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What Rescue IS and what it ISN'T AND HOW TO GET THE BEST RESULTS FROM YOUR RESCUE EXPERIENCE
The following information may seem harsh, rude, and perhaps even ignorant. If you plan on pursuing
adoption from **** please continue to read no matter your opinion, as these are simple truths that we
want you to be aware of. We will spell this information out as plainly and distinctly as we can, so that
hopefully it cannot be misunderstood or read incorrectly.
You may not agree with some of the things said on this page, but please understand that these are the
realities of our rescue, if not many rescues. You may have encountered rescues who didn't ever reply to
your emails, never returned your call, never contacted you about your application, wouldn't let you adopt
a dog, wouldn't let you foster a dog, or a rescue person who was impolite to the point of being rude.
As you read the following page you will be given an insight to a rescuer's day/week/month, and perhaps
you will begin to see why so many rescuers are hardened, snippy, crabby people who don't seem to be
living in the same world as everyone else. When you are finished reading this you still may not agree
with how they handle themselves (and even many rescuers feel this way) but hopefully you will at least
understand a little better WHY they are like that. Our only goal is to help educate you about
rescue....what it is and what it isn't.
WE'LL START WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE FOR YOU TO
UNDERSTAND RESCUE IS NOT A SERVICE FOR YOU ... PERIOD. NOT FOR
YOU TO FIND A DOG, OR TO GET RID OF YOUR DOG.
RESCUE IS A SERVICE FOR THE DOGS. WE CARE ABOUT THEM, THE DOG IS WHO WE ARE HERE TO HELP.
HELPING YOU IS JUST A BYPRODUCT OF HELPING THEM.
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RESCUE IS NOT A SHELTER THAT YOU CAN JUST STOP BY TO VISIT,
PICK OUT A DOG, AND TAKE IT HOME WITH YOU WHENEVER THE MOOD STRIKES YOU. THERE IS NO PLACE
TO DROP BY AND WINDOW SHOP, NO BUSINESS HOURS, AND NO TIMES WE ARE OPEN. RESCUE IS A
GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT LOVE THE BREED. THOSE PEOPLE OPEN THEIR HOMES AND HEARTS TO THE
DOGS, GIVE THEM A PLACE TO LIVE, AND LOVE THEM UNTIL THEY FIND A LOVING HOME. WE TAKE
APPLICATIONS, SCREEN THEM, AND THEN HAVE THE PEOPLE COME AND VISIT WITH THE DOGS IN OUR
HOMES.... SEE.... NO SHELTER INVOLVED. THERE IS A VOLUNTEER'S HOME ON THE END OF ANY PHONE
NUMBER YOU ARE GIVEN.
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RESCUE IS NOT DIAL A DOG, DIAL A PERSON THAT WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT MY TROUBLES, DIAL A PERSON
TO UNLOAD MY DOG ON AFTER I'VE HAD IT FOR 10 YEARS AND IT SIMPLY DOESN'T MATCH THE
FURNITURE ANYMORE.
RESCUE IS A PHONE NUMBER THAT REACHES RIGHT INTO THE HOME OF A VOLUNTEER, WHO HAS LITTLE
TIME TO DEAL WITH YOUR GUILT TRIP OVER TOSSING "CHI-CHI" OUT LIKE LAST NIGHTS LEFTOVERS, AND
EVEN LESS TIME TO DEAL WITH YOU SEE-SAWING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN KEEPING THE DOG AND
GIVING IT UP. IF YOU'VE TAKEN THE TROUBLE TO WRITE AN EMAIL OR CALL, THEN 99% OF PEOPLE HAVE
THEIR MIND SET ON GETTING RID OF THE DOG .....
DON'T LIE TO US OR TO YOURSELF. SIMPLY TELL US THE REASON YOU ARE GIVING THE DOG UP, AND
ANSWER THE QUESTIONS WE ASK. IF WE'RE GOING TO HELP YOU, THE LEAST YOU CAN DO IS HELP US
SPEED THE PROCESS ALONG BY NOT CRYING ON OUR SHOULDERS.
