So freaking angry right now
Posted on Thu, 31 Jan 2008 by KiM
This post has nothing to do with design or anything even remotely related but I am so pissed off I had to post about this. A Flickr friend Liz, also from Ottawa, posted a photo of her cute dog Paddington earlier tonight and there was quite a long description with it that I read and got more and more furious as I read it. See, Liz recently got a house and knew she wanted 2 dogs now that she has the space and wanted to get a rescue dog. (YAY Liz!) She found a Shih Tzu on the website of a local shelter and called to find out more information. Turns out the shelter wants a whopping SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS for the dog because she is a miniature Shih Tzu and this is apparently rare. Liz was pretty angry about this and I TOTALLY agree. That is CRAZY to ask that much for a dog at a shelter. Apparently crazy to most folks because the dog, named Tica, is still not adopted. This shelter is in Gatineau, Quebec, and I have to say that if the Ottawa Humane Society had done that and word got out, the shit would hit the fan. I don’t know how they can get away with this. This appears to be the norm there because their website says nothing about adoption prices, unlike at other shelters where the price is regulated. It just broke my heart to hear this, to learn that they are trying to make as much money as they can off this little helpless dog. Then I saw her photo. And I’m fighting back tears, because she would have had a great life with Liz.
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Anonymous says:
miniature shih tzus don’t even really exist! my mother has one (sadly, not rescued, but let’s not go there)and when she brought it to the vet for the first time the vet ranted about how dog breeds are used as marketing tools and that “toy” and “miniature” are not even real.
kim. says:
Thank you all for your touching comments and opinions. I still stand by my point that this situation is ridiculous. The main point is shelters should have standard fees for adoptions, and this one doesn’t. And this poor dog could have had a home with Liz but doesn’t because they are trying to get as much money off of her as they can. That’s the bottom line. And thank you Sam for coming to my defense. This is my blog and Jo’s and she and I will post about whatever we like. We are both huge animal lovers and we frequently post photos with animals and will continue to do so. If anyone doesn’t like it, too bad. Sorry filoderba if this post offends you. I clearly stated at the beginning of this post that it wasn’t design related. You could have left at that point. Now I have to apologize for being defensive but animals have always played a huge part in my life, and I had a REALLY shitty day at work.
lsaspacey says:
I don’t care how rare the dog is. They did not buy it themselves and they are not the breeder. This is a rescue dog, a dog either found on the streets or dropped off by someone who didn’t want it. Therefore, I think it should be worth the same fees as any other rescue dog. I’m sure they’ve had a few pure bred dogs slip by them before because they didn’t recognize the breed.
orangered says:
As hard as shelters struggle, it is a chance to make some money to support all the animals.
i don’t think it’s wrong.
Private orgs are not bound by all of the same regulations as state funded ones, like private schools.
On one hand, adopting her more quickly frees her kennel for another dog, or a litter of puppies, but the money can can go toward paying and retaining quality employees more than minimum wage, medical aid for an injured animal, or just staying afloat.
She’s less helpless than all the less little and cute dogs and cats that will be not adopted destroyed due to lack of space and funds.
Jennifer Ramos says:
thats so bogus…..shelters are not supposed to charge that much for dogs. The most I've ever paid at a rescue for a dog was $200. I gladly gave it because it was going to help keep the other dogs at the shelter alive and eating etc…
But this is a bit much, poor dog will be sitting at the shelter for awhile because of greed in the end.
Terrible….
orangered says:
greed, i think not…maybe a poor overestimate of how much one of the people, who come running when small adorable or pedigreed dogs and such go up for adoption, is willing to pay…to aid the shelter, yes!!
kim. says:
I’d just like to add that the dog is still listed on the website. I’m going to out on a limb and say that it’s largely due to the PRICE.
balsamfir says:
It seems to me that if this is in fact a legitimate shelter and not a puppy mill disquising itself as a shelter, that they have mixed up their means and ends. They want money, and charging a normal rescue dog fee (I just did this and about $200 seems to be the norm) and vetting the adoptee for their willingness and ability to deal with all the issues rescue dogs have(medical, emotional, special training) is reasonable. Then, separately they should fundraise . I agree that holding the dog in a kennel until a rich person decides to adopt is not fair to the dog, which is the point the “shelter” exists in the first place. I’d look closely at the legal setup governing the shelter. In the US, they have to have a clear mission to maintain tax status. I don’t know how it works in Canada, but I suspect there are rules even in Quebec. Nonetheless, if you look around, you will probably find some other equally wonderful and deserving dog with a group you really want to support.
drey says:
$700 to adopt a dog (thereby relieving the shelter of its care and responsibility) that would otherwise not receive the love and attention it seeks sounds atrocious.
so what if it’s rare? i mean, come ON! to fundraise, charge a flat fee (or slighter higher for realy large dogs who eat more) but really… how much can poor Tica eat!?
i’m sorry to hear that Liz.
dog lover that i am, i’m sickened by this… :/
Ali says:
There is no such thing as a "miniature" shih tzu" It is not a recognized breed. If it is miniature that means it is crossed or substandard (runt) and most likely not healthy!