Rescue animals???

[Orchidflower]

Warning: If you are eating or highly sensitive, you may not want to read this.


I was talking to a lady that volunteers in a rescue cat group who told me this:

They get so many cats each week that many have to be put down. But do you know how some of the places--not all but some--actually do it when they are overworked and overpopulated? They actually stab them in the heart to put them down!
No drugs, no humanity.

If that doesn't make you sick to your stomach... Being an animal lover myself, this really just flips my stomach out.

I'm going to start working with rescue groups to eradicate this horrible practice and assist in getting some of these adorable animals adopted. I hope even just one person on this board re-thinks adopting a pet or helping with this cause. It's a horrible situation for the poor, little, helpless puppies and kitties in this recession with so many folks just abandoning their pets. And the rescue groups need so much help either in the form of volunteering or fostering (Purron can help with information on that I'm sure) or even donating money to these groups.

You can go find who's up for adoption by going to: petfinder.com. You'll find a new best friend there I'll bet!

 

[Bingie]

cats

Heart sticks without sedation is illegal in my state (TN). BUT, public high intake facilities still do EU this way on cats, small puppies and dogs. They can't or want hit a vein. Feral cats are done with a stomach stick thru the cage. All this is very disturbing....if only people would get serious about spay/neuter.

 

[Orchidflower]

Seriously, I cringe everytime I hear that... Who can do that sort of thing I always wonder? Are these Ted Bundy types from criminal mental institutions or folks so high they don't care? Good grief..it's horrid to even think about.

I honestly feel that most of us didn't know that. At least, I know I didn't before I talked with the rescue worker.
Hence, my efforts here to make at the very least a few more people aware of these inhumane practices...geesh.

It really is hard to be a puppy and kitty lover and even see those sad, pathetic SPCA ads on tv. I know I have to turn away when they come on anymore.

 

[Chelhxi]

Usually the people performing the procedure (not technically euthanasia if the animal is not sick) don't get to chose the method. Yes, some people enjoy that type of thing, but most just want to be involved in animal rescue, and this is a very unfortunate part of the job. I haven't personally been involved with a place that did cardiac punctures without sedation as a matter of course. But of course it is sometimes done - with the very small or very weak. But I could see a shelter where the extra cost or time for sedation is more of an issue to the chief vet or manager, and the staff (probably the techs are doing the actual killing) are obligated to do what they are told. There are always other issues going on that the public is not aware of.
I don't want to come across as condoning this, as I do not. But having working in animal health for over a decade, I've seen an awful lot of things. In my experience, you have to have a certain level of cruelty to work with animals in a shelter/vet clinic. Even most things that are done for the animal's benefit, seem cruel from the animal's perspective. I care about animals too much and am completely and forever burnt out on this industry.

The main thing to do is to encourage spaying/neutering as much as possible. As well as adopting from shelters instead of purchasing pets. Until that is automatic for the majority of the population, shelters will always be forced to kill healthy animals. It is not the shelter staffs' fault that irresponsible people breed their animals. But they have to deal with the harsh reality of the situation.

 

[Orchidflower]

Unfortunately, I understand the reality....it's just hard to deal with. It's the sort of thing that I want to pretend I never heard of, really, which is so not me, but the reality is so darned harsh. This really is me when this subject comes up.


The good news is that I read the other day that 54% of folks NOW will adopt a rescue pet instead of buying one from a breeder or puppy mill! That's encouraging!!!

 

[JOHNNIE36]

The first couple posts about "killing" little dogs and cats made me sick. I never heard of such a thing as a heart stick. It makes me glad we recently rescued a little Chihuahua. Suzie is six years old and all she ever knew was living in a small cage and having puppies. She never felt grass on her paws and loves to just lie down outside. She loves to roam around and take in everything. We're so glad we rescued her. Makes my heart happy for her. First thing we did was to have her spayed. No more litters for her.

 

[Katsmeow]

The good news is that I read the other day that 54% of folks NOW will adopt a rescue pet instead of buying one from a breeder or puppy mill! That's encouraging!!!

