Responsible Rescue: Tips & Important Info
Posted by Stephanie aka @JourneyOfNana's Mama on 6th Aug 2014
Nana's PSA on #RESPONSIBLErescue:
Lately, there have been MANY pit bull rescue “busts,” and horror stories of dogs that have been “rescued” by illegitimate groups. Or dogs who have been networked heavily via social media & pulled for a random adopter who has never met the dog. It’s a tragic reality that MANY "rescued" pit bulls die abused, neglected, and/or rotting in boarding as an alternative to being humanely euthanized in shelters. Many get transported 100s of miles only to disappear or be "lost." Many are adopted to ill-prepared homes and are subsequently dumped in out-of-state shelters & euthanized.This happens all the time. Because It is EASY for people to fall for heart wrenching stories and photos on Facebook, and to assume that every single dog can and in fact should be saved. But we need to emphasize & engage in RESPONSIBLE rescue. I firmly believe that quality is more important than quantity.
We need to be aware & able to identify which rescues are credible and have the dogs' interests in mind. When thinking of how we can do this, a couple of things come to mind:
#1 If you want to donate to a rescue: ASK QUESTIONS. Don't hesitate to ask for proof. How much are they receiving in cash or goods, how is it being used? Is it documented? Are you ignored or attacked when asking such questions? If so, steer clear. 501c3 status is not always an indicator of a worthy or credible rescue!
#2 RED FLAGS: rescues or individuals that constantly tell tales of woe & hardship. Those that use manipulation to tug on your heart strings. Rescues that focus on a myriad of tragedies geared to get you to DONATE NOW, but not to necessarily get the pet adopted. Rescues that trash talk or slander those that question their transparency or ask valid questions. Rescues that refuse to show photos of those they say they have saved or have endless excuses of why photos haven’t been posted. **Photos are the #1 way for a pet to get adopted; they should be updated regularly and taken at the rescue’s location, adoption event, foster, etc. If not, steer clear!
#3 Rescues that say every dog in their care is perfect. Credible rescues give FULL DISCLOSURE as to a dog’s faults and limitations. In pit bull rescue, there is ZERO ROOM for error. As any incident down the line can & will hurt the ENTIRE pit bull community! The majority of quality pit bull rescue adoptions can take months to years. So if someone is insisting that their out-of-state rescue is better and/or gets pits adopted in record time, recognize this is not the case.
A valid rescue observes the dog and gets to know the dog. They have more fosters than boarders and/or constantly network to get their dogs in foster care. They present the dog accurately including it’s faults. Anything else, the dog will fail. Good intentions are simply not enough. And a valid rescue is known & respected by its local community and businesses.
Lastly, please refrain from urging strangers on a dog's social media thread to "ADOPT NOW before it's too late." If someone is qualified & interested in saving the dog for the right reasons, they will do so on their own.
Thank you for reading this lengthy post. I want to be clear that there are MANY incredible rescues who rescue pit bulls the RIGHT way and many strong, dedicated volunteers who spend their time networking the forgotten dogs. I am not directing this towards them. I am everyone to be more aware. Pay attention. Ask questions. Do not be afraid to voice your concerns. And remember the objective. As always, adopt don't shop! And please, consider fostering. Fostering SAVES LIVES!
Author Background
About Nana
Looking at pictures of her big smile now, you would never be able to tell that the first eight years of Nana's life were spent in misery. A mature girl, Nana was bred repeatedly (15+ litters) then dumped at the shelter when she could no longer produce. Her teeth were pulled out, her ears horrendously cut off and her reproductive organs destroyed by her former owners. Nana, awaiting certain death in a Los Angeles city shelter, was rescued by her foster, now forever, mom in February '13. She has proven to be such a special angel to her new family, and continues to blossom as each day passes. While her road to recovery has been riddled with various health issues including infections and cancer, Nana has beautifully triumphed over all these hurdles and more.
Nana's endearing spirit and undying love for life continues to inspire those around her. For Nana, life started at the age of 8. But, she has proven that it is never too late to be ridiculously happy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nana is the living definition of a PIT BULL- loving, goofy, resilient, beautiful, loyal, happy and great around children. Please join her on her journey of promoting positive pit bull awareness, while spreading awareness about the pet overpopulation crisis (especially pit bulls).
By emphasizing the importance of spaying/ neutering, adopting & rescuing vs. supporting backyard breeding & puppy mills, and ending BSL & discrimination- we can ALL make change happen.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why doesn't Nana have ears?
- Nana's previous owners likely cut off her ears themselves. Our leading hypothesis is that performing such an unsterile (and inhumane) procedure at home led to different types of infection. Over the course of the eight years prior to her intake at the shelter, she was never seen by a vet. Thus, the infections ensued and led to the formation of scar tissue ("cauliflower ear") and calcification of her entire ear canals. Upon rescue, Nana was treated for her ear infections constantly. These chronic infections, combined with overuse of antibiotics and antimicrobrial drugs, led to the development of multidrug resistant bacterial infections- MRSA and Pseudomonas. Since they were essentially unmanageable, and because Nana was in constant pain, we decided to go through with a bilateral ear canal ablation & bulla osteotomy. She will forever be free of infection and pain.
Can she hear?
- While her ear drums are still intact, there are no longer any ear canals through which sound to travel. Thus, she is no longer responsive to sound. She has adapted rapidly to her new life, and is working on learning sign language.