Thursday, December 11, 2008

A Surprise at Camarillo

We were scheduled to save Gordita, the sharpei at the Camarillo shelter. So after a long morning I drove out there to find the shelter closed. I rang the bell and Edward came out and offered to help. I told him that I was coming to pick up the dog in kennel 88, Gordita. He went inside to check and came back to tell me that she was adopted last night. What great news. Sounds strange, but whenever I hear of a dog getting a home, I am so happy. Someone to love her and care for her, but more importantly, someone to experience this amazing level of love that you gain when you save a life. Whoever you are and where ever you are Gordita... I wish you well.

On another happy note, a man, Norm, pulled up in a truck as I was there. I asked him what he was doing. He said he was there to drop off a rat. He had caught it in a humane trap and wanted it drop it off. I'm thoroughly convinced he had no clue that the rat would be killed at the shelter. He did the right thing using a humane trap, but the shelter would be a mistake. I asked him if I could take the rat. Together we drove a few miles up the road to a beautiful open field. I took the rat, in the trap out of his truck. She was a beautiful brown field rat that looked quite relieved. I opened the door, she scurried past my hand and ran free through the field. I thanked Norm and he thanked me. What a nice man to give a stranger and a rat the chance to do something good.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

When Rescue Plays God...

I feel compelled to write this post for two reasons:
1. is to make those of you who are looking to adopt a dog through a rescue organization know that you are not alone in your frustrations and to offer you help
2. to point out to some of those who are in rescue the problems that people from the outside see and how to better fix them in order to make rescue more productive.

I entered into the "rescue" circles relatively recently. There are people who have been doing this for many more years than me, but that is not to say they know more, they may be stuck in their ways. For example, I always say that Bound Angels is not a hands on rescue organization, even though we've saved many dogs... instead Bound Angels is about media awareness and educating the public about the plight of animals. This is why it is important to point out some things that are broken and suggest we fix them.

Rescue workers are overworked and underpaid, they are compassionate to the animals they rescue and are often very emotional. All of these are not conducive to running a business, and that is what we need to consider this. If we want to take a noble approach, we'll be homeless and the animals will all die. Emotions need to take a back seat to strategy, because emotions won't fix any problems, instead it will only lead us to continue to focus on the problem instead of finding a solution. When I see a rescue worker holding a dog and kissing it and talking baby talk to it and coddling it, I cringe. Not because I don't love animals, because I do. In fact I feel I love animals more than any of the rescue workers who are eating a Big Mac during their adoptions, I don't eat animals, I love and fight for them all. What we need to do is relate to these animals in a way that is fair to them. Dogs don't like to be constantly held, carried in purses or kissed over and over. That being said, lets focus on the problem with rescue that I want to address today.

I've had a few dogs that I needed to place, one of which I became very attached to, see the Zeus video on our youtube channel. When it came time to place him, emotionally I thought no home could ever be as good for him as mine, but logically I knew these were irrational thoughts. I placed him in a perfect home. I had concerns, but I discussed them with the adopters and placed him. Then I moved on. It seems that many rescue organizations can not do this. They search out excuse after excuse why NOT to place a dog with very good adopters. I've heard this too many times. Friends of mine turned down, people I've met shot down for excuses including:

1. away too many hours at work
2. have a swimming pool
3. afraid dog might get out
4. afraid dog might get attached to a room mate that might move out
5. finding confining a dog cruel

This list goes on. Recently I met a very nice, professional young lady who was turned down by a LA based rescue for the reason she kept her dog in a play pen when she is not home. The rescue org said they could not imagine this dog ( a mini yorkie) confined. As a professional with dogs, I can tell you that confining a dog when you are not around is about the best thing for the dogs emotional well being as well as the safety of the dog, especially small dogs like this that can get caught behind appliances, can get into things that can hurt them or kill them. A slew of other comments flew out of the rescue orgs rant such as, "I'm afraid no one will ever be good enough for "little one"..." This is absolute insanity. If the dog is available for adoption, give the dog and potential adopter a chance.

I met this young lady with her other mini yorkie and she was visibly upset. However after talking with her for a while I found a compassionate dog parent that I would have no problem placing a dog with. Her other dog is well socialized, vetted, loved, basically trained and I was surprised that she (even though only in her late 20's) has a plan for her dog in the even something should happen to her. Her current dog came from a pet store, but instead of going to a pet store again, this young lady decided to take the compassionate approach and adopt. Instead of being met with open arms, she was slapped across the face. This is a person who can afford to go to the pet store up the street and simply buy any dog she wants. And being anyone else I believe she would have. Instead she came to Bound Angels. I told her I would tell this story.

After a few days she went back to walk by the adoptions and asked several other people about their experiences and they were equally bad. Some were turned down because of children in the house, because they planned on feeding the dog - dog food instead of "home cooked meals" -- the list goes on.

What did these people who were turned down plan to do? Several decided to go to a pet store (GREAT WORK rescue community), others decided not to get a dog at all, and only one decided to go to the shelter.

This is pathetic. The idea is to save animals. If you have a concern about placing a dog, make it known and the solution known, but be realistic here. If you have un-founded concerns in placing your dog in the perfect home, forget it... It doesn't exist. Find the best home for the dog, teach them how to make it better, and move on and save one more. There are several million animals who would prefer any home over the end of the needle they are gonna get tomorrow.

Home checks and applications are important, we should know who is getting the dog. The shelter makes it to easy and the rescuers make it nearly impossible. So when I say that rescue often works against itself, this conversation with a young lady at Starbucks proved it.

Rescue people should learn better to understand dog behavior and logic in strategy. Save as many dogs as possible. Dogs are dogs and need to be treated like dogs. They function much differently than humans. Making their emotions human is as cruel as forcing them to eat with a knife and fork. Just as they lack the opposable thumb, they lack the human emotions we try to force onto them. Rescue needs to learn to work together and support each other. Right now, there are some, but few whose ultimate goal is saving animals and not self service credit.

If you have the time to criticize too much you are probably not doing enough rescue. If you find my post offensive - good. Look deeply at what part affects you and think how to change it and how that change will make you a better animal rights and rescuer.

For those who are frustrated with rescue organizations and are thinking about going to a pet store, I urge you to reconsider... PLEASE. Puppies in pet stores come from puppy mills and this is the cruelest thing you can imagine. I urge to consider another rescue org or visit a local shelter. There are millions of great dogs in the shelters who will die tomorrow if you can't open your heart and your home. I visit the shelter every week and have never been at a shelter where I didn't see at least 3 or 4 dogs that would be perfect for any home / apartment situation. They are there, and they need you. If you are frustrated, join the club and then do something about it. If you are a rescue worker, reach your hand across the table to another rescue organization or shelter and ask "WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP." Lets pull together and make a difference. It doesn't matter whose name gets the attention, what matters is that the animals get saved. If you're in this for the credit, do us all a favor and get out now. The credit that makes this all worthwhile to me is that wagging tail I see.

Robert Cabral
founder Bound Angels