Complaint Review: Good Dog Rescue

Hurricane Sandy was the worst event I've ever experienced., and Ive lived here long enough to experience ice storms and Hurricanes Gloria and Irene. 

As I write, I am at Dunking Donuts using WIFI, because most of the area is without power.  My immediate area, as well as other parts of Long Island look like a war zone..Huge trees pulled up by the roots leaving craters the size of small houses.  Fortunately, my home was spared and I have running (cold) water.  The dogs and cats weathered everything just fine..German Shepherds think that these events are great fun.Not so fortunately, many people's homes were flooded and/or destroyed. I sustained a great deal of tree damage, but thankfully, the house was spared. There have been nearly 100 people killed, including two little boys on Staten Island, who were carried away from their mother's arms by floodwaters.  Unbelievable!

I know that the South has had its share of catastrophes (Katrina), etc. and I guess it was the North East's time to join the party.  Makes you grateful for what's left and less unhappy about losing just "stuff".

Thanks, again for your thoughts. Judy

First off I  have a very hard time calling what these people do a rescue.
  They are SELLING a dog for almost $1200?   rescue?
wow. Why not call it was it is a dog breeding  facility.
 
I know there are some Breeders who require OB but tell you if you do you get back some money ( usually a $100) I heard nothing about that here. instead it was a call this foster who was his wife?

So I think this girl was smart to run like a rabbit from these  IMO rip off artists

I see you're from Long Island. Sandy was quite a bi*h.  Hope all is well. 

JZ, as a former foster for GDR who has the dubious honor of earning her own ripoff report for daring to question some of their practices and to suggest they arent as highly regarded in Memphis animal rescue as they might believe, I appreciate your thoughtful posts.   My own experience suggests you are right: they do tend to call in the flying monkeys to attack and defame the enemy.  I had nagging doubts about GDR before, but I lost ALL respect for them when they fabricated the story about me being fired as a foster and stalking them.  It makes me wonder - who ARE these people?   

Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee are extreme strong holds for the breeding industry.  Missouri is considered to be the puppy mill capital of the US.  If you are from this area (like I originally am), then you know that EVERY day pure bred puppies are dropped off at shelters.  I just tried to help coordinate a rescue for 5 weimaraner pups that were dropped off at a high kill shelter in Memphis, TN (all were adopted out).  And this is the "norm" in this area.  Puppy mills and backyard breeders will just drop the pups off if they don't sell very quickly because they don't need them for breeding stock, and don't want to pay for care.  Or they will sell them at an auction, if it is convenient.  I've seen it over and over again. 

More and more states are also "cracking down" on breeders, so they are reducing breeding stock.  There is going to be a flood of pure bred dogs at local shelters and available thru rescues in the next few years, as more and more people become educated and no longer wish to buy pet store dogs.  This is a great thing for these dogs. 

Plus, GDR doesn't just place pure bred dogs.  One of my very good friends had her GDR foster placed in a loving home last week.  It was beautiful.  This puppy's new mom could not be happier with her new little girl.  This was not a pure bred dog, nor was she advertised as such.  She and her mother along with her siblings were dumped and their mother died.  They had very little hope of survival until a rescue stepped in, and then little hope of being placed in a loving home until GDR stepped in.

I think one should always be careful about making accusations, unless you are 100% sure that they are true.

Dear D.J.

You're right...simply offering purebreds for adoption does not necessarily mean that the rescue organization is questionable.  However, it is very rare that any rescue organization, even those which specialize in a particular breed, has a never-ending supply of adorable purebred puppies available. Most have young adults or mature dogs for adoption. Babies are few and far between.

I have never again seen a purebred puppy offered by the Tennesse rescue group from which I got my German Shepherd puppy. I was fortunate enough to adopt him when his  breeder turned the entire litter into a shelter due to her husband's serious illness.  And yet, GDR has a continual stream of purebred puppies offered for adoption on a regular basis. This is not typical, nor are the very high fees quoted for these puppies.  

If GDR is finding homes for all of the dogs people are claiming that they do, this is a good thing and should be encouraged. However, if GDR also continues to offer remarkably similar purebred puppies, on a regular basis, at exorbitant adoption fees, it is absolutely reasonable to question the source of these puppies and the abnormally high adoption fees being quoted.

Just because a dog is pure breed doesn't mean that GDR is buying them from breeders.  I adopted my pure breed yorkie from a rescue.  The rescues often go to puppy mill auctions and purchase the dogs on the auction block.  If the rescues do not "save" these dogs then they will live, lives confined to cages with little human contact, forced to breed until they are no longer able, and then they are destroyed.  Now, puppies of popular breeds often fetch higher prices then adult dogs.  So the rescue also has to pay for vet care, general care, and transportation in addition to the price paid at auction.  None of these things are cheap.

