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Post by fureverywhere on Mar 30, 2011 13:01:04 GMT -5
Heyho,
This sweet young woman stopped me as I was walking Ophie last night. She had flyers for pittys at the Humane Society in Newark. Ophie was hauling me ahead so I didn't have time to get a contact number for her group. I'm passing the flyers locally...but one of the dogs was such a lover-Ophie is such a mama's girl she's not gonna share-but the idea of fostering was brought up.
How does that work? Hubby would be okay with me taking on another pooch until we could find the right home. I know Newark has like a 20 minute waiting period before they put them down...This particular dog seems like such a sweetie...but who do I talk to to find out about fostering this guy before it's too late?
Any suggestions folks????????
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Post by Dave on Mar 30, 2011 14:14:37 GMT -5
Associated Humane is obligated to keep strays for 7 days, as mandated by state law. Surrenders can be put down as soon as the ex-owner walks out the door. AHS processes ALOT of dogs, and many if not most pit bulls leave in the freezer.
That said, did you ask the person handing out the flyers? And ask yourself, what do you know about the dog in question? What is it's background? Are there health issues, behavior issues, and would you be held responsible, legally or financially? Just because it looks like a sweet dog means nothing. Fostering a pit bull may mean weeks, months or even years. It's really not something to enter into lightly or spontaneously.
I'm not trying to put you off, but pit bull rescue is the most difficult undertaking of all. Burnout is high. Foster failures usually mean that the foster never takes in another dog, simply because living with multiples is difficult even if one is mildly animal aggressive.
If you can't contact the person handing out the flyers, inquire at the shelter. That's the best advice I can give. I don't know of any organizations working with Associated to get foster dogs out.
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Post by RealPitBull on Mar 31, 2011 7:19:47 GMT -5
I was contacted a few weeks back by AHS regarding pulling dogs from their shelter. I only just found time to reply to them. I'm not sure they have their own foster program. Dave, do you know?
Fureverywhere, are you serious about fostering?
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Post by Dave on Mar 31, 2011 9:03:57 GMT -5
I don't think they do, but I don't know for sure. I've never heard that they do. They likely work through legitimate rescues. Setting up and running a volunteer foster program is a nightmare.
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Post by RealPitBull on Mar 31, 2011 9:07:22 GMT -5
Yep, just heard back from them, I am pretty sure they just allow legit rescues to pull. No foster program. I'm going to submit our info so we can be added to the list of rescues allowed to pull.
That shelter is a nightmare, btw.
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Post by Dave on Mar 31, 2011 9:12:39 GMT -5
Yeah, I know. But some people say that about us, too.
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Post by RealPitBull on Mar 31, 2011 9:24:15 GMT -5
No judgements considering where it is, and the type of shelter it is, but it isn't exactly what I'd call a welcoming environment. If I could help dogs get out of there, I'd be happy.
I haven't been to PAHS since before all the work was done - I didn't and wouldn't consider what I saw at PAHS to be a nightmare.
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Post by Dave on Mar 31, 2011 9:44:20 GMT -5
The two state inspectors did not share your view. Granted, the kennels were in very bad shape, but we were working on funding. Ironically, in their concerted effort to shut us down for perceived problems and outright lies, they only succeeded in providing us with the balance of the funding to upgrade. It must've been eating them up inside.
We do have our detractors, though. Some of them are rogue volunteers that didn't get their way and turned on us. It happens to shelters and rescues alike at some time or another.
Re: AHS, I've never felt welcomed there, as either an anonymous visitor, or a guest of an employee, or meeting staff as a PAHS rep. That was a long time ago, don't know if it's changed.
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Post by RealPitBull on Mar 31, 2011 9:57:52 GMT -5
I've been there once, to eval some dogs for an out of state pull. Let's just say my experience wasn't that great.
Gotta love rescue and shelter politics, huh? I've seen some pretty ugly stuff over the years.
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Post by Dave on Mar 31, 2011 10:52:30 GMT -5
It's cutthroat in many places. It's difficult to foster good, lasting relationships because of differing opinions, doctrines, goals and such. We are just people, after all.  |
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Post by emilys on Mar 31, 2011 10:55:55 GMT -5
Re: AHS, I've never felt welcomed there, as either an anonymous visitor, or a guest of an employee, or meeting staff as a PAHS rep. That was a long time ago, don't know if it's changed. AHS.. is that the same place involved with Patrick??? |
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Post by michele5611 on Mar 31, 2011 11:08:03 GMT -5
yes Emily.
