# How would you handle this situation?



## heartofgold (Oct 27, 2007)

I volunteer at an all breed rescue. There has been an older yellow lab pitbull mix there that I walk often. I recently decided to foster a dog. The owner of the rescue assured me that she was the perfect match for both my dog, my kids, and myself. I questioned this as my gut told me that maybe this dog matched with a playful puppy would not be such a good idea. She assured me that they would just love each other. My dog is almost six months old and doesn't have a mean bone in her body but she is playful, my only concern. Scout has been around many different dogs and gets along well with all of them even a five pound yorkie. Anyway, within 30 minutes of getting the foster dog home she attacked my dog! I didn't realize Scout had left a bone in the back yard and the foster found it. When Scout went up to her (not to try to get the bone away) the dog flipped out and bit her on the face. Scout immediatly backed down and ran to me. The foster still snarling and the hair on her back standing straight up. I was even afraid to get her lead back on her to take her back to the rescue. When I got her back I told another volunteer what had happened. I asked her for the owners number and she said she would give her the message. I haven't heard back from her in days! I have left three messages with the shelter. All I want are the dogs vet records. What should I do? My dog had to have three stitches on her face and antibiotics. Why won't the owner call me back? I also want to make sure they don't adopt her to anyone with children or other pets. They haven't changed her info on the website. What would you do?


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

I'd take her back immediately to your rescue as you did. Can the rescue update her info? I'm not sure you can do much if the owner won't contact the rescue...


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## Bob-N-Tash (Feb 24, 2008)

I would take what you have posted here and put it in a letter to the all breed rescue group. It seems to me that your primary concern is the welfare of the dog and the next foster family. 

What the rescue group does with that information is out of your hands.... but I often find that something in writing is much more effective then a verbal message.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

I'd return to the rescue, along with a certified letter stating what happend. Include copies of all vet records.

If this is a small, private "rescue" -- as in, there's no place other than a private residence to return the dog to, I'd leave a message saying the dog will be taken to the local shelter within three days.

So sorry this happened........ glad your dog is okay, aside from stitches, etc.


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## heartofgold (Oct 27, 2007)

The rescue can change her info on the website. I just think this is all just being blown off, like no big deal. What if it were a childs face?


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

Sorry you had such a traumatic experience. I forgot to pick up the toys when I brought Caue home and had a flurry but no blood loss or scarring. I think you handled it correctly as this dog does not sound like a dog to be in a home with other pets or children.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Oh, my bad... you DID take her back to the rescue... Now you just want records.

Okay then, I'd send a certified letter to the rescue with copies of your vet notes/bills explaining what happened and asking for the dog's medical records. You could also hand deliver the letter and become a bit of a visiting pest until you get the info you need. Definitely make sure they have a certified letter, of which you keep a copy, so that if anything happens with the dog in the future, they can't say they didn't know. The dog may well be fine in all other aspects - and just have a resource guarding problem, which is not uncommon, but the fact is that the dog now has a significant bite history and that needs to be made apparent to future adopters.


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## sharlin (Feb 26, 2007)

Something HAS to be posted about her not being ina home with children and best off as an only dog.


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## TiffanyK (Mar 3, 2008)

OMG - I am glad that there weren't more serious injuries involved and applaud your concern for the dog being placed improperly in the future for everyone involved! I'm frustrated reading this that you have not received a return phone call. I agree with the suggestions to send this information in a certified letter! I would suggest that you do give them a specific time frame to change the website information on the dogs temeperment as well as clarify that the dog should NOT be placed in a home with children or other dogs. Lastly I might also suggest that you consider tactifully wording something along the lines of informing them that if the letter/report is ignored that you feel you will have no choice but to report them to (fill in the blank). Seems there is a thread or two here that have links to databases and/or places that you can report bad stuff to, but I am not sure that those apply to rescue's. Maybe someone knows where you could report a rescue to for something like this. I am not saying to be too hasty, but I cannot believe you are being ignored by the owner like this - especially after it seems you expressed your concern and were assured that the foster would be a great match! That's sooooooo bad, IMO.

Hope you hear from the owner though and get a good reason for the lack of response time! POOR SCOUT! I would be so upset! I would feel bad if I felt like *I* made a bad choice - but I would be fairly angry in this situation and want to take action. Just seems so irresponsible of the owner of the rescue! Hopefully this will all work out with a positive lesson learned and without you having to shake too many feathers.

Tiffany


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

If they're not listening to you and not changing the listing, I agree with Quiz that you should take it another step. You might mention to the rescue that you're concerned about their legal liability. Let them know that you're concerned that they would be vulnerable to a lawsuit if they adopt the dog out to a family with another dog or kids since the dog now has a proven history of biting.