Well, that depends. I certainly agree that adopting a rescue pet can be a fine idea. Indeed, one of our cats is a rescue.

I also agree that no one should buy from a puppy mill.

We have to part ways, though, to assert that no one should ever buy from a reputable breeder. We have many wonderful breeds of cats and dogs and if no one bought from breeders those breeds would die out. Right now there are many very different breeds of cats and dogs and some are right for some people and not others. The person who wants a Chihuahua may have very different pet needs and desires than the person who wants a Springer Spaniel or the person who wants an Afghan Hound or the person who wants Labrador.

I would hate to see all those breeds die out. Imagine if every pet owner only acquired spayed/neutered animals from rescues. Then the only "new" pets coming into the world would be mixed breeds from non-reputable people or breeds from puppy mills. Responsible breeding of healthy pets would be destroyed. I can't see that as good.

Reputable breeders take care to breed only healthy pets that improve the breed. They are quite picky about who they sell their pets to, making sure the pet is right for the family.

We do breed and show dogs. When one of our dogs, for example, didn't turn out as a high quality example of the breed we kept him as a pet but we neutered him since we didn't want to pass on his genes. We only breed a dog whose genes we feel will improve the breed.

I would hate to see the many breeds of dogs and cats eradicated. So I certainly encourage adopting from rescue but I hope there will always be reputable breeders around for people who want to own a Siamese cat including those who want to acquire a non-neutered Siamese in order to show and breed to advance the breed.

 

[Orchidflower]

I don't think anyone asserted that nobody should ever buy from a breeder at all. As in ever. Who said that?

However, it IS a wonderful thing that more folks--folks that aren't going to show or breed their animals--are adopting, instead, from the rescue groups.

When there are so many, many, many animals that they are being put down in inhumane ways so they can make room for more animals coming in on a daily basis, well...then saving one of these little souls from the grim reaper is a wonderful thing.

Maybe you could look at it this way: The fewer pure bred show breeds that are in captivity and shown, the higher the price is going to go for them! Ka-ching, ka-ching!!! $$$! And there will always be a segment of society that insists on having a specific breed for personality, services, status, looks or whatever specific quality(ies) they are seeking in an animal, so I surely doubt purebreds will cease to be popular in the future.

We need purebreds. For instance, the Golden Retriever dogs were used to find folks during 9/11. If the dog didn't find anyone--and they are such a "pleaser" type of dog for their humans--a fireman had to go hide and let the dog find him or the dog wouldn't stop and would work until exhaustion. These dogs are greatly needed for their specific personality of breed. And, needless to say, they've saved many lives over the years.

Nobody is saying purebreds aren't needed, but, let's face it, most of us are just looking for an animal to love and that doesn't require a purebred at all does it? You are getting a best friend and saving a life at a rescue center, so what could be better than that?

 

[rescueme]

I wonder where I got my forum name from ?

I wonder who that guy is on my avatar

BTW, over the last 35+ years, we've acquired Shelties (Shetland sheepdog) from breeders, "store bought" and rescue.

While the breeders and store bought were fine, our greatest thrill is to give one a home after they have been discarded by others...

We're on our third "retread", a young guy that was given up when his owner went to Alzheimer’s care and her family did not want the dog.

 

[Orchidflower]

I think that's wonderful! Shelties, too? Wow...they are the most gorgeous dogs around!!!

 

[Dawg52]

The good news is that I read the other day that 54% of folks NOW will adopt a rescue pet instead of buying one from a breeder or puppy mill! That's encouraging!!!

That's how I got my last one. And it's a good feeling giving a pet in need a home. This guy was 13 months old when I got him and I was sure happy to escape that first year puppy stage.

 

[Purron]

That's how I got my last one. And it's a good feeling giving a pet in need a home. This guy was 13 months old when I got him and I was sure happy to escape that first year puppy stage.

