Re: Make it stop

H the P on 2/3/2011, 5:33 am

I am sorry things are so tough, Saira. I only wish we could do more to help. And I so agree with the comment about us volunteers having nothing else to do with our time except wait around for these people to dump their dogs on us ... aaarrrgh. hair pull

Donna on 2/3/2011, 6:30 am

Green Mountain has calmed down a bit, after this fall with 25 coming in from a Missouri puppy mill then another 6 coming in from a Amish mill, they needed a break.
Luckily almost all of them have been adopted.
They currently have an adorable 2yr old owner surrender black male that has oddly not been adopted yet.
I thought he would have been scooped up in a day.
I have said this so many times but I would get rid of my husband first before I got rid of my pugs!
No one ever thinks of the future when they are getting pets.

papaspugs on 2/3/2011, 7:40 am

Maybe some of you can chime in, but not only the numbers are increasing, but do you think that amount of medically critical pugs are increasing too?

I would say out of about 20 fosters that I have had 4 were what I considered bad.
1. Puglsey was pretty bad off. HW+, all teeth had to be removed.
2. Herbie-IBD and multiple surgeries to his butt
3. Tia (with MAPR)-she was the worst case of neglect I'd ever seen
4. Baby Girl-CT and now with back issues

But when you hear about the pugs coming in now with such bad medical problems, it scares me to think about what all is going on in society.

Saira on 2/3/2011, 9:59 am

papaspugs wrote:Maybe some of you can chime in, but not only the numbers are increasing, but do you think that amount of medically critical pugs are increasing too?

I would say out of about 20 fosters that I have had 4 were what I considered bad.
1. Puglsey was pretty bad off. HW+, all teeth had to be removed.
2. Herbie-IBD and multiple surgeries to his butt
3. Tia (with MAPR)-she was the worst case of neglect I'd ever seen
4. Baby Girl-CT and now with back issues

But when you hear about the pugs coming in now with such bad medical problems, it scares me to think about what all is going on in society.

We've seen the same. I think one of the first things people give up are vet visits. Not only that, but we have gotten a lot more from the shelter, and the shelter only calls us when they are in bad shape. Also, like Blanche said, we have seen a lot with the downturn of the economy but more still are given up for just plain dumb reasons. It's just a bad cycle, more pugs, more medical expenses, less donations and less foster homes. Or foster homes that just aren't equipped to deal with behavioral/medical issues.

TxAllieGrl on 2/3/2011, 10:06 am

Saira wrote: Or foster homes that just aren't equipped to deal with behavioral/medical issues.

Saira - one of the things we're looking into here is holding a training class to help fosters deal with behavioral issues, and helping the fosters to adjust. This is more for the foster homes/people of course - there is a ton of interest here among our foster families.

Is there a trainer in LV who might offer to do that for you guys for free? Maybe team up with another rescue (Bassett Hounds?) to increase the headcounts?

I also think it'd be great if a couple of the rescues got together to arrange a pilot & paws transport up to alaska. maybe later in the spring?

Saira on 2/3/2011, 10:08 am

TxAllieGrl wrote:
Saira wrote: Or foster homes that just aren't equipped to deal with behavioral/medical issues.

Saira - one of the things we're looking into here is holding a training class to help fosters deal with behavioral issues, and helping the fosters to adjust. This is more for the foster homes/people of course - there is a ton of interest here among our foster families.

Is there a trainer in LV who might offer to do that for you guys for free? Maybe team up with another rescue (Bassett Hounds?) to increase the headcounts?

I also think it'd be great if a couple of the rescues got together to arrange a pilot & paws transport up to alaska. maybe later in the spring?

Allie, that's really really good idea. We do work closely with some other rescues, maybe it would worth it to look into and see if they know anyone and do a few classes.

northernwitch on 2/3/2011, 10:23 am

Saira wrote:
TxAllieGrl wrote:
Saira wrote: Or foster homes that just aren't equipped to deal with behavioral/medical issues.

Saira - one of the things we're looking into here is holding a training class to help fosters deal with behavioral issues, and helping the fosters to adjust. This is more for the foster homes/people of course - there is a ton of interest here among our foster families.

Is there a trainer in LV who might offer to do that for you guys for free? Maybe team up with another rescue (Bassett Hounds?) to increase the headcounts?

I also think it'd be great if a couple of the rescues got together to arrange a pilot & paws transport up to alaska. maybe later in the spring?

I've done this a couple of times with our foster parents. We have a wonderful behaviourist who has come in to do training with us. It's been very useful. I don't do enough of it, frankly.

Yes, we are seeing more medically complicated dogs--so they cost a lot and stay in foster care longer--if they are ever adopted. And we just don't applications like we used to. It almost feels like the pug market is saturated. Three or four years ago we'd get 15 apps for almost any dog. Now we're lucky to get one or two.

We've seen a few dogs come in due to the economy, but the big increase has been (1) adopted dogs being returned after several years and (2) an increase in the usual reasons--too busy, new baby, we're moving.

And I was asked recently (after Lucy's PDE diagnosis) if the rescue would be testing all our dogs for the genetic marker for PDE. I didn't know what to say.
Allie, that's really really good idea. We do work closely with some other rescues, maybe it would worth it to look into and see if they know anyone and do a few classes.

Maryjo on 2/3/2011, 12:12 pm

Renee wrote:Damn, damn, damn. I really, really wish you could send them to Alaska. We have the room, and we have the demand..

I wish we could figure out a 'pipeline of pugs' to a Alaska. I've said it before, there HAS to be a bunch of responsible people traveling to Alaska in RV's over the spring and summer months. They could transport 1 or 2 pugs at a time and we could get them wonderful forever homes! hug dog