For the past several weeks, I’ve been looking into getting a rescue dog.  Ideally, I’d love to get a 5-7 year old female English Mastiff to be a “friend” to my male.  To keep him company when we are gone.  And to provide a good home to a dog who needs one for its remaining years.

So with this in mind, I started looking into rescue organizations.

I’ve never considered a rescue dog before so I had thought you just call these people up and they give you a dog that is in desperate need of a forever home.

Boy, was I WRONG.  And I mean 100% WRONG.

You start with a 3-5 page application.  These applications ask for personal references, for a veterinarian reference, for a letter from my landlord, how I will feed the dog, what I will feed the dog, how will I exercise the dog, will I train the dog, what if the dog chews things, etc.

Then they require a home visit.  So they will come to my home and inspect it and make sure it’s suitable for a large breed animal.  One organization even said they would bring along a large breed dog so you could “see how one fits” in your home.

Seriously?

All this I could probably deal with.  But the one think I can’t deal with is the cost: Anywhere from $250 (this is for 7 year old dogs or older) to $500!

In my mind, this is outrageous!  That’s half the cost of a puppy!

I just want a companion animal for my other animal.  I’m willing to take the dog for the rest of its life and all the vet bills that entails when it does die (which could be anytime with these big breeds).  And I’m willing to love it and cherish it until it’s last breath.

What I’m NOT willing to do is pay outrageous amounts of money and be subject to the organization’s whims about whether or not I’m a suitable “parent” for a large breed dog.

It just sickens me.  It absolutely does.

The definition of rescue is: “to free from confinement, danger, or evil; save, deliver” according to Webster’s.

No where in this definition do I see a caveat of “upon approval”.

Solution:  there should be an exemption for previous large-breed owners.  Yes, I understand the needs of a large breed animal and what all that entails.  And I have understood this for the last 11 years and I continue to understand their needs with my male.

I am just frustrated.

For example:  I found a 6 year old female mastiff and emailed about her.  The organization did not have their fees listed so I inquired.  This is what I got back as a response:  “We ask for a minimum donation of $350 but many people donate more.  Our dogs are up-to-date on all shots, on heartworm prevention, are microchipped, and any pre-existing conditions are treated.”

Then I was told they were going to spay this 6 year old mastiff.  I inquired if this was really necessary.  She is 6 years old and apparently was underweight and in rough shape when they got her.  Is it truly necessary to spay a dog who’s been through menopause and put her through a surgical trauma because of your rules and regulations?

Needless to say, I didn’t hear back on that one yet.

I think microchipping in unnecessary as is the case of spaying this poor old mastiff.  And then these costs are passed on to me.

I think all of this is ridiculous and I refuse to pay $500 for a mastiff who could get sick and die at any time.

I don’t mind a small fee.  Say $100.  But no more.

I’m tired of paying the penalties for all those bad dog owners out there.  Who get these big dogs and can’t keep them.  And this is the minority.  I’m tired of the majority paying the penalty for the minority (are you listening, US government?).  I just am.

My dogs are complete members of the family.  They are loved so much I can’t even put it into words.  I provide a home and I take my dogs whenever I move.  They are with me until their last breath.

And I refuse to be patronized by someone who is guarding against the bad owners out there.

Just give me a dog that needs a home and quit requiring 1000 hoops to jump through.

And if you are approved, you are not guaranteed the dog you want.  In some organizations, you get what you get.

Overbearing, far-reaching, arrogant, and pompousness in my opinion.  As if I’M the lucky one instead of the dog.

And I’m tired of it.

It is cost prohibitive to get a rescue dog.  Period.

And I don’t know why people even rescue dogs unless their inner drive to save one is stronger than all of these aforementioned factors.

The whole process needs to change.  Along with the attitudes I am receiving through emails.  I see no gratefulness from these rescue organizations for people like myself who want to take one of their dogs.

I am a good dog owner.  So quit treating me like I’m a horrible person, I’m lucky to be getting one of your dogs, and how I don’t know anything about big dogs.

Treat me how the dog would treat me:  lovingly, compassionate, and in need of a friend, a home, a family, and a safe environment.

I’m pretty sure the dog doesn’t care about what I’m feeding it; as long as it’s fed.  It doesn’t care about how it’s exercised or trained; as long as it is.  It doesn’t care about what my home looks like; as long as there is a home.  It doesn’t care about my past experience, who will be it’s vet, or how long I have lived in my home.

All the dog wants is a family to love it till the day it dies.

So quit with the bureaucracy and the red tape and give the dog what it wants–not what you want.

And if the dog could talk, it would simply say:

“SAVE ME!!!!!”