# Emailing rescues



## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Sdain*

SDAIN

I think your idea is wonderful! 

When we adopted Smooch from Golden Ret. Rescue we never got any acknowlegement that our application was received-I did leave a few voice mails for Betsy, the head person, and she did call me back, but it took awhile.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I answer CFGRR's mail-whenever an Adoption Application is submitted, I *ALWAYS *send a note to the person Thanking them for submitting their Adopt app, that it has been sent to our Adoption Coordinator, give them her name and tell them she will be contacting them. If I have any correspondence that goes to another Board Member, then I let them know it has been sent to that person, provide name and tell them the individual will be following up with them. 

Our Foster apps have to be submitted by mail, so I can't give confirmation when they have been received. The Foster Coordinator contacts the applicant directly. Our Volunteer apps are submitted directly to our Volunteer Coordinator at her personal email address and she follows up with them.

Each GR Group handles things differently, but I do feel letting the person know who has submitted an application is a very good idea and common courtesy.


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## Rob's GRs (Feb 25, 2007)

I have not sent anything to my rescue (GRAPE) in a while using the main rescue's e-mail account but I know we did have an auto-response set up. Most likely it is still in use....


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

I have sent e-mails to 3 different rescues out here looking for some oppurtunites to volunteer about 3 months ago, never heard from any of them.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

cubbysan said:


> I have sent e-mails to 3 different rescues out here looking for some oppurtunites to volunteer about 3 months ago, never heard from any of them.


*Unbelievable*-I can't imagine any Golden Rescue group not being in need of Volunteers. There are many different areas volunteers can help, every aspect is vital to the operation and success of the group.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> *Unbelievable*-I can't imagine any Golden Rescue group not being in need of Volunteers. There are many different areas volunteers can help, every aspect is vital to the operation and success of the group.


One of them was the Golden Rescue that you told me about here in Blue Springs. I should probably try again. I looks like they are all looking for Foster families, but I don't think my husband would allow me to do that.


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## Lilliam (Apr 28, 2010)

When Cassie died I emailed some rescues - none here.
One of them called me, held the interview, and never called me back. Perhaps because I told them that I would be disinclined to have a stranger come into my house every day to take out the rescue dog for it to go potty but leave the other two behind. Really??!?!!? If I have three dogs I won't pay attention to one and ignore two.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

cubbysan said:


> One of them was the Golden Rescue that you told me about here in Blue Springs. I should probably try again. I looks like they are all looking for Foster families, but I don't think my husband would allow me to do that.


CFGRR the group I'm with, is the smallest of the GR Rescues here in NC.
I do a variety of things for them particulary since I live two hours north along the coast from Wilmington where CFGRR is based.

I answer the email account for them daily, assist with Intakes, have done shelter pulls, transports, dog evaluations, home visits, and occasionally do temporary fostering until arrangements are made for dogs we take in to be taken to Wilmington. 

CFGRR has several volunteers who answer the Info line for us, that is something else that is a real important part.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> CFGRR the group I'm with, is the smallest of the GR Rescues here in NC.
> I do a variety of things for them particulary since I live two hours north along the coast from Wilmington where CFGRR is based.
> 
> I answer the email account for them daily, assist with Intakes, have done shelter pulls, transports, dog evaluations, home visits, and occasionally do temporary fostering until arrangements are made for dogs we take in to be taken to Wilmington.
> ...


My heart is with Dirk's Fund, that is where we got MacKenzie, but they are three hours away. Maybe I should contact them and see if there is anything I can do for them from here.


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## sdain31y (Jul 5, 2010)

I'm impressed by the groups that take someone's interest seriously and respond in a timely manner. Its nice to know some rescues operate that way. 

Its frustrating to visit a website and see the pleas for fosters, help or someone to adopt a dog and then never hear back from the rescue. And, I truly do understand how understaffed they are, but other people might not. That kind of thing turns people off rescues and they end up buying from the local BYB instead of giving a needy and homeless golden a forever home.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

cubbysan said:


> My heart is with Dirk's Fund, that is where we got MacKenzie, but they are three hours away. Maybe I should contact them and see if there is anything I can do for them from here.


 
I can fully understand why your heart is with Dirks Fund-they are a wonderful Golden Rescue. Surely there is something you can do to help them from where you live even if you aren't close.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

sdain31y said:


> I'm impressed by the groups that take someone's interest seriously and respond in a timely manner. Its nice to know some rescues operate that way.
> 
> Its frustrating to visit a website and see the pleas for fosters, help or someone to adopt a dog and then never hear back from the rescue. And, I truly do understand how understaffed they are, but other people might not. That kind of thing turns people off rescues and they end up buying from the local BYB instead of giving a needy and homeless golden a forever home.


I don't know what the policy is for most groups, CFGRR's is that you are to respond to any inquiries whether they be by phone or email within 24 hours. 

I reply to all emails, especially to ones that pertain to shelter lisitngs of Goldens- I let the person know if another group has been contacted when it's out of our Service area or if it's been pulled and provide which group has taken the dog(s) when I know which one has.

A lot of our Volunteers for CFGRR work full time-sometimes they are not always available to respond as quickly as they'd like, but they do try to adhere to the 24 hour policy as much as they possibly can.


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## sharlin (Feb 26, 2007)

Please take the time to send a note to any rescue that you feel isn't responding correctly. I can attest to how important a note can be when received. At our board meetings we discuss these notes and make plans on correcting matters that are pointed out to us. HBGRR is blessed in that we have a large facility/Sanctuary and an unbelievable foster/volunteer force which help. Other rescue groups are not as fortunate and rely heavily on fosters to home and resocialize their pups, so much of the time is spent coordinating their foster programs. My deepest wish of all is that ALL rescues could have a Sanctuary and acreage for their packs to live at and that way be allowed the time to have an organized volunteer and foster force. Believe me, without volunteers and fosters nothing in the rescue community would be possible.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

What I find frustrating and appalling are rescues that do not respond to their volunteers in a timely manner.  There is one in this area of the country that is guilty of this...they shall remain nameless though.


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## Merlins mom (Jun 20, 2007)

I don't know how quickly our emails get answered, but I believe it's the same as our voicemail number. We return calls within 24 hours, and usually it's much faster. When I have phone duty I check it at least 4 times a day.


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## sdain31y (Jul 5, 2010)

Its tough, I'm sure to answer all the questions, calls, inquiries etc. Tough with a volunteer staff that always has other commitments. I personally understand, but the average lay person doesn't. That's why I specifically mentioned the automatic response to emails. A lot of email systems have that function available, or at least a "out of office" type response - just so someone knows the email was received at the right place.

Getting the responses that have been mentioned above would demonstrate to me a well run organization that is probably getting things done. I bet they have a lot of happy owners and goldens in forever homes.

I know, easy to complain if I'm not doing the volunteering and I am working on fixing that too!


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## booklady (Mar 3, 2009)

I've got to say that when I mailed in my application to foster to my local rescue they got back to me within a couple of days. Within a couple of weeks we had done an extensive phone interview (I live about 2 hours away from the "headquarters"), reference checks and home visit. Then things went really fast!

I can no longer foster due to my failure rate and over-population with said failures, but I do do home visits as needed for the rescue and because I live outside the primary rescue locale I'm occasionally "loaned out" to other rescues to do home visits in my area. It's a way to keep a toe in the rescue waters until I have an opening to foster again. 

I think there are many crucial volunteer jobs even if you don't live right in the area of the rescue and just keep contacting till you find one that is responsive.


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