Hans

A coonhound/beagle x was adopted from the shelter I volunteer at about 6 months ago. Chris picked him up in someone's barn the other night as he had apparently run off and some people held him until they could find the owner. Turns out, the owner keeps him in a barn and lets him run loose. The rescue doesn't have a problem with this as he appears well fed (but filthy and smelly) and happy. I don't know how they can think he's happy, he was obviously happy to see them but I don't know if that means he thinks he has a great life. He could just be relieved at being found.

Anyway, the adoption contract calls for him to be an inside dog but now I'm hearing that that is just the ideal and that as long as he's fed and warm, the rest is just "guidelines". This is a rescue that I respected but now I feel betrayed! How can they allow this? I think that since they don't know how to handle the situation, they convince themselves that this is okay. Or maybe they don't really have a problem with it. We have a beagle there who was previously chained to a doghouse--she is the sweetest, friendliest dog--does this mean she was happy being chained to a doghouse? I guess we see what we want to see.

I don't want to quit as I love the dogs but last night, my volunteer night at the rescue, I was so sad. I felt like crying all night, thinking that these precious dogs may fall into bad hands and have no one to rescue or protect them. It isn't enough that they're merely better off then before. I just picture Hans being out on his 53 acres, in danger of being attacked by wild animals, shot by hunters or hit by a car. I picture him being isolated and alone in a barn. This is just not acceptable but I don't have a say or a choice. Its not my place. If I quit, I'm not helping them and I love the dogs so I'll probably continue but I just feel so disillusioned.