Shame on Boxer rescue!

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

I must start by saying that I am just appalled at what I have been told by Boxer rescue. I guess I just assumed that all rescue for a specific breed were as wonderful as Doodle rescue (DRC).

On Monday i went to a local park to try to get some pictures of my Doodles. I had been there for a couple of hours when I was approached by a woman who asked me if I had left my other dog tied to a pole. She told me that in another area of the park there was a boxer puppy that was tied to the pole that holds the doggie Poo bags. He had been there for quite a while and was crying. Well, I told her that though he was not my dog, I would check it out. Really, why would I leave my puppy tied to a pole so far away when my three didn't even have leashes on? But I get it. I guess she saw me with dogs and guessed that I would care about an abandoned pup.

I drove over to the part of that park where he was and found a young lady sitting on the sidewalk with a cup full of water to give the pup. I asked her if that was her puppy and she told me he wasn't but he had been there for a while crying and with no water. It is still very hot outside here in Florida! She told me that another lady called animal control and she was just going to wait with him till they came to get him. Well one look at that sweet little puppy face and I just knew I could not let him go to an awful shelter where his future was uncertain. I know he would have been terrified there! He was tied up using a slip lead and a very thin collar that was too small. Almost as if whoever left him decided they didn't want to give away his good collar that actually fit him. I actually had to take the collar off of him to get him loose from the pole.

Anyway, I took him home and discovered that he is just the sweetest, cutest puppy! I took him to the vets office on the way just to see if he had a chip. Even though I was sure that if he did, that person did not deserve this puppy. I have no idea why anyone would have abandoned him. They told me that he is between 16-20 weeks old. He still has his little shark puppy teeth. He also had fleas and they gave him a pill to get rid of them. Poor puppy had flea bites inside his cute little ears.

I contacted several different boxer rescues just to see which one worked in my area. They were not at all the helpful people of DRC! I finally was led to contact B.A.R.C. the lady who contacted me told me that they could not help me because he does not appear to be a full boxer based only on the length of his snout. "Anyone experienced with the boxer breed, such as the people who come to us to adopt, would know that he is a mix." I was told to take him to a Jax shelter. REALLY??! I have never been so shocked. I thought that all people who rescue dogs, care about dogs and not just a specific pedigree. After all, who can really be certain about a dog pedigree when he is a rescue? I understand that Doodles are a mixed breed and we all love them but I guess I stupidly thought that all dog lovers thought the same way. Definitely not the boxer people!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There are a few more boxer specific rescues in FL. Here's a link to the American Boxer Club's listings:

http://www.americanboxerclub.org/boxersitesrescue.html

If none of them can help, there are local all-breed rescues in most areas. You can check Petfinder's listings: https://www.petfinder.com/animal-shelters-and-rescues/search

I'm going to try to explain some possible and valid reasons why this rescue group told you what they did.

When a rescue group is breed-specific, the vast majority of the people who apply to adopt dogs from that group are looking for that specific breed. If the rescue takes in a dog who is of a different breed, the dog's chances of adoption are going to be quite slim, and the rescue is going to tie up a foster home for a period of time in which they could save several other dogs. Foster homes are always in short supply in any rescue group, so rescues have to do a certain amount of "triage" regarding which dogs they take into their programs, because resources (time, money, and fosters) are always in short supply. 

A few years back, I posted about a homeless Shih Tzu that ended up here with me. DRC courtesy listed her. Although she was a very sweet, non-shedding little dog, DRC didn't get one single application for her, or even an inquiry. The people who are looking to adopt from DRC are not looking for Shih Tzus. If she'd been listed with a Shih Tzu rescue, there probably would have been dozens of applications. And if I'd been a regular DRC foster, there might have been several doodles in the area who couldn't be saved because one foster slot was tied up for weeks by this one little dog. Breed specific rescue people may love all dogs, but their priority has to be their breed. :)

This next part, I'm guessing at, but there are a LOT of Pit, Bulldog, and Mastiff mixes that resemble boxers, and this rescue probably gets a LOT of calls from people trying to pass off a Pit mix as a Boxer. (My German Shepherd Group used to get people trying to pass off wolf hybrids as GSDs.) That can be a BIG liability issue for a rescue group, even if the dog is a puppy. 

Just a few things to think about.

What happened to the puppy? 

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Well thank you for the explanation. I am still just shocked that I was told to take him to a shelter. Sounds very heartless. I have the puppy here with me for now. I will check out the resources that you posted.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There are quite a few FL Boxer rescues on that list. I wouldn't be too concerned with distance, there may be some transport available. The main thing is to find somebody who can take him.

If you can keep him for a bit, you might offer to foster him if they will list him and get him adopted. 

I agree that telling you to take the pup to the shelter sounds heartless. At the very least, they should have offered some alternatives, as I did. But rescue is frustrating, and they probably get a lot of people trying to get rid of their own dogs or "oops" puppies by claiming that they found them somewhere. People often feel ashamed or are afraid that they'll get a lecture, so they lie. After awhile, a lot of us who deal with owner rehomes become a little bit suspicious of everyone, lol. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

What a beautiful baby. I applaud your taking him home and I wish I could help about rescues. I hope some of the folks involved in DrC have some suggestions. Surely someone will want this sweet dog.

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Thanks F! One of the DRC fosters actually helped out with his possible new home.

[Kaitlin and Ludo]

He's truly adorable. It's so sad to think about anyone being so heartless to just leave a tied up outside. I'm glad you found him and were able to take him, even if for a short time.

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

It is very sad. Here in Florida, you just never know how incredibly hot it will be on any given day. Thankfully I was there in the morning so it wasn't too bad yet. But it could have been./

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

What a beautiful boy. It's so good of you to intervene, while it's so heartless of some one else to just leave him there not knowing when or if anyone would have helped him.
You guys on here always make me proud to be a part of this group.
Good luck!

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

I am proud to be a part of this group as well. Always helpful, good advice!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

He is so adorable and I cannot believe someone just dumped him. I really think you need to buy a farm and just adopt all of these dogs in need :) You are so good with them. I don't know what Fudge and Vern would do if I brought home a puppy. I applaud your awesome dogs too. Good luck. I know you will do the best for him.

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Now, you know, if I had a farm, I would end up with Oodles of Doodles..lol! My girls were a bit grumbly but today there was mostly playing. I think Pippa just wanted him to know that she's higher up in the ranks then he is..lol!

[sandy b]

Lori, you might try Florida Little Dog Rescue group. I think they are in Orlando. They do take some larger breeds. You're the best for taking him. Poor little guy.