Dog Community

Shelter Question

Posted : 7/7/2008 10:52:09 PM

I've been volunteering at a local shelter for about 7 months now ~ approx. 13-15 hours per week. I know many of you work or volunteer at shelters. I am bothered by some things that I have experienced in the time that I've been with this shelter. A particular situation that I just became aware of is on my mind and I'm wondering if this is customary or questionable: Recently we had a gorgeous female dog brought back to the shelter as a return. She is 1.5 y.o. She originally came in at 16 weeks old with 8 other litter mates who, according to a shelter staff member, were left in the backyard for those 4 months with no socialization whatsoever. She was adopted - don't know much about the adoptees other than the fact that they returned her to us about 2.5 weeks ago. She was extremely shy, but super friendly, I believe she may have been abused for "being destructive in the house (according to her info card)." She cowered a lot, but she was coming around nicely. An older couple came in last Saturday and put a hold on her, it was near the end of the day, so they were to return today to finalize the adoption. I just learned that the dog was returned to her "original" owners and the people who had her on hold chose another dog. I am hoping to learn more details tomorrow, but this sounds weird to me. Why on earth would she be returned to her original owners who did not care for her properly to begin with and the second owners dumped her to after no training and possible abuse............... I'm thinking WTF???? Obviously the people who had her on hold were serious about adopting her, but were unable to and opted for another dog. If that were me, I would be supremely pissed!!! Maybe I'm jumping the gun here, but the situation just sounds really suspicious to me and it's not the first time something like this has happened. Repeatedly, it appears that certain people in certain positions at the shelter play god with the animals and with people. It saddens me because I love and look forward to the time that I am able to spend with the dogs, but it has gotten so political, secretive and twisted that more times than not I leave feeling like crap rather than feeling elated like I used to. Many others before me have left for the same reasons. If you question anything that happens there (like a dog who was recently euthed for attacking a male PA even though we all knew the dog disliked men), then you are the bad guy. Everyone is a dog whisperer and they all (particularly the "old timers";) go around trying to one up each other. It's crazy!! Is this normal???? I generally get along with everyone and I just find the behavior of most of the people at this place to be like the twilight zone. (Coupled with the biggest egos I've ever encountered in my life). I don't really know any other way to describe it. I'm really hoping for some feedback on this. I'm on the fence about continuing with this organization and it really saddens me because I have found it so rewarding and fulfilling. I keep telling myself that I'm there for the dogs, not the people, but it's to the point that I don't know if I can deal w/the people anymore. I know there are various other rescue organizations out there, but this is one of the very few where you can directly interact with the animals.

janet_rose

Posted : 7/8/2008 6:16:03 AM

Sunshinegirl
Recently we had a gorgeous female dog brought back to the shelter as a return. She is 1.5 y.o. She originally came in at 16 weeks old with 8 other litter mates who, according to a shelter staff member, were left in the backyard for those 4 months with no socialization whatsoever. She was adopted - don't know much about the adoptees other than the fact that they returned her to us about 2.5 weeks ago. She was extremely shy, but super friendly, I believe she may have been abused for "being destructive in the house (according to her info card)." She cowered a lot, but she was coming around nicely. An older couple came in last Saturday and put a hold on her, it was near the end of the day, so they were to return today to finalize the adoption. I just learned that the dog was returned to her "original" owners and the people who had her on hold chose another dog. I am hoping to learn more details tomorrow, but this sounds weird to me.

First, a dog without socialization in the first four months may cower around strangers all her life.

Second, the person who said "original owners" may have been referring to the owners who had just turned her in; otherwise, it would make more sense for him/her to have said "breeder".

Third, a shelter worker once told me that they have to be careful with owner turn-ins. Sometimes one member of the family gets mad about something (or takes advantage of another family member's absence) and turns in the dog. Then later one or more other family members come to retrieve the animal. The family member(s) who retrieved the dog may be very relieved that they managed to get her back before someone else adopted her.

People can be very cruel to each other sometimes. Divorces can result in people fighting over custody of children or pets. Property can be sold, given away, or destroyed - and, yes, legally dogs are property.

