The World of Rescue

Oh heavens!  I write this because you all need to know what the world of rescue is like, but I don't know if I can come close to doing it justice. 

So what is MY world like in rescue?  It's very special, very tiring, yet very rewarding and yet different than what most people envision.  Why you ask?  Because I was the adoption/surrender coordinator for English Springer Spaniel Club of Long Island - Rescue.  Why is that so different, you ask?  Hum. Well, let's see...

First, what is rescue?  Well that's easy, you take a springer and you find it a home.  Yup, you are right, that's easy (sometimes).  But then there is that girl or boy who isn't the perfect springer.  So who wants him/her?  Aw heck, we all know there is someone who can do it? but who?  And where will he/her go until we find them a home?  Ok that's my job.  Gotta find him a place to live until he finds that perfect home.  Foster home?  A dime a dozen you think? but you are WRONG!   If we are lucky we have 10 good foster homes and they are usually FULL!  And yes folks, you already know I am one of them. So where do we find those great people who wants to adopt those springer cast offs?  Do they show up at my door, do they call me on the phone, do they email me?  Well, except for the first one, yes that's exactly how they find us.  But how do we know they are a good home?  Can they handle our extra smart breed? Who knows?  So NOW we have to interview them. Yup, I do that too, with the help of two other volunteers.  So far I think that makes 15 people volunteering!  But WAIT, we found Spanky a home!  How the heck does he get there?  YOU say, "the people just go get him".  But, what if he is 15 hours away? What then?  Our territory is Maine to Pennsylvania! So now you have the people who transport them from place to place.  Yes, I am one of them too, but there are also very special volunteers who do just that for us, and there are breeders who support our efforts and will take a dog to a show for someone else to pick up.  But who coordinates that?  Me again.  Ok, so finally, Spanky made it to his new home? now what?  He is peeing on the walls? the new owners are distraught, who do they call, you guessed it, ME! 

And then there is the dog that can't live in our  world.  The one who is so "screwed up" that you can't make a permanent difference no matter how hard you try.  Sure he acts ok for awhile, but then something snaps.  I always come back to my foster dog SammySam.  Sam was SO loving, but Sam was SO screwed up.  We never knew what happened to him before he got to his THIRD home, but we know that in his third home he was witness to a brutal suicide. After that, I tried.  God how I tried, but his memories were too strong.  Nothing was going to fix him.  He just wasn't safe in any home.  He had to join all those other wonderful dogs in God's Garden. To this day, the thought of Sammy makes me cry.  He had so much to give, but he didn't know how. 

So that's my world.  The following slide show is a tribute to the springer rescues that have been in my home over the last 5 years. We all know that there are many more and hope that each year, there will be less, but PLEASE take a look at their sweet faces and remember? THEY ALL NEEDED A HOME !