View Full Version : Rescuing from a rescue?
Gempress
09-05-2005, 10:08 PM
I once went to one of the local private "no-kill" shelters here in town, and I am still in total shock. It was horrible. Large dogs were crammed two or three in each small outdoor kennel. The medium-to-small dogs were housed in crates. There were sheds full of crates, stacked one on top of the other. Most of the crates were old, rusty and in bad shape. The owner of the facility explained to me that all the dogs were let out in a large, fenced area three times a day: once in the morning for 20 minutes, at noon for an hour, and once in the evening for 20 minutes. That's it. All the rest of the time, they're living in places where they barely have room to lay down. Just the other day, one of my coworkers went to look for a dog and came back horrified. From what she told me, conditions haven't changed.
Is this cruelty? Granted, the "rescuer" feeds them, gets them vet care, etc., but I think it's horrible to keep them confined like that. From what I've seen on Petfinder, some of those dogs have been there for years. Is there anything I can do, like report animal cruelty?
Babyblue5290
09-05-2005, 10:29 PM
Unfortunetly I think a lot of No-kill shelters are that way. They just don't have enough room to take care of all the dogs that come in and then the dogs are there for a long time. If they don't get adopted they just stay there. It's really sad.
I would maybe try to make a big deal out of it with the local media and see if you can't get a fundraiser drive started so they can build a bigger and better place. Or at least part of one. Maybe even just newer and bigger crates.
yuckaduck
09-06-2005, 07:54 AM
A shelter is not a rescue. It is a place to stash the dog until either a rescue organization is found or the dog is adopted. Most shelters that are kill shelters destroy dogs daily. As cruel as it sounds in some cases sending a dog to a shelter is more cruel than taking it to a vet and having it put down. It is aweful! Rescues fill up so fast that often they do not have time or room to rescue more so they are left in shelters.
A shelter is not a rescue!
Fran27
09-06-2005, 08:19 AM
The SPCA close to my house is worse, lots of dogs don't even get walked - although their kennel is part inside/part outside, and of reasonable size. They are a kill shelter, but only do it when the shelter is full, which is rarely the case actually.
yuckaduck
09-09-2005, 02:18 PM
Again though a shelter, pound, dog catcher none of them are a rescue.
RESCUED big mix breed, female, 3 mths. shots, dewormed, health cert. $250. ***-****
This person is not a rescue, they take in unwanted dogs and sell them to the first person with the cash. No questions asked, no spay neuter contract nothing. No follow up on the dog no nothing.
Oh wow, my local shelters are pretty good compared to that. One shelter is reeeaaal nice, used to be the Baseball team known as the "Quake's" former locker room. Real nice and spacious around here.
bubbatd
09-10-2005, 08:55 PM
I consider " Rescue" through the breed rescues.... others are shelters ....Non profit no kill shelters usually do their best ... regardless, it's sad !
yuckaduck
09-10-2005, 09:10 PM
Specific breed rescues and those who remove dogs and cats from shelters and place them in foster homes are rescues, shelters and cages are not a rescue. It is so unfortunate that a place that will accept an owner surrender and gas it the minute the owner leaves are calling them selves rescues. I do agree the non kill shelters do the best they can but they still are not rescues they are drop off points.
Shelters make me sad. The one that I got Aubrey from is okay, but very small and cramped and if I ever win the lottery the first thing I'm going to do is buy that place, raze it down and rebuild it like it should be. Spacious, clean and well lit.
casablanca1
09-14-2005, 10:07 AM
I've always understood 'rescue' to mean groups that don't have a public facility, and so house available pets in people's homes. I don't think it's a mark of disgrace that the shelters kennel and cage dogs; I'm sure many 'rescues' use crates and kennels as well.
Large dogs were crammed two or three in each small outdoor kennel. The medium-to-small dogs were housed in crates. There were sheds full of crates, stacked one on top of the other
It sounds like overcrowding, and I would think they could be reported to authorities. Though considering how indifferent most communities are about crimes against animals, good luck getting action.