Noses and Tails
Noses and Tails is our clever, dog savvy way of saying "Pro's and Con's," as in, the pro's and con's of running a rescue. We made this page more as a humorous way to both vent and appreciate the people that we work with and hear from every day. It is all anonymous, no names are named, and we thought it would just be fun to make it. We've been talking about making this page for about 9 months now, and we just decided to go ahead and do it. If you work in rescue, I'm sure you can appreciate most of these. And if you don't, you might appreciate it anyway ;-) It's all in good fun, don't send me an email yelling at me... because it'll just get added to the list. :-p
If you work in rescue and have any to add to this, please feel free to email us.
If you work in rescue and have any to add to this, please feel free to email us.
Pet Piddles
Craigslist. Enough said.
"Why is your fee so high / Why do you ask a fee?"
Being afraid that we will break into your house and/or beat you up and/or tip your car.
"I sent you an email 15 minutes ago, why have you not responded?"
Backyard breeders.
"My new puppy had to be dewormed. I demand I be reimbursed for the $11 medication!"
"If I adopt, why do I need to get my new dog fixed? I may want to breed her!"
Calling us puppy brokers.
"I want an 8 week old, purebred, housetrained, non-barking, hypoallergenic, kid, cat, and dog friendly, fully trained puppy, who can do tricks. Oh, and I can't pay a fee, so it must be free, and it must be delivered to my door.
"I need my foster dog picked up NOW."
"I heard bad things about you, I want my donation back NOW."
"Oh my God, I can't believe you transport your dogs in a van!"
Animal Control knocking on my door, with the claim that I have 40 dogs stuffed in my one bedroom apartment... I have 3.
Animal Control knocking on Marissa's door, with the claim that she now had 40 dogs stuffed into her two bedroom apartment... She also has 3.
Channel 12.
Wonderful politics associated with saving Southern dogs.
But specifically... Rhode Island's politics.
"If you're not doing it my way, you're doing it wrong."
Liars. Sneaks. Stalkers. Cyberstalkers.
The woman who constantly insists that Marissa's name is "Michelle" and she's a financial adviser.
WE DO NOT LIVE IN A HOTEL!
Spam mass emails that attack a rescue (not just us).
"I want my money back because I adopted my puppy last week and it hasn't been delivered yet."
People who kick you when you're down, and stick to you like glue when you're up.
People who turn on us at the drop of a dime.
Embedded collars.
"I'm moving and I can't take my dog with me." or "I'm having a baby and won't have time for it." or "My new boy/girl friend doesn't like the dog." OR "[insert ten thousand other excuses here]."
"Here's your boarding bill of $5200... for the weekend."
"Meghan is unprofessional because she got upset that I'm giving my dog back for a stupid reason, and I want to speak to her supervisor."
The person who put Meghan up for adoption on craigslist, and said she was "people aggressive."
"Like, omg, did you know like a year and a half ago they had their transport stopped?"
People who say they don't like us, but spend a healthy amount of time on our website, quoting it back to us... i.e. our stalkers. Yeah, we know you do it.
"My dog had some hair loss, and I didn't want her to give 'THE MANGE' to my children." ... The dog had fleas.
"I'm bringing a police officer with me to our meeting to ensure it stays civil." ... COME ON, PEOPLE. I'M 5'3" AND I GREW UP IN NARRAGANSETT!
"Did you know that they're actually a pet store?" or "They sell dogs." or "They're puppy brokers." or "They line their pockets from these dogs."
"How do I know that you're a legitimate rescue? You could have faked your Success Stories page!"
"I sent in my contract 15 minutes ago, when is transport bringing my dog?"
Foster homes who, without asking us, bring their foster dog to their overpriced vet, and stick us with the $800 bill... for a runny nose. Don't get us wrong, we appreciate our fosters, but... come on people.
"You say you're a registered rescue, but who are you registered with?"
85.9% of all homosapiens (that means humans).
Heartworm.
Hookworms.
Actually... all worms.
Using the word "importing" when talking about rescuing out of state dogs.
Parvo. Mange. Fleas. Ticks. Ringworm. Kennel cough.
DOG POOP.
"Do I get paid to foster?"
"If I foster, can I just keep the dog for free?"
Swine flu.
"I can foster for you... but I can only take puppies under 5 pounds. Oh, and they can't shed."
"My blind dog can't see. I feel mislead."
"My dog is blind in one eye, and she keeps walking into things. I think she needs to be put down."
Dogs that get put down when we have them on hold.
People who are super competitive at Bejewled (*cough*MARISSA*cough*).
