Comments on: Rescue Dogs: They’re Abandoned For a Reason

By: Melissa McDaniel

Melissa McDaniel — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 22:50:18 +0000

I’ve been volunteering at a local shelter for a few months and have seen a steady stream of WONDERFUL dogs flow into the shelter (and luckily out of the shelter good homes), but it is the people who are breaking their commitment to these animals. Many of the dogs have no behavioral issues. Some do, however, it isn’t because they are “bad dogs”, but mostly because they have had negligent or apathetic owners who did not get them proper training. Many of the dogs, within a few short weeks at the shelter are well trained..and that’s in a shelter situation, which isn’t exactly ideal or a stressfree and perfect learning environment for these dogs. I am continually amazed each week I go there at how people can get rid of absolutely wonderful and loving dogs. I wish there would be a national campaign, similar to the national spay and neuter campaigns, on the benefits and joys of rescuing a shelter dog. My dog Sadie came from the same shelter where I volunteer and she is the love of my life.

By: KAza

KAza — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 15:38:15 +0000

You make some excellent observations on dogdom, well done, this is just one of the points we try to make within our forum, I get sick to death of the rhetoric some breed sites and rescue sites churn out about owners not to have kids under 5, mostly written by old tosspots without kids…

The trouble is people actually believe some of the nonsense these breed (rescue)clubs churn out, and how all dogs unless bred by one of their members is bound to have some health problem and end up in rescue… GET REAL , every dog has the potential to end up in rescue because we humans die, divorce, get sick, move home etc etc , this is life…

By: Angela

Angela — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:24:42 +0000

“Rescue dogs are – after all – just dogs. They are NO different anatomically, chemically or neurologically than any other random dog produced by anyone, anywhere.”

Ryan, so very well said. This sums it up perfectly. I had a similar discussion not long ago and said pretty much what you have said in the above quote. Rescue dogs are indeed “just dogs” – yet to some you’d think rescue dogs were an entirely different species, ones with two heads or something equally bizarre.

Dogs end up in rescue for all sorts of different reasons: many as a result of broken relationships, family decisions to move abroad, changes to working hours/patterns and owners dying/having to move into care and not being able to take their dog with them. None of this should reflect badly on the dog.

If you want a challenge, a dog to work with that needs training/behavioural work, I’m quite sure you’ll find one, but if you want a nice well-rounded family dog that will enjoy spending time with your children, I’m very sure you’ll find one of those in rescue too – I can think of plenty of people that have.

Good rescues want their dogs to find suitable homes that will give the dog all they need and deserve for the rest of his/her life and work very hard to ensure this is exactly what their dogs get.

There are thousands of healthy dogs pts each year in the UK because there are too many dogs and not enough good homes offered. Please consider adopting a dog from rescue if you can offer a dog a good home. They deserve it.

By: shel

shel — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:28:34 +0000

Amen Ryan!

I run an organisation that helps Australian rescue groups market their pets in the positive, desirable fashion that they deserve and I find that sometimes we rescuers are our own worst enemy.

We’re so busy trying to keep ‘bad’ people away that we forget to seek out and invite the good ones in. We’re so busy telling potential adopters exactly what the dogs foibles are, that we forget to mention; and oh yeah and he’s BRILLIANT!

Of course we going to match every pet with the most suitable adopter, but that doesn’t mean we can’t market ourselves as a great source of pets; that we can’t promote our dogs’ most desirable traits; and that we can’t get our dogs out into the community to places where people can actually meet them.

Whether we like it or not we (rescue) are competing with other sources of pets. We need to offer convenience, a fantastic adoption experience and actively encourage people to embrace rescue as the best place to get a dog.

By: Colby

Colby — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:27:27 +0000

One of the problems with the world wide web, forums, and other discussions groups is anyone can chime in and give their two cents…just like I’m doing now. As you said above often times this is good information, some not so good, and other times complete rubbish.

One of my dogs is a rescue and he’s an absolutely excellent dog.