Shame on that dog rescue organization re: Ellen Degeneres

[KitchenWitch]

Apparently the rescue organization gave the dog to a completely different family. They broke that other family's hearts.

I understand the need for assuring that the dog is safe, but damn that sucks.

x(

[Coyote_Bandit]

1. I have two "rescue" dogs

Neither were obtained from a traditional rescue organization. Both would otherwise have had difficulty finding traditional homes. One was five months old and had already had a bout with pancreatitis and renal failure - he is doing well at nearly six years of age although he has eaten prescription food almost his whole life and requires more frequent checkups. The other was nine months old, had never been inside any kind of building, had had only limited human interaction, and had been attacked by another dog which resulted in visual impairment.

I had a particularly bad experience trying to obtain a dog through a traditional rescue group a few years back. The application process was more intrusive and time consuming than anything I ever went through as a money manager responsible for handling millions of dollars. The fees were so high that I could have obtained a pedigreed pup for a comparable sum. To top it all off I was misled about the health of the particular dog in question. The dog was unable to walk even a half mile - although it weighed about 30 pounds and was supposedly a healthy 3 year old. I had his health evaluated by a vet unaffiliated with the rescue group the second day I had him and was made aware of several major health challenges which had not been disclosed by the rescue group. I surrendered him - and all the fees I paid - back to the rescue group within three days. Yeah, I was lied to and I got screwed.

There are avenues to "rescue" animals other than traditional rescue groups. Based on my experience I will always seek out those avenues first. I do not trust rescue groups.

For what it is worth many breeders like the rescue organizations also have clauses in their adoption contracts that require the animal to be surrendered back to them should it be necessary to re-home the animal.

[huskerlaw]

2. Wow, that's shitty!

I too can understand needing to run a check on the other family, and I do think that Ellen made a mistake. But it was wrong to take the dog away, and downright cruel (and stupid) to give it to another family the next day.

[LeftyMom]

3. I think it's important to remember that we're only hearing one side of this

It's really not fair to criticize the rescue when we don't know what all the details are (and likely never will.) I do think it's important to keep in mind that the rescue's first priority has to be the best interest of the dog.

[Scout]

4. shame on Ellen for violating her contract, and giving the dog away

inappropriately, and getting those girls and their family all excited for nothing.

[Coyote_Bandit]

6. Delete

[Hugin]

5. The unvindictive solution to this situation would have been to send someone out to transfer the...

papers. :/