He or She is a Rescue .... - Page 1

A lot that come into our vet clinic where I work start off that way. This is mostly because the dog/cat has temperment issues. They can be snippy, aggressive, shy, submissive, nervous, all sorts of things. I see it more as an excuse for behavior moreso than someone trying to encourage rescues.

"Rescues" are very trendy right now, and "rescued" is a great excuse (so they think) for displaying horrid temperament and even worse behavior. 

Not putting down those who own a rescued dog who they love and are proud of, but some people cannot enjoy their dog without being a martyr.

I placed an 8 month old once with someone who had recently lost a much loved "rescue" who he had bought from someone who supposedly beaten, chained, starved the dog etc and he had to get it away from them.   Almost from day 1, he was emailing me with complaints the dog was not used to walking on lead in traffic, did not know commands unless given signals as well, had to be chained because his recall after 24 hours was not reliable and was lame after being walked for miles (literally) on pavement for hours on end every night.   This is a green dog reared in a rural environment and used to free exercise in a grass paddock, all of which he was told at the time of purchase.  Within a week he claimed the dog had HD because it was lame and when I suggested the forced lead walking might have had something to do with it, he got nasty.  He had the pup xrayed and no HD, he then claimed his vet had observed it sitting on one haunch while recovering from anaesthetic so there had to be something wrong, he would "settle for his money back and swallow the vet fees", but he would be keeping the dog.  A request for his vets contact number and a copy of the case notes sent to my own vet resulted in a tirade of abuse ranging from feeding my puppies "muck" because they had kibble to keeping him confined to a cage so small he was forced to sit awkwardly, despite having seen him in his 3 x 4 metre kennel at the time of purchase and an assurance I would see the case notes on the front page of the National tabloids!.  He also emailed me asking questions about some pups I had for sale under a different name, he seemed to have numerous email addies as they all came form different ones.  I kept all the emails and they make incredible reading.


Margaret N-J

Wow, you guys get all that from the word "rescue"? 

Whenever I hear rescue it's typically from those who are 100% against breeding.  Most I talk to who mention that brag about all of the dogs they've ever gotten were rescues, and when I mention mine aren't......or better yet if I mention I've had some litters before.....I get the "look" and I can tell they aren't fond of that at all. Some have let me know very quickly that I should never buy a dog from a breeder, and then comes the rant about all the dogs in the shelter/try to make me look bad.  I don't get this "all" the time, but when I do hear rescue.......this has almost always been the case.