Moral Superiority of People Who Rescue

ihartgonzo

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#41
I'm not an extremist either way, and I feel like in most cases, extremists of ANY kind are just plain crazy. :p

However, I DO give people props for rescuing a homeless dog rather than visiting their local puppy mill pet store and picking out a shiny new puppy. The same sort of props I give to people who do their research and buy a puppy from a reputable breeder.
 

Pops2

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#42
I've seen the preachy A-holes. They're generally the same people that get bent because I & my dogs hunt. They're the same kind of people that want to shut down Nike "sweatshops" because they pay a fraction of the US minimum (never mind that its 2-5X a living wage in that country). The same kind that bitch about my dodge ram polluting the environment, while they drive around with a rechargeable battery that is 100X more toxic than all the emissions from my truck over its whole life cycle.
In short it's people trying to boost their own egos by preaching from a position of ignorance. You try to educate those you can, but all you can do with the rest is shake your head in amazement.
 
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#43
Wow... I'm a huge rescue advocate, and would never personally get a dog from a breeder or breed a dog myself... BUT I don't go around criticising those that do or would... those that are interested I try my best to educate on what goes into healthy breeding. I get irritated with back yard breeders, big time, yes. However, I can truly appreciate those who are in it to perfect the breed standard, and for the pure love of the breed, not those who are in it for the money. My heart is in rescue all the way, but what others choose as their method for adding a pet to the family is out of my control, and frankly not my business.
 
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#44
I've seen the preachy A-holes. They're generally the same people that get bent because I & my dogs hunt. They're the same kind of people that want to shut down Nike "sweatshops" because they pay a fraction of the US minimum (never mind that its 2-5X a living wage in that country). The same kind that bitch about my dodge ram polluting tche environment, while they drive around with a rechargeable battery that is 100X more toxic than all the emissions from my truck over its whole life cycle.
In short it's people trying to boost their own egos by preaching from a position of ignorance. You try to educate those you can, but all you can do with the rest is shake your head in amazement.
You're horrible for hunting, pops, gosh. :D
Now, can I get some elk jerky or something awesome like that? :D
 

Dogdragoness

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#45
I have gotten attitude from people because I want to buy a purebred next time because I want to show again. It doesnt matter that 2 of my current dogs are re-homes and my third is the result of a dog that showed up pregnant at a friends place. All that matters is that somewhere some random dog might die because I dont pick up a stray.
THIS. When I posted in the ACD group on FB that I was starting my search for a breeder, you should have seen all the flames I got saying that I was a horrible person to "buy while shelter pets die." Of course the fact that only two of my dogs to date have been from breeders (Izze, Bear) & I have fostered for the local cattle dog rescue. I even rescued two horses!!!

I will never understand how buying from a reputable breeder makes me part of the problem, but to each their own I guess.

I am all for rescue, but no I dont think one gets brownie points for it, I think you get brownie points for doing whats right for your dog and giving it the best possible life you can.
I agree, the only brownie points people SHOULD care about are the ones they get from the pet they rescued.
 

Southpaw

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#46
I don't care for extremists either way.

Differing opinions is what makes the world go round. Personally I'm really more of a breeder person, and I know people who are hardcore into rescue and would never get a breeder dog.... that's great. I think you need both types of people.

Happy is a rescue, I adopted her because I wanted to. I don't pat myself on the back for it or think I'm a saint. She was in a foster home anyway being fattened up, so I didn't even "rescue" her from some horrible situation. It is what it is, in the beginning it kind of gave me warm fuzzies - more so because of Happy's story specifically, not just because I adopted a dog. But nowadays, meh, she's just a dog I've adopted... move along, nothing special about it in my opinion.

Honestly I get a little uncomfortable anytime someone asks me where I got my dogs. Because who cares? If they are legitimately interested I understand - I have asked people "where" if I really like their dog(s), in the hopes that they can provide me with a breeder name. But otherwise I don't see why it matters if my dog was from a breeder or rescue or if she fell from the sky.

It's not my fault if none of this makes sense. :p
 

Aleron

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#47
I'm surprised so many here haven't run into people who get all self important about rescue and are outspokenly against buying dogs. I run into it fairly often online and IRL. Just having a noticeably intact dog out in public can cause problems if you run into the wrong rescue person. I've had countless people tell me when asking about my dogs that they'd never buy a dog when so many need homes. People get weird with Savvy too because to most anyone who sees him out and about, he looks like a scruffy mutt of unknown background. So people assume he's a rescue and tell me how wonderful I was for taking him in instead of buying a dog. Equally awkward was when I had the Grey puppy I raised, who was bred by a show breeder. People look at you like you are truly evil if you have a Grey puppy from a breeder.

Our local kill pound decided that a local well known show GSD breeder was no longer allowed to pull dogs because they found out that :O :O :O "OMG this person breeds GSDs" :O :O :O Forget that the dogs they were sending out were all altered. Forget that she was willing to take in GSDs with issues. Forget how many GSDs she's placed over the past 15 or so years. And that she regularly has people calling her looking for GSDs. They'd rather see GSD they can't place killed then let a breeder take one. This went down when she was trying to pull a coated dog that had some DA and guardy issues (nothing abnormal for the breed) and she actually had a very experienced GSD home lined up for the dog.

And in many places if you dare post something that suggests there are health reasons to keeping a dog intact, be prepared to be questioned on how much rescue you do and told it's irresponsible to not push S/N. Even my FB wall isn't a safe place to share such things. I lost a friend (someone I knew well IRL and who I knew was a "don't breed or buy" sort but we got along fine anyway) over posting something that said "an intact female dog and her responsible owner produce zero unwanted puppies". Seriously!

