Reminders from Paddy's Paws
As popularity of our rescue continues to grow, the pictures are shared far and wide! It's an amazing thing!
What comes along with this, however, isn't always amazing. We will inevitably get the comments, and messages sharing how ridiculous the process is, requesting that we hurry up their application, or shaming us for "missing out on them". Don't get us wrong; a friendly check in to see how the process is going is ALWAYS appreciated, but threats to go to a breeder, calling the process stupid, or criticizing volunteers truly doesn't hurry up your process. And it says a whole lot more about you than it does us.
We aren't in the "business" to do things faster. We are in the "business" to do things right. (And, by the way, we aren’t a business). Our dogs wait for their homes in the most amazing foster spots. They aren't in a hurry to get moved!
Our match making success is high and our returns are low. Why do we have such a success rate? Because we take our time and stay true to our process. We don't skip a few steps, speed things up, or go against our rescue "guts". We call your vets, we check your backgrounds, we verify your property restrictions, and we review your applications extensively (all while working full-time, "real" jobs). We don't just overlook poor vet history, or turn a blind eye to rehoming history.
We recognize that a home visit is an integral part of bringing a dog home. We 100% understand it won't be a process that will work for everyone. We value the time our volunteers dedicate to rescue animals. Because they are donating their precious time, we do not dictate how they spend it. Because they want the best for the rescue dogs they work so hard to protect, they may not choose a visit with an applicant with high risk factors or safety concerns.
We share the list of all applicants and volunteers choose who to visit. They may not elect to complete a visit if your background check reveals crimes of a violent or sexual nature. They may not choose an applicant with a history of surrendering a pet. They may not select if you plan to leave your pet unattended outside or alone for long hours. They may not take a chance on an application with incomplete vet care history. They may be leery of applicant who says they have no backup plans if something happens to them or indicates they’ll just rehome their dog if something does not work out. They may pass on someone who didn’t take time on their application and used answers like “who knows” or “what a dumb question”. Maybe your training plans include pain. Maybe your family has really young kids and our volunteers want to ensure the dynamic is safe (90% of our owner surrender requests are due to young children in the home).
We don't aim to place more, faster...we aim to place many, perfectly. We are quality over quantity. (And speaking of quantity, there are literally hundreds of rescues and shelters that adopt to those in Wisconsin; we are not your only option).
Will there be applications that do not get selected? Yes. Will there be hundreds of applicants for one dog? Sometimes. Will our dogs get a great home? Absolutely. Will it be yours? Not always.
You develop thick skin in the rescue world. You'll give it your all, have your heart broken a million times...and keep going. Our priority and focus is the best interest of the dogs, and that may not always work in your favor. So remember, when you send that nasty email, post that snarky comment...you're doing so to a group that simply operates on kindness and love.
Don't be a stinker.