Michael Vick. And having to suffer through his 60 Minutes interview without vomiting.
The fact that Michael Vick now has a reality TV show.
"Happy"'s original owner.. who dumped freezing cold water on his dog when he was having a heat stroke. Real smart.
Dog fighting.
People who send us "website form submissions" calling us names and yelling at us... but don't leave their email addresses or names (please see "Liars" above).
People who send in "website form submissions" telling us off, calling us names, and screaming at us... because they think WE gas the dogs.
"If you're just going to kill the dogs anyway, why don't you just give them away for free?" ... Please see above.
People who bring their unfixed dogs to the dog park.
People who were offended by the "Pet Piddles."
People who friend Meghan on facebook, then stalk her through said facebook, then send rude and crass emails to info@helpsaveone.org commenting on personal information that was taken from Meghan's facebook and should never have left there.
Puppy Breath
Pam, Bonney, Carm, Sue, Susan, Trish, Andrea and Jay, Christina, Marlene, Daine, Chris, Luis, Marnie, Margy, Hannah, Charlotte and Christine, Carole, Andrew, Emily, Deb, Mary, Nicole, Jeannette.
Our 1,946 members of our Facebook Group.
Our 1,866 member of our Facebook Causes Group.
Maintaining our sanity, no matter what anyone says.
Being number one in our state in the Petfinder contest, and everyone who votes for us daily.
Our supporters. Enough said.
Ruby's success story (she has access to a 2,000 sq foot dog house, and 3 queen size beds with engraved headboards).
Adopters who wait patiently for their dogs.
People who constantly send us emails on how their rescue dog changed their life.
A certain little black chihuahua, pulled on his last day, who's name might be Scoobie... in his lobster halloween costume (he was a pirate last year, and he definitely was our October dog for the calender!)
A hound puppy, who was pulled on the day she was supposed to be gassed, who ended up as a model in a J Crew catalog.
Success stories.
Daine and her pointed emails.
TT the Bear's Place.
Bay State Rock.
Ancient and/or special needs dogs... and their adopters.
Gregg, the 22 year old who adopted Lucky, the 13 year old ancient shih tzu.. then adopted Otis, who was a 13 year old ancient spaniel, to be Lucky's companion.
People who think their rescued mutt is better than any purebred out there (... I'm guilty.)
People who understand what Help Save One is, and what we stand for... and stick by us the whole way.
People who watched our promo video in it's entirety.
The people that work to end gassing for our innocent animals.
People who max out their credit cards to help us.
Pam.
People who network to get these dogs saved.
Adopters of hounds, black dogs, and pitbulls.
Dog owners that make videos of their pit bull, set to carnival music. (see below)
CRAZY DOG PEOPLE (you know you're one!)
People who drive out at 4 AM on a random Tuesday to meet transport, to pick up their adopted or foster dog, because it hit traffic in NY... and are happy to do it (see comment above).
Our donors.
Volunteer transporters (they're hard to find).
Bad Rap Rescue.
People who do things out of the kindness of their heart, and not for the recognition or the money.
Oprah.
The people in this world who are not Oprah, but give their hearts every day to these dogs, and no one knows who they are.
Rescue Ink.
People who say things like "pawsitive," "paws crossed," "pawfect," and "furrever home."
Pictures of dogs sleeping in people's beds.
The full body sigh, when every muscle relaxes and their eyes fill up with love, and the knowledge that they're finally home... when a rescue dog gets off transport and into the arms of their new adopter.
People who cheer when transports pull up.
Adopters who bring homemade signs to transport, welcoming their new pet home (please see statement above).
The "Gruff staring at Carm" look... that look that your dog gives you, when they watch you like you're the only thing on earth, and they just can't look away.
Doggie Birthday Parties... with hats. And cake.
Holiday cards featuring pets.
People who get professional pictures of their dogs taken.
People who keep said pictures in their wallets, and proudly show them off to anyone who will look (and even sometimes people who won't).
Big, burly, tattooed, pierced men... who have Pomeranians.
Petite, 5', blonde girls... who have mastiffs.
People that tell their dog to sit, and when the dog doesn't sit, pushes the dogs bum down... then remarks, in all seriousness, that their dog is SO smart, and look at him sit on command (Marissa... Mikey can't sit. Give it up already).
People who can't admit that their dog can't sit. Therefore, they give it a special name, like "super sitting," to make it seem like their dog is smart (please see above statement).
People who "do um yums" with their Boston Terrier who can't sit (again, looking at Marissa).
Dogs that sit like people.
Dogs that cross their paws.
People who giggled when they read the "Pet Piddles" section above.
