I'm officially Pi$%*d off!!!

[Bruce H]

We just got a call from Lucky Star. They had an emergency come up that they needed help with. Oh, have to say, it's not Lucky Star I'm mad at.

Turns out a family had adopted a Cavalier from Lucky Star. After 3 days (yes, 3 days!!) they called Lucky Star and said they didn't want the dog after all. And someone had to come get the dog right away or they would drop her off at the Humane Society. Needless to say, she is at our house now and someone from Lucky Star will be picking her up in 2 or 3 days. I wish we could keep her here, but we are just stretched too thin with Honey and Sergio here for a while.

When we picked her up, they said she had a couple accidents in the house, so they didn't want her. Didn't even give her a chance to settle in and get used to the routine. What is wrong with these "people"? She is just such a sweet girl, very friendly and outgoing. Now she gets passed around a little more. I'm just so angry I'm having a hard time typing and being coherent. Hope this doesn't sound too bad when I read it again tomorrow!

Hopefully her next family will be perfect for her, she deserves better.

[WoodHaven]

Thank you for being there when this lil one needed someone. Some people aren't dog people and it is best that she is rehomed with people who will appreciate her fully. To threaten to give her to a humane society is maddening. JMO- Sandy

[luvzcavs]

That really is no good. Poor darling.

I am still struggling to fathom why there are even cavalier rescues needed, I can not even begin to understand these precious creatures being abused, given up etc etc

I really do think it should be us humans who need to have a licence and registration to own a dog not the dog needing to be registered etc

I'm so glad there are people on the earth like you to help these little ones out even if its only for a few hours or days it is all the difference to these animals. Thank you Bruce and all you other rescue folks. xxx

[Alison_Leighfield]

Bruce,

I know where you are coming from!

I couldn't get over the people that arranged to pick my Annie-Belle up from the rescue and when they got there deceided they didn't want her because of the damaged eye that she had...one woman said she was nearly sick from looking at her....what I could say to her.... the eye was the least of her problems....

Lets hope the new families know what little treasures they are bringing home.

Alison, Wilts, U.K.

[misty]

I'd be as angry as you, Bruce. What do people expect? A perfect dog straight away? This makes me so annoyed.

Bruce,

I know where you are coming from!

I couldn't get over the people that arranged to pick my Annie-Belle up from the rescue and when they got there deceided they didn't want her because of the damaged eye that she had...one woman said she was nearly sick from looking at her....what I could say to her.... the eye was the least of her problems....

Lets hope the new families know what little treasures they are bringing home.

Alison, Wilts, U.K.

OMG, Alison

Thank God Annie-Belle's first people were shallow enough to be shocked by Annie's appearance.

These people make me sick .... imagine what would've happened to Annie-Belle if they had taken her home. They wouldn't have been able to work through her baggage with her ... she would've been returned, even more traumatised.

[Jen]

Well, I guess they aren't ready for a dog, and it's in the dogs best interest that it didn't work out. Their loss. Onto bigger and better things I say!

[Karlin]

This is really unfortunate. I think one difficulty for Lucky Star is the inability to homecheck. That said, Many Tears does apparently homecheck. People do slip through the net -- or think they can take on more than they find that they can -- but you'd have thought that someone would have talked through the likelihood of housetraining issues and accidents with any new dog in a new place, much less a dog from a bad background. And that poor Annie-Belle's eye was mentioned well in advance of a family arriving to collect her. On the other hand maybe this was done and the people chose not to listen and seemed great families for these dogs initially in every other way.

I'd hope Lucky Star has new owners sign a contract similar to a breeder contract which stipulates they absolutely cannot turn a dog over to anyone else and must return it, perhaps at their expense if necessary, to the rescue. That is one way of trying to shut off the possibility that people will try and dump a dog or pass it along elsewhere. Also I now think, after some (short!) time doing this, that it is important to give a solid briefing in advance to adopting families on rescues including the families who say they know all about how to handle a new rescue dog, and then give them a packet of info and web links which touch on all these issues -- accidents, whining, adjusting to other dogs in the house, etc. Plus my numbers and email to contact with any worries or problems. A lot of the initial problems can often be resolved just be some calm discussions and reassurance that what is happening is indeed normal for a rescue and not an indication of a problem dog or their inability to do the right things for the dog.

