Hybrid only parking.

Someone decided to start shit this weekend on an Italian Greyhound forum that I moderate. Usually I just let members have it out, but this one really pissed me off and hit close to home.



So, here's the backstory. This woman (from here on referred to as Bitch) adopted an IG puppy from a rescue group in January. This group operates solely on donations, adoption fees, and out-of-pocket (like all rescues). They are different, though. This rescue attends puppy mill auctions, where millers get rid of their "stock," and pays for the dogs to get them out of the system. Some people agree with this, others do not. Some people believe that giving any money at all (most of these dogs go for very cheap, I've even heard of $10-$20) to the puppy millers is bad. Others, like myself, are happy to donate to groups like these who show mill dogs love and life like they've never experienced, and probably never would if left in the cycle.



Bitch adopted a dog from this group, and has since gone off the fucking deep end. The puppy was adopted on a spay and neuter contract, which is a legally binding document stating that the new owner will have the dog spayed by X date, or will be handed back to the rescue group. I would never personally let a dog out of my house unaltered, but I don't run the group in question, and the rescuer obviously felt comfortable with this decision. Prior to adopting, the puppy was taken in for a vet check, where she was noted to have luxating patellas (very common in poorly bred IGs). It was very mild, so surgery was not necessary or pursued. Bitch was informed of this condition prior to adopting, and still chose to proceed. Bitch was also required to have her own vet check the dog within 7 days of adoption.



Now, here's where it gets tricky. In February, a thread was started on the IG forum by an IGCA representative in the area of this adoption. If you aren't familiar with IGCA.. imagine a group of caring people with a few bad apples, who think they are the end-all-to-be-all of rescue, HATE independent rescue groups, can never be wrong, etc. etc. The IGCA representative stated that Bitch came to her after adopting the puppy from a HORRIBLE INDEPENDENT RESCUE, and the puppy was diagnosed with worms a month later. Also, she had luxating patellas (OH NO!! HOW UNCOMMON!) A fight ensued about what rescue should and should not do, the founder of the mill rescue came forward, stated her story, and the thread was subsequently closed.



Then today, Bitch decides to start trouble. She says that she wants to be anonymous, but links to the original thread where her story was told and the rescue was named. She is completely up in arms, and said quite a few things that REALLY pissed me off. She wanted to know if there are any "guidelines" that every GOOD rescue follows.

In short? NO. Every rescue is different. Every rescue has their own goals and their own niche of dogs that they take in. As for the group I work with, we try to fill in the gap between IGCA and everybody else. IGCA will often times refuse to take in an IG because it's "unadoptable." We will take those dogs. IGCA will refuse to take in pregnant dog, or they will take a dog in and have the puppies aborted. We will take those dogs, and the puppies. IGCA will refuse to take a mix, even if it's a purebred IG with strange markings. We will take those dogs. We will take in a dog even if there's no IG in it to be found. If a dog needs help, we will give help. This is why I left the IGCA. Life isn't perfect, already-fixed and UTD on shots cute little IG puppies. Life is neglected seniors with worms and rotting teeth, life is pregnant mill dogs who will die giving birth after experiencing 2 weeks of life outside a cage, life is dogs with broken legs and dogs who just can't seem to pee in the right place.

So, Bitch went to the IGCA complaining about how she got shafted by independent rescue, and is now singing IGCAs praises. If only she knew what went on behind the scenes, right? She's upset that a fecal exam was not done prior to adoption, and is under the impression that IGCA does this. Wrong. I fostered plenty of dogs for IGCA and never once had a foster undergo a fecal. If a dog is sick, we will make it better. Rescue does not have an unlimited amount of funds on which to operate, we can't run a barage of tests on every dog that comes in, looking for some hidden illness.

I said this to her:

"If a dog appears healthy, are you suggesting that rescue should have a CBC, x-rays, fecal, thyroid exam, make sure the dog isn't unilaterally deaf, can see well, etc? That alone would cost way more than an adoption fee, and that's before the dog is even speutered, given shots, and had a dental.

I totally understand doing all that work if the dog is sick, as we have a foster right now with hookworms. Would I have noticed if her poop wasn't bloody? Probably not. She's got grade 4 infestation so the symptoms are there, she would probably be asymptomatic if she had just picked up the worms. Mollie already has a new home waiting for her, but she won't be going until she's better.

Doing all those tests, plus speuter, dental and shots could easily run upwards of $500. That might make a rescue ethical in your eyes, but they wouldn't be around long enough for you to adopt from.

The puppy that you adopted obviously appeared healthy, or you wouldn't have waited a month to take it to the vet.. right?

