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They ARE our dogs!

© Joan C. Fremo

Occasionally someone joins a Rescue Email list looking for a dog. They may read the emails for a day or so, not realizing these lists are comprised of Rescuers and that the discussions may cover transporting; care; health; behavior issues; or even the policies we set for the protection of our Rescued dogs.

This is an excerpt from such an person.
She joined the list, made no introduction or posts, and a week later she posted:
... but, with all these "rules" applied by everyone, I feel as if I would never qualify, maybe God would never be good enough....!!!! and also.. these Dogs aren't "theirs", for if they were, they would not be looking for homes, they may be their responsibility, but for every 2 dogs w/ a wonderful home, 98 dogs go to heaven?? I guess I'm outta here too...I'll never measure up!!!

I answered:
Dear Disappointed,
You are wrong! These are our dogs. We may take the unwanted dogs out of shelters, or from the side of the road--we may be given dogs from owners who for one reason or another choose to abandon a family member. But once we have them, they ARE our dogs. We will love them to health and well being, invest our hearts and our own funds, (often doing without things others thought necessary), just to see them well, and to give them a second chance. We may have a rescued dog a month, or 6 months, getting them healthy and ready for a new family.

They are our dogs. We would keep them all if possible, but know that to do so would mean more would die in shelters because we didn't have the room for another dog. They are our dogs, and we risk having our hearts broken, but we let them go to new homes to give them the best life we can and to let us help the next dog in need.

They are our dogs--and so we make sure that they will always be loved and well cared for, that the adopting family provides the same level of care that we sacrifice to provide. We check references to know that the person who wants to add our dog to their family cares for other pets in the home, is who they say they are. We do Home Visits to check your fences, and for any thing that might pose a danger to our dogs. To check too, that the information you've given us is correct--that you are not a collector, or that there is not a chained animal already on your property.