Subject: [DOG-RESCUE] CLASS: getting along
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 09:22:33 +0000
From Pam Bishop - dobra@pe.net

Classmembers....

We've talked about getting along with the animal shelters that we all work with, but what about the other Rescue groups? What if you are breed specific and there's an all breed group in your area. Do you have a working relationship with them? If they get a dog of your breed, do they call you? And vise-versa....if you are an all breed rescue, do you call the purebred rescue groups in your area when you get a dog of their breed?

Do you meet and talk together? Do you have an all rescue rescue alliance in your area. There are several out there that work great..Denver, Seattle, Arizona, New Jersey...are a few that come to mind. Would you like to start a group like this in your community?

What do you do to start up a working relationship with another group that hasn't been open to talking or working with you? How do you "win them over"?

Let hear about your experiences.....

Pam
dog rescue class

Subject: Re: [DOG-RESCUE] CLASS: getting along
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 12:21:57 -0600
From: Brenda Bass - basswood@HOME.COM

This is an area that is of particular interest to me. As an individual who "is" boxer rescue for my area, I have casual, helpful relationships with several other breed rescue groups here, but there are no formal ties. Two of us have briefly discussed forming some sort of breed rescue alliance, perhaps sharing forms, codes of ethics, CUR contacts, etc., and sharing a booth at local fairs to promote our individual groups. It would seem that trying to share any sorts of funding or other finances would likely be a nightmare and lead to disagreements, so that would not be one of our goals. Does anyone know how the successful alliances in other areas are organized, and what resources they share?

Brenda Bass
basswood@home.com
Brentwood, TN USA

Subject: Re: [DOG-RESCUE] CLASS: getting along
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 13:33:41 -0500
From: Dixie Davis - dixie@FLASH.NET

I work with other breed rescues as much as I can. If I see a certain breed (other than labs, Rotties, and Pits, because there are *always* those breeds in the shelter) I call the local breed representative, if there is one. The shelter is supposed to call breed rescue if there's one of that breed whose time is up, but it's not at all a reliable system. So I try to clue other breed rescue groups in.

Next week, I'm picking up 3 mini Schnauzers that are coming from Mexico, on their way to rescue in Illinois. I'm also picking up a Cocker and getting it into rescue. I'll keep the Schnauzers and the Cocker for a few days, until I can connect with their ride north.

One of the things I do is to post here when I see purebred-looking animals in my local shelter. If someone wants to get the dogs out, I will work as a liaison between the local shelter and the breed rescue person to get the dog out and get the dog to rescue. (I figure local breed rescue people can make their own arrangements, but I'm certainly willing to help folks from out of town.)

The local Collie rescue person is putting together an umbrella group to put on special events such as adoption days, so there is a limited amount of networking with other rescue groups. I have found a large degree of stand-off-ishness, an unwillingness to get involved and do anything, and also a strong desire for personal fiefdoms. I haven't found other local rescue groups terribly willing to organize and share efforts (maybe it's just the people I've spoken to). I'm hoping this will change.

Dixie Davis
Austin Corgi Rescue

Subject: Re: [DOG-RESCUE] CLASS: getting along
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 16:24:59 -0500
From: Grannie Annie - grannie.annie@SHORE.NET

Hi Dixie and Class,

I call local Rescue representatives also when I go to a shelter. New England Old English Sheepdog Rescue places OES who do not pass the pure bred status. We have 3 categories for these:

1. Mostlys
2. wannabes
3. I don't THINK so

We always try and talk other Rescue groups into Streeeeeetching their imagination when it comes to "what breed can this pass for." The beardie Rescue and I have standing jokes about which of us will take a certain dog. Beardie? or OES? Could depend on how overbooked we are this week.

The Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue has an All Breed get together from time to time. All the Rescues are invited. [I call it my "support group." Working together is very important if you need to stave off burnout. It is so easy to become discouraged in this work. We have just placed OES# 57 for this year.......and it's not the one in my downstairs kennel, either.

Have a good weekend everyone.

