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  #1  
Old July 6th, 2004, 12:29 PM
buriedinfur buriedinfur is offline
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rescue groups

Are there any people out here that belong to a rescue group or humane society/SPCA and if so how is the relationship between the two. I live out in BC and there are a few groups out here that are so rabidly anti SPCA that it clouds thier judgment. I just wish that everyone could work together in the goal of helping animals rather than the darn politics that seem to get thrown into everything!
Just wanted to know how it was with other parts of the country.
Thanks!
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  #2  
Old July 6th, 2004, 12:32 PM
sammiec sammiec is offline
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There are MANY people on this board that are from resuces.. this thread will be full soon. I unfortunately am not. But I do agree that politics do seem to weasle in everything...the main goal should always be the animals first...
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  #3  
Old July 6th, 2004, 12:42 PM
Lucky Rescue Lucky Rescue is offline
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I am with a cat rescue, and we have NO relationship with Montreal SPCA.
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  #4  
Old July 6th, 2004, 05:44 PM
justncase justncase is offline
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There were too many times when rescue groups tried to adopt a cat/dog out of a shelter that was due to be euthanized and the shelter refused. The animal was euthanized. The rescue groups were responsible and caring and there was no reason for the shelter to have refused but they did.
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  #5  
Old July 6th, 2004, 05:50 PM
buriedinfur buriedinfur is offline
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Re lucky rescue's post

Hi Lucky - I was just wondering if you don't mind saying, why you don't have a relationship? If it is because you do not agree with the policies, or if you just have no need for one or ??
And do you do a specific breed rescue or just general cat rescue.
(Just because tone comes across really flat over e-mails and postings please know that I am asking out of a desire to see where these relationships fail and/or to help them grow, and not out of a desire cause "trouble" or bad feelings between groups)
I have personally seen many cases where personalities of individual people clashing caused rifts between organisations, but it has gone to such a scale in the lower mainland area of BC that I feel that the animals are losing out big time with all the bickering. No one organisation or individual can ever be completely right, but everything seems to be so absolute in thier opinions a lot of these cases, rather than comprimises being made.
I just am wondering if this is a unique situation or if groups and organisations have similar struggles across the country.
Thanks for your time
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  #6  
Old July 6th, 2004, 06:21 PM
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Luba Luba is offline
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Welcome

Are you with a shelter or rescue group yourself ?
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Cats only have nine lives because they stole them from dogs!Teehee
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  #7  
Old July 6th, 2004, 06:34 PM
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heidiho heidiho is offline
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I just have to say i never really knew anything about rescue groups til i turned my gsd into one...I have nothing but the utmost respect for the lady that has my puppy.It takes a REAL special person to do what she does,she has about 13 gsd dogs right now,on top of her own dogs,and took in 3 kittens,her house is mayhem and she just loves what she does,everyone i have mentioned her name to just says what an incredible person she is...I will always have a special place in my heart for her,was sooo kind and listened to my crying and confusion about what to do......She said on top of being a rescue place,she also has to be a psychologist for people..............So for all of you rescue people I THINK YOUR AWESOME..If i had a huge house i would love to do that.................
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  #8  
Old July 6th, 2004, 09:02 PM
Lucky Rescue Lucky Rescue is offline
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We are a cat rescue, and deal with abandoned and stray cats, but will take in and try and help anything from rabbits to sheep and anything in between!

The Montreal SPCA goes against everything we believe in, especially in their policy of adopting out intact animals, and the large scale killing they do with no attempt to promote or get the animals adopted.

The last outrage was when we tried to get a purebred Himalayan cat away from them. They told us the cat had been adopted, and they had killed it. It was 2 yrs old, and they called it "unadoptable" because it had a crooked tooth.
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  #9  
Old July 6th, 2004, 09:05 PM
buriedinfur buriedinfur is offline
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reply to lubo

Hi Lubo - I still volunteer with a shelter that I used to work for years back. Through the years I have met many skilled and dedicated people who do excellent rescue work (I personally have had the best experience with breed specific rescue - though have met some wonderful general rescue people).
I have unfortunately also seen the other side of some individuals affiliated with rescue groups where good intentions go awry, and some even have to be invesigated as conditions are inhumane.
The majority are wonderful caring people who go the mile plus to help out the animals, some are accepting of the position that a lot of shelters are in, and are willing to work with them, even though they may not agree in some circumstances they choose to disagree in a constructive way.
However some of the "good" rescues that I have met barely wait till they get the animal out of the shelter door before they are smearing the shelter and basically backstabbing them. As a person that has put in countless hours of my own time and money and have opened my home to many foster animals ect, you get the jist....this can rub a bit hard when you are labeled as a heartless person who doesn't care properly for the critters in thier care. Gosh - the only reason that the people that I have known work at the shelter is because they care so much - most could easily find higher pay, lower stress, higher reward jobs easily, but they choose to stay because they feel they are making a difference, and thier love of the animals that they care for pulls them through, at least till they burn out from stuggling with the daily stuff.
Basically I guess I am just trying to figure out why some groups feel so strongly against shelters and their employees/volunteers ect....mayhap there is or is not a way that I can help make peace - I don't know. But I want to try. United or at least at peace we are so much stronger.
Whew - sorry that went so long - guess I needed to vent - thanks guys!
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  #10  
Old July 6th, 2004, 09:21 PM
buriedinfur buriedinfur is offline
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here are a couple examples:

When I say some groups choose to bash the SPCA here and how shelter workers can feel even more unappreciated and vulnerable here is two snippits from posts on one anti SPCA groups site that were just posted today:

"The rats are falling over themselves fleeing the sinking ship: another director resigns"
"We did not ever want the collapse of the BC SPCA. We have written this many times. We still don't. But we now believe it is doomed because they all were either too stupid, or too self-serving, or too immoral to understand the simple concept of just doing real animal welfare honestly."

How are shelter workers/volunteers (like the directors) supposed to feel when they are confronted with words like these? We are "stupid, self serving immoral rats"? Are volunteers/employees supposed to feel the desire to work with this group to reform or at least seek see if some of thier ideas would improve how the shelter works? Or attacked and hostile? How is this doing the animals any good?

I am not saying that the SPCA is doing everything right and deserves no critisim - but while some rescue groups choose to disagree in a constructive, but still outspoken way, others choose to bash. I am wondering what makes the difference - just individual personalities or what? And has anyone had a circumstance like this that they have been able to turn more constuctive and amicable?

This kind of wording serves no purpose but to set people more against each other. It does not gain the animals any more help. Can it be turned around?

Any tips or suggestions would be great! Thanks!
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