World of Rescue Part 2: Dibs! Supermarket rescue

In Part 1 we touched on people needing to be aware and honest with themselves about whether they have chosen adoption to adopt or whether they are in fact merely choosing it as a cheaper alternative to buying a puppy. 
We feel there is another part to rescue evolving amongst potential adopters. 

The growing trend of treating rescue like a supermarket is a growing concern to us. Especially amongst "Designer Rescue" organisations. 
The two main concerns are Entitlement and "Pickiness"

Entitlement

Though the act of adopting can be a very noble action we are finding that it is becoming less noble and more egoic. Potential owners have become increasingly entitled when it comes to interest shown in a dog that has been posted on a rescue organisation's social media page or website. Especially when it comes to puppies. A growing trend of "I saw it, it's mine" is happening and is causing a lot of damage to not only a rescue org that this happens to but to "rescue" in general as people tend to tarnish all rescue organisations with the same brush when it comes to negative experiences. 

As a potential adopter you need to understand and accept that until the dog is in your home you cannot assume the dog is yours. If you expressed interest on social media or via e-mail or a phone or a message, even filling in an adoption application form specifying a dog in which you are interested does not mean you will be getting the dog. You may have had a successful home check, a good meet 'n greet - there are many things that can still happen that causes the organisation to tell you that unfortunately you are not getting the dog such as a foster home deciding they would like to adopt - as one example (discussed another time).

We will discuss in a later post ways you can help the process in getting the dog you want.

For now, if you are someone that has felt that you have the right to a dog merely because you showed interest and not getting the dog has tainted your opinion of the rescue organisation or the action of rescue/adoption in general please start changing your mindset. Understand that the want to adopt needs an open mind and an open heart to be most successful and be most pleasant. 

Pickiness

At times this goes hand in hand with entitlement. In our view it has become an almost pandemic problem within rescue. People being picky about the look of the dog and giving the organisation a "shopping list" of looks and traits a dog needs to have in order for them to consider adopting it. Then they sit back and get frustrated when organisations don't "get the goods" fast enough.

Rescue organisation volunteers are not your personal shoppers to find you what you consider would be the perfect dog. They are people that rescue dogs from being abandoned, unwanted and sometimes abused and their "job" is to find that dog the most ideal home, regardless of whether the person responded first or 1oth, has a bigger garden or smaller garden. For us at Beagle in Mind and BRAG and many other organisations it is about the most compatible match for the new owners and the dog. Finding you a dog that ticks all your boxes is not a priority. If this is something you expect then you need to consider that adoption is probably not for you. 

To have the mentality that you are "paying" for something thus have some sort of right to expect volunteers to find you what you want is something that needs to change. You need to ask yourself - am I willing to deal with potential issues that come along with adoption? If your answer is not a resounding yes, think long and hard. Adoption is not an "easy" route. 

Also remember; Adoption fees are not selling prices. They are there to help keep the organisation running. Pay vet bills, food, transport costs, etc.