HAVE A GOOD DOG!
Grannie Annie

email: grannie.annie@shore.net
New England Old English Sheepdog Rescue, Inc.
Home Page: http://www.shore.net/~neoesr
Hotline: 781-259-8173 Fax 781-259-0720
NEOESR Inc., 49 Stonehedge Road, Lincoln, MA 01773

Subject: Re: [DOG-RESCUE] CLASS: getting along
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 15:57:06 -0600
From: Joy Vidheecharoen-Glatz - joy@PETRESCUE.ORG

Coming from a group that adopts out all dogs and cats, our perspective may be different than others.

1. We have a written and formal animal policies that all volunteers and fosters are expected to follow. In this area, we have it written into our policies that purebred animals will go to their respective breed rescue and only when they are not able to take them and we have not incurred any costs from that particular animal, then we will take the animal in from the pound. We feel that if a dog can have a foster home elsewhere then the dog should go there. This policy is for people who are going to the pounds to get animals for our program.

2. As someone who has taken calls from people who want to do release their animals to us, we never know when a breed rescue is full or not. I hate to refer people over and over again to the same people who are already overloaded, but i never really know if they are full or not. I have called a few times to different rescue contacts in the area and specifically asked them to call us back on our voice mail to let us know if a) they are still doing rescue and b) if they are full or not. I have not had a phone call returned yet, even as a common courtesy from one rescue group to another. It is always more efficient when we don't waste our time or their time calling breed rescues who can't take on any more animals.

3. For the breed rescues we do deal with fairly often, they are excellent. Follow up is good and the sense of cooperation has been wonderful. These particular groups or individuals work well with others. You know how it goes, some people just don't play well with others.

4. I am not sure but i don't think people give us the referrals that we give them. It doesn't seem to be reciprocal. We are very big into referrals esp to discourage people from going to that stupid Jerry's Pets at Valley View Mall (in Dallas) to buy a puppy mill animal. But we never hear of anyone saying, oh so and so told us to call you. I think that would be my biggest complaint. I always ask for referrals from people in the area, but people aren't willing to give us referrals if we don't hand over animals that we have already invested time and money into. And we still continue to do referrals. It's kind of strange for someone, a total complete stranger, to step in and say well, i have an adopter and you have the dog, so why don't you give me the dog and I will screen them for you even though you (the organization) have fully vetted the dog. Wouldn't it be for the animal's best interest to just give them our phone number or email and not risk insulting another group? I like to call it good community relations...

Getting along has been quite a feat considering no one has a central location to meet. I think that would help people get together if we had a neutral location where things could be organized. Like the whole is greater than the sum of its parts or something like that?

Joy Vidheecharoen-Glatz
Flower Mound Humane Society
http://www.fmhs.org

Subject: [DOG-RESCUE] CLASS: getting along
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 16:59:00 -0500
From: Elizabeth Sommers - ESOMMERS@COURTS.STATE.NY.US

Grannie Annie says:

New England Old English Sheepdog Rescue places OES who do not pass the pure bred status. We have 3 categories for these:

1. Mostlys
2. wannabes
3. I don't THINK so.

And I say ----- since imitation (and, here, theft of phrasing) is the most sincere form of flattery, may GRROWLS (home of some really wonderful "wannabes" and "I don't THINK so's") very sincerely flatter you by stealing this "policy statement?"

Please, please, please, please....! What if I told you that we just took in #178 this year, about 60 of whom fell into categories 1, 2, or 3?

Absolutely priceless!

Betsy Sommers

Subject: Re: [DOG-RESCUE] CLASS: getting along
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 1998 09:50:51 -0500
From: Grannie Annie - grannie.annie@SHORE.NET

Of course you can use the NEOESRescue, Inc. phrases! Anything to "sell" a Rescue dog! Glad I was able to make you giggle at the same time. Viva les Mostleys!!!!

