Rescue manners

[ExConstance]

I support two dog rescue charities, we have had two dogs ( one from each) over the last few years and having been dog owners for over 30 years consider ourselves pretty experienced at training etc.

Just recently on Facebook I've been getting messages from other rescues asking to circulate pictures of dogs in pounds who are facing being PTS. I've noticed that these organisations refuse to tell those who ask where they are based or where the dogs in question are geographically. There was recently one very sweet young dog - clearly well trained from his little video clip and I posted to express my sadness he was without a home and said that as our current dog is not all that dog friendly I couldn't offer him a home myself. I then got a barrage of comments saying that he had to go to a rescue, not into a home, that I was an idiot for even suggesting I could take him on as he might be very dangerous and needed the expertise of a rescue to rehome him etc. etc.

I've always thought that if we have another dog I'd get it from a rescue as we like to take an older dog that is not that attractive or from "one of those breeds" as they are most at risk of not being re-homed. TBH now though the arrogance of the rescue sites I've mentioned seems to be such I'd probably just go down the pound and take the next in line for the vet.

I'd always thought of rescue organisations as benign and friendly institutions that just do their best for dogs but now I'm not so sure. Surely they should be prepared to say where they operate from and where the dog they are looking for a place for is?

[CaptainKit]

I've found rescues can be very snippy. I volunteer with a small animal rescue, and through that have met people from a few rescues around the South, and have gained a whole load of FB acquaintances. Some are lovely, some are nigh on unapproachable, and some are outright preachy. Often a tough skin is required when finding out which are which.

Generally my rule is to cut strings with any that go too far, or demand too much. Same with charities as a whole, I guess. It's quite easy to block/hide/unfollow on FB, so if any of them do get too pushy, or rude, then just hide them away and give your time/attention to those that actually remember that although their goal is to fix things for the dogs, they do have to answer to the human beings who give them time/money/attention.

[Cheerfulmarybrown]

Rescues do have to deal with an awful lot of sh@t on a daily basis. Abuse from exowners, seeing the worst side of the general public and cruelty on a daily basis. It is hardly surprising at times if they appear a bit snippy.

Rescues do not want dogs to be rehomed again and again and again so they do have strict criteria to ensure this does not happen. This at times may appear to be at the detriment of the new owners.

Dogs from pounds have not been physically checked or behaviorally checked if they are assessed by rescue before being rehomed they will go into the correct home and the cycle of rescue rehoming will stop. Without the assessment from rescue people, children are at risk and so is the dog.

Rescues have to put the dogs first - the are overflowing with dogs after the Christmas clear out and may have lost some of their tolerance for people - remember they do fantastic work for no pay and no reward.