - Pick two. You want a purebred cocker spaniel for cheap? You'll need to put your name in at shelter and wait (you'll get queue advantage if you sign up to foster, volunteer a bit, treat the people there like people...). You want a cheap dog and fast? Go to the shelter. I've never seen one empty; there's a dog there you can take home today. You want a specific kind/sort of dog right now? Be prepared to pay for it.

Pets are a privilege, not a right. If the upfront cost of acquiring one is too steep for you, you might need to consider whether or not your budget can truly afford the animal and its ongoing care. Anyone needing a pet RIGHT NOW will raise major flags for any responsible/ethical shelter, rescue, or breeder.

Rescuses should be cheap or free, and not a sales transaction.

Who's supposed to pay for that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IMO these rescues are abusing animals for their own personal financial gain. It’s terrible. They take the adoptable animals and charge exorbitant fees and fundraise. They pay themselves a nice salary above what shelter workers make and pay their mortgage as an expensive. They rely on volunteer fosters and volunteers for labor. When they can’t get enough dogs that will yield their $700 fee they buy them at puppy mill auctions furthering the demand for puppy mill dogs.

It’s a terrible racket and really a violation of non profit and animal welfare rights that should be shut down.

Yes, the animal pulled from a shelter and placed in a home, with an owner who can afford to care for the dog, is being "abused." I'm sure the dog is very sad in its fuzzy bed, with its treats and plush toy, that you don't like the funding model of the organization that placed the dog there.

There are multiple threads in this forum about how expensive vet services are and how people can't afford routine vet care. Posters are giving numbers like $800 for a visit with tests. Posters are saying they'll euthanize instead of treat. But the rescue that a) pays for a bunch of vet care and b) wants the dogs to go to viable homes, is not supposed to charge an adoption fee?

You do not sound credible, you sound petulant. Sorry candy isn't a nickel anymore either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The shelter just wants animals out. It doesn’t matter to them which ones go.

Mostly this. Every day a dog is in the shelter, its chances of being adopted out sane decrease dramatically. A shelter is NO place for an animal. I'm glad they exist, and I respect the volunteers who work so hard to help the animals they can, but they'll all tell you the same thing. Shelters are loud and smelly, with hard floors. They're stuffy in the summer/chilly in the winter, and full of scared, anxious animals who spend most of their days (sometimes ALL of their day) in a very small pen, without much stimulation or individual care.

Rescues with available foster homes will pull some of the easier-to-manage cases out of the shelter environment, leaving space for shelters to handle more complicated cases, including animals with medical issues. Some breed-specific rescues coordinate with shelters, know their "dropoff days", and yes, get "dibs" on whatever breed(s) they're working with. Why? Because those animal have a better chance going straight to a foster than spending even a handful of days in a shelter, waiting for a new owner who may/may not show. Those same owners (I'm @ing you, pekinese person) can search a little bit harder to find a breed-specific rescue if they really want a particular type of dog. Other owners may be fine with getting a "whatever" mutt from a shelter. There are options, and they're not hard to find.

The bigger problem is that people have confused animal shelters and rescues with bargain shopping stores. They only want an animal they can adopt right now, for cheap. It's a mentality that frequently leads to animals coming back to the shelters. Good, Cheap, Fast - Pick two. You want a purebred cocker spaniel for cheap? You'll need to put your name in at shelter and wait (you'll get queue advantage if you sign up to foster, volunteer a bit, treat the people there like people...). You want a cheap dog and fast? Go to the shelter. I've never seen one empty; there's a dog there you can take home today. You want a specific kind/sort of dog right now? Be prepared to pay for it.

Pets are a privilege, not a right. If the upfront cost of acquiring one is too steep for you, you might need to consider whether or not your budget can truly afford the animal and its ongoing care. Anyone needing a pet RIGHT NOW will raise major flags for any responsible/ethical shelter, rescue, or breeder.

Rescuses should be cheap or free, and not a sales transaction.

How would you suggest the rescues pay for food, medical care, kennel space, website with dog photos, and the multiple full time staff to run everything?

Honestly I am so tired of people who want every feel-good thing to be free. You presumably earn a salary for your work, but somebody who works at a nonprofit is supposed to take a vow of poverty? All the vendors are supposed to donate endless years of kibble and spay services? Come on.