When common sense doesn't work... sometimes the fear of a lawsuit does.


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## Spudmom (Mar 10, 2007)

I'm so sorry you had this experience. For your dog, would encourage you to get her back with the dogs you know and trust so that she bounces back from this experience. 

Everyone has given you good advice for getting medical records. The one point I would like to add is, follow your "gut". You may not have been able to verbalize why you had misgivings, but you need to learn to trust your instincts. This does not mean a dog is not right from someone else, but if you are not comfortable, don't let your self be talked into something. Been there, done that


Glad your dog is ok, and be sure to build her confidence by getting her with the dogs she is used to playing with.

Deb


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

My first question would be ,why on earth would the rescue let you take a dog home first without having the 2 dogs meet????? I agree with Deb, and this dog might have food issues and going to the right home who knows how to handle this, doesnt mean this dog cant go with other dogs.I wouldnt put him in a home with small children. Im glad your dog wasnt seriously hurt. I have fostered many dogs and a lesson I have learned is , in the first 24-48 hours all toys and bones etc are put away.


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## heartofgold (Oct 27, 2007)

Maggies mom said:


> My first question would be ,why on earth would the rescue let you take a dog home first without having the 2 dogs meet????? I agree with Deb, and this dog might have food issues and going to the right home who knows how to handle this, doesnt mean this dog cant go with other dogs.I wouldnt put him in a home with small children. Im glad your dog was seriously hurt. I have fostered many dogs and a lesson I have learned is , in the first 24-48 hours all toys and bones etc are put away.


I hope you mean I'm glad your dog wasn't seriously hurt. I didn't give the dogs the bone, the dog found it in the yard. I had no idea it was out there. I was close by watching the dogs the whole time, it just happened in a split second. I thought she had part of a stick.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

heartofgold said:


> I hope you mean I'm glad your dog wasn't seriously hurt. I didn't give the dogs the bone, the dog found it in the yard. I had no idea it was out there. I was close by watching the dogs the whole time, it just happened in a split second. I thought she had part of a stick.


Yes I meant wasnt.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I had a situation years ago with a family who let their dog run loose. This dog (a sheltie) would run up to my leashed golden while I was walking him , bite him on the leg and then follow us barking. I tried to reason with this family to get them to keep their dog in their yard, or on leash. No luck. I finally, in desparation, contacted animal control, reported the repeated biting of my dog by the sheltie and the lack of concern by the owners, gave them the address and description of the dog (including name of the dog) and asked that they confirm the family had updated rabies tags and licenses. Animal control visited the family, took the dog into quarantine (oops, they had not updated their rabies or license), and we never saw the dog roaming free again once she was released from quarantine. Their fence and gates got repaired right after the report and visit and we never had a problem with that dog again.

I'd suggest that you go ahead and contact your local animal control if you have one, and report this dog and ask them to assist in getting the dog's medical records. 

A certified letter, coupled with a report to animal control will mean this dog will not be a good adoption candidate because the proof is there that the animal has bitten and injured another animal. Many states now have aggressive dog laws that could result in criminal penalites against owners (which would in this case mean the rescue). The rescue would be better off to give you the information that you need rather than continue to ignore you in hopes the problem will go away.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I agree with everyone's advice here in sending the certified letter and giving them a certain lenght of time to respond before contacting animal control. I know my vet would automatically contact animal control if it is not known whether a rabies shot was given. 
I hope your sweet pup is ok and not going to be traumitized by this incident


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## heartofgold (Oct 27, 2007)

Seems there is alot more going on here than I originally thought. The lady who let me take the dog is not the actual owner but she does run the place and is in charge of the dogs care. I just assumed she was the owner because she was in charge. The lady didn't want to tell the owner what had happened because she wasn't supposed to let me take the dog in the first place. Over Thanksgiving weekend the dog went to another foster home and had alot of problems with another dog and food agression. Didn't bite anyone though. The owner is furious with this woman for not only letting me take the dog but not telling me about her food agression. Also, the woman didn't want to tell the owner because she knew the dog would have to be put down, which sadly she will. I feel terrible. I just feel bad for those poor dogs in their cages 24/7. All I wanted to do was help. Also, I'm upset about the fact that now I learn shelters DO NOT have to vaccine their animals, rabies included. This dog has never had a vaccine for the entire 11 months that it's been at the shelter! Which is another reason the woman didn't want to tell the owner because if they are going to a foster home with another pet they have to be vaccinated first. This dog was a stray brought in off the street and never got shots! I thought this was illegal but I guess not in my state. I'm glad my pup has had all of her shots! The owner was very nice about the whole thing but the woman who runs the place pretty much tried to blame the whole thing on me! I just feel terrible. The owner offered to pay vet bills, I told her to use the money to give the dogs the shots they need.


