Is Rescue "Peeing on a forest fire"?

[doggylover]

I hope I don't start a war here, but tonight my husband and I got into a little tiff because of the only real thing we have fought about the whole time we've been together.  I want to (and have always wanted to) rescue a dog as opposed to going to breeders for them (which we did for Badger, and are doing for our next pup). 
He is adamantly opposed to it because he doesn't like the idea of taking in a dog who has more likelyhood of having behavioral problems than a dog we raised/trained ourselves (I have to admit, I put a ton of work into Badger's training- from puppyhood and he is really great).
David finally said that if I felt that strongly about rescue, we would start making our yearly donations to pay for spay and neuter education/procedures.  He said he feels like rescue is wonderful, but it is like "peeing on a forest fire" and that it only saves one dog at a time, as opposed to the massive numbers of dogs who could be saved, before birth, if we funneled our money into spay/neuter. 
He is not a cold man, so please don't respond with "divorce that as*ho**".  He is sincere about giving money to this cause, he just doesn't want to have a dog in the home that he is not familiar with from very early puppyhood. 
Because of the health issues we have had with Badger (we went to a backyard breeder because we didn't know all of what went into checking them out thouroughly)he is even very picky about the breeder we go to (we had to go to the site, meet the parents, check all the paperwork and references), so adopting a puppy also seems out of the question.
Thoughts on this?
Ronda   

[stryder]

Finding a rescue is as time consuming as choosing a breeder. You can find pure breed dogs in all ages, but you have to be choosey.
A young dog will take to your home more easily than a pup. You need not take the first one that comes along. Look, Meet, and Spay or Neuter.
(A dog lover currently with a papered Lab from the pound, a GSD from a private rescue, and a breeder Welsh Corgi.) Over 40 years of rescues, 12 total.
THoM

[cricket36580]

A good topic!  As ya'll know I've rescued 2 of my current dogs.  Both of them have been great critters and I wouldn't give them up for anything...but I do understand your hubby's point.  Until I got a dane, I've always gotten dogs out of rescue in one way or another.  There are a lot of "headaches" that go along with rescues, just as there are for purebreds but in a different way.  Also, dealing with some rescues is simply a PITA.  They can be hostile, confrontationa l, rude and rather self righteous.  However, I believe their hearts are in the right place.  If you can't deal with the "surprises" of rescue dogs, then funneling your resources into spay/neuter programs is a wonderful option. 

[brandon]

I think David is right about the spay/neuter thing, if people would be responsible and spay/neuter their pets there wouldn't be as much of a need for rescue.  I never thought about donating for that, it sounds like a great idea! If a donation for a spay/neuter prevents a litter of puppies from going to the animal shelter, that's like saving a bunch of dogs from maybe a not so good life.

[Gypsy Jazmine]

Our rescue dog, Rosie has been a nightmare...No w, in saying that, I wouldn't give her up for all the purebread, akc registered, responsibly bred dogs in the world!...She deserved a chance & though she's been trying to say the least this is her last home ever...period!...Besides, I always wonder if we had not gotten her what might have happened to her...With alot of dedication, work & love on both of our parts she is coming along nicely!...Now a story my hubby tells me when I get to feeling that my rescue efforts are like "peeing on a forrest fire"...

A man walks along a beach at low tide & picks up the starfish stranded on the beach & throws them back in the ocean one by one...There are starfish on the sand as far as the eye can see...Literall y thousands of them!...By & by he comes upon another man who has been watching him & the 2nd man says "Why bother?...You can't save them all...It just doesn't matter"!...The 1st man picks up yet another starfish, tosses it back in the ocean, looks at the 2nd man & calmly says, "It mattered to that one".

[Kiahpyr]

Our hubby's agree on everything! He says the exact same things. He didn't want rescue because there's no way of knowing what you're getting. I kind of surprised him with my rescue.

Being an owner of one of each I can say that Kiah has cost us more. With her there was the breeder cost, travel and overnight stay and she had every puppy illness. Kitana had parvo and had to spend a week at the vets. The shelter did help pay for some of her stay, so that helped. She hasn't had an illness since. Now that they're both spayed hopefully only yearly trips to the vet are nessasary.

[BellaRoosMom]

LG....Yep.


I've got the best dog in the world.  He was rescued from a low socio-economic town nearby....look s like a great dog to me, but was probably abandoned because he has weak pasterns on both front paws.  Cruel yes, but would his life have been different had someone else adopted him?  Or worse, NOT adopted him?  YES!  He's by far been the best and easiest dog to train in my life!  He can sit, stay, come, down, off, shake, roll over, play dead, and were working on leave it!  His tail even wags in circles!  I don't like to think about what would have happened if I left him there. 

Thanks for this post, now I'll donate to SPCA.  They're great with their low-cost spay-neuter program in our town, and they're at every function spreading that message, and adopting dogs/cats locally. 

This is him, being patient with Bella as a pupper.

