[kirsti71]

just wondering what type of rescues everyone here does, I mean, a few at a time or full blown rescues. a day in my world... like today, I had taken in a three legged blue heeler mix just 2 days ago, the owner spent the $ after he ran it over and then decided enough was enough- even though something was clearly wrong! I tried to do the regular, knowing the history of poor dog care, and did all the normal things...2 days in- would not eat, loose BM's. Took the sweet dog to the vet to find out- a pinched nerve and a bone that moved after surgery-oh, it was attacked by his other dogs- was blocking his colon and he was suffering! Along with 3 types of worms! I had to make the sad choice--- why me?! Why not the owner that watched his poor dog starving to nothing- while at the vet was approached to "save" a shih tzu that so happened to breed with their chow, didn't want to spend the $ to spay her to save her, decided it was cheaper to put her down! OMG!!! This was my morning- after lunch, between my 49 dogs and all other critters here and all the wonderful phone calls had gone to pick up my kids from school, just to pick up 4 six week old pups in the middle of town! Is it this bad everywhere?! Sorry to vent and I hope I dont offend anyone- but does anyone else go through this---

[TeddieXRuxpin]

Compared to you're days mine don't sound so bad. I'm sorry you have to go through this kind of stuff.

I don't run the shelter, but I do a lot of the work that goes in keeping it up and running. I work adoptions, pull dogs from the euthanasia lists, keep our animals on the website to keep it going, work events, I just put together an awesome raffle (see below in my signature), I keep our storefront clean (a bigger task than you would think) and I foster dogs. Right now I have six dogs, 4 of my own (all rescues) and two fosters. To keep my head on as straight as possible I told my self only one foster at a time. Now I've got two..

I've seen some pretty horrible things and heard about them from the people I work with too. Most resent was a litter of 5 puppies that were found in a park. Covered in fleas and ticks; their gums were white and all were just barely hanging on. A woman found them and contacted one of our fosters. After being checked out by a vet it was determined the fifth puppy had been stomped. She has a crushed pelvis and bladder. $$$$$ later it was way to much to put her through and she had to be pts.

Mange, inbedded collars, heartworms, broken legs, burns, are all regular things I see with the dogs we pull and find. Having to go and pull the dogs from the city is one of the worst things I've ever had to do. There are 400+ dogs and cats that are counting on you and you can only take the ones with last noticed signs on their cages. The city doesn't treat for illnesses or broken wounds. So walking past their cages knowing they don't have much time left is horrible.

I'm not sure if I noticed it before, but I see you're in Texas. Just curious what part of town you're in.

[kirsti71]

Goodness, I know its bad everywhere! Im in Pleasanton, which is about 45 miles south of san antonio. The good/bad thing about mine is I do the rescue from my home. That was the only way I could figure on them being treated like pets while in my care than having them in crates, kennels and only getting attention when I had time. Not that Im against crating when needed. It helps me place them. I know how they act and any bad habits. Ok, not any that I didnt help with:-)) Its funny, I can even open my gate either they stand there looking at me or they run to my car---too spoiled! Ive seen way too many bad things and I, too, hate going to "pick" from the pounds. I tried to go every other week, but found myself trying to save them all and killing myself. So I stick to what I know I can handle- which is still alot. I tell everyone,my goal is to put out of business. LOL. when every critter is taken care of in a well loved home! Nice to dream isnt.

[TeddieXRuxpin]

That is one of the biggest reasons why our rescue is run out of foster homes. Our dogs are kept in home environments where they are loved and cared for. Not locked up in a kennel. I know what you mean.

[secondchance]

If only there were mandatory spay and neuter laws....

[TeddieXRuxpin]

Originally Posted by secondchance

If only there were mandatory spay and neuter laws....

They are trying if not have already passed one here. More places to have the same law. imo
http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3461

[MyRescueCrew]

I know the feeling. Heartworms, mange, anorexia, abuse... it's sad what the human race is capable of. I've had dogs come in to me with everything from embedded collars, thrown from moving vehicles, purposeful starvation, horrid neglect, amonst other things.

I have bad days, because I, and rescues I work with, can only do so much. I've had to have fosters put down (for good reason. One was so vicious, it would take out anyone in its path), and I've had to watch idiots refuse to turn their dogs over to me or the rescues, and instead they put them down in spite.