BTW, did you look at Elliot on the NEOESR web sit? Are you wondering why he hasn't found a home just yet? Oh, I have a great idea!!!! Bingo! He is an OES X Golden mostley as of this morning. Gotta laugh....gotta love them Rescues.....whatever it takes. This is a good example of Rescues getting along and working together, Betsy. :-)

HAVE A GOOD DOG!
Grannie Annie

Subject: [DOG-RESCUE] CLASS: getting along -- getting along at a common kennel???
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 17:03:23 -0500
From: Elizabeth Sommers - ESOMMERS@COURTS.STATE.NY.US

Great topic!

We have worked as best we can to have cordial relationships with everyone, and our local shelter (Yes! the shelter!) hosted the first all-rescue meeting in the area, which was well-attended.

A lot of the rescue "groups" here are one or two people who want to do one or two dogs a year (obviously they aren't rescuing a breed like Goldens - or Pit Bulls - or Labs - or Rotties). We inevitably work the closest with one of the all-breed groups that shares our philosophies about spay/neuter, etc. But by and large we have good relations with all area groups. I don't think we would ever form an "alliance", or at least I wouldn't be inclined because I've seen not-so-great things happen with rescues (breed or combined breed) that get to be BIG-BIG-BIG.

On the other hand, a common headache for all of us is fostering/boarding & having a safe place to put a new dog for evaluation even before you put it in a foster home. Various ones of us day-dream about winning the lottery and setting up a kennel that is "rescue-only". Buying a place together and/or having one person or group own it but the rest agree to provide a certain level of business in use of the runs..... Being able to have it open the hours we need (when vets and boarding kennels aren't) -- having a vet come there and do everyone at once -- a place to bring applicants so they can meet more than one dog at the time (even if dogs are brought in from foster homes) --- it could be very nice.

I KNOW there are about 50,000 things that could go wrong, or prove to be unworkable, or lead to headaches and heartbreak and bad feelings ...... but ........

Does anyone know where it has ever been tried?
Has it ever worked?
Has something along that line ever worked?
Or failed, and if so why?

The idea has nagged so much that I thought I would use this chance to pick a few brains. Thanks!

Betsy Sommers
GRROWLS-NY

Subject: [DOG-RESCUE] CLASS: Getting Along
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 1998 03:15:52 -0600
From: Bob & Lysa Bea - bbeabass@ameritech.net

Hi folks,

Some of you might remember my post a while back and know that we love to work with other rescue groups. I've got to say that "we" have been able to save three dogs in the last two months because other groups have come to our aid! I'd be lost without them! As a matter of fact Sheltie Rescue of Wisconsin foster care person Lisa Martin is helping us with a & year old female as we speak!! Her former family dropped her off at the Vet's office to be put to sleep because she was too Inconvenient (yes they should be dropped @ a Vet to be PTS).

Luckily the Vet works with rescue and made a phone call, that person made another and then I got the call! I also have to say a big thank you to Debbie Hurst in WI, who got the first call from the Vet & tracked me down!

Yes, know who you are working with and let them know that they must not do any medical until they have complete approval from your group or person in charge!

By all means get out there & network, it's how things get done! Most of all be thankful for any & all help you get, even if it isn't enough it's still something!

Lysa Bea
Keeshond Rescue, IL

Subject: Re: [DOG-RESCUE] CLASS: getting along
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 1998 07:17:32 -0700
From: Janet White - tsukiwhite@worldnet.att.net

Well, I just finished calling the rescue groups on the Denver All Breed Rescue Network list for the dogs in the local shelter. I'm the shelter liason for the local shelter (which isn't the easiest to work with).

ABRN is an umbrella organization for rescue groups. The groups on the list are reliable and have agreed to some basic rules. They will respond to a shelter even if they can't take a dog at the time. They will follow through when they say they'll take a dog. There is a fee involved which in turn offers the group insurance. They also set up workshops and seminars. They also have a rescue parade at the Denver Shows in Feb. showcasing rescues from various breeds. They have a support system in place for new rescue groups that do want to learn how to do things in a reputable manner. I'm sure there's more that I'm forgetting to list.

By banding together, we can offer shelters more assurance that at least the groups on this list are reputable. If there's a problem, the shelter has someone to talk with about the problem.

