What truly is rescue? The definition is as follows:
“An act of saving or being saved from danger or distress”
When Clifford’s Army Rescue was started years ago, we wanted to rescue animals. We wanted to help those with no voice that others may pass by. The sick, the injured, the abused, the neglected, the abandoned and the troubled ones that truly needed us.
Of course, once ready, we wanted to find them the perfect family. A family who would adopt them, love, and care for them for the rest of their lives. We also agreed not to settle for anything less as these animals had suffered enough, and deserved the best of the best for the rest of their lives.
We are primarily a dog rescue and there have been (and will continue to be) dogs we take in who have more issues than others. We have had feral dogs, frightened dogs, dogs on death’s door, but regardless of what is wrong, we do everything in our power to help them and fix the issues.
We may pull an injured and/or abused dog because of their physical health conditions only to find out once healthy, the dog may not get along with other dogs or the dog may really not be socialized and have fright issues. Many times we may work with our dogs in need for months and months until the dogs are ready for their own family. If their issues are severe enough, some may stay with the rescue so we can ensure they are loved and provided for. We have forever fosters due to both physical and/or mental health.
Once we take a dog into our rescue, that dog is part of our rescue family and is our responsibility. We take the good with the bad. We remember that these babies have no voice, and cannot tell us what all they have been through and the pain they have experienced. It is our responsibility to provide for them for as long as they are with us. We DO NOT euthanize healthy dogs because they have issues. The only way we euthanize is if a dog is irremediably suffering, rigorously defined.
When taking in dogs, we do stress to our foster parents that the dogs need a two week decompression period. We also stress on day one, to not overload the dog and let the dog settle into the new surroundings. Dogs coming into a new home, no matter how great the home is, are scared, do not know what is going on, and need to be given time to take in the changes. While some may adjust before the two week period, we do use that as our guideline. We stress never to rush having the new foster meet the foster parent’s dogs and to not worry immediately about training. Let the dog learn that they are safe first.
So today, when I am scrolling and read a director of a rescue killed (and she is completely responsible as the details as to what happened were written by her) a dog after less than five hours at her house. She immediately brought the dog in with her pack, was immediately trying to correct the dog for not walking in the direction she wanted him to, and then took him back to the county-run shelter she got him from and told them to euthanize him (which I am told they did). This shelter had found no issues with this dog prior.
Earlier last week, another director of a rescue let their ego take over and would not let another experienced rescue shelter take in a dog in need. This director had threatened to kill the said dog, also stated the dog was feral, (we have worked with so many that I can promise this dog was nowhere close to feral) and even when offered to help, refused. Later I learned a few more of her dogs had been euthanized due to their behavior (when I say behavior, it is with other dogs, not human aggressive).
Someone posted that rescues should all be working together and not criticizing other rescues for their actions. We have a large base of rescue partners, wonderful partners who believe as we do and work with us, tirelessly to save lives. We are forever thankful for them. I would bet they feel like we do pertaining to the events mentioned above. That is in no way a shape or form of a rescue shelter. All lives matter and you do not just kill a dog because you may need to let a dog decompress. Possibly consult a trainer, maybe have more tests run to see if any medical issues arise, etc. When you take the dog, the dog is in your trust to provide care and do everything in your power to help him/her. There is no time limit for a dog recovering from the trauma he/she may have endured in the past.
We are well aware we are not perfect. We also know that we are constantly still learning. What we do know is that we will always value each and every one of the animals in our rescue’s lives. We will work with them for as long as it takes, whatever the issues.
If you are not going to do right by every dog you take in, if you are going to kill dogs because they do not fit the perfect mold, then I would definitely say rescue is not for you.
Rescue is not about me, you, or anyone else….. it is about the dogs.
