# You've got to take this dog NOW!



## Ingrid (Aug 29, 2010)

Working in dog rescue is tough, but it gets tougher when someone contacts you about a dog that is described as "really nice but...". 

Today I received an e-mail about a young GSD whose owners said was a beautiful and wonderful purebred _*but*_ had bit their young child and the husband (several times), was generally nervous and fearful, was kept outside chained in the backyard for the last 6 months "because the fur was too much to handle", never had had any vetting or training of any kind, had a large untreated hernia and "limped a lot". And in closing, "We're moving today. We need you to come and pick up the dog now." - the now was in bold caps. Reluctantly I returned this person's call to tell her we would not be able to take her dog into rescue immediately but would try to have someone come to her house to evaluate the dog in-person in the next few days. She became angry, yelled at me ("What kind of a *#$$ rescue are you?") and hung up.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I think the name "rescue" makes some people think we're like 911. You call and we're there in a few minutes to solve your problem.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Oh wow. I could go on and on.
I love people who try to make their problem MY problem.
And then there's the "WELL then we'll have to DROP IT TO THE SHELTER" (like they are saying they'll strap dynamite to it and light the fuse).
I say "Well then good luck with that because they do not take owner surrenders".


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

Happens here all the time. I had someone scream at me and then call every 10 minutes to yell into the answering machine until the system was full. They had a lifestyle change. She threatened to have us investigated and report us to everyone from BBB to ... How would someone dare not to take their beloved pet off their hands yesterday!


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

Ignorant people believe that it is the rescuer's *obligation* to help them with their unwanted pet......they have no clue that it is the rescuer's *choice* to help these poor unfortunate pets......the *true obligation* belongs to the owner.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I hate owner surrenders. Hate them. Spend all the time and energy trying to help their dog and either they change their mind, make demands of you that are out of line considering they aren't paying you a salary.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

We rarely take them, we did the other day because these folks went into the homeless shelter. We take dogs if their owners die or go into nursing homes.
Other than that, or if it's a Dachshund (and one in fairly good health) we aren't taking OS at all.
We reserve our spots for truly needy dogs, not ones that have options left.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

Yes, they love the dog so much but they cannot have a dog that bites people. But we have to make sure that we find their biting dog a home that loves them as much as they do.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Or they love it so very much they MUST find it a new home because they are gone so much. 
Yet someone applies for a dog, and tells us they are gone the same amt. of hours the person who "must" give up their dog is, yet they'll make it work, because they want the dog.


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## Ingrid (Aug 29, 2010)

Do people really believe that threatening a volunteer dog rescuer is going to help them find their "dumped one" a home? SIGH...


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

To those of you who work in rescue. You have my utmost respect and admiration. I would last about 5 minutes. I went to the Marine Corps (and Catholic school) school of diplomacy (but you knew that).


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Or this one: "You have to take this dog _today_ because we're moving tomorrow morning!" 

"Really? How long have you known you were moving?"

"Only about a month or so."

"And it only just now occurred to you that you should do something with the dog?"


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## Remo (Sep 8, 2004)

When they use the term "get rid of" that is the one that really makes me grit my teeth. You get rid of trash, not your dog.

Also enjoy when they want to "donate" a dog to our rescue. Nope - you donate time, money or resources, but NOT a dog!


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## boiseno (Oct 20, 2011)

Wow!! Some people.....


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Emoore said:


> Or this one: "You have to take this dog _today_ because we're moving tomorrow morning!"
> 
> "Really? How long have you known you were moving?"
> 
> ...


No, better yet..."We're having a baby next week, need to get rid of the dog". 
And the dog is under 8mos. of age!??


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Ingrid said:


> Do people really believe that threatening a volunteer dog rescuer is going to help them find their "dumped one" a home? SIGH...


That's almost as good as potential adopters who get mad and cuss at me for questioning something then expect me to still give them a dog.


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## TimberGSD2 (Nov 8, 2011)

I love when the conversation starts off as "I would like to donate a dog to your rescue". Um donate?


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

Oh, the dog became so aggressive with other dogs that it is a danger for their neighborhood. They love it so much - their only dog and child - but they cannot endanger their neighbors. So the dog aggressive animal should go to a rescue volunteer who cares for 3-5 dogs in their home to endanger everybody in the home and neighborhood (as long as it is not their neighborhood, it is fine).


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## CarrieJ (Feb 22, 2011)

How tragic. I hate idiots like that. Spay and Nueter your humans.

We got a call like that Weds. we are not a rescue. We have two fosters that my boss took in and is trying to re-home.
A lady called re: a GSD pup that she needs to re-home.
Long story short, there is now a 10 week old female puppy in our office....they just got the pup last week and "can't keep it" for whatever reason they can't return it to the breeder and she had to "drop if off tonight"......


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## Ingrid (Aug 29, 2010)

_...She became angry, yelled at me ("What kind of a *#$$ rescue are you?") and hung up._

Never had a chance to tell this person that, no, we'd likely not be able to take the dog, particularly because of the behavioral issues. At least she was willing to let us know about the dog's bite history.

We've had one other family who described their potential 'donation' as "an angel", "loves everyone" only to discover later the dog had bitten all of their family members and "a few" (geez...) neighbors. This dog was so aggressive, it had injured itself biting through kennel bars when anyone walked by it's backyard enclosure and was eventually euthanized.


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## Ingrid (Aug 29, 2010)

_"That's almost as good as potential adopters who get mad and cuss at me for questioning something then expect me to still give them a dog." _

You're opening a whole new can of worms. : ) Roughly 9 out of the 10 applicants wanting a GSD that we're getting are not someone you'd want to place a dog with. Another SIGH!


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## sitstay (Jan 20, 2003)

Yep, I have started calling this the 7-11 syndrome: all rescues are like 7-11, open all the time and stocked for immediate gratification.
Sheilah


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## sitstay (Jan 20, 2003)

msvette2u said:


> No, better yet..."We're having a baby next week, need to get rid of the dog".
> And the dog is under 8mos. of age!??


Sure! I have actually dealt with owners who are going to have a baby any minute and they have decided to get rid of the dog because they don't need to "practice" being parents now that a "real baby" is on the way.
Sheilah


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## Ingrid (Aug 29, 2010)

This AM we placed a wonderful senior GSD with a wonderful family; the kind of event that makes you forget the "bad" of rescue, puts everything in perspective and makes you realize why you decided to help dogs in the first place.

Thank you rescuers for all the hard work you do and thank you for letting me vent on this thread.


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