[Mayday981]

Hi everyone,

Me and my wife have been searching for a rescue to adopt in the last couple of weeks. I was able to speak a person who rescues animals and had a 4 year old male labradoodle available. She said the owner surrendered the labradoodle to her due to restrictions for dogs in a new apartment.

So she seems like she’s independent and not part of an organization. I searched her information and I saw that she has a lot of rescues. Apparently, the fire department in the city she lives in had referenced her when there were dogs displaced due to flooding.

However, she said that she didn’t have the information for shots for the labradoodle. I don't know if the owner had given it to her. However, she would give a 5 in 1 vaccine shot and she would chip him for me. She said I would need to go to the vet to get him neutered and get a rabies shot. Also, she said I should check to see what other shots the vet would recommend.

She’s also charging a $700 rehoming fee. She said it’s to help with expenses for the rescues she takes care of. I’m fine with that.

I wanted to ask if this is normal or does it seem like there’s red flags here? We’re going this weekend to see him so I wanted to ask if this seems normal and if there's anything I should look out for.

 

[RonE]

That seems like a pretty steep "rehoming fee." So she's not licensed and not a 501c non-profit?

We paid $350 for a rescue from a licensed non-profit and the dog was neutered and up-to-date on all vaccinations, including rabies. That organization has legit expenses for transportation and medical care of dogs pulled from high-kill shelters. I periodically send them small, additional donations - especially when they have a dog with expensive medical needs. I would use them again in a heartbeat if I have the need for an additional dog in the house.

 

[LeoRose]

I agree that $700 is a steep fee for a dog that has had so little put into it from someone who isn't a legally recognized rescue.

 

[Mayday981]

That seems like a pretty steep "rehoming fee." So she's not licensed and not a 501c non-profit?

We paid $350 for a rescue from a licensed non-profit and the dog was neutered and up-to-date on all vaccinations, including rabies. That organization has legit expenses for transportation and medical care of dogs pulled from high-kill shelters. I periodically send them small, additional donations - especially when they have a dog with expensive medical needs. I would use them again in a heartbeat if I have the need for an additional dog in the house.

I'm not sure if she's licensed. She didn't say she was part of an organization. She just said she rescues dogs. I searched her name and found a article where a fire department had given her dogs that were displaced due to flooding. Someone told me that sometimes there's people who do this independently and so they don't have an organization. But they may charge more because they have their own expenses. That's why I just figured it's fine I'll pay a little more to help her rescue more dogs.

 

[Mayday981]

I agree that $700 is a steep fee for a dog that has had so little put into it from someone who isn't a legally recognized rescue.

Yeah, I know. I'm debating now whether to go see the dog or not.

 

[RonE]

Rescues that are licensed and registered as non-profits will publicize the fact because it means, among other things, that donations are charitable tax deductions.

She may be doing good work or she may be an opportunist making a profit with very little invested in the dogs. Personally I would not give her the benefit of the doubt.

 

[storyist]

A lot of jurisdictions don't require a rescue to be licensed or registered, especially if they don't have some central facility and depend on foster homes or if it's one person who takes in and keeps a few dogs at a time. That was the situation here in Colorado when I did it. Since then we have some sort of inspection of facilities required, but I don't think it's seriously enforced.

HOWEVER, you would not be paying "a little extra" for this dog but 2 or 3 times what decent rescues charge considering the cost of neuter surgery would still be on you. On top of that anyone who claims to be a rescue who lets a 4-year-old dog go to a home unneutered has a lousy idea of what rescue involves. I'm inclined to think any extra out of that $700 is going right into the woman's pocket to be spent on herself.

 

[ForTheLoveOfDogs]

Agreed with the others.

With that steep price, I would suspect dog flipping glorified as a "rescue". We have had a few of those around here over the years.

Some have just been really crummy "rescues" who think they are helping but didn't end up doing any real vet work on the dogs/no spay neuter, then selling to basically anyone without an application. Everything was a mess. Not good for the dogs at all. They had to shut down.

Some have been just people that take in random dogs, sometimes "strays" and ended up selling people's lost pets.. because profit.