Do I know for certain that this is indeed the case with GDR.  No, I do not.  I do not work for GDR, nor am I friends with the operators of this rescue. 

Here's what I do know about GDR:

I volunteer, and donate to a shelter that GDR helps find homes for their unwanted, abused, and abandoned southern dogs.  GDR is a God send to them.  Many of the dogs that they find have almost no hope of finding homes, because their are more dogs then there are good homes where the shelter is located.  Before the shelter releases them for adoption, they are temperament tested, healthy (if they have a health issue it is made known), and socialized.

GDR requires that each dog from the above shelter go to a foster home before GDR will adopt them out.  This means that these dogs have lived in a home with people and other dogs.  They are loved and cared for by people who really just want to help.  I know some of the fosters for this shelter (and would be one myself if I didn't live so far away) and these are kind and loving people who do everything they can to help these dogs on the right track to start their new lives.  The foster parents I know would never lie about a dog's temperament or behavior.  To them its not about finding a home for the dog, it's about finding the right home.

Debbie, I do not doubt your desire to help, but with so many foster homes needed and so many happy GDR foster parents there must be more to the story. 

So before you sling mud at this organization for not approving an adoption, think about all the people who care for and about these dogs and understand that every day dogs are taken to local shelters and abandoned, every day dogs that have been "rescued" are mistreated, and it is GDR's job to make sure this does not happen to the dogs in their care.  Now before you complain about the cost of an adoption fee think about all the moving parts I have just outlined, and how expensive all those things are.  The next time you pull up to a gas pump and think "wow, this is outrageous" imagine driving a transport across the country and think about how much that costs.

As of this writing (10/6/12), there is yet another adorable Golden Retriever puppy named Dakota on Petfinders.  It's a dead ringer for the picture posted by adopter Deb Mc on 3/31/12.  While Good Dog Rescue may be offering mixed breed rescues for adoption (and this is a good thing!), the organization manages to regularly post remarkably similar purebreds for prices ( well over $1300), that breeders here on Long Island are asking for their puppies.

For those who question why this is anybody's business, this practice turns the whole concept of rescue into a for-profit enterprises.  For those who say that these high fees go toward the veterinary care of rescues, most vets work with rescue organizations and greatly reduce their fees.  I know that here on Long Island, most vets, including my own, donate services and medications to legitimate rescue groups.

For those who question my motives, as GDR has apparently asked its supporters to do, I have been involved in rescue for the past 20 years and currently have 4 cats and 2 German Shepherds, all rescues.  One of my Shepherds came from a rescue group in Tennessee.  He is purebred, came fully vetted, happy, healthy and possessed of a remarkable temperament.  Adoption Fee:  $275 + $125. for the transport to New Jersey, where I picked him up last April. I gladly would have paid a higher fee, but certainly not over $1000.00.  This is breeder fee territory.

And, finally, one has to ask where this steady supply of purebreds is coming from. GDR seems to have stopped (at least for the time being) offering purebred German Shepherd puppies and now seems focused on Golden Retrievers. Are these puppies being bred by puppy mills and purchased by Good Dog Rescue?  Are they being bred by members of Good Dog Rescue?  It is unlikely that ethical breeders are supplying this organization with a never-ending supply of "rescues" .

I am also anticipating that Good Dog Rescue will sound the alarm on this response and the negative responses to skeptics of this organization will start flooding the website.  Consider that people from all over the country, who do not know one another, have similar questions and concerns about this organization. One negative comment could certainly be attributed to a disgruntled individual.  So many unrelated posts cannot be as easily dismissed, although Good Dog Rescue does its best to round up its supporters to do just that.

Annemarie I read your entry on FB and I believe you're right.

Debbie is posting all the "Don't Likes" to the reviews by Good Dog supporters.  I came to check my post last night and there were zero NO's.  Ten minutes later when I refreshed, there were 13 NO's.

Now I know that supporters are learning about this issue from pro-GDR-facebook but how in the world would 13 naysayers find us on ripoff within a 10 minute span?

She is disturbed.

I don't usually post my opinion on places like this but last night when I read on FB about that woman trying to cast a shadow on GDR, I had to stand up with all the other GDR supporters and set the record straight.

I'm sorry to learn that Debbie the unhappy foster mom is trying to make trouble for Good Dog Rescue on the internet.

We have also fostered several dogs for Good Dog Rescue and I agree wholeheartedly with SoccerMom. Weve been treated with appreciation and consideration by GDR and never felt taken advantage of or taken for granted.

I have fostered 7 dogs for GDR and not once has Margo been anything but helpful and gracious with me. I've been very happy with my fostering experience because Good Dog Rescue is very professional. I know there's a couple of dozen rescue dogs in foster homes at any given time so Margo has her hands full managing all the logistics, but I've always known her to be calm cool and collected. It's true that Margo doesn't tolerate any nonsense and, for the sake of the dogs, I think this is a good thing. 

