I, too, have been turned down for rescue and don't understand why. I'm just heartbroken. There's a 6 year old female with SA that would be perfect for my family. But we had a cockapoo that we had to surrender to the Humane society for biting. She could not be rehabilitated - we tried. And I was told via email that we didn't do enough to 'change her'. She was 5 or 6 years old and had snapped for years. She bit my oldest son several time on the arm or leg, but never broke the skin. That is, no bleeding. Then she bit my 4 year old son just under his eye. Again, no BLOOD. But you could see how close it came! My husband said she had to go. I consulted my veternarian, his tech and trainer. All advice taken, all new training. I consulted a behaviorist from the WHS for advice on how to handle this. We did everything she said. We had dental surgery done on Ginger because it was thought that some teeth were giving her problems. She also had lazer dental work to clean up any possible discomfort. Even that didn't work. She growled and snapped at my husband and then finally one morning, she took my son's pop tart. And when I tried taking it away, she nearly took MY hand off. Everyone we knew told us we were a walking law suit. We couldn't find her triggers for snapping, or biting. The most serious incidents were totally unprovoked. So one day I came home from taking the boys to school and she was gone. My husband did it. I bawled all day for her. It still can make me cry knowing she was put down. Somehow I feel like we failed her somehow. But I don't know what else we could do. I talked to a counseler at the WHS recently for advice on why we wouldn't be considered a good adoptable home. She can't think of a reason. The only thing she said we could have done was to take her to our own vet for euthanasia. Well, I talked to them about that too. They said that because we were surrendering her for biting, it was WI state law that we would have to confine her for 2 weeks and observe her for rabies. Well where in the heck was I going to do that??? And then if she bit one of my kids again, or a neighbors child, then what????? My husband is in law enforcement and talked to a few of his dog handlers about it also. They said that once a dog starts biting like that, it's very difficult to change. Especially since we couldn't find out what triggered her anger. Oh, I also consulted a cockerspaniel rescue group for help. They said, No Thanks! Sorry I'm so long winded, but you can't believe how sad I am that I can't be a foster or adopter. I have Major, my one year old fawn, floppy, slobbery baby that I would die for. All I wanted was another baby for him (and me) to play with. I've had 2 other boxer females in my life that lived long happy lives. Some even developed medical problems that were treated. I had a lab mix that got so ill, I thought I'd lost her. But after practically living at the emergency room, spent thousands of dollars, many sleepless nights on the floor with her, stroking her as she cried until we nursed her back to health, I am turned down by a rescue group for not doing enough for my dog. I understand that they are committed to their fosters, as they should be. But to turn me down without as much as a phone conversation, or a visit is so cold. Plus we meet all the other criteria! I have a fenced in yard - totally!, we do have air conditioning, although not a requirement. I'm practically a stay-at-home mom, but work at my kids school a few hours a week. When I'm gone, my husband is home. Major comes to school with me all the time. The kids love him there. We go to the dog park nearly everyday. What could be bad about being a dog at my house???? I don't get it. If I'm guilty of anything, it's for treating my Major too much like one of my own children. God knows, I love them the same!!!