I think, for me, the worst part of rescue is pound picking. I get calls from the rescues constantly, asking me if I have room to go pick one or two from the pound to rescue. When I do, I have to go in there and pick just one or two, sometimes 3, but knowing that I'm leaving the rest there to die because I just don't have the room. It's hard because I am, at that moment, the sole person deciding which dog will come with me and live, and which ones will stay behind and die. Not a easy decision, and it's sad that society has caused it to come to that.

I think one of the saddest things for me, lately, was when I went to the pound to pluck Annie off death-row. I was outside with the director (and remember, this particular pound was a hole-in-the-wall small town pound and very high-kill) and suddenly here comes running a pack of 6 puppies. 2 browns, 3 blacks, and a catahoula colored, probably lab mixes for the most part. All the same size, and weight, so all from the same litter. Full of worms and flea's, the director and I plucked them up and put them in a cage. Then he looked at me and said that I was the last foster home there that day and that either I took them, or they were to be euthanized. I had no room, and no foster homes wanted them. The director ended up taking the catahoula mix, but the other 5 were put down. It's sad, but too little people want plain brown and black mixes. The shelter was full and there was just too many dogs and too little homes.

I wish there was manadatory spay and neuter laws across the country.

Glad to see a fellow rescuer join DF!

[TeddieXRuxpin]

Originally Posted by MyRescueCrew

I know the feeling. Heartworms, mange, anorexia, abuse... it's sad what the human race is capable of. I've had dogs come in to me with everything from embedded collars, thrown from moving vehicles, purposeful starvation, horrid neglect, amonst other things.

I have bad days, because I, and rescues I work with, can only do so much. I've had to have fosters put down (for good reason. One was so vicious, it would take out anyone in its path), and I've had to watch idiots refuse to turn their dogs over to me or the rescues, and instead they put them down in spite.

I think, for me, the worst part of rescue is pound picking. I get calls from the rescues constantly, asking me if I have room to go pick one or two from the pound to rescue. When I do, I have to go in there and pick just one or two, sometimes 3, but knowing that I'm leaving the rest there to die because I just don't have the room. It's hard because I am, at that moment, the sole person deciding which dog will come with me and live, and which ones will stay behind and die. Not a easy decision, and it's sad that society has caused it to come to that.

I think one of the saddest things for me, lately, was when I went to the pound to pluck Annie off death-row. I was outside with the director (and remember, this particular pound was a hole-in-the-wall small town pound and very high-kill) and suddenly here comes running a pack of 6 puppies. 2 browns, 3 blacks, and a catahoula colored, probably lab mixes for the most part. All the same size, and weight, so all from the same litter. Full of worms and flea's, the director and I plucked them up and put them in a cage. Then he looked at me and said that I was the last foster home there that day and that either I took them, or they were to be euthanized. I had no room, and no foster homes wanted them. The director ended up taking the catahoula mix, but the other 5 were put down. It's sad, but too little people want plain brown and black mixes. The shelter was full and there was just too many dogs and too little homes.

I wish there was manadatory spay and neuter laws across the country.

Glad to see a fellow rescuer join DF!

Your post brings back a lot of memories both good and bad. Getting to see the dogs that come in terrified and can hardly walk go to homes that update you and say how well they're doing.

A GSD came in a while back; he had lost so much body weight and muscle he couldn't walk. If he did it was less than three steps, he had to be carried everywhere. After he put on some weight he was adopted out to a special home where he gets regular check ups and x-rays to make sure his bones are growing corrctly. He came up to an adoption after 2-3 months and he was you're typical GSD puppy. He had the slanted back legs, thin but nice build, fabulous coat, and he galloped the length of the field. It almost brought me to tears as I watched him running. I wish more people would update the fosters.

Or when I was informed of two dogs being dragged behind a car. They were tied to the back of a pickup and drug for so many yards. They were lifeless, burned, and skin was just hanging on. I stopped getting a lot of the emails, but still get most of the city lists. It sucks to get the lists of pictures that need to be pulled, have already been euthanized, and who's new coming in.

ok i'm done with my rant..

[kirsti71]

Nice thing about where I live, is support and word of mouth. I have been doing this for almost 7 yrs and will help out everyone I can even going as far as spending $300.00 on a dog that wasnt if mine. But do something to an animal- I'm not so nice anymore. I have had the police department call me out on calls they dont want our local ACO's to handle b/c they know nothing will be done-- me on the other hand... I go out on those not so nice calls and tell 'em how it is.