So I start this month with a rant ! Not “hmm I’m rather miffed”, not even “I am SO angry”, this is a full blown, rant of catastrophic, off the Richter scale, gale force 180, tornado proportions. Get the picture ?
I think that most people, when they adopt from a refuge, accept and are willing to pay a fee in order to help the refuge keep going and support dogs in need. Here at Poorpaws I ask that any veterinary fees incurred – chip, vaccination for example – are reimbursed and if the adopters would like to add a bit for a donation then of course we are delighted. I do not impose a set fee, although Danielle, who I work with, does and this is quite normal. Should a person come along who obviously has a great life to offer a dog but would struggle with the necessary expenses, then Poorpaws is only too happy to help out for the happiness of the dog.
So what happened this month has left me spitting mad. A lady got in touch looking for a dog and was attracted to one on our website. Said dog was not actually at Poorpaws but was being fostered by the friend who had found him. Friend and lady were put in touch, a visit was made and the dog was taken home for a trial period. We received photos and updates all very pleasing, clearly dog and new owner were very happy. So then I got in touch to say that as things were going well, I assumed the adoption was going ahead and I would get on with the paperwork. The dog would be put in to the owner’s name and would she be kind enough to reimburse the 76 euros Poorpaws had paid out for the chip and vaccination.
To say that her reply left me speechless is an understatement. The person said that she had not been told there would be any payment to be made and as she would have to pay 150 for the neutering and second vaccination herself, she would not be sending us any money. This apparently “after considerable thought” and from someone who has two homes in France !! She said she felt “bad” about saying no to a charity !! Well I can tell you I felt “bad” too, did the stupid woman think that we are rolling in money, that we just pick more off the trees when we need it ?! She wanted the dog but Poorpaws has to pick up the tab for a dog that she now owns. What is more, this moron said that she “didn’t need the dog to be chipped as he would not be travelling”. Durrrh, numbskull it is obligatory in France for all dogs to be chipped in the name of the owner. Had I not been sure that the dog would have a good home I would have taken him back, after all he wasn’t chipped in her name, therefore she did not legally own him. However, I could tell from earlier correspondence that he will have a fab time.
I’m still spitting mad but trying to convince myself that she is not worth the bother and clearly has a pea sized brain.
Contrast the above to the adorable people who happily made a six hour round trip to collect Jude and were falling over themselves to make donations left right and center even though Jude was on the website as a favour to the person who was looking after her and Poorpaws had not paid for anything. Thank goodness there are people like you Mr. and Mrs. N, around to restore our faith in human nature.
You will see from the adoptions page that there have been quite a few adoptions but also many additions !! I’d love to see big black Jasper go to a good home, what a gentle giant he is.
I was hoping to be able to put Isabella, a gorgeous Brittany Spaniel on the site this month. I collected her from a breeder who is selling up and the new people don’t want her. Well, sad to say, she is still petrified of everybody and panics when I go in to see her – unless I have a treat in my hand ! We’ll get there.
Sad news, our huge old German Shepherd, Rik, had to be put to sleep a couple of days ago. That broke my heart. He came to us about five years ago when one owner died and the other was not fit to care for herself, let alone Rik. The family, all with large houses and gardens wouldn’t take him so he came to us and was a loving old boy for all his time here (except for the day he nearly killed a little bichon we had but we got past that).
Well I’m off to the UK for a couple of days of girlie lunches and to the Royal Albert Hall to see the Senior Tennis Tournemant.
Have a great Christmas and I hope to be in a better mood at the end of December !!!
Sue x