I don't believe a word you're saying, but even if it's true, SO WHAT?  Everything you posted is TRIVIAL when compared to the fact that THOUSANDS of dogs that would have died were instead rescued and got a second chance thanks to Good Dog Rescue. So when is the last time you spent years of your life and tens of thousands of dollars and untold heartache to rescue thousands of abandoned dogs?

I adopted two dogs from GDR since 2006 and I can tell you that this is one of the best rescue groups around. It seems like everytime I take my Callie to the dog park or petsmart or the vet, I meet another happy GDR adopter.  The bottom line is that Good Dog Rescue is doing a wonderful service... not just for the dogs but for the grateful families that are on the receiving end.

It's evident from your post that you are hung up and resentful about Good Dog Rescue and I don't think that would be the case if you had walked away from GDR as you claim.

Sounds like sour grapes to me.

I've been a GDR supporter since I adopted my little hound puppy Gertie back in 2009. I follow GDR on facebook and for years I've received all the happy emails about the rescued southern dogs and the grateful New England adopters.

When I read about this on FB I wondered "Why would she be doing this?...  Two years later, why would she be trolling the internet for Good Dog Rescue?... What is her motivation? She must be very angry."

In addition to previous rebuttal re: not being in 8th grade anymore

Miss or Ms. whoever you are in CT:

Fact check for you: remind Mike and Margo to get records in order before feeding you stuff to post. 

I didnt foster for them in 2010. I can tell you the names of the 3 dogs I did foster for them, and the correct year.  Can they? 

Remember, be careful re: libel. 

This is clearly an attempt to undermine my complaint by attacking my character. It's unfortunate, because Mike and Margo know I was an outstanding foster mom.  They were fine with me until Margo and I had a misunderstanding through email.  Margo got her feelings hurt and didn't respond to further emails or other attempts by me to repair the situation.  I chalked it up to childishness.

Since then, I've learned from other local animal rescue people that I am not alone in my experience and that GDR might use questionable practices.  It made me look back at my experience with them with a more critical eye. It made me think that consumer complaints might have validity.

This is the first I've heard that GDR actively tried to ostracize me (if that's actually true).  My earlier belief about childishness just grew exponentially!  You only hurt the animals when you attempt to ostracize someone like me, because good fosters are sorely needed.  In any event, they overestimate their reach.  My reputation as an animal lover and d**n good dog mom remain intact among many. :) 

Your libelous statements about me being a neglectful foster are emotionally driven and poorly advised.  I'd be careful.  My earlier caution and validation to the original poster still stands.

Correction... the folks in Memphis tell me that I mis-spelled her name.

'Dawgmom' Deborah Mittleman was the bad foster mom in Memphis TN whose neglected foster puppy was removed from her care by Margo in 2010.

Dorothy L. / Enfield, CT

"Dawgmom" Debbie Mitterand was a bad foster mom in Memphis TN. When Margo discovered that Debbie was severely neglecting her foster puppy in 2010, she immediately removed the pup from Debbie's care and issued a DNF (do not foster) report on Debbie to the other Memphis rescue groups. As a result, Debbie Mitterand was ostracized from the rescue community and has been crusading against Margo ever since.

As a former foster for Mike and Margo, I feel compelled to respond. In my opinion, you have a right to feel concerned. They were the give 'em an inch, we'll take a mile type. I remember one very promising adoptive family up north didn't work out for one of my foster dogs because Margo became angry with the adoptive family's questions.  I remember thinking, "Man, once you make Margo mad, it's all over."  I stopped working with them because I felt they were taking advantage of my good nature, and have since discovered it's true that once you make Margo mad, it's all over. 

Other concerns I had while fostering were related to misleading information posted about the dogs.  Theyd post that my foster dogs were well on their way to being housebroken, good with other dogs, cats and children, etc., when in fact the pups were still a mess with housebreaking, and we have no cats or children so we had no clue how theyd be with them. 

Margo also had a weird practice of changing the dogs names so my foster dogs had several different names while I had them (although I stubbornly called them by their original names).  Not sure what that was about.  I've also since discovered Mike and Margo are not held in high regard among some other animal rescue people in our area.

I was in the process of adopting an adorable golden retirever puppy (all very similiar to the person who filed this complaint) when some of the negativity out there found it's way to me and scared me to death!!  I called Mike McHann to express my concerns and fears.  He immediately offered to refund the adoption fee that I sent (yes, it must be paid 100% in advance) which helped alleviate my fears some.  I literally had sleepless nights and shed many tears afraid that the pictures and videos of the ADORABLE golden retriever puppy that I had been sent were part of a scam.  I already had fallen in love with him and I was so scared that he was now never coming home. 