DP. Well, why can’t the rescues let the most adoptable dogs be adopted from the shelter? And that will save all the expenses you’re saying are needed to care for them by the rescuers

And shelters in wealthier parts of the country do just that. MoCo for example - you don't here about urgent need to pull dogs from there because they short on space and will have to euthanize to clear some space. Heck, you can't even foster unless you're willing to take large put or dogs with some complications

[Anonymous]

In my area there are several breed specific rescues that target their breed in shelters and receive surrenders of that breed. I know those people are passionate about that and people who love that breed will donate to the rescue but its no "money making" operation. Pet care, especially new pets with unknown medical issues, is expensive and this is done from the heart. I have even been bummed when they have gotten to the shelter before me. I would go to the shelter often when searching for the perfect dog and assumed I'd end up going through a rescue but my dog popped up in the shelter one day as a little puppy, won me over and I have been blessed with the world's greatest dog ever since. I think if you think rescues are a big scam you haven't really known people who do the work and shelters will have great dogs you miss out on because your perfect match just isnt in yet or you were meant to take a chance on something out of your parameters. Have a tiny bit of patience and open your heart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my area there are several breed specific rescues that target their breed in shelters and receive surrenders of that breed. I know those people are passionate about that and people who love that breed will donate to the rescue but its no "money making" operation. Pet care, especially new pets with unknown medical issues, is expensive and this is done from the heart. I have even been bummed when they have gotten to the shelter before me. I would go to the shelter often when searching for the perfect dog and assumed I'd end up going through a rescue but my dog popped up in the shelter one day as a little puppy, won me over and I have been blessed with the world's greatest dog ever since. I think if you think rescues are a big scam you haven't really known people who do the work and shelters will have great dogs you miss out on because your perfect match just isnt in yet or you were meant to take a chance on something out of your parameters. Have a tiny bit of patience and open your heart.

+100
My observations as well. No one is getting rich running a rescue. Also, true on breed enthusiasts and patience. I volunteer for non-breed specific rescue, and see that whenever dogs close to pure-bred show up (great danes, GSD, rottweilers, etc) - they got adopted right away; potential adopters go through the steps to be pre-approved, and then just wait to be first in line to meet there dog of choice in person and take it home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any dog that gets out of the shelter is a good thing. That allows more dogs, resources and time to go to other dogs. Why is that bad?

This. All those rescue dogs left the shelter ASAP, freeing up spacefor more dogs and minimizing the trauma to adoptable dogs. Leaving then in the shelter in case OP wants them is not actually best for the dogs.

The discussion is about dogs who can quickly be adopted so the shelters should adopt those dogs out and the recuses take the hard to adopt dogs. Its reselling.

How many locals are actually going to adopt from the county shelter? The rescue orgs get the dogs into homes by transporting them to where there's more demand and providing more assurances to the adopter (spay, vet care, in-home foster observations, testing out with other dogs and kids). Adopters don't get that from the public shelter.

The rescue is trying to move dogs quickly too. Their mission is not to permanently house a lot of unadoptable dogs. It's to place the max number of shelter dogs in homes.

They aren’t even giving people a chance to adopt. Dogs should be at the shelter at least 30 days before a rescue swoops in and make it more affordable so more can adopt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IMO these rescues are abusing animals for their own personal financial gain. It’s terrible. They take the adoptable animals and charge exorbitant fees and fundraise. They pay themselves a nice salary above what shelter workers make and pay their mortgage as an expensive. They rely on volunteer fosters and volunteers for labor. When they can’t get enough dogs that will yield their $700 fee they buy them at puppy mill auctions furthering the demand for puppy mill dogs.

It’s a terrible racket and really a violation of non profit and animal welfare rights that should be shut down.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO these rescues are abusing animals for their own personal financial gain. It’s terrible. They take the adoptable animals and charge exorbitant fees and fundraise. They pay themselves a nice salary above what shelter workers make and pay their mortgage as an expensive. They rely on volunteer fosters and volunteers for labor. When they can’t get enough dogs that will yield their $700 fee they buy them at puppy mill auctions furthering the demand for puppy mill dogs.

It’s a terrible racket and really a violation of non profit and animal welfare rights that should be shut down.

Yes, the animal pulled from a shelter and placed in a home, with an owner who can afford to care for the dog, is being "abused." I'm sure the dog is very sad in its fuzzy bed, with its treats and plush toy, that you don't like the funding model of the organization that placed the dog there.

There are multiple threads in this forum about how expensive vet services are and how people can't afford routine vet care. Posters are giving numbers like $800 for a visit with tests. Posters are saying they'll euthanize instead of treat. But the rescue that a) pays for a bunch of vet care and b) wants the dogs to go to viable homes, is not supposed to charge an adoption fee?