Sunshinegirl

Posted : 7/8/2008 10:25:37 AM

All of our dogs are owner turn ins. This isn't the only situation that has been questionable at the shelter. Many times dogs are adopted out with untreated skin conditions, etc., and that info is not shared with the adoptees. Landlord verifications are not made or introductions aren't done with other family members and/or pets. Then the dogs are returned to us. It's just a shame that the focus seems to be on getting them in and out as fast as possible. It kills me to see so many of these animals returned to us because the time was not taken to fully assess the situation and/or relay information to the new owners. One guy was drunk when he came in to pick up his dog, and they let the dog go with him!!!!!..... I mean, is this "okay" in the shelter world? I'm thinking not..............

janet_rose

Posted : 7/8/2008 11:19:30 AM

Sunshinegirl
It kills me to see so many of these animals returned to us because the time was not taken to fully assess the situation and/or relay information to the new owners. One guy was drunk when he came in to pick up his dog, and they let the dog go with him!!!!!.....

There is something wrong if the shelter is not being honest with those who are adopting the dogs. Letting a drunk take a dog is ridiculous, but there are risks in being confrontational with a drunk.

If I knew a drunk was about to drive a car, I would have called 911 with the license number.

Sunshinegirl

Posted : 7/8/2008 11:53:35 AM

I would have also called the cops, but, unfortunately I wasn't present when he picked the dog up. I heard about it after the fact. No one will speak up and say anything, well, except for me.......and that makes me the bad guy. This is not some small private shelter......it is a huge organization that, IMO, is out of control. They have a difficult time keeping volunteers because the "old timers" are so mean and nasty and such know-it-alls that it turns people off. They treat you like you're stupid and even if you know a thing or two about dogs, which I and others do......it seems that the only opinions/info that matters is what comes from a select group of people. Seriously, many of us who volunteer are professional people who could be doing lots of other things with our time, but we choose to be there - for the animals. They've created an environment in which you either go with the flow and ignore and don't speak about all of the unethical things that are happening there, or they shut you out. You have to choose your words very carefully when discussing "issues" there because everyone is so defensive. There is a group of volunteers who left there because of all the drama and started their own rescue organization. They set up as a non-profit and are doing good things in the community, mostly with rescue, fostering and adoption events. I will continue to volunteer my time at the shelter for now, but I am going to look into what I may be able to offer to other groups, like Animal Services, where, from what I understand, they do not have the drama associated with this other shelter. There is another shelter in a nearby town and I know of an employee there who says the same things are happening there, she wants to quit, but won't because she's afraid of what will happen to the animals if she does. It's just weird! Makes me want to start my own rescue - I really need to win the lottery!!!! :)

brookcove

Posted : 7/8/2008 12:20:02 PM

When you work with people, it's always political. There is no truly utopic concern out there. The question is whether egos and ulterior motives mesh and work together in such a way that things actually get done. And not perfectly, but in general.

Believe it or not, the biggest problem comes when people stop being honest about their own goals, and want to take on the weight of the world. Everyone wants to be the hero, and heroes require both victims and supervillans. That creates drama. The words, "I just want to help dogs" has proceeded some of the most selfish, heartless, evil statemenst I've ever heard from human lips.

But someone who says, "I am here because I am happy doing X, and pretty good at it," can keep their part of the concern going while drama flames around them. And the dogs benefit from that attitude. It's the way they look at life after all.

Sunshinegirl

Posted : 7/8/2008 2:43:28 PM

Becca - I agree with much of what you said. I have really tried to block out the drama and pettiness and spend my time at the shelter doing what I feel benefits the animals and makes me feel good as well. What the dogs give to me is far more than I cold ever give to them and I feel like I'm failing them when I see things happening that shouldn't be happening... if you say anything you're a tattle tale and if you don't it just continues to get worse. Clearly the dogs may benefit from an attitude of, "I'm here because I'm happy doing X" while the drama flies by, but when a dog is sent out the door with unaddressed health issues, or returned (or worse) because someone was so hell bent on "making the sale" that they sent that dog into a lose/lose situation or when a dog is euthed unnecessarily......it's hard to bear. THOSE dogs are not benefiting from anything. I am having a hard time putting blinders on in these instances. Now, when it comes to people trying to one-up each other on the quality of treats they bring in (trust me, it happens) or when one person takes the credit for an adoption that someone else was responsible for, yeah, I don't like it, but I can live with it. I just look at those people with pity because obviously something is missing from their lives that they have to come to the shelter, a place where hearts should come together for the good of the animals and boss people around, break all the rules and wreak havoc on the whole place. It has literally become a me, me, me environment and some of the animals are suffering as a result. It's just sad.......