Why Rescue
Applications Are So Important!
I often hear that filling out
an application for a dog from
purebred rescue is too
complicated. That the people
requiring the information are
asking for too much information
and it is just a dog, not a
baby, after all.
Well, a recent series of events
has only served to reinforce us
that our application process is
the right way to go.
We received an application from
a couple who had an older border
collie MIX that they did not get
until he was 10 years old. They
wanted a 1-3 year old border
collie as a companion to their
current BC mix. We are border
collie rescue and know the breed
very well. Our application asks
questions and some of those and
the responses we received on
this one application are below:
It sounded fairly good until the
reference part - only one
reference given and on the line
for the second reference it said
"We *are* professionals"
as if that exempted them from
references - Hmmm.
In reference #3 it said to see
reference #2 - Hmmm again.
The yard is fenced - great! But
then they mention a tie-out
trolley that they use for their
current dog? Hmmmm.
We ask how they intend to
exercise this dog and get this
response: "You ask way too many
questions! We know and
understand the breed
already..." Hmmmm yet again!
Oh, and training they will do
themselves because they trained
two prior dogs in their
lifetimes.
Sooooo - after debating the app,
should we give them a chance to
supply references, do we want to
deal with this attitude, we
decide to just reject them and
send notice that they were
rejected, suggesting they visit
area shelters where the
application process is less
stringent.
We receive a snotty note back,
complete with all of the degrees
the professional has earned in his
lifetime - Hmmmm.
At the same time this is going
on, a very nice BC has been
found in the area and is at an
area shelter waiting for his
owner to find him and he is
also posted on our website as a
lost dog. The plan is that he
will come into rescue once the
holding period for stray dogs is
up. The shelter contacts us
that this same person has
applied to adopt this young male
purebred BC and all we say is
that we did receive an
application, did not tell them
that we didn't really like the
application (or the attitude).
The dog is adopted by the family
and we receive yet another
snotty letter from the family
thumbing their noses at us for
being so elitist. C'est la vie
- a dog is in a home and out of
the shelter - long and happy
life to all!
But wait, it's been 3 weeks and
the shelter contacts us again -
this same dog has been returned
to the shelter for.....(drum
roll please).....getting into
the garbage (they didn't want to
use a crate) and ... when they
put him out on his "run" and go
back into the house he barks!
But oh, how can this happen,
they are *professionals* after all!
Don't they know that border
collies were bred to work with
their humans and really want
nothing more than to be with you
and not relegated to a tie out?
Where is the interactive play
that these dogs so enjoy on a
tri-daily basis? Surely they
must have known all these
things? That is why they told
us we asked too many questions!
Could they not have spared 20
minutes to be out with their new
dog a few times a day?
Grrrrrr - he is now safely in
our rescue, a wonderful boy, no
worse the wear for being in an
inappropriate home for a border
collie. We'll get him to his
right home next time we're sure!
Too many morals to list in this
story! Carry on with your
missions, screen your adopters,
stiffen your backs when you are
called elitist, and go on with
your lives. Rescue is very hard
work and some days you want to
give up - but if you are not
here, who will watch out for
your special breed - no matter
who your breed is.
Kathy Chittenden
New England Border Collie Rescue