ALL of it was a waste of time and energy and for nothing!!!  I'm so sorry that I ever listened to this guy and let him make me fear and mistrust Mike, Margo and Good Dog Rescue.  My golden boy has been home now for 3 weeks and he is a WONDERFUL example of a golden retriever and we feel BLESSED to have him in our lives!!  He is gorgeous and smart and has a AMAZING temperment.  We have ZERO regrets......again, with the exception of totally regretting that I let this guy's negativity get to me!! 

The golden puppies are donated by breeders and the organization charges a larger adoption fee to help fund the other adoptions and medical treatments of older and unwell dogs.  We picked up our puppy in PA and were able to watch 4 other families who were there to pick up their dogs.  There were many tears of joy shed as their new 4 legged family members were handed over at the pick up site.  It was very moving.  By the way, one of those other dogs was my dog's sister so there were 2 beautiful golden retriever puppies adopted there that day. 

The entire process with Good Dog Rescue was easy and seamless.  The only thing that Mike and Margo and Good Dog Rescue are "guilty" of is using the same template for the listings of golden retrievers to save time.  Would it be better if they used a different and unique listing to describe each puppy?  Yes, I'm sure.  However, everything that the listing said about our puppy is completely true. 

They receive MANY requests for each golden retirever puppy put up for adoption.  These are purebreed dogs with AKC papers (though you are adopting/purchasing sight unseen and with no information about the parents or breeders so there is still obviously some risk).  However, because they have MANY applicants they get to pick the "best of the best" for the puppy.  They do not place puppies in homes with young children (under 6) or in homes without ample yards or in homes where is not someone home during the day with the dog (essentially they require a "stay at home parent"). 

My understanding is that the person who originally filed this report against them is a single working man who lives in a highrise in a large city.  He was not chosen.  I don't blame them as this is not the BEST home for a golden retriever.  If you have the opportunity to place the puppy in the best home, why wouldn't you?  Then the other person who refused to obide by the contract and take the dog to obediance training??  They should also have been declined as if you are not willing to take the dog for obediance and someone else is, then so be it, you do not get to adopt the dog.  Again, they just want what is BEST for the dogs that they are placing. 

Once we had our puppy home safe and all of our fears were put to rest, I knew that I had ro rebute this report.  PLEASE don't let this person or people scare you out of adopting from Good Dog Rescue.  It was an easy and wonderful experience and most importantly we have an INCREDIBLE golden retirever puppy in our lives and we are SO THANKFUL and GRATEFUL!!! 

Thank you Good Dog Rescue!!!  Thank you Mike for making the process so easy!!!  Thank you Margo for being Bentley's 1st loving Mom!!! 

When I read about this on GDR facebook I was disgusted with this person. GDR knows how important obedience training is for young dogs socialization.  It never would have occurred to me to take my puppy Jake to obedience training when I adopted him 2 years ago but it was required by the adoption contract so I agreed to it and I did it.  We had a great time too! I think it speaks volumes that GDR rejected this person because he refused to take his puppy to obedience training so it could be properly socialized. In addition, he posted peoples personal information in his internet report a malicious, vengeful thing to do.

Good Dog Rescue explained on FB that one person was posting untrue stories about GDR on the internet due to being turned down for a puppy. So hopefully my story will help make this right. 

My 9 year old son is severely autistic but he is a maniac about dogs. He loves dogs and you might even say his world revolves around dogs. Back in 2008 his therapist recommended that we get him a dog. We had a dog but she died when David was very young, so we began the process of looking for a new family dog on the internet. For 6 months we searched for a dog on petfinder but I soon realized we were being denied due to my sons disability. How frustrating!

But all this changed when I found Good Dog Rescue. Not only was I not rejected but I felt like my family was embraced by GDR. I was guided to the perfect dog for us, and my entire family has forever been forever grateful for this gift. If this person was turned down for a GDR dog, then it must have been for a good reason.

I'm sorry, but WHY does a person have to take their puppy to obedience training to be a good pet owner?  I've had many dogs in my life and I've NEVER had to take them to an expensive trainer to teach them how to act in public, nor have I had to resort to violence to get the dog to behave.  Just a good understanding of dogs and the pack mentality are usually good enough to train your own dog and gain a best friend for life.  I do think the original poster was dealing with people who I would have trouble dealing with, but your response and basic accusation of "horrible pet owner" for not paying for obedience school baffles me.  Your response is not helpful at all.

As for the original poster, I say let your complaint stand as a warning to others and head down to your local animal shelter to save a life!  Some of the best friends I've ever had over the years came out of an animal shelter, and no "obedience training" clauses!  Plus you save a TON of money and get a dog that usually has been thoroughly checked out!  Anyway, just consider it; that's all I'm asking.

Are you kidding me???  You dont deserve a puppy if you wont even take it to obedience training. For you to get on the internet and malign GDR because you got your panties in a twit shows what kind of person you are and THANK HEAVENS you didnt get your hands on that puppy.