You do not sound credible, you sound petulant. Sorry candy isn't a nickel anymore either.

Who pays 800 for a regular visit? Stop making stuff up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The shelter just wants animals out. It doesn’t matter to them which ones go.

Mostly this. Every day a dog is in the shelter, its chances of being adopted out sane decrease dramatically. A shelter is NO place for an animal. I'm glad they exist, and I respect the volunteers who work so hard to help the animals they can, but they'll all tell you the same thing. Shelters are loud and smelly, with hard floors. They're stuffy in the summer/chilly in the winter, and full of scared, anxious animals who spend most of their days (sometimes ALL of their day) in a very small pen, without much stimulation or individual care.

Rescues with available foster homes will pull some of the easier-to-manage cases out of the shelter environment, leaving space for shelters to handle more complicated cases, including animals with medical issues. Some breed-specific rescues coordinate with shelters, know their "dropoff days", and yes, get "dibs" on whatever breed(s) they're working with. Why? Because those animal have a better chance going straight to a foster than spending even a handful of days in a shelter, waiting for a new owner who may/may not show. Those same owners (I'm @ing you, pekinese person) can search a little bit harder to find a breed-specific rescue if they really want a particular type of dog. Other owners may be fine with getting a "whatever" mutt from a shelter. There are options, and they're not hard to find.

The bigger problem is that people have confused animal shelters and rescues with bargain shopping stores. They only want an animal they can adopt right now, for cheap. It's a mentality that frequently leads to animals coming back to the shelters. Good, Cheap, Fast - Pick two. You want a purebred cocker spaniel for cheap? You'll need to put your name in at shelter and wait (you'll get queue advantage if you sign up to foster, volunteer a bit, treat the people there like people...). You want a cheap dog and fast? Go to the shelter. I've never seen one empty; there's a dog there you can take home today. You want a specific kind/sort of dog right now? Be prepared to pay for it.

Pets are a privilege, not a right. If the upfront cost of acquiring one is too steep for you, you might need to consider whether or not your budget can truly afford the animal and its ongoing care. Anyone needing a pet RIGHT NOW will raise major flags for any responsible/ethical shelter, rescue, or breeder.

Rescuses should be cheap or free, and not a sales transaction.

How would you suggest the rescues pay for food, medical care, kennel space, website with dog photos, and the multiple full time staff to run everything?

Honestly I am so tired of people who want every feel-good thing to be free. You presumably earn a salary for your work, but somebody who works at a nonprofit is supposed to take a vow of poverty? All the vendors are supposed to donate endless years of kibble and spay services? Come on.

DP. Well, why can’t the rescues let the most adoptable dogs be adopted from the shelter? And that will save all the expenses you’re saying are needed to care for them by the rescuers

Because that is fewer dogs adopted overall, and more dogs kept in shelter conditions that cause them to become unadoptable due to fear/trauma.

You are arguing for more dogs should sit around in shelters waiting for OP to come by and maybe adopt, so that OP doesn't have to pay $500 instead of the $230 that PG County shelter charges. Not to be dramatic but this would mean literally dozens of dogs dying to save OP $270.
Or instead, a rescue could take 10 dogs to Fairfax and find them homes this week. And come back next month for another 10.

The rescue is reselling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The shelter just wants animals out. It doesn’t matter to them which ones go.

Mostly this. Every day a dog is in the shelter, its chances of being adopted out sane decrease dramatically. A shelter is NO place for an animal. I'm glad they exist, and I respect the volunteers who work so hard to help the animals they can, but they'll all tell you the same thing. Shelters are loud and smelly, with hard floors. They're stuffy in the summer/chilly in the winter, and full of scared, anxious animals who spend most of their days (sometimes ALL of their day) in a very small pen, without much stimulation or individual care.

Rescues with available foster homes will pull some of the easier-to-manage cases out of the shelter environment, leaving space for shelters to handle more complicated cases, including animals with medical issues. Some breed-specific rescues coordinate with shelters, know their "dropoff days", and yes, get "dibs" on whatever breed(s) they're working with. Why? Because those animal have a better chance going straight to a foster than spending even a handful of days in a shelter, waiting for a new owner who may/may not show. Those same owners (I'm @ing you, pekinese person) can search a little bit harder to find a breed-specific rescue if they really want a particular type of dog. Other owners may be fine with getting a "whatever" mutt from a shelter. There are options, and they're not hard to find.

