Would you consider this "rescuing" a dog? Would you have left without her?

[Socal31]

So me and the SO had two pure-breds. I became more aware of the need for rescuing dogs, and decided that our next one would not be from a breeder.

One day, we saw a picture of a puppy on a rescue website. It took less than a split second to realize we were going after that puppy.

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We drive out to a wealthy desert town near Palm Springs, California. We get into a gated community, and pull up to a sprawling palace of a home.

Instantly I realized this was not upper-middle or lower-upper class. Through speaking with the foster parent, I came to find out we were in the home of a famous author.

My point is, the little girl (that yes, we took) would have had a great life no matter what. We donated to the rescue organization, and the wife of the author is a legitimate caring person who only allowed us to adopt her because we had a reference from another rescue worker.

Is it really a "rescue" dog if they would have been taken care of no matter what?

[Lil Missy]

1. All my pets have been rescue's, so of course I'd consider it.

nice looking pup

[Socal31]

3. Don't get me wrong, we love her like a child.

Already plopped down a small fortune for bladder stones (common in one of the breeds she is mixed with).

To this day I just wonder if I have ever really "rescued" a dog. I picture rescuing as saving a pup from the needle.

[HiPointDem]

2. i'd consider it adopting a dog, not rescuing it. what's the difference between this & answering

an ad in the paper that says 'free to good home'?

[Socal31]

4. Never thought of it like that.

I appreciate your response.

[guardian]

37. There is a distinction

Rescue dogs/pets are usually considered those animals that were 'rescued' from horrible conditions such as dog mills that supply animals to pet stores. There are often abused, live in horrible conditions, and have never received medical care. So some rescue dogs may need more patience and willingness to provide proper medical attention when compared to the random dog adopted from the Humane Society.

Rescue dogs/cats make wonderful companions and will love you with all their big hearts. I encourage anyone considering a pet to consider a rescue animal. And if you really want a specific breed you can often find normally expensive breeds and adopt them for a very reasonable fee. The fee you pay just goes back into the non-profit rescue organization to help cover their costs.

Also, don't feel like you have to always adopt a puppy/kitten. Adult animals make wonderful companions too. And can save stress to you and your carpets that a puppy/kitten can cause.

Please support your local Rescue groups and Humane Societies.

[HiPointDem]

38. & as the op says, the dog was *not* taken from horrible conditions. ergo, not a rescue dog.

[jafranklin05]

5. Would you consider this "rescuing" a dog? Would you have left without her?

I am absolutely in, I also have a pet and i love her very much and no one in my family can live without her.

[GeorgeGist]

6. The rescue may have been ...

By the authors wife. Not you.

[JoeyT]

7. I'd still call it rescuing a dog.

If I understand it right, and the woman is part of a rescue organization, you've freed up a slot for another dog that might otherwise have gone unrescued.

[ColesCountyDem]

10. I'm involved in animal rescue, and you are exactly right! n/t

[JI7]

8. even rich people aren't going to take in unlimited dogs

[Socal31]

9. Of course.

But they have enough connections that the dog would have been fine, believe me. Her mother was found pregnant in the desert malnourished, and Mrs. X took her in, and cared for the pups. She cared deeply about them, they weren't going to be put down.

I don't feel guilty, especially due to some of the new prospectives I have been given in this thread. I was just wondering what others thought, since rescuing is definitely the way to go these days.

[ashling]

11. Ms A saw a picture on the internet site of a local shelter

So we went out there ... they were closed.

We went back a few days later ... they were just locking the gate.

we went back another day and looked at the dogs. Asked to see Rocky and no one could seem to find him. We considered some other puppies when one of the employees told us they had found him. He was in a kennel in another building recovering from "the surgery". They had decided to go ahead and neuter him so that one of the employees could take him home for a time as a foster.

He went home with us - still a little woozy.

Now Rocky owns my refrigerator, my living room chair, my heart ... and sometimes lets me sleep in the bed with Ms A and him.

[Skittles]

12. awwwwwwww

[tblue37]

13. We need pictures! I wanna see Rocky! nt

[OneGrassRoot]

14. Thank goodness you turned away from breeders...

I'm trying not to vilify or demonize them, because I realize they aren't the same as puppy mills, but given the many dogs and cats in desperate need of a home, breeding seems absolutely awful and selfish, even inhumane, to me.

Adopt, don't shop.

Can anyone defend breeders? It's a sincere question in case I'm missing something and being close-minded.