Lucky dog Many people incorrectly believe it's hard to get a good pet from a shelter or rescue group. They worry they are taking an animal who has something wrong with it. Truth is, many wonderful pets end up homeless. This is particularly true now with high unemployment and foreclosure rates.

 

[Westernskies]

When we were looking for our new puppy last year, we made the round of the shelters and visited with a couple of local rescue groups. Rescue groups do a great job, but most of them are breed-specific, i.e. Goldens, Shelties, Labs, etc. Unfortunately, many of the dogs that are taken in by rescue groups have been abused or neglected, so behavioral or health issues are often a problem; you need to know what you are getting into, and make that commitment with your eyes wide open; it's not for everyone. I had a very bad experience with a dog that came from a private no-kill shelter, with scars to remind me of what happens when good intentions go horribly wrong. The county shelters were (conservatively) 75% filled with pit bull or rottweiler mixes, in talking with the shelter officials, apparently this is a common problem with the owner demographic. We didn't want a big dog, so we ended up getting a great little Schnoodle puppy from a local breeder. No regrets, he is a real joy to be around and a great addition to the family.

 

[Dawg52]

This is particularly true now with high unemployment and foreclosure rates.

Yep, the owner of this dog turned him in because he lost his job. Kind of sad, but I was lucky to stumble on him.

 

[Purron]

The county shelters were (conservatively) 75% filled with pit bull or rottweiler mixes, in talking with the shelter officials, apparently this is a common problem with the owner demographic. We didn't want a big dog, so we ended up getting a great little Schnoodle puppy from a local breeder. No regrets, he is a real joy to be around and a great addition to the family.

Sadly, it is true many shelters are full up with pits and rottweilers. It is with the shelter I volunteer at. Even so, there are lots of good dogs to be found. As you pointed out, you just need to be careful.

My neighbors adopted a collie from the shelter I volunteer at who was turned in because the family could no longer afford her. They've had her for over a year now and she's a wonderful addition to their family.

Cats, of course, are a whole different story. Many people don't bother to to have them "fixed" and tons of kittens pour in this time of year. I've got 4 I'm fostering how.

Westernskies, I know that little Schnoodle pup found a good home with you. Please do get him neutered though. You'll be supporting the cause by that one act alone.

 

[Orchidflower]

One of the main things I've noticed in the various cities on petfinder.com is regarding the cats. These people will have an obvious breed, and they still call it a Domestic shorthair or longhair or medium hair.

My point is not every cat there is a Domestic whatever, which means it's just a "cat" = to the word "mutt" for a dog. It really is a Burmese or part-Russian Blue or part Siamese. Pretty obvious from the cat's coloring or face shape, but on all the websites they still list the cat as being a Domestic-something.

I'll bet folks would be surprised to find out their supposed Domestic shorthair, for instance, is really some fancy breed...and you'd be surprised how often this seems to happen. Oh well, long as they adopt and love the kitty it's okay with the kitty I'll bet.

For some reason, this doesn't happen to the puppy descriptions. Go figure?

FYI: Take a look out West in California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, etc. and see how many--and I mean many--Chihuahuas are in shelters out there. I read that the L.A. region has so many they are shipping them across the country to be adopted out. Owners think they are chi-chi a la Paris Hilton, realize they are a responsibility and dump them.

 

[Westernskies]

Westernskies, I know that little Schnoodle pup found a good home with you. Please do get him neutered though. You'll be supporting the cause by that one act alone.

Done, on the the first day the vet would do it...He wasn't real happy the day we had him fixed, as you can see below...... Understand the problem well; my EW was involved with a rescue group so I got to hear and see a lot of horror stories involving puppy mills, abandoned pets, etc...

 

[Orchidflower]

He's adorable, anyway, Westernskies. I did a study recently and came to realize a Schnoodle is the perfect dog for me if I decide to get one. Now, after seeing his photo, I'm really sold...so cute!

 

[Purron]

Done, on the the first day the vet would do it......as I have had done with every dog I have owned. Understand the problem well; my EW was involved with a rescue group so I got to hear and see a lot of horror stories involving puppy mills, abandoned pets, etc...