The bigger problem is that people have confused animal shelters and rescues with bargain shopping stores. They only want an animal they can adopt right now, for cheap. It's a mentality that frequently leads to animals coming back to the shelters. Good, Cheap, Fast - Pick two. You want a purebred cocker spaniel for cheap? You'll need to put your name in at shelter and wait (you'll get queue advantage if you sign up to foster, volunteer a bit, treat the people there like people...). You want a cheap dog and fast? Go to the shelter. I've never seen one empty; there's a dog there you can take home today. You want a specific kind/sort of dog right now? Be prepared to pay for it.

Pets are a privilege, not a right. If the upfront cost of acquiring one is too steep for you, you might need to consider whether or not your budget can truly afford the animal and its ongoing care. Anyone needing a pet RIGHT NOW will raise major flags for any responsible/ethical shelter, rescue, or breeder.

Rescuses should be cheap or free, and not a sales transaction.

Who's supposed to pay for that?

It should be volunteer and they use fosters. They get donations to cover basics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my area there are several breed specific rescues that target their breed in shelters and receive surrenders of that breed. I know those people are passionate about that and people who love that breed will donate to the rescue but its no "money making" operation. Pet care, especially new pets with unknown medical issues, is expensive and this is done from the heart. I have even been bummed when they have gotten to the shelter before me. I would go to the shelter often when searching for the perfect dog and assumed I'd end up going through a rescue but my dog popped up in the shelter one day as a little puppy, won me over and I have been blessed with the world's greatest dog ever since. I think if you think rescues are a big scam you haven't really known people who do the work and shelters will have great dogs you miss out on because your perfect match just isnt in yet or you were meant to take a chance on something out of your parameters. Have a tiny bit of patience and open your heart.

+100
My observations as well. No one is getting rich running a rescue. Also, true on breed enthusiasts and patience. I volunteer for non-breed specific rescue, and see that whenever dogs close to pure-bred show up (great danes, GSD, rottweilers, etc) - they got adopted right away; potential adopters go through the steps to be pre-approved, and then just wait to be first in line to meet there dog of choice in person and take it home.

Actually some are getting rich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any dog that gets out of the shelter is a good thing. That allows more dogs, resources and time to go to other dogs. Why is that bad?

This. All those rescue dogs left the shelter ASAP, freeing up spacefor more dogs and minimizing the trauma to adoptable dogs. Leaving then in the shelter in case OP wants them is not actually best for the dogs.

The discussion is about dogs who can quickly be adopted so the shelters should adopt those dogs out and the recuses take the hard to adopt dogs. Its reselling.

How many locals are actually going to adopt from the county shelter? The rescue orgs get the dogs into homes by transporting them to where there's more demand and providing more assurances to the adopter (spay, vet care, in-home foster observations, testing out with other dogs and kids). Adopters don't get that from the public shelter.

The rescue is trying to move dogs quickly too. Their mission is not to permanently house a lot of unadoptable dogs. It's to place the max number of shelter dogs in homes.

They aren’t even giving people a chance to adopt. Dogs should be at the shelter at least 30 days before a rescue swoops in and make it more affordable so more can adopt.

As a taxpayer - I disagree. It's supposed to be animal control, not an adoption operation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my area there are several breed specific rescues that target their breed in shelters and receive surrenders of that breed. I know those people are passionate about that and people who love that breed will donate to the rescue but its no "money making" operation. Pet care, especially new pets with unknown medical issues, is expensive and this is done from the heart. I have even been bummed when they have gotten to the shelter before me. I would go to the shelter often when searching for the perfect dog and assumed I'd end up going through a rescue but my dog popped up in the shelter one day as a little puppy, won me over and I have been blessed with the world's greatest dog ever since. I think if you think rescues are a big scam you haven't really known people who do the work and shelters will have great dogs you miss out on because your perfect match just isnt in yet or you were meant to take a chance on something out of your parameters. Have a tiny bit of patience and open your heart.

+100
My observations as well. No one is getting rich running a rescue. Also, true on breed enthusiasts and patience. I volunteer for non-breed specific rescue, and see that whenever dogs close to pure-bred show up (great danes, GSD, rottweilers, etc) - they got adopted right away; potential adopters go through the steps to be pre-approved, and then just wait to be first in line to meet there dog of choice in person and take it home.

Actually some are getting rich.

