Thanks for the replies and recommendations all! Zoo, I am total agreement with you on your rescue practices and your stance on spaying/neutering. So I think in a way we are arguing the same point! Sometimes though, you can't just presume things because there is info missing. There were some details left out for some of the pets because I don't have them and those dogs aren't in my care. I rescued some dogs with the full intention of a 100% responsible foster/rehoming situation (that was Noodles, Scrappy, and Chloe and the little bugger that popped out her 5 days later). Then an acquaintance of mine and her friend went and tried to save some dogs after hearing they were being PTS at that shelter. This person means well and tried to do a great thing but doesn't have too many resources and got a little overwhelmed so I am trying to help her get the dogs homes. She tells me the dogs will be fixed before they are placed and that they've had their shots. Unfortunately, I can't take responsibility for her rescues or I would. I have tried to get her to team up with larger organizations and we've contacted several but guess what? THEY DON'T RESPOND! I keep encouraging her to fix the dogs ASAP, etc but that's all I can do. In the mean time, they were saved and nothing changes the fact that they still need loving homes. Again, I'm sure you understand that this is really exhausting and quite frankly, there have been so many other rescuers that seem to think they can dictate other rescues that it gets really old. I've actaully gotten phone calls from rescue groups that were less than friendly about what I did because I guess in their minds "independent" rescuers don't count and I have no business doing what I did. It's almost like an ego battle and not about the animals that were saved. I see where they are coming from because they don't want irresponsible rescues done but that's not me! They should at least establish that first before they are mean to me. anyhoo, thanks for the suggestions on the neutering. The pup and his mommy are going to the vet this afternoon so I was plannng on speaking to him about that today. Thanks all! PS This post really is about these animals that need homes so let's not forget that!
Understood - all of your points. Maybe this will shed some light on what you have described. Alright, let me take one last stab at this issue while I actually have a few minutes to devote to it. For anyone who doesn’t want to learn/understand about fostering – rescue and why some registered rescue groups have qualms about independent people doing rescue – then please click away. This will be fairly long as I will detail certain points and if this isn’t your subject, I really don’t want to hear the ‘novel’ word being stamped on it. You’ve had your warning. Many shelters have volunteers who provide foster homes to canine and feline wards. Typically, young puppies, and females about to give birth are the prime candidates and are chosen first. This is because no matter how clean the shelter is kept, the immune systems of new mothers, their newborn pups and those up to the age of 8-12 weeks are the most frail. (Dogs recovering from a serious injury fall into this category as well. Amy other foster space available would likely go to a well behaved dog who just doesn’t show well in a kennel situation (some house dogs who are not used to being kenneled and the noise can withdraw, traumatized from a shelter situation. Pure breed animals usually have shelter personnel call breed-specific rescues on their behalf, hoping to place that pure breed, or almost pure breed dog within that rescue organization. The purpose of fostering is not just to save an animal from being put down. Just saving it’s life, while kind, will not keep his life out of jeopardy after he is adopted out. The duty of the foster family is to teach the dog how to be a dog. What is and isn’t acceptable while living among humans as well as living with other animals of it’s own, and/or possibly other species. Foster dogs and cats NEED to live inside the home. Read that last sentence again for good measure. Unless they live inside the foster home, they will not learn how to behave in a house, get housebroken (and that isn’t just covering potty – it means not messing with human things they aren’t supposed to) Foster dogs usually get crate trained, this measure helps them get adopted out more times than not. Foster dogs learn how to behave when the family is sitting down to dinner and going through everyday routines as a household member. Basic obedience is also a key issue – sit – (lay)down – come – and working on loose leash walking are pretty much minimum standards for being a good foster parent. The idea behind fostering isn’t to just keep an animal alive – it is to make them more readily adoptable and enable them to go to their new home and become part of a family. While it is encouraged that anyone who adopts a dog take a BASIC obedience class with their new dog/pup – knowing the basics will enable that dog to bond easier with their new owner. Right from the beginning, that dog/pup will feel that the new human(s) in their life speak the same language – they can understand what that human is trying to communicate and therefore please them. This helps build a pup/dogs confidence. A confident dog is a happy dog, as well as a SAFE dog to be around – a fearful dog