Bob Barker would be proud of you

YouTube - Bob Barker on Animals

 

[Retire2013]

Warning: If you are eating or highly sensitive, you may not want to read this.


I was talking to a lady that volunteers in a rescue cat group who told me this:

They get so many cats each week that many have to be put down. But do you know how some of the places--not all but some--actually do it when they are overworked and overpopulated? They actually stab them in the heart to put them down!
No drugs, no humanity.

If that doesn't make you sick to your stomach... Being an animal lover myself, this really just flips my stomach out.

I'm going to start working with rescue groups to eradicate this horrible practice and assist in getting some of these adorable animals adopted. I hope even just one person on this board re-thinks adopting a pet or helping with this cause. It's a horrible situation for the poor, little, helpless puppies and kitties in this recession with so many folks just abandoning their pets. And the rescue groups need so much help either in the form of volunteering or fostering (Purron can help with information on that I'm sure) or even donating money to these groups.

You can go find who's up for adoption by going to: petfinder.com. You'll find a new best friend there I'll bet!

Thank you for sharing. I have been volunteering with two rescue groups in the Wash DC area for the last 10 years. I've rescued my dogs and cat. And yes, it is very sad how many people still buy their pets from breeders when there are so many wonderful animals out there still need a forever home. I will help you and the animals spread the word of adopting and volunteering. I will do more when I ER but right now I do what I can. Mostly I do home checks, interview potential adopters, give talks on the benefits of spaying/neutering, and providing transport from shelters to the homes of animal fosters, etc. I used to foster homeless pets but ended up adopting all of them so I had to stop fostering. I know you are saddened, deeply so. Let's try to do all that we can for the animals. A warm hug to you from a fellow animal lover.

Retire 2014

 

[Orchidflower]

Retire2014, thanks for the kind thoughts. We do have a member of our board, Purron, who is doing fostering for many years here. I look up to her for her ability to do that for so many years. God bless!

I think I will have to do something other than foster. I just cannot be around the animals and not want to "save" them. I'd end up being arrested for trying to sneak the animals out of the SPCA I'm sure to avoid them being killed.

Better I do something else for them... So, yes, I get totally what you are saying to me about not being able to foster. Me, too.

But, surely, they need so many volunteers for so many things that everyone can contribute or volunteer if they want to I should think. I am definitely.

 

[travelover]

I've mentioned it here before, but I've had a wonderful experience with a rescued greyhound. She came spayed, with her teeth freshly cleaned, all shots and heartworm medication up to date, after completing a 10 week prison training program where she learned basic commands like sit, lay, heel and come, leash training, plus stairs and windows training.

Greyhounds spend a long time with their mother and siblings, so they tend to be well socialized with other dogs and people. Not only is she well adjusted, but she is truly a beautiful dog, literally rippling with muscles.

Our local rescue group will take back any dog that doesn't work out and find another if you desire, so the risk is low for adopters.

End of spiel.

 

[Orchidflower]

I've heard greyhounds make wonderful pets as they have a track they race on in Houston, and are always looking to adopt the ones over 3 years old out to folks. But doesn't the dog try to run from the house at all? I always wondered that...

 

[Westernskies]

I've heard greyhounds make wonderful pets as they have a track they race on in Houston, and are always looking to adopt the ones over 3 years old out to folks. But doesn't the dog try to run from the house at all? I always wondered that...

I would think you'd have to be careful about a rabbit in the yard...

 

[travelover]

I've heard greyhounds make wonderful pets as they have a track they race on in Houston, and are always looking to adopt the ones over 3 years old out to folks. But doesn't the dog try to run from the house at all? I always wondered that...

They have a tremendous prey drive (that is why they don't need little jockeys on their backs to race). So, you don't let them off leash unless it is in a fenced in area. I've always leashed any dog I've owned, so it is not an issue. Ours does not try to get out the door - she has been trained to wait for permission to exit, though we are also watchful.

People with fenced yards and greyhounds soon find that they can easily catch squirrels.