Re: [pyrnet] Fw: shelters

["Judith Stroh Miller" <jsmiller@newmex.com>]

On 23 Jan 01, at 8:31, margaretGreiner wrote:

> Reason #1 Children Reason#2 no
> > fence Reason #3 Nothing suitable at this time Reason #4 I don't crate my
> > dogs Now these are only the four thing that really stick out in my
> > mind.

Peggy, please do not take this personally....but reason #4 is the 
best reason I know not to place a dog. Irresponsible ownership and 
lack of fencing is the main reason the shelters are full. Believe me 
shelters in NM vary greatly.  Our local shelter does not care!  Santa 
Fe actually does home checks, no fencing, no adoption.  Santa Fe has 
strict stray dog regulations which are upheld, Taos does not.  As to 
shelters not working with rescue?? Some do , some don't.  It just 
takes one rescue person or group to not adhere to the shelters 
spay/neuter policy that can ruin it for others in the future.  Also I 
believe many rescue groups may not want to pay the adoption fee, as 
they will incur costs on the dogs while they are in foster care.  We 
much prefer to pay the adoption fee which includes s/n and some 
vaccines, as the shelters can do it for much less than we can through 
a private vet. We can then get the dog into foster care, healed, 
evaluated, health checked, heartworm tested, current on any vaccines 
it has missed.  Much less work for our rescue volunteers if the dogs 
are already s/n when we get them.  We have very good relations with 
some of the shelters, in fact just got a young female in that had not 
been spayed yet, as transportation was coming our way.  Because we 
are a rescue group and the shelter trusts us, they waived the 
adoption fee on this dog.  It does sound like that the shelter you 
visited just might need an attitude adjustment though in evaluating 
prospective homes.  Sounds like it was a bad experience.


Judith
jsmiller@newmex.com
Taos, New Mexico
http://members.aol.com/greatpyrenees/judys/judy.htm