[GR8DAME]

It's like argueing apples and apples. Different sides of the same coin. Both are positive actions, so at least you are not ignoring the problem no matter which you choose to do. In my mind, every dog adopted and every dollar contributed is a step in the right direction. if everyone could take some action, no matter which you choose, the problem of over-population and homelessness would be greatly reduced.
Stella

[Nicole]

This is totally a great topic! I think that Stella said it very nicely! Apples and Apples! Positive actions are positive actions, and obviously not one person (or couple) can be the solution on all fronts.

I have a rescue dog. Cabeza is the most perfect dog ever. He's mellow, gentle, intelligent and just down-right wonderful. Ask Stella and Dale and Kristi and Julie and Aaron..hahaha. ..anyway, he rocks. I wouldn't trade him for any purebred pup in the world. And I got him at age one after he'd been passed around between several homes and was heartworm positive.

I think that you make a difference in the best way that you can, ya know? I've resuced dogs that have given me the biggest headaches, and I've put heart and soul into dogs that just couldn't overcome their terrible backgrounds. I chalk it up to just being able to give them some love and stability.

I think that donating to spay and neuter programs is a wonderful way to impact the population problem. I'm a huge advocate of spaying and neutering...so me may say I'm a bit um...aggressiv e in my opinions on the matter. But, I try to temper my adamant opinions on the issue with education and statistics and stories. In any case, your hubby is totally right and makes a great point.

As everyone else here has said, you can find a rescue that will work for your family. Nobody has ever said that you have to rescue a dog with problems. Save those dogs for those of us idiots that enjoy beating our heads against the wall...hahaha. ...there are wonderful rescues out there. Just look long and hard and involve hubby in every step of the process.

[Icerotti]

I think everyone before me had made wonderful points. I don't think I could add anything further.
I think that the contribution for spaying and neutering is a wonderful idea.

I can speak from experience of having a rescue dog. Puck is a rescue dog. He was returned to our breeder who also does rotti rescue. His first parents divorced. They decided to keep the female but didn't want poor Puck so he was tossed aside. He has been the most loving, loyal and thankful dog I have ever owned. He is wonderful with my daughter who came into our lives 1 year after we got Puck. He is her best friend and protector. He would put his life on the line for that little girl. She still has all her fingers and toes She may get a rash but it is from Puck licking her too much Plus he was trained when I got him....Althoug h I did do training with him just to get that bond together.
I too had reservations about taking a dog that I did not know from puppyhood-especially a rotti. Puck was just around a 1 year old when we got him. I like to think I can read him very well. He just turned 8 yrs in March.

Puck was the second rescue dog we took in . The first one was not the right fit for our home. He did however find a great home on a farm and is now nurturing little chicks...he was a country rotti not a city dog.

Our experience with a rescue has been great. Would I do it again? Absolutely..wi thout hesitation.

I am not trying to sway you one way or the other. You have to make a choice that fits your family. I just wanted to let you know what great experience our recue has been and still is.

[doggylover]

I have to say that I never would have brought a subject like this up on any other board.  Knowing what 'rescue hounds' you all seem to be (pun intended ) I would be afraid people would go into attack mode. 
I brought it up even though I was nervous about asking, because it is something that has bothered me for a long time. 
I just want to say that you guys are all WONDERFUL.  I have never bumped into such a warm open and helpful group of people in my life. 
 
Ronda

[ZooCrew]

this is a great topic and I love hearing everyone's opinion on it.

I think whatever you choose to do will be a good decision.  Rescuing may not seem like you are making a difference, but as gypsy jasmine said, it would make a difference to that one dog.  And there are plenty of puppies you can raise to your own liking if you aren't comfortable getting an adult. 

Keiko in a sense was a rescue.  A friend's just purchased dog had a very unsuspected litter, and I chose to take one b/c I knew the rest would end up at the shelter.  She has turned out to be one of the best dogs I have ever had the chance to meet.  Obedient (well, as obediant as a husky mix can be), loving, and extremely tolerant of a big great dand jumping on top of her....lol.  Nothing phases this dog.

Our two new guys are rescue as well.  They were handed off to a friend of mine from a breeder she knew and she couldn't keep them and needed to find homes for them.  Again, they are puppies so you can mold them into the kind of dog you want them to be.

I think donating money to a spay/neuter program is an excellent idea, one that more people should do.  So either way I think it is a win/win situation. Good luck.

[longshadowfarms]

I agree with everything posted thus far on this topic.  That said, if your hubby feels so strongly about getting a pup from a breeder, I'd go along with his feelings just for the sanity of your marriage.  If you got a rescue and it didn't work, it would be an "I told you so" situation.  You've both got to be committed to getting a rescue for it to work. 

I've had GREAT dogs from breeders and disasters.  I've only had great dogs from rescue.  Mostly I've been fortunate to have had great dogs!  Seriously though, if you do go rescue, carefully spell out exactly what you want.  Be incredibly picky!  There are SO many dogs out there that there is bound to be one that will fit your situation.  I'm kind of early into Katie and Carter but so far they both seem like absolute gems!  I am amazed that we found such great fits so quickly.  I honestly thought it would take months.