My Chloe!
Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and My Chloe Lovers! I was thinking about my Chloe tonight and how much she touched me. She was such a good girl. Chloe came into my life after my Natalie, who I got at the pound and passed away from bloat within 6 months. I was distraught as you can imagine and wanted another basset to share my life with. I was given a basset rescue phone number from a nice lady at the vet office who helped me with Natalie. I called the basset hound rescue which was near to me and was told that I was not a good candidate for one of their hounds because I did not have a fenced in yard. I was not even considered.
This was about 1997 and I knew nothing about puppy mills.
I was always miffed about the way I was treated by that unnamed rescue. Did they just think I was going to turn out my dog to wander on it’s own? At the time I lived in the guest house on my sister’s property. The rescue never even offered to come and do a home visit, they just turned me down flat. I was also told that I was not grieving properly. That made me more than mad. Not only was I sad, but someone had the gall to tell me how I should be feeling.
I found Chloe in a small cage at a pet store. I never even knew what a puppy mill was. All I saw was that she could barely walk because she was getting too big for her tiny cage.
This is her much older. Her face is almost white. She taught me all about puppy mills. I am glad that the rescue turned me away because of Chloe and her teachings. Again, hounds teach us so much more than humans.
This was my Chloe. I worry about her Mom and what happened to her, but my Chloe taught me to help Moms like her Mom. I guess what I am sayings is, that by being rejected by a rescue I learned a lot. I may not have had a fenced in yard but I got Chloe.
Here she is with Lily a few months later. We never had that fenced in yard I was rejected about, but I walked both of them 6 or 8 times a day on this wonderful property. We had so much fun, and a lot of exercise.
I have a hard time admitting I bought a basset from a pet store, but the lessons I learned were definitely worth it. I miss Chloe every day. She was my savior after Natalie passed.
She was also the best teacher I ever had in my life. No one can teach you what you learn from a hound!
More PhD classes later…….Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma
P.S. – I am sorry if I offended any rescue folks. This is just my story and I was so offended it has really upset me. I know it was just one rescue. I welcome many comments. PLEASE!
Comments(13)
Cat , You are not alone , I was devastated when my sweet Carrie went to the Bridge,I knew nothing about Rescues then. I had a huge hole in my heart
and a pain that would not go away. That is when I found the cutest little Lemon Basset Puppy in a pet shop in Palm Bay Fl.It was truly love at first site. After some investigation ,I found out that the owner only dealt with a reputable breeder. the rest is history and My Heart was filled with a little Girl Named Lemon Drop. She is my first Basset and the love of my life along with Buster my sweet boy who I adopted from Suncoast.
Dear Ken-
Thank you so much for commenting. You experience was different. You did the investigation. I was not that smart. However, I would have never left Chloe in that awful pet store. It was so sad how trying to rescue a basset led me to a pet store. I was really left scarred later after I found out about puppy mills. I could not believe that someone like me could be turned away from rescuing. I still struggle with that outcome, but not getting Chloe.
I told my husband that I wanted a basset hound so he looked in a Houston paper and found Jethro. We didn’t know the breeder and did no investigating at all. We didn’t know about puppy mills either. Right after I got Jethro I was surfing the internet about hounds and found out about rescues. I too was upset that I may have contributed to a bad situation by buying Jethro. But when I got involved with a rescue I showed someone Jethro’s papers and they knew the breeders and said they weren’t a puppy mill so that makes me feel better. His breeder was involved in showing and doing better by the breed. Although they didn’t check us out or keep in contact like I feel they should. I even wrote them a letter thanking them for Jethro and sent pictures and stuff. Never heard a word back. After being involved in rescue I have learned the rewards and plan on continuing to rescue. I can understand your frustration with the rescue turning you down because you didn’t have a fence. Most hound rescues do because most people are not like you and will let their hound run loose and get out of their sight. People just can’t be trusted sometimes. And the rescue doesn’t know these people personally so they have to take precaution and are looking out for the hound. After all, they don’t want them to go through anything worse than they’ve already been through. If they would have known you personally I’m sure they would have let you rescue one of their dogs without a fence. So, don’t take it personally. And I’m so glad that situation didn’t turn you totally against rescue. You do a great job helping out hound rescues all over the U.S. Your feelings were hurt and I can sure understand that.
I think a lot of animals miss out on good homes because the rescues make it too hard to qualify. Their websites all talk about overcrowding and how the dogs need homes, but they dismiss too many people as not being good enough.
As I’ve said before here, it’s almost easier to adopt a child than to rescue a dog.
Last year after Maxine died, I wanted to rescue a basset, but I didn’t qualify because two dogs in our family had died in less than a year (our beautiful collie had canine dementia and had died several months before Max). They didn’t care about the vet records. So I went to a breeder (who I checked out thoroughly) and got a puppy (Sophie). I love Sophie, but I still would have preferred to rescue a hound in need. (I’m crying as I write this and it has been over a year since they dismissed me).
I was rejected by a rescue, because they felt I was away too long during the day. People I knew that worked with a rescue had been informed about a Basset that had been abandoned, and told me about it. That’s how I got Slinky.
