Rescue Group checks and Balance?

[bugmom]

Hi all! long time no chat with...
I am in the middle of a dilemma that needs some advice and outside sources for me to gain to a perspective on it.

Back in October i was sucked into a role of foster parent for a dog who is supposedly in a rescue group's database. The term "put to sleep" immediately was the one that got me. So i drove 3 hours to pick up this dog from its then current foster mom. The dog was supposed to be transported to Texas to live with 12 other dogs. Upon introducing it to my baby dog it was determined that this dog would not do well with 12 other dogs and needed a solo place. So my problem is with the resce group. they haven't contacted me since dec 10th....on dec 10th they had forwarded (after a lot of nagging by me!) adoption forms. Its obvious to me that this is an out of sight out of mind situation. I feel very dumped upon. My gut says if i contact the rescue agency all they will do is move her to another foster home and she will remain lost in the foster system until she passes. Does anyone know if there is any regulation done on these rescue agencies? it is apparently a "non-profit organization" for IRS purposes. I just keep having this nagging feeling that i am not the first one that this group has dumped upon and will not be the last. The dog is now being registered with another rescue group in hopes of finding her a new home. But gosh this practice of dumping onto good hearted foster folks...... any ideas? thoughts? fellow whinings?

thanks!

bugmom

[aly]

I was going to suggest placing the dog through another rescue group but I see you're already on top of it. It sounds awful that the rescue group just dumps dogs and forgets about them. I would try to research the facts and alert the rescue field of any out of the ordinary things. It makes me wonder how much they actually care about the animals they are saving. Saving does not merely mean yanking it from a shelter to save it from the needle. Saving also means placing it in a well-deserved, loving home!!

Thank goodness the dog has you on her side!!!!!

[bugmom]

http://community.webshots.com/user/jasventures

Shortnen is the foster dog.... she is the dumbest dog....for example - she tripped on a stick and skinned her nose; she has barked herself off the bed (a look on her face i will never forget - like i moved the bed from beneath her!). but for all her dumbness she is a sweetheart who just wants to love - yes, a 70 lb. lap dog!! training is totally out of the question. You say sit to her - my dog sits right next to her and she just looks at you - no lights on, no elevator to the top floor, just vague empty space! but a snuggler extraordinaire! so she has weak points, but the humor is great and on cold winter nights she keeps one side of me, my dog keeps the other side warm.

[aly]

She's BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Soooo, she needs a home, eh?
Let me go beg Lolly!

[bugmom]

She is definitely a beauty. The real down side to here is she sufferes from COLS....Cranky old lady syndrome. Where for no reason and out of the blue she will lash out at the closest dog...which is my baby, bug! its the wierdest thing cuz there is no pattern, no ryme or reason. The worst that has happened so far is a very scared bug - lucky for bug shortnen's front lower canines are ground down from her previous life. So, Aly, Lolly says "No, Mom. Not that dog!!"

[aly]

awwww darn!!!!!! She sure is a beauty though. She'd do great as an only child to be spoiled to death!

[lizbud]

Bugmom,

Do you know the age of the dog? Anything on personal
history of Shortnen? I think she should be evaluated by
a vet as to her "sudden outbursts". Sad as it seems, she
might not be a candidate for adoption by anyone.

[bugmom]

shortnen is approx. 7 yrs old. she goes to MY vet next week. she has been to another vet for vaccines, but that was done before i entered the picture. I truly believe she's just trying to express her desire to be number only dog, but she will get a total exam so that no stone will be left unturned...or blood panel! oh i hope there is nothing seriously wrong with her! her past history is sketchy. i know that she was owned by a woman who was at least an alcoholic and she bounced from place to place. i don't think it was an easy life for either dog or person and i hope that the person is doing better now as i believe she was doing some kind of rehab. and thats about all i know of her history.

[lizbud]

Bugmom,

Thanks for the info on Shortnen. That certainly explains
a lot of her behavior. Who knows what situations she
had to survive "on her own". While I do feel sorry for
her ex-guardian, I feel even worse for the poor dog.
Please , if you can, update later after she has been
really checked over by the vet. O.K. ? Thank you so much.

[Stenograsaurus]

Originally posted by bugmom
http://community.webshots.com/user/jasventures

Shortnen is the foster dog.... she is the dumbest dog....for example - she tripped on a stick and skinned her nose; she has barked herself off the bed (a look on her face i will never forget - like i moved the bed from beneath her!). but for all her dumbness she is a sweetheart who just wants to love - yes, a 70 lb. lap dog!! training is totally out of the question. You say sit to her - my dog sits right next to her and she just looks at you - no lights on, no elevator to the top floor, just vague empty space! but a snuggler extraordinaire! so she has weak points, but the humor is great and on cold winter nights she keeps one side of me, my dog keeps the other side warm.

Hey, I think your dog is related to my Patience. She had actually rolled off the bed more than once and always looks at me like I had something to do with it!!!! I've always said, what she's lacking in brains she makes up for with her heart.

I hope everything works out for you and Shortnen. Keep us posted.

[Sudilar]

Shortnen is beautiful. I hope she finds a forever home.

[Cincy'sMom]

Shorten and bug are both beautiful dogs I hope Shorten finds a forever home soon.

I think it is possible she is also related to my Cincy. She scraped her nose walking down the street, trying to get her Halti Collar off. She also barked herself onto our front window. Somehow, she was perched on our very narrow window sill, at least until she fell off backwards!!

Good Luck!!!

[aly]

hmm, it sounds like she is very adoptable to me. Her outbursts are only at other dogs. So she'll probably either have to be an only child or work with a trainer/behaviorist to figure out exactly what causes her outbursts. Good luck to the sweet girl in finding a home!

[bugmom]

But is there any Checks and Balances for these rescue groups? maybe having the IRS yank the non-profit status since they don't fulfill the purpose they claim too?

[Angels3]

"But is there any Checks and Balances for these rescue groups? maybe having the IRS yank the non-profit status since they don't fulfill the purpose they claim too?"

Sorry, I don't know how (& if) the US rescue groups are regulated.
But on the question of fostering a dog , it's useful to check what a group's follow-up procedures are. Some groups which foster locally take the responsibility for delivering the food to the foster carers. That procedure keeps the communication up between group & fosterer.
Shortnen is a lovely looking dog. Good on you for taking such good care of her.
Marie