WE'VE HEARD IT ALL BEFORE.......... FROM ALLERGIES, MOVING,
HOUSEBREAKING, MONEY, NEW BABY, TOO HYPER, BARKING, SICK, INJURED, NASTY, UNCONTROLLABLE,
LANDLORD DOESN'T ALLOW, PARENTS SAID NO, OWNER DIED AND NOBODY WANTS, DIVORCE, MARRIAGE,
TOO MANY ANIMALS, DOES LIKE NEW DOG, DOESN'T LIKE OLD DOG, CHASES CARS, CHASES CATS,
SHEDS, TOO MUCH TROUBLE, NEW JOB, WANTS ATTENTION, TO IT'S CROSS-EYED, IT'S EARS DON'T STAND
UP, IT DOESN'T MATCH THE NEW COUCH, IT LOOKS AT ME FUNNY, HE TOLD ME HE'S NOT HAPPY.
WE'RE NOT COLD HEARTED, WE SIMPLY HAVE TOO MANY THINGS TO DO AND NOT ENOUGH TIME TO
LISTEN TO HOW SORRY YOU THINK YOU ARE ABOUT GETTING RID OF YOUR DOG. RESCUE SHOULD BE
ONE OF YOUR LAST RESORTS..... TRY OBEDIENCE TRAINING, TRY CRATE TRAINING, TRY EVERYTHING YOU
CAN BEFORE YOU MAKE THE DECISION TO GIVE UP YOUR DOG. WHEN YOU'VE DONE ALL YOU CAN THEN
CALL US AND LET US KNOW WHY YOU'RE GIVING UP THE DOG IN THE LEAST AMOUNT OF WORDS YOU
CAN. WE'LL ASK QUESTIONS, YOU ANSWER THEM. QUICK, SIMPLE, AND HONEST.
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RESCUE IS NOT A PERSON SITTING AT THE COMPUTER OR PHONE ALL DAY JUST WAITING FOR YOU TO
CALL OR EMAIL. WE'RE ALSO NOT RUNNING HOME DAILY HOPING WE'LL HAVE LOTS OF EMAIL AND
ANSWERING MACHINE MESSAGES. WE'RE NOT RUSHING TO RETURN YOUR CALL OR EMAIL. RESCUE IS A
GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAVE A LIFE, A FAMILY, A FULL TIME JOB, THEIR OWN DOGS, FOSTER
DOGS, 30 BREED-REQUEST AND 2 BREED-GIVE UP EMAILS A DAY AVERAGE, 20 BREED-REQUEST AND 1
BREED-GIVE UP PHONE MESSAGES A DAY AVERAGE, NOT TO MENTION PROCESSING APPLICATIONS, AND
VET APPOINTMENTS. OH YEAH........AND GOD FORBID WE SLEEP, EAT, AND HAVE A LIFE....I ALMOST
FORGOT.
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RESCUE IS NOT A WAY FOR YOU TO FIND A PUREBRED DOG FOR LITTLE OR NO MONEY RESCUE IS A SAFE
HAVEN FOR DOGS OF A SPECIFIC BREED, WITH PEOPLE THAT KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE QUIRKS OF
THAT BREED, AND HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO HANDLE THAT BREED.
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RESCUE IS NOT A BABY-SITTING SERVICE FOR YOUR DOG, A KENNEL, OR A PLACE THAT WILL TRAIN YOUR
DOG. RESCUE IS A SITUATION THAT DOGS WHO ARE HOMELESS, OR ABOUT TO BECOME HOMELESS,
COME INTO WHERE THEY WILL RECEIVE THE MEDICAL ATTENTION, PHYSICAL ATTENTION, AND
BEHAVIORAL ATTENTION THEY NEED.
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RESCUE IS NOT A PLACE YOU CAN PICK UP A "GIRLFRIEND" FOR Butch OR "BOYFRIEND" FOR Fifi SO
THAT YOU CAN IRRESPONSIBLY MASS PRODUCE PUPPIES, SELL THEM TO HOMES THAT VERY WELL
WOULD WANT THEM FOR PITBULL BAIT, TOYS FOR THE CHILDREN, SOMETHING FOR THE KIDS TO TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR, SOMETHING TO NEGLECT AND LATER ABANDON.
RESCUE IS RESPONSIBLE ABOUT THE REPRODUCTION OF THEIR BREED. IN FACT, RESCUES BELIEVE THAT
THE ONLY BREEDING THAT SHOULD BE DONE IS BY THE FEW RESPONSIBLE BREEDERS OUT THERE, AND
ONLY TO IMPROVE THE BREED.