That isn't to say all rescue people are the same. But I will say, IME there is a lot of hate pushed in the rescue community towards breeders and people who want to buy purebred (or purposely bred mix) puppies. Breeders, people who want to buy puppies and people who have intact dogs for any reason are blamed for all of the issues of pets in shelters. It's all their fault and they are bad people because of it. Not everyone involved in rescue gets behind that sort of thing but it's definitely there and IME it's pretty widespread. I couldn't adopt a dog from any local rescue because I have intact dogs, even if I never bred them. My friend was turned down to adopt an old neutered cat from her local shelter because she breed quality working GSDs. Another person I know who had one dog who was a CH-UD intact male was turned down to adopt a neutered dog from a purebred rescue because she has an intact dog. They only adopt to responsible owners and no responsible owner would breed dogs or have intact dogs ever so...
 

AdrianneIsabel

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#48
I have a friend who breeds GSD who was asked to lie about their intact status and origins when she was to accompany a rescue group she'd been working with for quiet some time to a demo. When she said no they told her they decided she couldn't work with them any more because she was creating the problem by not telling everyone to spay, neuter, and rescue don't buy.

I can only imagine people are better at ignoring those around them if they are sure these holier than thou people don't exist (on both ends of the spectrum). This isn't a live and let live world, as much as we wish it were.
 

BostonBanker

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#49
That isn't to say all rescue people are the same. But I will say, IME there is a lot of hate pushed in the rescue community towards breeders and people who want to buy purebred (or purposely bred mix) puppies.
Oh, I know they are out there. I know two of them personally, but the thing is, both people are raving lunatics in general. If they weren't involved in rescue dogs, they'd be the purebred people who won't support rescue because you just never know when a rescue dog is going to snap and they all come with baggage and are garbage. They just happened to fall on the other end of the spectrum!

The rescue people I know (other than those two) are just normal people trying to do the right thing. My friend who runs a rescue owns a breeder-bought dog, because she was looking for something really specific in that dog. She even left him intact until he was older per the breeder's request. I don't know if she had a general policy against intact dogs in the home, but I know she has placed some dogs in homes with intact dogs, because they were the right home. That's kind of what we see around here, as least from what I've seen. Maybe I'd see a different side if I got a breeder dog (I know for sure those two people mentioned above would never forgive me, which makes it half-tempting!)
 

Dogdragoness

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#50
Now I will, if the home would be more suited for an adult dog then a puppy, point people towards rescue/shelters. But in NO way to I guilt trip them into feeling "forced" to rescue when it's not the best option. I just put it as a "try it on" Kline of thing. I want folks to find their best match & if that means a rescue dog then great :) if it doesn't then that's ok too.

Because it doesn't help anything if the dog ends up being returned to the rescue/shelter anyway.
 

Shakou

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#51
I've seen extremists and snobs from both sides. I'd like to think a dog lover is a dog lover, regardless of where someone chooses to get their dog from. It's just stupid to me.
 

Dizzy

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#52
I've seen extremists and snobs from both sides. I'd like to think a dog lover is a dog lover, regardless of where someone chooses to get their dog from. It's just stupid to me.
Even if they buy it from a shady man on a street corner..? :D

Or steal it? :D

I can see why people feel better about rescuing. I never wanted a pedigree.... I always wanted to rescue, and I still carry the guilt (no matter how much I love Fred and have enjoyed the community of GSP people I've found!!!).

I do think it is commendable to put a dogs needs over your own needs (ie, I want an XYZ bred dog for my wish to do XYZ with it, or because I prefer how it looks or whatever). Rescuing is saying I will choose that dog because it needs me (even if you may have a limited capacity to pick on your own needs too to lots of degree).

I do feel getting Fred was a selfish act for US. Not for him... I'd still like to rescue, particularly an old dog, FOR the dog. Just because it needs a person and a home.
 

Dogdragoness

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#53
I also see folks who are looking for a "pet" but choose a breeder seem to get more heat then those who are looking for a working or show dog, there is alot of (esp on facebook) who say "If you just want a pet then who dont rescue?"

They dont understand that some people want to know where their nextdog came from, who their parents were & how they were brought up. they want a pup who has been given a "head start" to a good life by a good, caring breeder.

The breeder I really want to go with's female didnt take this time around, so her next "try" will be January. It sucks to have to wait, but I would rather wait for a puppy I know I will be happy with, rather then "settle". because I think thats what keeps dogs out of shelters, people who don't "cave" to peer pressure & "settle" & persevere to get what they really want in a dog.
 

Oko

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#54
I have nothing to add to this thread, other than I keep on reading the title as 'Moral Superiority of Poodles...' as I scroll by it, hahaha. So Morally Superior.
 

Pops2

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#56
You're horrible for hunting, pops, gosh. :D
Now, can I get some elk jerky or something awesome like that? :D
Sorry, the law won't let me run elk with the dogs here (but its legal in TX). So no elk jerky for anyone (unless there is a zombie apocalypse, then the rules go out the window).
 
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#57
Oh wow. Just wow. Someone has very strong opinions.

Honestly, I couldn't care less whether someone got a dog from a rescue or from a breeder. Either way, you are providing the dog with a great home that it might not have otherwise. (Who knows...maybe a dog at a breeder would otherwise have ended up in a crummy home with no exercise? :D )
 

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