Another I know of is legitimately connected to breeders and gets "high value" puppies on a regular basis for a cheap price.. and sells them for a higher price.

Then there's the extra awful ones that have legitimately stolen dogs straight out of yards and "re-homed" them as a "rescue person" in another area.

These kinds of things happen FAR more often than people know.. even among licensed rescues. So absolutely.. be suspicious. I've only seen that kind of price from legit licensed pure bred rescues that actually DO all the vet work and screen homes very carefully. I personally would not believe them and would find a legit rescue to work with.

 

[Aussie Love]

Well, all good advice. If a part of your heart is already in invested in this dog, see if that 'rehoming' fee is negotiable. Find out cost of neuter, shots, etc and deduct that.
A real rescue would be good with that.

 

[Mayday981]

Thank you guys for all of the comments. I decided not to go ahead with the adoption. I will seek a legit shelter or rescue organization to adopt a new dog.

 

[cwwally]

Hi everyone,

Me and my wife have been searching for a rescue to adopt in the last couple of weeks. I was able to speak a person who rescues animals and had a 4 year old male labradoodle available. She said the owner surrendered the labradoodle to her due to restrictions for dogs in a new apartment.

So she seems like she’s independent and not part of an organization. I searched her information and I saw that she has a lot of rescues. Apparently, the fire department in the city she lives in had referenced her when there were dogs displaced due to flooding.

However, she said that she didn’t have the information for shots for the labradoodle. I don't know if the owner had given it to her. However, she would give a 5 in 1 vaccine shot and she would chip him for me. She said I would need to go to the vet to get him neutered and get a rabies shot. Also, she said I should check to see what other shots the vet would recommend.

She’s also charging a $700 rehoming fee. She said it’s to help with expenses for the rescues she takes care of. I’m fine with that.

I wanted to ask if this is normal or does it seem like there’s red flags here? We’re going this weekend to see him so I wanted to ask if this seems normal and if there's anything I should look out for.

Try this site: ► Rescue Me!. You can choose the type of dog you want to search for and the state or location where you live. I'd avoid that lady.

 

[Patchy & Sue]

Hi everyone,

Me and my wife have been searching for a rescue to adopt in the last couple of weeks. I was able to speak a person who rescues animals and had a 4 year old male labradoodle available. She said the owner surrendered the labradoodle to her due to restrictions for dogs in a new apartment.

So she seems like she’s independent and not part of an organization. I searched her information and I saw that she has a lot of rescues. Apparently, the fire department in the city she lives in had referenced her when there were dogs displaced due to flooding.

However, she said that she didn’t have the information for shots for the labradoodle. I don't know if the owner had given it to her. However, she would give a 5 in 1 vaccine shot and she would chip him for me. She said I would need to go to the vet to get him neutered and get a rabies shot. Also, she said I should check to see what other shots the vet would recommend.

She’s also charging a $700 rehoming fee. She said it’s to help with expenses for the rescues she takes care of. I’m fine with that.

I wanted to ask if this is normal or does it seem like there’s red flags here? We’re going this weekend to see him so I wanted to ask if this seems normal and if there's anything I should look out for.

Hi
Go & see the dog see what condition dog is in & if he is the age she says he is?????
He might be heaps older, check his teeth if they're yellow a 4yr dog wont have yellow aging teeth & look at eyes & face, is his fur grey around mouth?,
if you like him offer her $300 cash, THATS IT, he's not even desexed.. Leave your number if she says no say when you cant get $750 give me a call but dont be too long as we are looking at another rescue for $300 who is desexed
In Australia rescue dogs are around $350 the dog comes desexed vacinated, micro chip, flea & wormed, if the dog is one of these mixed dissigner breeds they're normally desexed, vacinated etc & cost around $700 cause the rescue group puts the extra money back on their big vet bills but she sounds a bit shonky to me..
Isn't it illegal to sell an un desex rescue dog?
Go to your local pound/shelter ask what dogs will be killed next & adopt one of these dogs, they are more in need, see which dog your drawn too.