has the potential to be more dangerous than a vicious dog, A dog that totally lacks confidence will not only be unhappy, but in it’s frustration will usually attempt to burn it off by chewing either on articles in the home, or at it’s own body. When dogs are constantly passed from one situation to another, their spirit is affected. To go in and out of shelters because a dog doesn’t work out, after a few times can really do a number on them mentally. Fostering is usually a tool in securing that the dog fostered will be able to go home with an approved adopter and STAY there for the rest of it’s life. When fostering through ORGANIZATIONS – you have a cushion. • No out of pocket expenses for medical needs • Food is covered • A place for the foster dog to go and be showcased so that MANY possible adopters can get to meet them is provided on a regular basis • Volunteers to help process adoptions (vet/home/reference checks)are available • Crates are usually provided • Training classes are often provided • Support from peers is ALWAYS available …and IF this dog for ANY reason is NOT compatible with the foster family or other pets, there are other foster homes in which they can be placed. While in foster care, ANY issues of a behavioral nature can be handled with a call to a staff member of the organization – most have a behaviorist who volunteers their time for foster pets – ditto with grooming needs on breeds requiring something other than basic brushing and bathing. Independent rescuers are usually overwhelmed with the reality of bringing a strange dog into their household, there are issues that may crop up frequently that they weren’t expecting/prepared to deal with. They basically have nowhere to turn for assistance. If the dog they are fostering is not a good fit and causing turmoil in the household, the chances are great that the dog might be adopted to the first human being that appears kind and willing to take them from their foster families hands. Often, the fit isn’t good and the dog is once again back in a shelter, turned loose, or passed off to someone – anyone. While many rescues state that if the pet doesn’t work out they want it back, usually after 30 days there is no financial refund and someone just wanting that animal out of their life may not go through the trouble of returning it to where they originally got it. Because there are no specific guidelines for independent rescue people – they are, after all INDEPENDENT – people who adopt from one and end up with a ‘problem child’ are all too egar to spread the bad news that they “got this dog from a rescue and it was the hound from Hell” or that they “got this dog from a rescue and when they took it to a vet it was all sickly and loaded with heartworms and a virtual money-pit” Bad news always travels so much faster than good news. Organized rescues are often confused with independent people who rescue. . .much the same as people assume all county shelters are the same, or that all SPCA’s are equal. While none of those are true – the general consensus usually bands them together. That’s it –all the things I didn’t cover. Have a busy week ahead of me and no playtime – except with critters. Wish you all luck -
Thanks for taking the time to help me understand what being a rescuer should be. Thank you on behalf of all the animals you've helped find their forever home (and the animals that haven't found that home yet.)
chewy Chewy - is a single puppy that was born to Chloe (Pomeranian Mix) on 2/3/08, 5 days after she was pulled out of the shelter. He appears to be a chocolate lab mix. He is already quite large (4 lbs at 3 weeks) so it seems that he will be a medium/large dog when he is grown up. He will be ready for adoption after he has had his shots and is weaned at 8 weeks of age (3/30/08). His adoption fee is $75.00 to help cover his medical expenses. For more info, please call or email foster mom Christine at 919-521-8538 - raccemup@yahoo.com. will you provide proof all shot records and his medical expenses? my next door neighbor might be interested, i will send her this photo of him to her, they are looking a lab/lab mix. i would adopt him in a heartbeat but i have a full house and just adopted a baby chihuahua. he is a beautiful lil guy though! ill let my neighbor know about him! but please answer my questions. thanks
Absolutely! All of my rescues go with copies of all their vet records and proof that I pulled them from the shelter so EVERYTHING is documented for the adopter. Ideally, he will also be neutered before he is placed as well so I may have to hold on to him for a little longer than I originally thought. I will need to have them fill out an application, check their vet references, and I will need to do a home inspection. If they are interested in Chewy, have them email me and I will send them the application to fill out. Thanks for helping spread the word about this baby! Christine PS re the adoption fees. I do NOT profit on the animals and refuse to. So if his vet bills only come out to $50, then I will lower the adoption fee. The fee is to help cover the bills, it doesn't ever meet or exceed what I paid for their vet care. In this case, I would like to have Chewy neutered before he placed so I will still charge the $75, even though my bills for him will probably be closer to $150-$200 after he is neutered, dewormed, and had all his shots.