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## heartofgold (Oct 27, 2007)

Dallas Gold said:


> I had a situation years ago with a family who let their dog run loose. This dog (a sheltie) would run up to my leashed golden while I was walking him , bite him on the leg and then follow us barking. I tried to reason with this family to get them to keep their dog in their yard, or on leash. No luck. I finally, in desparation, contacted animal control, reported the repeated biting of my dog by the sheltie and the lack of concern by the owners, gave them the address and description of the dog (including name of the dog) and asked that they confirm the family had updated rabies tags and licenses. Animal control visited the family, took the dog into quarantine (oops, they had not updated their rabies or license), and we never saw the dog roaming free again once she was released from quarantine. Their fence and gates got repaired right after the report and visit and we never had a problem with that dog again.
> 
> I'd suggest that you go ahead and contact your local animal control if you have one, and report this dog and ask them to assist in getting the dog's medical records.
> 
> A certified letter, coupled with a report to animal control will mean this dog will not be a good adoption candidate because the proof is there that the animal has bitten and injured another animal. Many states now have aggressive dog laws that could result in criminal penalites against owners (which would in this case mean the rescue). The rescue would be better off to give you the information that you need rather than continue to ignore you in hopes the problem will go away.


Sadly, this dog will have to be quarintined for 10 days and then put down. I just feel terrible! I try to help and a dog dies. And my own is hurt.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Dont feel bad.. You are not at fault and tried to help that poor dog. The only person responsible is the woman that let you take the dog in the first place. She should be fired from that place. She is not doing the public or the dogs any favors. Shame on her. I do feel bad for the dog, he didnt know any better.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

> I'm upset about the fact that now I learn shelters DO NOT have to vaccine their animals, rabies included. This dog has never had a vaccine for the entire 11 months that it's been at the shelter! Which is another reason the woman didn't want to tell the owner because if they are going to a foster home with another pet they have to be vaccinated first. This dog was a stray brought in off the street and never got shots! I thought this was illegal but I guess not in my state.


Was this a shelter or a rescue? Most shelters I know don't have the luxury of keeping animals that long and most rescues immediately update vaccinations, for the benefit of the dog and anyone who comes into contact with the dog. What about kennel cough or distemper outbreaks? This rescue/shelter is not doing the animals they are supposedly saving any favors.


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## heartofgold (Oct 27, 2007)

This is an all breed rescue. The dog I brought home was there 11 months, she has been there the longest. The average dog is there 2-3 months. When they bring in an animal they do not vaccinate, they wait until the dog is adopted or fostered. Then they leave it up to the new foster or owner. I will continue volunteering but not for this rescue. I just don't like the total lack of communication or the way things are done. If I had known she was already sent to a foster and they said she had food aggression I wouldn't even have brought her home and subjected her to my dog and kids.


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## heartofgold (Oct 27, 2007)

Dallas Gold said:


> Was this a shelter or a rescue? Most shelters I know don't have the luxury of keeping animals that long and most rescues immediately update vaccinations, for the benefit of the dog and anyone who comes into contact with the dog. What about kennel cough or distemper outbreaks? This rescue/shelter is not doing the animals they are supposedly saving any favors.


I am going to call the animal shelter today to make sure that there is no law in Indiana about shelters or rescues having to give the rabies vaccine. I'm not going to take the owners word on this, it doesn't seem right.


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## Rosco's Mom (May 1, 2007)

I'm so sorry you had to go through that! 

I don't know that much about shelters but that just doesn't right. Please keep us updated.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

heartofgold said:


> This is an all breed rescue. The dog I brought home was there 11 months, she has been there the longest. The average dog is there 2-3 months. When they bring in an animal they do not vaccinate, they wait until the dog is adopted or fostered. Then they leave it up to the new foster or owner. I will continue volunteering but not for this rescue. I just don't like the total lack of communication or the way things are done. If I had known she was already sent to a foster and they said she had food aggression I wouldn't even have brought her home and subjected her to my dog and kids.


Besides what you had to deal with, which was horrible, I would not call what these folks are doing "rescue". It sounds more like warehousing. Sending out unvetted animals is not rescue, in my opinion. Sending known aggressive animals to fosters or adopters is irresponsible. I would definately cut ties with them. And I would also contact the state as already advised.


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