You ask if a fecal should be done on every rescue dog, but is that because you adopted a dog who had worms (which could've been contracted before or after adoption)? If you had adopted a dog who was later diagnosed with hypothyroidism, would you be up in arms because a thyroid panel wasn't run? A line has to be drawn somewhere, or rescue will go belly up and no dogs will be helped."

My bottom line is this--if you haven't volunteered for a rescue, haven't put your blood, sweat and tears into these dogs, if you haven't had your carpets ruined, your bank account drained and your heart aching--shut the fuck up.

It's great to sit on your pedastal and talk about what a rescue "should" do, without ever thinking about the financial aspect of it all. Rescues don't MAKE money, we don't have money to spare. Our adoption fee is $250, and we can usually get a spay/neuter, dental and shots for around that price. Most dogs need all of that. There are the occasional dogs who need no work, and there are the dogs who need a whole hell of a lot more than $250 worth of veterinary care (like Mollie). A dog who is surrendered needing a broken leg fixed or any other kind of surgery will put rescue right in the red. There is no feasible way to run all these tests on every dog that comes into rescue.

It has been rumored that Bitch is trying to gather information for a lawsuit. Against a rescue group. Against a woman who spends her own money saving these dogs from a horrible life in a cage, cranking out puppies. A woman who rehabilitates these scared, confused dogs and sends them out into the world. A woman who I look up to.

So, Bitch, if you're reading this, I'd like to make a few suggestions. Please, start your own rescue. Experience the drain on your life, your house, and your finances. Make the hard decisions on when to adopt. Run every test known to man on every dog you take in. Make that committment to be financially responsible for every dog you adopt out for the rest of their life. Sit on your high horse, and enjoy it.

As for the me, and the rest of the rescuers I love, we're going to do what we can. We are going to love and nurture these dogs while we have them, and place them with wonderful families (not idiots like you). We are going to keep helping dogs, because we know where to draw the line. You will be bankrupt after the first 5 dogs, and we'll still be chugging away, saving lives.

I really took this issue to heart, because it concerns all of us. The IGCA is nationwide and they are constantly getting donations. We are small, but together we make a big difference. I don't take it lightly when someone bashes everything we have worked so hard for. Independent rescues do SO, SO much, but get none of the credit, and all of the shit.

Please, Bitch, walk a mile in my shoes. Or volunteer for the group that "shafted" you. You'll quickly learn things aren't so cut and dry.

Our hookworm girl, Mollie, was surrendered with her sister Sandie. Sandie is, well, the craziest dog I have ever met.



She's a pug/chihuahua mix, we think. She is constantly on the move, always running or barking. Sandie doesn't like being touched in certain areas, like her paws, ears, or butt. She lets me pet her ears now, but still barks and mouths me when I touch her paws. I do this often. It's funny.

She's actually potty trained (shock, gasp, that's a first!). Yesterday morning I took her outside to do her business, and she squatted down to do #2. The poop started to come out, then she BARKED, YELPED, the poop flew out, got pinched off and she ran back in the house, angry. She jumped up on the couch, shaking.

I put on some gloves and picked up the poop. No sharp edges, weird objects or anything that could've hurt coming out.. just normal poo.

My conclusion? Sandie REALLY hates things touching her butt.

I've now witnessed this 3 times and I'm determined to get it on video. Weirdest dog, ever.

Just got a phone call from the vet about the results of Mollie's fecal. She has hookworms.

Did I mention she's been having diarrhea ALL OVER MY CARPET? And these little shits burrow in through your feet. So even though I cleaned it, steam cleaned the carpet, there's a good possibility that there's worms waiting to suck blood from my digestive tract.

Nice. I though that karma worked differently, but apparently I deserve to have intestinal parasites.

This morning I was thinking about other girls my age. They're carefree. Still in college, living at home, dating and going to bars every night of the week.

I started thinking about this while I was on the phone with my vet, listening to her ramble on about fecal smears. "How much poop?" I asked.

"About a tablespoon."

So I hung up the phone and thought about the state of my life. I could've avoided becoming an adult so quickly, could still be living with my parents and switching majors. Instead, I'm rifling through my silverware drawer trying to decide which spoon I'm going to use to scrape diarrhea off my carpet, and then throw away. I picked one that had been in the garbage disposal a few times and ever since has cut my mouth when I tried to eat ice cream.

So the shit is in a ziplock baggie, and I'm about to run a dog to the vet. I've only known this dog for 48 hours and she hasn't eaten a morsel of food. One day, when she's loving up on her new mom in her new home, hopefully she'll thank me. And maybe save up her biscuits to buy me a better carpet cleaner.

Karma: +5