# I saw the "Other side" of Rescue Today



## mudEpawz (Jan 20, 2011)

i started to get tears just reading this. thank you for posting. i think its good that we keep an open mind and consider that not every surrendering their dog is a 'bad' owner and a dog maybe surrended as a last resort. i couldnt imagine giving up chloe.


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

That is very sad, i wonder what a dog thinks,when their family,just is gone.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Our collie was a surrender like that... I know he was the husband's dog and the husband was really hit the hardest by the surrender. We've lost touch with the foster, but prior to that I know the husband did check time and again for updates. 

It did turn out for the best for Arth.


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

I am totally in tears.  That must have been devastating to watch. That image will stay with me for a long time...


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## Mayve (Aug 21, 2012)

I think we would do well to remind ourselves that "life" does happen and while we may never surrender a pet under any circumstances, or so we say...I think it is because we haven't yet faced a circumstance where we have felt we had no other option. 

I personally have come close, when DH was diagnosed with cancer it was touch and go. I did everything I could to NOT have to, but if his health had continued to deteriorate and the bills became more than they were, I may have been faced with that same scenario...I"m thankful and blessed that I didn't.


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## ShadowGolden (Sep 4, 2012)

We ran into one of these cases while walking Shadow today - thankfully we only heard the story and didn't witness it. We met a beautiful 5-year old golden and his owner. She told us that he was a rescue and that his family's house was foreclosed on. They had no choice but to turn him over to the rescue. She said the woman arranged for her children not to be home when the rescue came to pick him up. Then she said the woman was hysterically crying when she handed him over. I felt awful.


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Wow, so heartbreaking. I can't imagine if anyone or any situation ever made me separate from Riley, it would be impossible. You would never be able to tear me away. Oh, here we go, now I'm going to cry just thinking about it!


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## Chaos (Nov 13, 2012)

I am also in tears! I would never be able to let my doggies go. So far, they are the only ones who have been there laying at my feet everyday, regardless of the circumstance. Through thick or thin, when I'm sick or they're sick... I count on their company so much each day. They only way I'd be able to do it was if I knew it would be better for them in the long run. Prayers for a quick adoption so that this will only be a minor hiccup in that dogs life! :crossfing I feel for both parties.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

There are some owners who love them like children and are forced by circumstance to give them up. Or like some we've taken, are military being deployed to war zones and have no family to take care of their dog. Those are very hard on me personally, and I know the owners are destroyed over having to give them up.


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## Wendi (Jul 2, 2012)

Never say never as the saying goes.

I learned that lesson a few years ago, the hard way.

That poor dog and man, sometimes life is so sad.


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

I could not imagine being that man......... and I pray I never will have to....


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

That's so sad.


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## Maddie'sMom2011 (Apr 26, 2011)

Wendi said:


> Never say never as the saying goes.
> 
> I learned that lesson a few years ago, the hard way.
> 
> That poor dog and man, sometimes life is so sad.


I was going to say the exact same thing...you never know. Life is very sad & sometimes beyond our control.

Such a sad story. I can't but help but think of the owner.


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Maddie'sMom2011 said:


> ... Life is very sad & sometimes beyond our control.
> Such a sad story. I can't but help but think of the owner.


Very sad indeed. Maddie'sMom as you said before, sometimes bad things happen to good people.


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## mainegirl (May 2, 2005)

I think I posted a couple of years ago about the one owner surrender I was involved with. The father and mother had been in a golf cart when it overturned and the mother had a severe spine/head injury. She had been in a hospital/rehab for the past 5 months. The mother was getting out of rehab in a week and the family had 2 dogs. An older setter type and a very young (less than a year) doodle that was a wild maniac. The doctors told the family that if the doodle jumped on the mother or ran into her it could be FATAL so they had to make a choice and they reluctantly chose to surrender the doodle. My husband and I went to the house where the whole family, minus the mother, was there. They were crying and weeping and I felt so terrible. We took the dog and he was immediately placed in "doggy heaven" with a 35 year old millionaire that had retired at 34 and had 2 dogs and a mansion with an indoor and outdoor pool. About a month later the people called the rescue back because a relative decided they could foster the doodle. Needless to say, we felt the bad guy again because we could not return the doodle.
beth, moose and angel

lesson learned? exhaust all avenues of help before surrendering to a rescue.


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## mickeychick (Jul 19, 2012)

How heartbreaking. I'm sitting here thinking about and tears are streaming down my cheeks. Mayve is right - you never know when someone's situation changes and they can't keep the pet. I would do anything in my power to keep Liberty no matter what. Even if I had to live on the street with her.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I use to help a GR Rescue in my state with Intake-some times it was so heartbreaking when families or family members had to surrender a dog to us. 

We have a very large Military Base and Community in my area, often times dogs being surrendered were due to Deployments. The ones that really got to me were when the owners had passed away. We also had people that surrendered their dog due to lack of time for the dog and sometimes the dogs were not cared for very well. These were always very sad situations, however, we were there for the dogs and not to judge the owners, because we knew this dog was on it's way to a better life.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Rob*

I agree with Rob, I can't imagine how devastating that would be!