I have a lot of time for Lucky Star but at the same time such an incident makes you wonder a bit cynically about their stipulation that adopting families have someone home all day -- a very hard condition and I think conducive to losing many great potential adopters and getting many who, besides the fact that they are at home, don;t have a lot else to recommend them. Some of my very best homes are ones where people work and take time to make sure their dog is happy and content during their working time. Some of the worst situations my rescues have come from are homes with a stay at home parent where the dog is utterly neglected all day and left out in the garden. I would without hesitation say that a cavalier inside on its own in a happy environment while its owner is at work for the day is far better off and far more content than a dog left in the garden for long stretches while its owner is at home.

Bruce, I hope you are still as angry tomorrow as someone needs to get angry on behalf of these dogs and at such stupid people... At the same time, I think that the more work a rescue can do before placing a dog -- and that means more than just reading an application, as people will say anything on applications -- the better chance of permanent success. As I don't know the advance work done in either situation I am making a general observation here -- and one which I have learned the hard way myself. People can truly look good on paper and sound good on the phone but you need to go out nd visit them and talk through issues face to face to really get a handle on where you might be sending a dog -- or the reasons not to send it at all.

[Maxxs_Mummy]

Oh {{{{{{{{Bruce, Kris and the poor baby}}}}}}}}, I just don't understand people at all and I don't think I ever will

We've had Charlie for 11 mths now and it's only in the last 6 weeks or so that he's actually stopped peeing in the house - yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy we've cracked it

I agree with Karlin about some people who stay at home, neglecting their dogs - makes me so mad My friend rescued a little b&t boy from a situation like this - he was expected to stay in his bed all day unless he wanted a wee

It must have taken her a good six months to get him used to a normal life again before she felt she could pass him on to a good home who adore him.

Mine are neglecting me at the minute. I've tried to get them to play and they got in their beds and went to sleep

Hope the little one soon finds her forever home where she is loved, adored and worshipped - just like they are supposed to be

[Bruce H]

Well, I've calmed down a little bit now! Not very often I get angry like that. At least these "people" called LS before dumping that little girl.

Karlin, actually LS did do a home visit, here is the post from the other list I'm on:

Bruce, it was not actually three full days that these folks had Fiona...barely two, in fact. We did all the right things...many phone interviews, lots of information shared, a home visit that gave a glowing report...and these folks waited about three weeks for us to get Fiona transported to them. I am beyond pissed about how this all turned out...and can never thank you and Kris enough for jumping when I called a few hours ago...and going to rescue Fiona yet again. She deserves so much more, and I am horrified that this has turned out like this for her...as is everyone who had her in their care.

Any of you who are interested may see the lovely Fiona on the Lucky Star website www.luckystarcavalierrescue.org and I have listed her again as available. Kris has a possible home in her area...and then we are going back to the folks who were really interested in her while we were "holding" her for this potential wonderful home that turned into a nightmare for her. We do not often come across mistakes like this, but when we do they tend to be doozies...and I will forever be grateful to Kris and Bruce for coming to Fiona's rescue. God bless you both...and please give that sweet girl a gentle hug from me. I am so sure she is very confused at this point, and than makes me nuts.

Actually, Kris and I ran across these people a couple years ago. Seems they made the rounds of all the breeders in this area looking for a puppy and then, if offered a puppy, would say the "time isn't right".

[Lisa_T]

They sound like timewasters. Did they actually visit the breeders? Maybe they liked the idea, and liked playing with the dogs when they could give them back. My breeders told me that they thought they'd found a really good home for one of their puppies- new owners phoned them only three hours after getting puppy home and said they couldn't cope, would someone please come and pick the pup up again? Poor wee baby must have been so confused.

I checked out Lucky Star- they seem to have some English Toys that must surely be Cavaliers. Lora/Lulu for example- unless I'm very mistaken, there's no way that that's a ETS, although I notice that some American Cavaliers seem to have longer noses than ours, so maybe that's why. Same with Toby- his profile is identical to Holly's.... *shrugs* Not that it matters. They're all beautiful dogs and deserve forever homes. I too think it unbelievable that a fabulous breed like CKCS even needs specialist rescue..