[get the red out]

17. I'm torn on "breeders"

I love the variety we see in dogs, that achieved through breeding for specific traits. And without breeders we wouldn't see a continuation of the various and amazing dog breeds. But I think puppy mills are horrific, and the desire to quickly obtain the "flavor of the month" puppy keeps them in existence. And then again there is a woman who is a FB friend of mine, who I knew in high school, who carefully breeds amazing Irish Setters. Her dogs are loved and healthy. The sire of her latest litter is 12; that's not bad for a large dog. She breeds rarely and always has people waiting for a puppy. If breeding is to take place, I feel like she is someone who has it right.

Then I see little faces posted by another friend who volunteers in rescue, precious faces days from death.......................Torn.

[OneGrassRoot]

19. Thanks, GTRO...

I'm admittedly really judgmental about humans in this same respect; those who go to tremendous lengths (and extraordinary expense) to have a biological child rather than consider adoption.

I'm just a judgmental wench about certain things, and breeding (of any species, unless endangered) really bothers me.

[LisaLynne]

21. Oh, I don't think you came off as judgmental!

I know what you mean, but yeah, there are actually reputable breeders out there who are trying to "fix" some of the problems that have been bred into certain breeds by the unscrupulous. But yeah, I'm with you -- it's hard to think about bringing any more dogs or kids into the world when there are so many here already who don't have good homes.

[OneGrassRoot]

29. Thanks, LisaLynne...

Thanks for confirming I'm not alone in this view.

[get the red out]

23. You aren't judgemental at all

You see a very real situation (on both counts, pet breeding and people who go to great lengths to pass on their DNA rather than adopting to be parents). I get super-judgemental regarding people who have gigantic families and expect everyone to give them an insane amount of respect for their contribution to over-population and depleation of resources. If you want a f-ing litter, adopt a pregnant cat, IMO!

[OneGrassRoot]

27. omg....

"If you want a f-ing litter, adopt a pregnant cat, IMO!"





LOLOL!!!! BRILLIANT!!! I'm so gonna use that.

[TBF]

31. Please see my post #30 - I talked about that a little.

Our pseudo-rescue is now an almost 3-yr old purebred puppy of a former international puppy champion. Gorgeous dog, very smart, great w/our kids and protective of our property. He is stunning. His breeder limits her number of litters, is involved in local rescue, and always takes the dogs back if there's a problem (that's how I got him - first family decided not to keep him).

I think it's a two-fold problem. There are definitely puppy mills out there (bad breeders, and they seem to reside in certain states where there is less regulation), but also there are education issues. Many folks who purchase a new puppy have no idea what they are getting into and some very beautiful dogs wind up in shelters.

If we were to say "no more breeding" we are left with only dogs that are irresponsibly bred - I see that as more problematic than what we have now. More regulation of breeding facilities? Yes, absolutely.

[OneGrassRoot]

33. Thanks, TBF. I need to learn more about breeding...

Admittedly, I have always been a shelter/rescue person. I have never had an affinity (or a dislike) for certain breeds. A focus on purebred anything -- again, out of ignorance on my part -- just turns me off as we humans being arrogant and manipulative.

Others have suggested there are benefits to breeding. I need to learn more about that so I don't have an immediate negative knee-jerk reaction.

[TBF]

34. I've had 2 purebreds if you count the dalmation we had growing up -

I think they can be a little more high strung, but the breeders who are careful to check the puppies well, take their dogs back, limit their breeding etc can be good. But I too have had 3 rescue labs (I love the breed obviously) - because it is hard for me to pay so much money for a puppy (lots of work too!) when there are perfectly good pups needing homes. Our young rescue from last year is really sweet and in great health.

[get the red out]

15. Yes

That opens a spot for another pup they can care for; but I understand what you feel, we adopted our pup from our local shelter a few years ago and I've felt guilty that we didn't get a dog in greater need since our shelter is WONDERFUL and her litter got homes very quickly after being fostered by a loving volunteer. But she is a rescue, from the shelter, someone's "oops" litter most likely since aparently one parent was a Border Collie (and the other parent was also a dog). She's never missed a meal though, or done without shelter and care.

One ironic thing is that I stopped to talk to a young woman when walking my dog a few months ago and commented on how cute her Husky puppy was. I mentioned that Layla was from the shelter so we didn't know her complete breed make-up and she said "oh you did such a good thing getting her" and it struck me as strange, as if she were somehow a sacrifice we made by her not being a pure bred dog. My explaining that she was smart and sweet and thriving in dog agility didn't seem to make a dent in her opinion that us adopting her was somehow a sacrifice, when we can't imagine having a better dog.

Your girl is beautiful! I hope you have a great life together. You did not purchase a puppy so you did not promote other litters being bred while other good dogs languish without homes. To me that is doing a good thing and is "rescue".

