Scary thing is, it’s a very accurate description of what you walk into once you enter the dreaded world of dog rescue…
Most of my life I have been involved in the rescue world in one form or another. Not as active as some have been but still I did a small part in the rescue world in hopes of putting just a few dogs in a better place or at least ensure that they got to live under better circumstances. Now being a working dog person myself I might have a different view on things when it comes to dogs. I might be harsher, stronger minded and not as soft hearted as most of the people I see doing their part in the dog rescue world. I do believe however that I am a logical person. I live in a world filled with reality and have a strong opinion on things and how I see them. An opinion I am not afraid to share or to stand up for.
Having said that I look around at the dog rescue world and cringe. Logic is not a word that many people seem to know. Reality is even more unknown. Fact is something that simply does not exist. People just scream and rant on rescue topics in hopes of looking good and getting a pat on the back for doing so. Exaggeration runs rampant, blatant lies get told, hysteria is the name of the game…. Only this morning I saw a dog posted to a group that was on a tether. Not much wrong with that one… The owner wanted the dog rehomed because the dog was killing their chickens. Again, not a real issue, it happens, rehome and retrain the dog and things will look up in future. Now this topic started with an owner wanting his dog rehomed for killing chickens and it being tethered in the yard. This topic ended up however with a dog being chained (not tethered by its leash as the picture shows) 24/7/365, in rain, wind and all sorts of weather, never to be let loose, and it killed chickens because it was not getting fed… *insert rolling eyes here please* Ignorance, lies, exaggeration, non factual drama and what have you not ensued… I was trying to think up a way for a chained dog to kill chickens if it never was allowed of chain but that was stupid because that is me being a “non believer in the powers that rescue”
Almost all rescue posts I come across have this sort of drama on it. People pledging but not coming through, people praying that the dogs get a new home, people saying “Wish he was closer” My favorite pet peeve by the way since they clearly never heard of transport options to get the dog to you? People posting pictures of their dogs on the topic, people screaming “where are the rescuers!” Well duhhh, get off your ass and be one instead of being a keyboard warrior pointing fingers at everyone else! All those posts that have nothing to do with the dog itself are not helping the dog. All those rescuers you are crying for are too busy to deal with your cries for rescue. Busy actually rescuing dogs!
And then there is the part of rescue that just loses its everloving mind and throws all common sense into the wind. Creating petitions that are factless but hey! they saw a dog on a chain so it must be abused! Or they go after the wrong person and try to ruin that person’s good name in the name of love of animals. They can not see the other side of the coin, or blatantly refuse to do so. They see the world in their own way and anything that doesn’t subscribe to that view will get beaten and bashed with illogical banter and drama. Education or explanation is useless since you will then get labeled an abuser or my favorite word “Meanie!” There is this incessant need for these people to reply to everything, to label it all abusive and to start lobbying against what they don’t understand simply because they are unwilling to educate themselves or look any further then their nose is long. Anything out of the usual will be swiftly condemned and petitioned for… This is today’s dog rescue world. Where people’s opinions matter more than the dogs they are supposed to be rescuing… Where reality isn’t even a blip on the radar and where stupidity and non fact run rampant.
Beware before you enter it. It is a vortex of nonsensical people that will try to suck you into their world of pink elephants and fluffy white clouds. It is an exhausting world, filled with heartache and frustration and sometimes loads of anger because no matter how hard you try to make a difference you will always be fighting that barrier of stupidity and entitlement that in most of the cases stands in the way of actually getting dogs rescued…
Regards. Alice Mackenzie.
Working Shepherds 