raccemup ok thanks so much for answering that question, i will let her know and if she is not interested i will still pass the word around! he is just so adorable!
Excellent post Zoo! I particularly liked the above list. And if I might add that while there is joy, there is also (sometimes great) sadness at passing a foster on to an adoptive family - especially, if you have nursed that animal through sickness, or raised it from a helpless baby. That said, if anyone out there really wants to foster, please join an established organization as a volunteer first. Go through the org's training/orientation, lend them a helping hand for a while. THEN when you know that YOU are compatible with THAT organization, THEN try fostering for them. On a personal note, I very rarely go to any shelters to choose my rescue organization's animals. (I have in the past, but it brought me grief and sadness - How many can we handle? Who to save? Who to leave behind?) I let others with stronger hearts and stomachs, pull the animals, and I offer my foster home and care to those that come to me.
Oh yeah, most definitely. . .very hard to let go of them, you really develop a bond, ESPECIALLY when one has gone through a sickness, or recovered from an injury. I got lucky though, one, Cindy, a big girl, mostly Giant Schnauzer mix. . .she had a BAD kidney infection and spent 8 weeks with me (the longest I ever had a foster) - I so fought with myself about adopting her myself, but at the time had a little old Miniature Schnauzer who was 12 when I found her half dead on HWY 210. . .she took a lot of extra care, plus the 15 year old Maine Coon who was surrendered by his owner. . .no one wanted to adopt a 15 year old cat, so I took him home (he was with us till he was just shy of 20 and old age took him *sniff*) and my other personal dogs and cats. . .well, it was getting a bit crowded, and if I had kept her, I wouldn't be able to provide room to foster an other. . .So I found her the greatest home and the PLUS was her new owner understood that I was really attached and we worked it out so that every year when she had 10 days worth of vacation, Cindy came to stay with us! Hubby and I were thrilled to have her visit and the boys all remembered her, so there were never any introduction junk to deal with. She came three years in a row and then she and her owner moved from Cary to Virginia. . .BUT she still Emails, and she and Cindy are just fine I keep up with many of my previous fosters - usually at Christmas, I get a card with a photo, or an Email. . .always look forward to hearing how they are. Although I would have loved to have kept Cindy, there were a good dozen after her, I wouldn't have been able to help. She got a great home and a family that loves her very much, so it was the right choice.
UPDATE Just wanted to give a little update on the pets! Chewy is doing great! He'll be 6 weeks old on Sunday and he's sooooo awesome. I'm not sure yet if I'll be able to part with him. lol I will post an updated pic soon. He is getting so big and goes for his first puppy shots on Monday. His mom is being spayed next week and goes to her new home in early April. Mickey has been adopted by his foster mom's mom (his grandma?) and is now living on a huge horse farm in Wake Forest. He's been neutered and is really doing great! Chestnut has also been neutered and is still waiting for his forever home. He's an active little thing and is very sweet. He'll be a medium sized dog. Solomon (the Cat) is also still looking for his forever home. Thanks!
LOL. He really is amazing. I don't know how on earth I am going to part with him. I can NOT be the crazy chick with 4 dogs and a cat, lol. Here is his Dogster page for those of you that can't get enough cuteness! :mrgreen: http://www.dogster.com/dogs/738650