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

sitting here and reading this thread with Rose by my feet. Just yesterday I told my husband how lucky we are to have her in our home. I told him I wouldn't take $10 mil for her. 
I agree with Rob.


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## SheetsSM (Jan 17, 2008)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> I use to help a GR Rescue in my state with Intake-some times it was so heartbreaking when families or family members had to surrender a dog to us.
> 
> We have a very large Military Base and Community in my area, often times dogs being surrendered were due to Deployments. The ones that really got to me were when the owners had passed away. We also had people that surrendered their dog due to lack of time for the dog and sometimes the dogs were not cared for very well. These were always very sad situations, however, we were there for the dogs and not to judge the owners, because we knew this dog was on it's way to a better life.


What irks me about the military is that they know they will deploy. I'm in the military and it took me 11 years of waiting until I could provide stability for a dog & ensure there was a plan in place to cover those times when I either had extended training or deployments. I have a care plan for my pets and have made provisions in the event something happens to me. I also volunteer with golden rescue and see these families dispose of their pets prior to PCSing (moving) with the thought they'll just get another at the next assignment. It also makes it tougher for us who are responsible that want to adopt because rescues look at us as a risk.


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## Blondie (Oct 10, 2009)

*Here's another story to add*

I am a nurse taking care of veterans. One of our vets(a career Marine), who stroked and came for rehab has a wife who also is a nurse at our facility. She ended up retiring to take care of her husband, once rehab was complete and she took him home. They never had any children. They did however have 2 long haired dacshunds named Heidi and Bear. After the vet was discharged home, his wife became ill. Diagnosed with cancer that has since metasticized to her lungs. The vet returned to us, so that we could care for him while his wife was undergoing her own treatment. A couple of months ago, he said, "I just said goodbye to my dogs for the last time." Upon further inquiry, he was telling me that they had surrendered his dogs, since no one could take them. I was thinking the worst..., a local shelter. However to my surprise, a dog lover friend of theirs guided them into a breed specific rescue in Rhode Island. Music to my ears. I actually had to go to a room and have a good cry, as this guy had been through so much, and then with his wife's illness and having to relinquish his dogs, just overwhelmed me. The dogs were placed together in a family with two boys(one dog sleeps with one and the other with the other boy). The vet hears from them from time to time, which helps him during his time away from his wife.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

SheetsSM said:


> What irks me about the military is that they know they will deploy. I'm in the military and it took me 11 years of waiting until I could provide stability for a dog & ensure there was a plan in place to cover those times when I either had extended training or deployments. I have a care plan for my pets and have made provisions in the event something happens to me. I also volunteer with golden rescue and see these families dispose of their pets prior to PCSing (moving) with the thought they'll just get another at the next assignment. It also makes it tougher for us who are responsible that want to adopt because rescues look at us as a risk.


You are so very right, I know of several Rescue Groups, not just GR Rescues in my state that will not even accept Adopt Apps from Military members. 

I have a lot of Military families living in my town, several on my street, it's about 20 minutes both E and W of two Military facilities here. I know several of these families that have dogs who are a part of the family, are well cared for, loved, and go EVERYWHERE with these families. 

Adoptions should be done on a case by case basis without prejudice to anyone or any particular group.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Blondie said:


> I am a nurse taking care of veterans. One of our vets(a career Marine), who stroked and came for rehab has a wife who also is a nurse at our facility. She ended up retiring to take care of her husband, once rehab was complete and she took him home. They never had any children. They did however have 2 long haired dacshunds named Heidi and Bear. After the vet was discharged home, his wife became ill. Diagnosed with cancer that has since metasticized to her lungs. The vet returned to us, so that we could care for him while his wife was undergoing her own treatment. A couple of months ago, he said, "I just said goodbye to my dogs for the last time." Upon further inquiry, he was telling me that they had surrendered his dogs, since no one could take them. I was thinking the worst..., a local shelter. However to my surprise, a dog lover friend of theirs guided them into a breed specific rescue in Rhode Island. Music to my ears. I actually had to go to a room and have a good cry, as this guy had been through so much, and then with his wife's illness and having to relinquish his dogs, just overwhelmed me. The dogs were placed together in a family with two boys(one dog sleeps with one and the other with the other boy). The vet hears from them from time to time, which helps him during his time away from his wife.


That was a bittersweet story, so very unselfish of the owners to let their dogs go into a Rescue that would find them loving homes. I'm glad to hear he gets updates from the family and knows they are doing well. 

A few years ago I saw an Ad on a local yard sale website. This site allows pet listings of animals in need of homes for a fee up to $100. I use to monitor this site often when I was helping with Intake for the GR Rescue I was with. 

I came across an ad with pictures of three gorgeous Aussies, the owner was asking a $25 fee for each of them. I contacted the person and asked them if they were aware of the Aussie Rescue Group in my state and if they had been in contact with them.

The owner replied to me, she was not aware of the group. The lady had a terminal illness and needed to find a home or homes for her Aussies before she was no longer able to do so. Family members were not able to provide homes for her dogs. 

I gave her the contact info for the Aussie Rescue in my state, she was able to get them into Rescue and they found wonderful homes for them all. It was a very sad situation but the owner did what was best for them and it eased her mind and gave her comfort knowing her dogs were happy, loved, and well cared for.


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