Be carfule what you ask

[Eric27]

I recently had a situation that i would like to share. Have flown several flights at no cost to either party I'm a little upset with an rescue group. I rescued a pregnet dog and I was looking for some help. What I got was a reply like I wanted to dump a dog and puppies on them. Cost, cost, cost, you have to have them fixed and take cars for them until we can find homes. Have there shosts done. I know one bad apple can nto be blamed for all the good people that are willing to help but i needed to vent. Rescuers please remeber the average cost of a small plane like a 172 is abour $125.00 per hour to operate, that's after you buy it. And that plane will fly at about 125 miles an hour so pilots are putting about $250.00 out for a 100 mile round trip and the cost only goes up from there.

We love to do it or we wouldn't.

Thanks for listening to me vent.

[arizonabsd]

Welcome to the harsh realities of rescue. I'll try to explain what happened to you, starting with the fact that you didn't run into a bad apple rescue, but a normal one, from the sound of it. If you choose to assume the role of rescue yourself, you will be stuck dealing with all the things you were told about, just as we rescues must day in and day out.

Most rescue organizations, being non-profit, are corporations. Incorporating is required prior to applying for nonprofit status with the IRS, and incorporating requires a set of bylaws. The majority of rescues accept one breed, as specified in its required corporate bylaws and policy statement, which brings us to the dog you obtained and wanted a rescue to take on. Maybe it's as simple as they couldn't accept that breed.

How it works: Prior to taking dogs into rescue, some preliminary work has to be done. If a dog's history is unknown, it has to be temperament tested to make sure we aren't getting a biter, a behavior which is prohibited by most insurance companies with whom we carry our liability coverage. Generally speaking, biters are no longer adoptable.

We determine whether the dog is fearful or friendly, knows any basic commands, and what vaccines it's had, if known. We need this information in order to foster the dog in the best home based on its current condition. Unhealthy dogs, or those showing few symptoms of disease, can turn out to actually have diseases such as parvo or distemper that can wipe out every dog a foster owns personally, so we take great care in evaluating its condition.

During the time a dog is fostered, usually around a month, it receives basic training to improve its adoptability; a couple hundred dollars of vaccines as required by most states; spayed or neutered for around $500; tests for Lyme's Disease, hypothyroidism and heart worm for another $200 plus $400-600 for treatment if one of those disease is present; and teeth cleaning if needed for $75-125. All that still does not include the cost of food, collars and leashes, toys and flea/tick preventatives and/or treatment. A minimum average spent per dog in rescue - if it has no medical issues - is around $750, but that figure can rapidly double or triple if any issue arises-- and it often does.

I think most rescues understand and respect pilots' expenses, and are awed by your generosity. But I wanted to point out that what we have to spend isn't exactly chicken feed either. Taking in a pregnant dog of unknown background means some kind of isolation will be necessary in order to minimize the risks to our own pets as well as to protect the coming litter. Even with that, the odds don't favor the survival of the puppies that will be born, but we go through the motions (and costs) anyway. Distemper and parvo kills so many of them.

Rescue is heart rending work and the burn-out rate is high. So unless you want to join the ranks of rescues yourself, it would be better to notify a couple rescues about a pregnant dog in need but not take it in yourself hoping that someone will take her off your hands or offer assistance because like many shelters, many of us are operating over capacity too.

I hope an inside look at rescue leaves you feeling less put out. You saw the most painful truth about rescue: that we can't save every one.

[LindaJMerideth]

I am limited on what I can do to help, but do you still need help with this dog?

Linda Merideth
www.awlofms.org
662.822.0000

[Eric27]

We still have most of the puppies and are looking for the best way to find them good homes. We don't want to just sit down at the local Wal-Mart and hand them out.

Thanks

[LindaJMerideth]

What about Momma? If she needs a home, I will be glad to post her and try to help.

Thank you for NOT handing the puppies out to anyone who would take one. I will be glad to try to help find them good homes if you can just email me pics. of each and tell me its sex. I am in Mississippi, so I will ask a northern rescue to post them for us.

My email is HLM500@aol.com and my phone number is 662.822.0000.

[Dorothy Stone-Inouye]

We are a very small, foster and volunteer-based rescue but had I been contacted I would have been glad to try and help find someplace for these pups. To take them in immediately means I need to find or clear a foster (in this case one that will take puppies as well as an adult) and it could be a couple weeks to accomplish, but I would try and I would also put the SOS out to other rescues I know who might have room and that I'm sure would get your pups placed. To me rescue is rescue. I appreciate your dedication to helping them. I'm in CA so probably no help unless they are cattledogs/heelers - if so the least I can do from here is put them in the vast network of cattledog rescues in the U.S. and that would probably have a rescue for them in a week or so.

Thank you for helping them. Sorry you were disappointed, we're all different it looks like but I think many of us do try to find a way to help. I know I am very appreciative of the help PnP pilots have offered the dogs we help - some had no alternatives and would not be alive had it not been for this help.

Dorothy
Redwood Coast Cattledog Rescue
cattledogs@sonic.net

[Eric27]

I would like to thank all that gave positive feedback. All the puppies have gone to good homes with owners that are responsible and will get the dogs fixed. It took some doing but we did find them all good homes with the exception of one. He will stay with us and his mother. So far he has been a handful but we love him and the mother. Mon was fixed a few weeks ago and he is scheduled as soon as our vet will take care of him. The only bad news is it looks like he gets car sick so he might not be able to enjoy flying with us.
Thanks again.

[Ladyflier]

I have a sister in Eastern Pa who needs a dog. We think a small dog will motivate her to get out and walk more, which is what her Doctor is telling her to do. We think it would be good for her to foster an older dog that is low energy. If it is a good fit, the dog has a good home.

I am a PNP pilot on the West Coast, and I am willing to travel back to PA to visit some rescue organizations that need a foster home.

What I am looking for is some organizations near Myerstown, Pa. which is not too far from Harrisburg or Philley.

Thank you!

[Eric27]

Sue,

Thanks for the reply, All the puppies have found good homes with loving people. Mon and one pup are staying here with us.

Thanks again, maybe someone else will see this and have a good dog for her. I know there is a Begale group out of New Jersey, they may have a propect for you.

Good luck and thanks again

[Ladyflier]

Thank you. I considered a beagle, but normally that kind of dog, I think you should have two. For now, she doesn't have a fenced yard, unfortunately, she needs a really small dog, one that won't drag her down the street. When I get back there I will check with local rescues.