We Have Your Dog

We have your dog.  She doesn't have a collar or a microchip, so we don't know who you are.

She's lovely, and even at her advanced age she still loves to chase balls and have her belly rubbed.

We feed your dog.

We house your dog, inside, not on the chain outside she's used to.  She has a big comfy bed to snuggle in, and we like to give her treats while scratching her behind the ears.

We tried to find you.

When she came to us, we told the world about her.  Friends of friends of friends shared our post trying to find her owners.  We put her on our website, hoping against hope that you'd see her and come get her.  After 5 days, she has legally become our dog.

We still have our dog 6 weeks later.  No one has called or come to get her.  But something wonderful is happening - a family loves your dog and has been approved to adopt her!  All of the humans that have taken her on day trips to the lake, or walked her in the park, are thrilled for her. 

Now, after someone points out to you that the picture accompanying the happy adoption story online looks an awful lot like the dog you used to have, you come to get her.  We fed her, we walked her, we took care of her for 6 weeks, so $25 a day is what it takes to claim her.  That amount doesn't even begin to cover our cost, which is why we spend a great deal of time trying to raise money.  You can't make that happen, so there are tears on both sides, and our dog goes home to her new family.

Then you started the bullying online.  You got your friends and friends of friends to hear your side of the story and spread the word about how we "stole" your dog.  They're encouraged to rate the shelter with 1 star, continuing the fiction that we gave away "your" dog.  You contact law enforcement.  You contact local media, continuing the campaign.  By omitting certain crucial facts, you keep it going.

The new adopted family got spooked about the drama online, and decided that they'd adopt another dog instead.  Someone stepped forward to pay boarding, and your dog is again your dog. 

But the one star reviews and lies stay online, making others that want to give an animal a home think twice about coming to us.  Pandora's box has been opened, and we'll be having to explain ourselves for a long time to come.  And we shouldn't have to.  Everything was done exactly according to the law and policy. 

What we do matters.  And because of you and people like you, we no longer want to help.  We're tired of working so hard to save animals only to have something like this happen. 

But guess what?  When your still un-chipped dog wanders away again and ends up with us, we'll do it all over again.  Because your dog matters.  You?  Not so much.