Care to provide some evidence to support that statement? Like 990 of the org you have in mind?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any dog that gets out of the shelter is a good thing. That allows more dogs, resources and time to go to other dogs. Why is that bad?

This. All those rescue dogs left the shelter ASAP, freeing up spacefor more dogs and minimizing the trauma to adoptable dogs. Leaving then in the shelter in case OP wants them is not actually best for the dogs.

The discussion is about dogs who can quickly be adopted so the shelters should adopt those dogs out and the recuses take the hard to adopt dogs. Its reselling.

How many locals are actually going to adopt from the county shelter? The rescue orgs get the dogs into homes by transporting them to where there's more demand and providing more assurances to the adopter (spay, vet care, in-home foster observations, testing out with other dogs and kids). Adopters don't get that from the public shelter.

The rescue is trying to move dogs quickly too. Their mission is not to permanently house a lot of unadoptable dogs. It's to place the max number of shelter dogs in homes.

They aren’t even giving people a chance to adopt. Dogs should be at the shelter at least 30 days before a rescue swoops in and make it more affordable so more can adopt.

As a taxpayer - I disagree. It's supposed to be animal control, not an adoption operation.

As a tax payer I expect the shelters to do their job which is finding a home, not be in the reselling business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The shelter just wants animals out. It doesn’t matter to them which ones go.

Mostly this. Every day a dog is in the shelter, its chances of being adopted out sane decrease dramatically. A shelter is NO place for an animal. I'm glad they exist, and I respect the volunteers who work so hard to help the animals they can, but they'll all tell you the same thing. Shelters are loud and smelly, with hard floors. They're stuffy in the summer/chilly in the winter, and full of scared, anxious animals who spend most of their days (sometimes ALL of their day) in a very small pen, without much stimulation or individual care.

Rescues with available foster homes will pull some of the easier-to-manage cases out of the shelter environment, leaving space for shelters to handle more complicated cases, including animals with medical issues. Some breed-specific rescues coordinate with shelters, know their "dropoff days", and yes, get "dibs" on whatever breed(s) they're working with. Why? Because those animal have a better chance going straight to a foster than spending even a handful of days in a shelter, waiting for a new owner who may/may not show. Those same owners (I'm @ing you, pekinese person) can search a little bit harder to find a breed-specific rescue if they really want a particular type of dog. Other owners may be fine with getting a "whatever" mutt from a shelter. There are options, and they're not hard to find.

The bigger problem is that people have confused animal shelters and rescues with bargain shopping stores. They only want an animal they can adopt right now, for cheap. It's a mentality that frequently leads to animals coming back to the shelters. Good, Cheap, Fast - Pick two. You want a purebred cocker spaniel for cheap? You'll need to put your name in at shelter and wait (you'll get queue advantage if you sign up to foster, volunteer a bit, treat the people there like people...). You want a cheap dog and fast? Go to the shelter. I've never seen one empty; there's a dog there you can take home today. You want a specific kind/sort of dog right now? Be prepared to pay for it.

Pets are a privilege, not a right. If the upfront cost of acquiring one is too steep for you, you might need to consider whether or not your budget can truly afford the animal and its ongoing care. Anyone needing a pet RIGHT NOW will raise major flags for any responsible/ethical shelter, rescue, or breeder.

I’m the OP - we went to PG county bc I saw on their website that the shelter is full and they need people to adopt. I still don’t agree with your argument. Yes, shelter environments are stressful and the longer an animal is there the worse off it is. Hence I would think rescues would take the animals who have been there for weeks to allow them to decompress and increase their chances of finding a home. If they are taking “highly adoptable dogs” how is that helping the shelter? The workers are saying they will be adopted quickly regardless. I also find your argument classist. Yes, pets are expensive. Both food and medical care, surgeries. But they should not be a luxury good, only for the wealthy, which is effectively what these rescues are doing by flipping high demand dogs. I can afford to purchase a dog from a breeder or pay the inflated rescue cost, but for those who can’t you’re effectively saying wealthy get a cocker spaniel and the poor can make do with a bully breed. Especially in PG county where the bully ban is in place until next month, this effectively means many people have even less chance of a dog.

Np. I agree with this! I find the argument that only wealthy people should be able to choose a dog to be very unsettling and strange

Nobody is making that argument. Shelters even have fee-free adoption days multiple times a year. But nobody wants "just any dog", they want the dog they want, at the price they want, right when they want, like toddlers. It's ridiculous.