RESPONSIBLE BREEDERS ARE NOT THOSE FOLKS YOU SEE WITH "FREE PUPPIES" ADS EITHER....
RESPONSIBLE BREEDERS ARE FOLKS THAT CARE ABOUT THEIR PRODUCT AND TAKE PRIDE IN PLACING
THEM IN LOVING HOMES WERE THEY WILL BE CARED FOR. THEY MAKE THE NEW OWNERS SIGN
CONTRACTS AND THEY ALSO RESCUE THEIR DOGS (TAKE THEM BACK WHEN THE OWNER CAN'T, OR DON'T
WANT TO, CARE FOR THEM ANY LONGER)
ALL RESCUE DOGS ARE SPAYED AND NEUTERED BEFORE ADOPTION SO THAT NO "ACCIDENTS" HAPPEN.
YOU WON'T GET A DOG
UNALTERED..... DON'T EVEN BOTHER TO ASK.
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RESCUE IS NOT A PLACE THAT WILL TAKE THE MOST VICIOUS, NASTY,
AGGRESSIVE DOGS AND KEEP THEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES, LIVING HAPPILY EVER AFTER IN
THEIR OWNERS MIND WHILE THE DOG IS MISERABLE.
RESCUE IS A PLACE WHERE THE NASTY DOGS THAT ARE NOT SAFE FOR ANYONE TO OWN, HANDLE, OR BE
WITHIN 5 FEET OF ARE HUMANELY PUT TO SLEEP WHERE THEY WILL BE HAPPIER, AND PEOPLE WILL BE
SAFER. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH YOUR DOG WHOM YOU'VE LOVED FOR 6 YEARS THAT BITES,
WHAT ON EARTH MAKES YOU THINK THAT SOMEONE ELSE WOULD WANT IT BITING THEM AND THEIR
FAMILY? WE DO WORK WITH EVERY DOG TO SEE IF THEY ARE JUST FRIGHTENED, OR TRULY NASTY.
THOSE WHO ARE SCARED WE ALLOW TIME TO ADJUST AND OVERCOME FEAR. THOSE WHO ARE NASTY
ARE PUT TO SLEEP, PERIOD. SOME PEOPLE THINK US HORRIBLE BECAUSE OF THIS, AND THAT'S FINE, BUT
LET ME FILL YOUR HOUSE UP WITH DOGS YOU CAN'T SNEEZE AROUND WITHOUT GETTING BIT AND LET
ME SEE YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE AND STILL SAVE THE LIVES OF 60 DOGS A YEAR.
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RESCUE IS NOT A MAIL ORDER SERVICE TO FIND YOU THE DOG OF YOUR DREAMS, THE DOG THAT LOVES
KIDS, CATS, EVERYONE, DOESN'T BARK TOO MUCH, IS PERFECTLY HOUSEBROKEN, IS 3 POUNDS, DOES
TRICKS ON COMMAND, AND KNOWS HOW TO ACT IN EVERY SITUATION.
RESCUE IS THE PLACE THAT GETS CALLS FROM SHELTERS AND OWNERS WHO HAVE A DOG IN NEED.
SURE, WE MAY COME ACROSS A DOG LIKE THE ONE DESCRIBED ABOVE, BUT CHANCES ARE IT WILL BE
ADOPTED QUICKLY AND IT WILL BE A LONG TIME BEFORE WE SEE ANOTHER ONE LIKE IT. WE WORK WITH
EACH DOG TO MAKE THEM BETTER PETS THAN THEY WERE WHEN THEY ENTERED RESCUE, BUT WE
AREN'T MIRACLE WORKERS. EVERY DOG HAS HIS OWN PERSONALITY, AND THAT IS WHAT MATTERS. IF
YOU WANT A DOG THAT FITS A FEW CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS THAT'S REALISTIC,
BUT TRYING TO FIND ONE THAT MATCHES PERFECTION IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN ANYTIME SOON, AND IF
ONE COMES IN THAT IS PERFECT, WE HAVE A LINE 5 MILES LONG OF PEOPLE WAITING FOR IT.
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