There are SO many shelters in the Denver area that it would be impossible to have each rescue group hit every one. Having one or two people form a relationship with each shelter helps.

I think if rescue groups want to work together, they have to agree on basic ideas (spay/neuter, response time, follow through, etc.). Then they also MUST agree on "doing rescue differently". This is the tough part. As National Rescue Coordinator for the Samoyed Club of America, this is where most problems seem to arise between various groups and individuals. Each group has different resources available to them, and is doing the best they can. The same thing happens with Breed Rescue umbrella groups. Rescue is a process, in my opinion, and each group changes and grows from year to year...much from "learning experiences", and changes in resources available (gaining/losing foster homes, finances, etc.).

Janet White - tsukiwhite@worldnet.att.net
Samoyed Club of America National Rescue Coordinator - samrescue@samfans.org
Denver Samoyed Rescue
All Breed Rescue Network - Shelter Liason

Subject: Re: [DOG-RESCUE] CLASS: getting along
Date: Sun, 1 Nov 1998 13:32:00 -0600
From: "Virginia M. Elliott" - vmewlw@ntws.net

I used to be a signed up foster home for a group, but found their methods and policies were not mine so I quit. One of the things we differed on was their insistence that I not foster any other animals while I fostered for them. I have good working relationships with several groups and individuals and foster for anyone who needs it if I have an opening. (and many times when I don't). Most of the groups in the DFW area have been great. Some donate extra food or meds, some transport, some just phone to offer help or moral support. I do think there are problem areas that really need to be addressed between groups in an area and if they aren't resolved then - agree to disagree and get on with the business at hand.

Last week people from 4 or 5 different groups were working together to save one puppy - it can't get any better than this!

I purposely try to be the last one to pick up dogs at the shelter in hopes the other groups have come and picked up every one I've tagged. The personnel at Forney Rd. shelter in Dallas know me and they know we're on the same wave length. I can't say enough about these wonderful, caring people. They work so hard to save as many adoptable animals as possible. Their attitude carries over into the rescue community and I've met so many great people through them.

Virginia Elliott
Pekes and all other small dogs
Paradise, TX
vmewlw@ntws.net
940-969-2316

Subject: Re: [DOG-RESCUE] CLASS: Getting Along
Date: Sun, 1 Nov 1998 17:55:00 -0600
From: Squinks - baxterbox@EMAIL.MSN.COM

I started out doing referrals only, so I learned very quickly which rescues in my area returned phone calls, etc. I would imagine that the groups that work well with other rescues probably have more luck in working with shelters as well. I'm always amazed when my phone calls and e-mails aren't answered by a rescue group. It's only common courtesy to reply, even if the answer is "We aren't interested," or "We don't have the space right now."

I've recently "specialized" in the breeds I love, but I still refer to the groups I've had good experiences with, and will even foster for them if I have room. I will not foster for groups that have knowingly lied to me about specifics on the dog (age, medical conditions, spay/neuter status, etc.) or those who don't respect my time frames (especially when I'm specific about how long I can keep one of theirs, usually because I'm expecting one of my own in and will need the space.)

I'd like to work more closely with Rescues of related breeds, simply because they (and we) experience mistaken identifications often enough that it would be very useful if we had an arrangement which would allow us to pick up dogs of the other breed when we are called out in error.

I do work with 2 rescues of the same breed in my area who do not get along with each other because their philosophies are contradictory on some "finer" points which don't concern me. I simply don't discuss one with the other, they are both aware that I work with the other.

I would not be willing to work with any rescue group that did not spay/neuter before adoption, or who had a "absolutely no kill" philosophy. There are too many pets with good temperaments and workable medical problems waiting for homes. I've seen this policy more with the cat rescues in my area.

P.S. I enjoyed working with the Kees people, and especially enjoyed talking with Lysa Bea this fall!

Barbara Liming
MCOA, ABA, Pug Rescue
Chicagoland Persian Rescue
http://www.intelcities.com/stoney/squinks/
baxterbox@msn.com

End of Topic:
"Getting Along"