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Post by emilys on Mar 31, 2011 17:50:39 GMT -5
well, they're certainly going to rake in the bucks over that! Especially since the Vet Hospital actually caring for him has told people they don't need any more donations. (incredible but true: www.gsvs.org/news/patrick.asp) |
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Post by Dave on Mar 31, 2011 18:37:53 GMT -5
They will. The dog on the fence was a good one, but Patrick has garnished alot of attention. It's the in thing now to help a pit bull, we're still riding the Vick wave (sorry, Mary!)
It may seem sick, but shelters often wish for a hard case like this, mine included. It brings in alot of money and notoriety. The animal will be helped, made healthy and many will wish to adopt it. Everyone wins. But there are many stories like Patrick's that don't end well. You don't hear of them.
GSVS is the premier animal surgery hospital in NJ. They've done an amazing job with Patrick when he should have been dead. I'm sure he's got a long road ahead of him, but in the end his plight will help many.
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Post by emilys on Mar 31, 2011 19:42:48 GMT -5
,,, It may seem sick, but shelters often wish for a hard case like this, mine included. It brings in alot of money and notoriety. The animal will be helped, made healthy and many will wish to adopt it. Everyone wins. But there are many stories like Patrick's that don't end well. You don't hear of them.,,, . of course and that's understandable and ok with me.. as long as the organization raising money on behalf of a particular animal actually has custody of the animal (cough Faye cough). Or if they're very explicit that money raised will be used to help others in that dog's situation. Given what you/Mary have said about AHS's treatment of pit bulls, and given that Patrick won't go to them for months (at a minimum) and he will be completely adoptable at that moment... why should they get a dime fundraising off of him? |
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Post by Dave on Mar 31, 2011 19:55:59 GMT -5
Patrick is in AHS's care, being that they do animal control for Newark. He's at Garden State for medical attention and rehab, and will most certainly be transferred back to AHS as soon as he's fit. Being cared for by Garden Sate is not cheap.
PAHS has a program whereby animals that need special attention are "rented;" people sponsor them for $10/month while they are readied for adoption. Once they are adopted, another takes it's place. All shelters use the animals in their care to raise funds. It's exploitation, all of it. But the animals benefit, too. Patrick is being exploited in the same way, but he, too will benefit from it. Once he's adopted, another will take his place.
I sometimes question the ethics, but not deeply. We lose money on every adoption. I don't see why we shouldn't try to break even, when it helps the pets. I don't begrudge AHS the same opportunity.
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Post by fureverywhere on Mar 31, 2011 19:56:37 GMT -5
I heard on the tail end of the news today that they may have caught the woman who put Patrick out...Sigh...I called the next morning after I got the flyers and the dog named Joey was still on the AHS website but on the phone they said he was gone...gone like adopted or gone like dead??? I didn't wanna ask.
Yes Mary, I'm serious about fostering...AHS said they have another site that does foster care, I don't know where. That particular shelter is rough...but you just have to go in on a mission. Hold your ears and come armed with dog profile numbers and enough persistence and patience to search out doggies...then search out a stray handler to show you said doggie.
I would definitely send experienced owners there. If you have a fairly clear idea what you're looking for and even clearer what you don't want they have soooo many critters just pleading for a home. Not a place for young kids or sensitive adults however...
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Post by fureverywhere on Mar 31, 2011 19:58:27 GMT -5
By the by Dave, we'd really like to believe everyone enforces that holding period but...
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Post by Dave on Mar 31, 2011 20:02:46 GMT -5
The problem with AHS and their pit bulls, is that AHS serves dozens of communities as their animal control services, some of which no other agency will touch. PAHS is situated within the city of Plainfield, but we could never service them. They are one of the communities in NJ that has a very high rate of stray pit bulls, and is also known for alot of dogfighting and illicit activities involving pit bulls. AHS services Plainfield, among other communites like it. Their stray and impound intake dwarfs other ACS agencies. There was a time when no pit bull left AHS alive. Apparently that's changed, which I'm optimistic about. However, I'm sure their freezers are still full of them.
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Post by Dave on Mar 31, 2011 20:06:52 GMT -5
By the by Dave, we'd really like to believe everyone enforces that holding period but... I know, but it's very difficult to prove if they don't. You need an inside observer, and they usually want to keep their jobs. I know for a fact that another very large agency in NJ actually has euth'd dogs in the van on the way back to the shelter. These were dogs that should have been held for 7 days. And, to top it off, they tout themselves as no-kill. Boy are people surprised when I educate them about no-kill. |
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I look forward to learning much here