[Progressive dog]

16. One more can be saved, so yes it is a "rescue"

[LWolf]

18. Rescue organizations

that I'm familiar with generally don't euthanize their critters, so it's not a "rescue" like you saved her from danger or death. It's still a rescue. The person or organization is the first responder in the rescue; you are the long term care they hand off to. If nobody were there for the hand off, they couldn't keep responding to crisis.

My mom adopted 2 kittens last summer from a local rescue facility. The facility is full of available cats and kittens; prospective adopters can wander from room to room, visit with all, spend as much time as they need to make a choice. She was there for a couple of hours. She chose those 2 because they were the only survivors of a litter that suffered a coyote attack. She "rescued" them. Not really; they'd already been rescued, and weren't at risk any more. But if nobody took them, the rescue people couldn't keep taking in more; they are at full capacity most of the year.

[MadrasT]

20. What a cutie!

And yes, it is a "rescue" dog. The dog was rescued by someone else, and since you adopted her, you opened up a space in the foster system for another dog to be rescued.

I have been in cat rescue for years and I would absolutely call her a rescue dog.

[LisaLynne]

22. Totally a rescue!!

As others have said, because now there is room for more. Even rescues will fill up and not be able to take on more dogs who need help, so you have opened a spot for another dog and that is majorly COOL! The rescue process involves all steps, so you are providing a dog with a forever home and that is the last step. You are a very important part of the process.

Congrats on your new girl! She is freakin' adorable!

[mnhtnbb]

24. Yes, it's a rescue dog...same as my Snowy is a rescue even though she lived with her foster

parent for a couple of years.

Your dog was 'rescued' from homelessness...might have gone to a shelter...if not for the rescue organization.

My Snowy was rescued out of a Georgia shelter by a South Carolina rescue group. The foster parent's father was living
with her and became pals with Snowy. After the father died, Snowy was placed with a family...who returned her
because she wouldn't 'learn' to use a doggie door. She's been with us for over 3 years now and doesn't have to
use a doggie door.

[bemildred]

25. It's all good. nt

[jberryhill]

26. It's about you and the dog and no one else

[union_maid]

28. Yes, it's a rescue

I think that any animal that needs a home is a rescue because bad things can happen to those who don't find one. One of my dogs comes from a non-profit but private no kill shelter. She could have stayed there forever if she wasn't adopted. The ones that really rescued her were neither that shelter nor my family. It was NYC animal control. She was surrendered to them. They actually bring adoptable dogs to certain shelters. Saw this happening while we were there adopting her. So, she was rescued from a bad fate by a chain of events and we were a part of that. Same with you. My younger one was at the municipal pound, but they were commited to finding a home for him and advertised him after seeing to his previously neglected health needs. So, they were the first to rescue him and probably would have given him enough time to find him a home. But he is a rescue dog, no question. As is your little girl.

[TBF]

30. I had a similar situation when I answered a website ad for an 11 month old English Lab

we had just lost an older rescue (he only lived 8 mos. after we adopted him). I wanted to get a younger dog for my kids and this ad came up when I did a Google search. He had been returned to his breeder by the first family (who knows why - could've gotten too big, couldn't hunt, whatever ....) so I bought him from that original family. He would've been able to stay at the breeder's farm, but we provided a home, good medical care, kids for him to play with, and additional training. Some people just don't know what they are getting into with dog ownership, they pick a breed that isn't suitable given their lifestyle, etc...

After a year I went back to the lab rescue and found a sister for him. She was a chocolate stray, about a year old. She has settled in nicely and they seem to enjoy each others company. So far we've bought one and rescued three, but given the situation the purebred is sort of a pseudo-rescue as well.

I really don't have a problem with responsible breeders, but I do give donations to no-kill rescue groups and spay/neuter because there's obviously still a problem with the not-so-responsible breeders in this country.

[magical thyme]

35. YES it is rescue. By adopting that puppy, you made room for another dog in need

Fostering has got to be one of the hardest things someone can do and I really commend the rescuers who do that...take the dog or puppy into their home, love it, teach it....and then hand it to somebody else for a furever home. It's a critically important step to socializing puppies and strays, so they are more adoptable and more easily acclimated into their adoptive home.

Once you adopted that puppy, you made room for the famous author's wife to foster another in need, which in turn made room for another at a shelter.

It is no less a rescue than it was for me to adopt my puppy, Jake, from the no-kill shelter that drove from Maine to Arkansas to rescue him, his siblings and his mom, along with other moms and pups and some individual doggies, from death row in Arkansas.

And it is no less a rescue than when I pulled my doggie Luna from death row at a high-kill shelter in Georgia.

[Socal31]

36. Thank you for all the kind words everyone.

I am happy to see the rescue trend is spreading!