Peace, Love, & Real Talk...THE ART OF PULLING!

EDITORIAL BY: ALICIA ROSE WILLIAMS, Founder, Eunoia Rescue

Many rescues obtain the animals that they have available for adoption through animal shelters. These animal shelters are generally underfunded, overcrowded and most of the time have a high euthanasia rate. The staff and volunteers of the shelter advertise the dogs that need to be “saved” so that more space can be made for the influx of other incoming animals. It is then up to the rescues to “pull” an animal to safety. It seems like a pretty simple concept, but unfortunately it takes a lot more thought than the average person may think.

As much as we may want to pull the dog that has spent 2 years in the shelter, we have to step back and consider the situation. Why has this dog been in the shelter for so long? If it’s due to their behavior, do we have the resources for appropriate training? If it’s because they are aggressive towards other animals, do we have a space available with zero animals? If they have a bite history, are we properly insured just in case they may bite again? If this dog has been sitting in the shelter for 2 years, are we financially prepared (funds to spend on yearly vaccinations, heartworm and flea prevention, grooming, etc.) to care for them for 2 more years – or even longer?

Once these questions are honestly answered by the board, we usually won’t be able to pull said dog. We hate it, but it’s what we have to do. By “passing” on this one dog we will be able to save multiple “more adoptable” dogs – and we have to constantly remind ourselves of that.

Bonded pairs also find themselves on the “hard to place” list. We already know how difficult it is to find the appropriate person to adopt one dog and now we have to find someone that is open to adopting two. When pulling a bonded pair, a rescue can expect to hold on to them for quite some time. While in the rescue’s care, a bonded pair means double the medical costs, double the space that is going to be needed and double the attention a person needs to give. It’s difficult to find the accommodations.

Rescues also have to consider working with the shelter. Often dogs that seek medical attention, such as those needing heartworm treatment, are on the “rescue only” list. (Usually dogs that are on the “rescue only” list are the ones that are euthanized first to make more room in the shelter when necessary.) Yes, these dogs are going to be costly to save. However, rescues tend to bring in more money than the typical county shelter and therefore are better equipped to handle a medical situation. While the shelter may also have other healthier dogs that are available, it wouldn’t be as helpful to the shelter if a rescue were to pull them. A lot of shelters receive little to no financial support, so they will need relatively healthy dogs that do not cost a lot of money to upkeep. It is also a little easier for the shelter to receive an adoption fee for a healthier dog, allowing access to immediate funds, rather than waiting until a dog is “healed” before it is able to leave the shelter.

Sometimes rescues will put restrictions on what they can pull. Eunoia Rescue, from time to time, will tell a shelter “we cannot pull any pitbulls.” It’s not because we don’t love the pitties; rather, it’s because we already have 10 pitbulls in our care that no one seems to be interested in adopting. When restrictions are set on what a rescue can pull, it usually means that they are in a bind. We want to continue to pull but we need a dog that will be adopted out quickly. When adoptions are at a standstill, having one happy adoption story on social media can cause traction to the outside world. Now that we have people’s attention, we hope it leads to an adoption for one of our many pitbulls. In this case, it isn’t breed discrimination. It’s doing what we can with the little bit of resources we have readily available.

Personally, I absolutely love pulling the hospice cases. I think there is something very rewarding about giving a dog a special place to live out their final days. No dog deserves to die in a shelter, especially one that has lived with a family their whole life only to be dumped at the very end. These pups usually have only a few weeks or maybe a few months, if we’re lucky, to live. Any rescue that pulls a hospice needs to be sure that they have an extra amount of funds (which is basically never). To make a hospice dog comfortable we have to spend an excess amount of money on them medically and they require around the clock care. This can sometimes be thousands of dollars. We also have to keep in mind that we will not be able to recoup any of the money that we have spent because there will be no adoption and therefore no adoption fee to collect. Of course, our “earning” is allowing a dog to cross over peacefully but financially, hospice cases immediately put a rescue in the red.

Many rescues are founded with the intention to only pull the dogs that are always looked over and then “we” can be the ones to provide their happily ever after. It sounds amazing in theory, but it’s incredibly unrealistic. For example, it takes Eunoia Rescue three puppy adoptions to pay for one heartworm treatment. It takes a purebred adoption, a “cute” dog adoption, and about five adult pitbull adoptions to pay for one hospice case. If rescues don’t “pull smart,” they will not be able to stay afloat financially. So the next time you notify a rescue of a dog that needs to be pulled – keep in mind that there’s a lot more to it than just needing space within the rescue. ■

Find out more about Eunoia Rescue at eunoiarescue.com

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