Let Me Be Frank

I am not going to sugarcoat this post one bit.  I am sick and tired of this life saving mission we refer to as "Rescue".   Rescue is not what it once was and in all honesty, I am embarrassed to even admit to being a rescuer at times.  Why  Because people have this idea that all rescuers are lunatics, thieves, hoarders and more.  What once was a minority in rescue is now the norm.  That is unacceptable to me.

I am so beyond furious over so much I am seeing from the other side now in rescue that I could seriously spit nails.   Where have all of the honest and compassionate rescuers gone?  What is happening to all of these animals after they are rescued?  Do some of you even know?  Do some of you even care to know the truth or is it easier to just throw money to a group and for a cause and that alone helps you sleep at night?

Let me tell you this much.  There is so much dishonesty in rescue.  If the majority of these so called rescuers or supporters of rescues would wake up we could get back to really saving lives and turn things around before we lose all hope.

Let's break down the terms here:

If you share photos and copy and paste pleas for help, you are helping, but you are NOT a rescuer.  You are a cross-poster or a networker.  Whatever term you prefer, that is what you are.

If you donate here and there to a dog that tugs at your heartstrings, you are helping, but you are NOT a rescuer.  You are a contributor for these animals.  Donations are always needed, but they only one portion of a much more complex situation.

If you call yourself a rescuer, you sure as hell better be doing it all. A real rescuer shares these animals, they donate, they transport, they go to the shelters, they sit at the vets and cry many tears, they foster and they actively look for permanent homes for these animals.  They handle it all from the moment that dog is on their radar until that dogs death, even after he is in a home with a nice family.  Because if they can't somehow honor their commitment to that animal, they step up again and start all over for that same dog.  If you rescue an 8 week old puppy and he dies when he is 12 years old, a real rescuer is there for that dog for the full 12 years in case he ever finds himself in need again.  Now tell me, are you confident in calling yourself a rescuer now? Let's call a spade a spade here.  I just shudder to hear every Tom, Dick and Harry refer to themselves as a rescuer.  It is an insult to the ones who do all of the real work.  If even half of those people would really do what the real rescuers do, the real rescuers would not be at their breaking point all of the time and many more animals could be saved.

Side note: I am sure some of you are just disgusted with me for speaking so bluntly; what some of you would consider is rude or hateful of me to say is not that at all.  It is what the real rescuers discuss all of the time but because it is so blunt it is rarely said out in the open because of all of the sensitive people out there that can't handle the truth.  So in reality we have to keep smiling and keeping our real thoughts buried to avoid offending anyone.  I think it needs to be said and I hope that it may sink in at least one skull.  If it does, then it was a success.  I figure the ones who will be offended by this are the ones who are lacking in really doing the work, or doing so much less than they know in their heart they are capable of.  There, I said it.  Now back to my original post. ------->

Reality is that rescue is so much more than pledging money to a rescue you don't know or know only through social media sites like Facebook or Twitter.  It is not about just getting the dog out of the shelter either.  That is one small piece of the puzzle. But how many times is a dog rescued and after they are sprung from the shelter they are forgotten?  Too many times; more than you could imagine.  More than you heart could probably handle knowing about.

There are so many groups who pull dog after dog many times cramming them into crowded foster homes and boarding facilities where they sit- many times forgotten.  The rescue may not always forget them but I can almost guarantee about 95% of those supporters sure have.  What chaps my ass the most is that these rescues, even with dogs in boarding eating away at the donation money that is used to fund their stays there, keep pulling more dogs even while others in their care waste away in another kennel.  What you say?  It is OK because the dog is alive and not at risk being killed? I beg to differ.  Sometimes yes, it is acceptable and unavoidable (family emergency with the foster, etc) but that still doesn't make sense that the rescue supporting that foster and that dog would keep pulling more for new fosters instead of giving that place to the ones already IN their rescue.  No dog deserves to live in a cage, no kill or not, for extended periods of time.  Period.  If you are one of the disillusioned people that thinks that boarding is a solution for these animals, I ask you to open your eyes and see these dogs just rotting away in places like that.

Do the names Gwinn and Rowdy ring a bell?  They are two older gorgeous dogs in the Houston area that have been rotting in a kennel since October 2006.  Almost 7 years now forgotten except by a small few who relentlessly try to find a loving home for them together.   Do you mean to tell me that in almost 7 years and with over 1,500 members on a Facebook group for these two, there has not been one damn home that was equipped and able to take in 2 bonded dogs?  BULLSHIT!   What has happened is these dogs are considered safe by the "rescue world" and people are too damn busy pulling new dogs to give two shits about these 2 forgotten dogs.  This is shameful and a true testament to the dirty little secrets of the rescue world.  Now throw Gwinn and Rowdy back in a kill shelter and people will rally together and throw money their way and beg and plead for their safety.  Now though, those same people can't seem to find a home for two lovable affectionate dogs?  Makes absolutely no sense.  None.   Apparently the begging and pleading doesn't work, so maybe some pull your head out of you ass and do something speech might.  Living in a kennel for SEVEN YEARS is no life for these two.  They need and deserve a home.  If you have 5 dogs in your home, kids and work full-time, OK maybe you have a real reason for not being able to help them.  For the people with one dog and one kid who live in a home, if I hear you say one more damn time "I would take them if I could", I am going to puke and come through my computer and knock you straight in the face.  Stop waiting for everyone else to do all of the work and for once try and do something to really help.  Anyone can donate.  Anyone can comment on a thread.  Anyone can share.  Anyone can pray.  Sharing will only work if someone out there does more than share and opens up their home.  Donating helps but even with a million dollars these dogs still need a home to really be saved.  In my personal opinion prayers and commenting you would help if you could is all bologna.   If prayers worked that good, there would be no use for rescuers and these animals would never be in these positions to begin with.  Commenting you would help but doing nothing else just clogs up the threads.  So please, shit or get off the pot.  We need leaders and doers.  There is already an overabundance of prayers and excuses.

Just look around these sites and you will come across many other Gwinn and Rowdy's.  They are everywhere.  Stuck in boarding and forgotten about by the masses.   Too many rescuers left cold and dry by the many supporters who initially begged and pleaded for these dogs safety and now they are doing their best (some, not all) to keep their name in the spotlight so they can find homes for them.  I can't even muster anymore inner strength tonight to go on anymore with this post.  I had so many more points to make and have just stressed myself enough rehashing all of this in my brain.  I will just end with a Thank You to the real heroes out there who are in the trenches for these animals everyday.  You are the leaders. You are the doers.   You are the epitome of what a real rescue is.

I leave you with the Facebook link for Gwinn and Rowdy.  Stop by and say hello to these warrior rescuers who are still fighting for them and actively do something to help this pair.  You may just be the angel they have been looking for. I sure hope so anyway.

Gwinn & Rowdy's Facebook Group- almost 7 years in boarding
Gwinn & Rowdy Facebook Page

And yet another link to a group who advocates for the forgotten ones.  Go like their page and help.
Forgotten Pet Advocates