# My problem with rescues



## nfallon (Feb 1, 2013)

Dont get me wrong, I am all for rescues just like the next person. The only gripe I have with them is their adoption process and applications. I have no problem filling them out honestly and thoroughly but my problems start when they never get back to people and/or pass them up for someone else. A rescue's sole intention is to help dogs find homes and get them off to a better life. If thats the case, why are they so stingy about this?


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

I would imagine their goal is to find the best fit for the dog and the human.
These organizations run by volunteers. They do not get paid and there is a lot of work to do.
Some are very short staffed. They do the best they can with the resources that are available to them.

You might get passed p,because someone else would be a better fit for a particular dog. The rescues don't want to place a dog and then end up with him back in a few months. It's hard for them, and very stressful for the dog.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Here is a suggestion - volunteer with a rescue. Then, you get "dibs" on dogs that may be a match for you, and you get to understand the process from the inside out. 

Find a good rescue to do this with - make sure they do reference and home checks, require foster homes to sign contracts, have foster mentors, and more, but that will help you not only to get the dog you want, but to understand more about the rescue process.


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## gaia_bear (May 24, 2012)

Because they need to be sure the dog is going to a better life. You and I could apply for the same dog but he may be a better fit for your lifestyle, it's not one stop shopping. Many dogs in rescues come from less than desirable situations and are under enough stress as it is so they put the dogs best interest at heart and wait for the right home to come along. JMO


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

You know, we are all human. Rescue volunteers that process applications and reference checks also have families, full time jobs, dogs of their own and fosters to care for. They may also be involved in training or events. Sometimes things slip through the cracks, sometimes there aren't enough volunteers to do what needs to be done and a call or email to check up on things could go a long way. 

If only rescue were a paid job!


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> Here is a suggestion - volunteer with a rescue. Then, you get "dibs" on dogs that may be a match for you, and you get to understand the process from the inside out.


:thumbup:


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## nfallon (Feb 1, 2013)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> Here is a suggestion - volunteer with a rescue. Then, you get "dibs" on dogs that may be a match for you, and you get to understand the process from the inside out.
> 
> Find a good rescue to do this with - make sure they do reference and home checks, require foster homes to sign contracts, have foster mentors, and more, but that will help you not only to get the dog you want, but to understand more about the rescue process.


Thats a great suggestion. Ill do that in the next week or two!


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

gsdraven said:


> You know, we are all human.


This time of year people are coming down with the flu and all sort of bugs. I got crabby emails from a prospective adopter asking why the German Shepherds I was emailing him about aren't on Petfinder since he watches it for updates constantly....well...when the volunteer who does all the updates is in bed with a fever, there's no one to do it! Same goes for vetting applications and everything else.

As for the matching thing, I know it feels _lousy _to get passed over. You get emotionally invested in the dog you want, then it doesn't work out, and it's terribly disappointing. I completely understand that.

Try not to take it personally -- you may offer a _great _home, but not the best fitfor _this _particular dog _compared to the other applications that came in.

_Sometimes, there's something intangible in the chemistry of a meet-and-greet that makes it clear that a dog is destined for a particular person. If you've ever seen a heart-dog bond form, there's an electricity to it that is _magical_. I get goosebumps when I see it happen, and it's very, very rare. That happened with my last foster --and I had a lot of people who wanted her. I _have _to honor it when I see it happen -- if you've ever had a heart-dog, a real heart-dog, you know why. They come to earth on a mission from heaven to bring some secret gift for a single human in all the world, and they don't truly live until they find that person. You can't compete with that in your application -- it just is something that happens.

Aside from that rare sort of nearly-unexplainable thing happening, the more mundane situation is multiple applications come in for the same dog, and the rescue has to figure out which of several suitable homes is best for the dog. Imagine the first app has someone who is _lovely_ and very loving, and works ten hours a day, leaving the dog kenneled, wants an an only-pet, and has never owned or trained a large dog before. If it were the only application, the dog might be okay in that home--with some guidance.

Then 30 minutes later, we get another one that has another well socialized dog, and works only 6 hours a day. If we know our dog up for adoption is a very dog and people-social dog, and and this home is just as loving and nice, it's better for the dog. 

THEN a third comes in 30 minutes later that has all those good qualities, is GSD experienced, has another social, playful dog, kids at an age this dog will love, and we know our dog loves playing with kids, AND there's a SAHM who loves to have canine company when the kids are at school and likes to go running and hiking with the dogs after dropping off the kids, and has a trainer already picked out that she's worked with before and will give her a good reference. All are terrific families who will love the animal and give it good care. Assume the third family brought their dog to a meet and greet, and the dogs were terrific together, and our dog really clicked with the humans. Pretty awesome placement.

What do you do? Do you go with the first one, just because it came in an hour earlier? Do you go with the third one, where objectively, there's more for the dog in the placement? Two_ are_ going to be disappointed--you've only got one of this particular dog, and three families want it.

Most of us would put the dog in the home with the best combination of features for it to thrive, hoping to stack the deck in the dog's favor that this will be a forever home. Then you hope the other two nice adopters will forgive you for the disappointment and consider another wonderful dog that's just as great-- and perhaps doesn't have multiple applicants vying for him. Sometimes we manage to create some great placements that way--and soon that first dog gets forgotten by this other family because they're in love with the new one they just met, that we thought would be a good fit for them. 

Sometimes they are insulted that they weren't picked for the first one. Occasionally, they come here and post about how annoying they find rescues--we've got lots of these threads lately saying negative things about the rescue process, people involved in it, and suggesting we must not really want to place dogs. 

ETA: I really hope you do volunteer for one. I think you'll come away with a radically different perspective. Fostering is an amazing way to start, as you'll enable the rescue to take on another dog, and often foster-failures are the very best adoptions--and they're pretty common! I think you would be able to offer an excellent perspective as a volunteer too, in trying to be diligent about email replies and trying to be gentle with bad news for applicants, since you've experienced the disappointment and can offer empathy. This would make you a very valuable volunteer!


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