Chris
hampstead,#2Author of original report
Sat, October 26, 2013
As a person who has rescued plenty of "ailing" and "abandoned" dogs, I know a scam when I see one. Volunteers that work for free, free food and discounted Vet care and administrators getting $90,000 pay are not altruistic. And I have seen many people with fences leave dogs 24 hours a day outside in adverse conditions. Paying $600.00 for a dog that may have medical issues, no guarantee and a non-refundable application fee of $25-$50.00 is absurd. I call on anyone of you to check me out and find out your assumptions are "bunk" and not well founded. I just spend over $8,000 for the Lab I did acquire, from a b****** breeder Damascus Labs, in GA for congenital defects in hopes he can live. Rescue dogs come with many issues behavioral, medical and congenital. Trying to recoup money for them is a lie and dishonest. The goal should ALWAYS be a good, loving home...PERIOD!
Valerie
Marrero,#3General Comment
Wed, October 23, 2013
it doesn't amaze me that people will complain about the price charged to adopt from a rescue. many people think because the dogs or in rescue that the are not worth the money the rescue is asking. they don't consider the price of spay/neuter, shots, chipping, HW testing, deworming and food. these things will quickly add up to 300.00 or more. rescues don't get all this for free. many have to pay full price for all vetting. if they have a discount the difference will be met with the next dogs health problems.
when someone tells me they don't want to pay rescue adoption prices or have someone come to their house to do a home visit or they complain about the rescue telling them they have to do more to secure their home or yard, i realize i wouldn't want these people to have one of my dogs. if someone truly wants to adopt a dog from a rescue they will do whatever it takes to adopt. i've done home visits and i know the rescues i work with would rather keep a dog in foster and even though they could adopt it out quickly and make money they would rather hold on to the dog until they find the right home. most rescues use the foster system unless there is a boarding system that works with the dogs. many rescues can pull from shelters and board but don't for the sake of the animal. they will unfortunately have to pass up pulling dogs in kill shelters until an approved foster is available.
people that complain about adoption prices and processes are not serious about adopting and will use that as an excuse to buy from a breeder.
Susan Olivier
United States of America#4Consumer Comment
Tue, September 18, 2012
I have adopted twice from labs4rescue and i foster dogs for the same. This is a fabulous organization run by volunteers and depends on donations. The fee for adoption is about $300. This is not high if you compare it to the cost of buying a dog from a breeder. This organization prides itself on matching dogs to families, rescuing labradors, giving them the proper medical treatment (as many rescued dogs have health issues from neglect or otherwise) plus a full health certificate for the dogs that are released for adoption. Many dogs are even given training to make them more adoptable. All of the fosters are volunteer. Many of the dogs must be shipped to the northern United States from the South where most dogs originate. All of this costs money. Honestly, if the fee seems high, you really get alot of value for the money. In addition, the cost of owning a dog includes food and medical care, plus proper containment, etc. If the adoption fee seems high then i wonder if this interested adopter was able or willing to pay for the proper care of the dog after adoption? This is not a matter of predjudice in any way. Labs4rescue will not put down a dog and pays for kennels where required and uses its network of fosters to care for the dogs until a suitable adopter is found.
It is very fair for the dogs!!!
Chris
hampstead,#5Author of original report
Wed, July 20, 2011
Who ever asked for a free dog? A fee reduction, given the dog was in a facility for an extended period and this is not a good situation for any animal. As far as responsibility; wow. I have rescued over 32 dogs myself and gotten zero reimbursement.
The dogs health emotionally, medically and happiness is tantamount to high fees.
I have been through plenty of these rescues and frankly some of the dogs are worse off than before they got there and some get it right. But at the end of the day, even if one has to take less monies for the animal, the animals bests interests should trump anything else.
Carol
Mountain Home,#6General Comment
Tue, July 19, 2011
Sadly, people do not understand the cost to a rescue in saving a dog. We do not get the millions of dollars donated by individuals that the ASPCA or HSUS gets. We are thrilled if someone gives us $25 to buy a bag of dog food or $15 to get a dog a rabies shot. Spaying, vaccinating and worming a dog can run from $150 in the cheapest areas of the USA to $500 in affluant areas.
Gas is expensive. These dogs we rescue are not dropped on our doorstep. Sometimes we drive 300 miles to save a specific dog because there is no one closer willing to take it. That's 600 miles round trip and a full day of wear and tear on both body and vehicle. Rescues do not do "enough adoptions" to qualify for the free dog food programs. One large dog can eat 60 pounds of food a month. And while we wait for someone to want to adopt it, we pet it and walk it and socialize it and evaluate what kind of family would be best for it. We return lengthly long distance phone calls. We review applications and phone references. We pay for internet and a web sight and extra electricity. Often we have to drive 100 miles one way to put a dog onto transport to go to their new home in another state. If we are a rural rescue, we start that trip at 5 a.m. No one pays us $10 an hour for driving or petting or bathing or feeding or poop scooping.
Not all dogs come healthy. Most don't. We may get one already spayed and we put $50 into it, but the next we may put $2000 into only to determine no one will ever want it. So it stays with us for the rest of it's life. Rescues don't euthanize out of convenience. Only treminal to alleviate pain or irrepairable people aggression. We do without a lot of personal wants (and often times 'needs') so we can do for the dogs.
If you want free, their are plenty of ads. Just remember, nothing is free. That free dog, even if it is spayed and current, will still need health checked. And when you decide later on you "just don't have time for a dog" please don't call a rescue to take it. You see, they just might, and then YOU will never learn responsibility or understand how to earn respect.