Things I hate about doing rescue

1. When a dog dies despite my best efforts
2. Dealing with people who call me to get rid of a perfectly good dog
3. Explaining that there is not a kennel at my house full of dogs for them to choose from
4. Explaining why I don't place dogs who are going to live primarily outdoors. Some rescues do, but I think that's wrong and won't do it.
5. Getting frustrated as people call, speak slowly on my machine for what feels like an hour, then say their phone number so fast I can't write it down. These people are not called back.
6. Listening to 5 messages from some asshole in the span of 30 minutes who thinks that I get paid for doing rescue and should be waiting for his call all day long. These people also do not get called back.

Good things about doing rescue

1. The truly grateful look on a dog's face when I pick them up from the shelter. They know that I've saved them from death.
2. Knowing that I've helped to create families by placing dogs with good people.
3. Getting progress reports from families who tell me their new dog is the world's greatest dog.
4. Finding a great home for dogs that seemed truly unplacable and as such, marked for death in a shelter, but managed to turn themselves around during a stay in my home.
5. Helping older or sick dogs find families when the rest of the world has given up on them. This is more rewarding than placing a healthy 2 year old dog anyday.
6. Pulling together a group of volunteers to help a dog in a far-away place get to a safe place.

Notice that only one of the positives involves people. It's never (or rarely) the dog that's the real problem. Even dogs who were real assholes at first have done well in my care and gone on to be treasured members of families.

I think I need a rescue break because I can't be nice to those idiots on the phone anymore. Linea already had me stop talking to people giving up dogs because I can't find the strength to be nice to them. She did, however, call my vet and talk to Sheri, (the fabulous vet tech who drove Alice down for emergency surgery that awful day, then met me there as I rushed to sit with her body. That's was beyond the call of duty and I'll always be grateful to her and the rest of the staff at our vet's office for everything they did to help Al.) She managed to get a free exam for all of my fosters as well as 20% off all other services so I don't have to compromise for any dog in my life by going to a crappier vet in order to save money.