It sounds like you and Chloe rescued each other. I know its wonderful to come home and have Slinky there for company, and because she is very social everyone who meets her instantly loves her.
Hey Cindy –
Thanks for your comments. What really got me was how quickly I was dismissed. Why did the woman not offer to do a home check on me or try to get to know me. I could have become a foster for them. That way she could have monitored how I did. She could have called my vet or asked for references. I was flat out dismissed. I told her that I was going to get a basset hound and I would love to donate the money that was going to cost for that hound to her rescue. Chloe cost 750 dollars in 1995. Still, nothing. I still have a hard time working with that rescue.
My feelings were crushed. But I tell you what, I learned much more than what I suffered.
I got over it. I called another rescue when I learned about the entire network when I wanted to adopt another hound (Lily). That worked like a charm! It all can’t be roses when you have a passion. Sometimes you get stabbed by a thorn or two. After Natalie died I knew I would forever work for the good of basset hounds, I just took time to figure it out! I am so glad I did.
I remember the day I came up with bassethoundtown.com for the name of my website. Red letter day that was! LOL
Cat
Hey Kerry (OneMom) –
Wow, I never heard that stipulation about two dog passing in a family in less than a year and refusing an applicant. That makes no sense at all to me. My jaw is dropped. Why would the rescue not call the vet? Wow. Most rescues, not only basset rescues are begging for foster homes and turning away dogs because they are full. I wish I could figure it out.
I think that is why there are so many rescues because people within the rescue get frustrated by the decisions that are made and start their own.
I know there are many good people in basset rescue and I want to thank you for that. I have learned a lot. When I am helping a hound I take it on a case by case basis. People that want a hound are going to get a hound one way or the other.
One basset I was helping at the Campbell County Shelter was getting ready for transport to Maryland when someone came in an hour before me and adopted him. I drove by to visit him because he lives in the same town as me and guess what? No fenced in yard. I was sitting on the stoop when him and his new Mom came walking down the street. You could not wipe the smile off the new Mommy’s face!
Cat
Hi Cat,
Great piece. I think it’s important to look at the whole person and their situation when placing a dog. You have to be open and willing to listen.
I’ve just been writing about what makes an ideal buyer from my perspective as a breeder but I’d be interested to hear what any of your readers have to say about what they look for in a kennel. As I wrote to you by email, we have to be much more accountable in Sweden.
It’s important we basset breeders around the world listen to the community.
The discussion is here: http://www.bassethounds.nu/the-ideal-puppy-purchaser/
HI Cat
Well that rescue missed the jackpot now didn’t they!
Sorry,I am part of rescue and do the checks on applications,vet references etc…
I can tell you that after I have interviewed people who may not have a yard BUT I feel they would make wonderful dog people I talk to them some more it may take a few extra phone calls or emails but I make sure everyone is aware of everything. I love talking and getting to know people and sometimes that’s hard to do in ONE phone call. I hope the rescue that told you no has improved! I wonder how many other GOOD people got turned away?
Sorry you had a bad experience (((hugs)))
Sorry I forgot to say Please do not change the person that you are!!!
You have a big heart and do so much good for the basset’s!
bassethoundtown is the best!
We do not have a fenced in yard either, or a yard at all for that matter since we live in a townhouse. We have 2 bassets – one is our adopted girl and the other is a foster. I am disheartened when I hear that rescues turn people away that don’t have fenced in yards when the alternative is kenneling the dog. On our application, we just had to answer a couple of questions about how we would handle toilet duties and exercise. Luckily, it wasn’t a big deal for us at all.
I almost think it’s better we DON’T have a yard so we are forced to walk the dogs and give them exercise. It is also a great way for us to bond with them and of course show them off around the neighborhood like the proud parents we are!
Hey Lisa – I know I walked a lot more when I did not have a fenced in yard. In our town you are not allowed to turn a dog out on it’s own. You can not tie a dog out side for longer than a few hours. I know dogs and slip out an open door, buy my front yard is not fenced. That’s not allowed either in my town. Wow, we sound pretty strict! LOL
Cat
SK – I am glad all of these negative experiences happen to me so I can learn from them and help others. I think some rescues are too strict and some are not. When I get a request from someone who wants to rescue I know right off the bat what rescues will help them and what rescues will not by asking a few questions.
The woman who got Kooter from the pound would have never been approved by many of the basset hound rescues. I would have adopted to her in a second.
Remember I said I dropped by her home just to check her and Kooter out for the heck of it. I could tell within seconds that Kooter was right where he should be.
I had a rescue dismiss someone yesterday without even talking to the person who wanted to rescue. Boom – denied – not good enough. The person even wanted to rescue a senior hound.
This rescue is constantly complaining about over crowding (with seniors) and no foster homes, and no money, and poor, poor us. I have never had a pound be able to turn a hound over to them. The pat answer is, “we are full”. Then the pound is given a few other rescues to call. The longer I type the madder I get. None of this makes sense to me.
I doubt many people will even read this because it is a fairly old blog posting, but It made me feel better in the case of getting it off my chest, but I hate it for the hounds. I wonder sometimes if hording is not a problem. OK – I could on but I won’t.
Cat