Rescue Groups

[jetmonkey]

I was on Petfinder a few days ago and emailed a rescue organization about two of the pets that were available. I haven't heard anything back from them.

 

[vraiblonde]

I was on Petfinder a few days ago and emailed a rescue organization about two of the pets that were available. I haven't heard anything back from them.

Sucks, doesn't it?

 

[jetmonkey]

Sucks, doesn't it?

When I got Lucy, I never heard back from any of those rescue groups, either. The dog pound she was in was extremely responsive and friendly, however. Makes me wonder if the rescue groups are in it for the animals, or their own sense of self-satisfaction.

 

[frequentflier]

I was on Petfinder a few days ago and emailed a rescue organization about two of the pets that were available. I haven't heard anything back from them.

Rescue groups are run by volunteers; most of which have jobs and families in addition to doing rescue.
Though some groups are better than others at getting back in a timely matter.

 

[tipsymcgee]

Lots of rescue groups are volunteers and sometimes they do take a while to get back to you. Some groups have a corporate-type e-mail that doesn't go to them personally, and I've found that to be a problem before. Though I agree and have dealt with a few breed-type rescue organizations who act a little holier than thou and want to dismiss you right off the bat (BEAGLE). Others are really glad to hear from you (BROOD and other local St. Mary's County ones.

 

[jetmonkey]

Rescue groups are run by volunteers; most of which have jobs and families in addition to doing rescue.
Though some groups are better than others at getting back in a timely matter.

Well, I've NEVER had a rescue group respond to a submitted adoption application or email request for additional information about available animals, so I don't know what I am supposed to think about them.

 

[Roxie04]

Dealing with rescues in the past i know sometimes it takes a few days to hear from someone and somtimes it is alot of phone tag for a couple days also. It can be a little aggrivating. Now that I work with a rescue I see how it sometimes can take a while. They have several dogs in the rescuse and several people inquiring about them. And when we do all this in our free time after work we can only deal with so many people a day. I make calls whenever I can, while on lunch at work, while making dinner and running my kids to practice. Just please have a little patience. Try looking up the website to the shelter or group and see if they have a contact number to call. They get hundreds of emails a day.

 

[SunSpot]

Well, I've NEVER had a rescue group respond to a submitted adoption application or email request for additional information about available animals, so I don't know what I am supposed to think about them.

Having worked with an all-volunteer rescue group for several years, I can tell you that the volunteers are often overwhelmed with daily calls and emails from the public, caring for fosters, doing home visits and having long phone conversations with callers who want to dump their dog or cat because they "no longer have the time". It's exhausting. Add all this to the personal life of a volunteer as mentioned earlier, well, sometimes calls get missed, messages forgotten or hours and days can go by before a volunteer finds the time to call someone back.

My advice would be to be persistent, patient, and friendly. I can tell you from experience that when a potential adopter loses his/her patience with the volunteer, it does not project a calm and loving home for a dog or cat.

 

[vraiblonde]

My advice would be to be persistent, patient, and friendly. I can tell you from experience that when a potential adopter loses his/her patience with the volunteer, it does not project a calm and loving home for a dog or cat.

Okay, really?

You have to chase them all over hell's half acre to adopt one of their rescues, yet if you show impatience with their lack of courtesy they will consider you unworthy of pet ownership??

This is how "rescue" groups get a bad reputation.

 

[ladyhawk]

Okay, really?

You have to chase them all over hell's half acre to adopt one of their rescues, yet if you show impatience with their lack of courtesy they will consider you unworthy of pet ownership??

This is how "rescue" groups get a bad reputation.

I've got friends who have attempted to adopt from various "rescues". They weren't playing phone tag but jeez...I couldn't believe what they went though.
I told them they would be better off driving around looking for one. Not only is it cheaper, there are no hoops to jump through.

I realize these "hoops" are suppose to be a measure to further protect the animal, but I've found it doesn't.... My "Cody" was proof of that...

June

 

[Railroad]

I've been truly blessed a few times by going to the pound and to the Humane Society. In both of the most recent cases, I was able to adopt beautiful dogs that had been abused - the first one literally thrown over the fence at tri-county in the middle of the night and the second given up to the humane society because somebody couldn't handle a dog with remodeling about to happen.

The pound provided a no-nonsense, fast track to adoption. The humane society, by commission and purpose, has a tougher screening process, but it's well worth it, because some people just don't understand they aren't suitable people for certain pets.

The first one, Lenny, is the most beautiful and intelligent mixed-breed I've ever seen. The second, Milo, is also very bright, but is definitely not playing with a full deck. For example, he loves being petted with my feet, much more than he loves being petted by hand. Anyway, both of our boys are wonderful. Lenny has been with us since 2002 and was at least 2 when we got him, and Milo joined us this year and is about 3. Lenny is slower than Milo, but still has a cold wet nose and loving eyes and he loves to play (loudly) when the time comes. Milo is always ready for anything, and will try to get you to play just like a baby does.

The thing I notice about pound puppies and humane society pups (and I suppose it's true of rescued dogs as well) is that they are grateful and anxious to please.

The same applied to a cat we rescued from an abusive owner in 1983; he (the cat) was wonderful for over 20 years, and in the end when his mind was gone, we had to put him down. I think he was grateful then, too, although it hurt us a lot for him to go.

My point is to encourage you to use multiple sources in your search, and be patient, because the "One for You" is worth the wait and will love you for life (his or hers, that is). Remember that the inconvenience of finding your ideal pet is miniscule compared to the selfless, no-conditions sacrifice, that the pet will give to join you and keep you forever.

 

[ArkRescue]

My point is to encourage you to use multiple sources in your search, and be patient, because the "One for You" is worth the wait and will love you for life (his or hers, that is). Remember that the inconvenience of finding your ideal pet is miniscule compared to the selfless, no-conditions sacrifice, that the pet will give to join you and keep you forever.

 

[SunSpot]

Okay, really?

You have to chase them all over hell's half acre to adopt one of their rescues, yet if you show impatience with their lack of courtesy they will consider you unworthy of pet ownership??

------------------------------------------


When you've spent the past 3-6 months with a foster dog nurturing him because he's been abused, starved, abandoned, or all three, it is difficult to imagine turning him over to the person yelling at you over the phone because you took too long to get back to them. Yes, I realize that's why rescues get a bad reputation but there's a lot of emotional investment that goes into caring for a foster animal. It's also why there is a large volunteer turnover within rescue groups---people burn-out because rescuing, nurturing and adopting an animal out (all done after you've put 40 hours+ at the office) takes its toll on people emotionally and physically.