Bye Maxfund!

After moving into our new house, Dominic and I decided that we really wanted to get a companion for our beagle, Señor Ding-Dong. I volunteer at both Maxfund No-Kill Animal Shelter in Denver and at Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah. We really wanted to adopt locally.

I originally fell in love with a dog at Maxfund while volunteering named Astro. He was such a sweet baby, so I asked Dominic if he would be interested in meeting him.

We went to Maxfund that Saturday, and asked to walk Astro. I didn’t bring my volunteer badge and the staff never really seemed to remember me, but they happily got Astro from the back for us to walk him. I asked what his adoption status was, and they said that there were “three adoption applications” already submitted for him. They were certain they would find a great match out of the three.

Shucks.

We were happy for Astro and enjoyed a walk with him through the Sunken Gardens Park.

I never stopped thinking about the little guy; he really was perfect. A few weeks later, while once again considering a new brother for Señor Ding-Dong, I started browsing the Maxfund website—and there was Astro. I was shocked. He should have been adopted. I was certain they were merely behind on updating the website, but to be sure I called to see what the status was on Astro.

“He was just returned to Maxfund today,” the woman at Maxfund said over the phone. Apparently he snapped at someone while camping and the man that adopted him decided that he no longer wanted Astro.

I couldn’t believe it. 

I had visited with Astro several times, and he really was perfect. He had a mellow temperament. He didn’t bark at other dogs or show any aggression to anyone or anything. He walked gently on the leash, always looking back to ensure he was walking at the right speed. I even rolled around on the grass with him, hugged him, and gave him lots of kisses. I just didn’t believe the man’s story, and either did Maxfund.   

I was still interested in adopting the precious Australian shepherd mix. “Can I put in an adoption application for him?” I asked.

“He has to be put on a ten day medical hold before he will be available for adoption again, but after the hold you can submit an adoption application for him,” the woman said.

I waited a few days, but I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I am also a foster parent at Maxfund, so I called the foster coordinator, Brad. I thought maybe I could foster him until the ten days was up, and then we could really get to know the little guy, and already have a foot in the door for adopting.

Because they were certain he would be adopted right away, Brad said that he just wasn’t the type of dog that they place in foster homes. I understood. I told Brad that I was really interested in adopting him, hoping that he could help me out a bit.

At Best Friends Animal Society, volunteers can do doggie sleepovers. I asked Brad if it would be possible to do a sleepover with Astro so that we could see how he gets along with Ding-Dong, and to ensure that he really was perfect. Brad said I would have to come in and talk to the vet tech. I asked if I could talk to her over the phone, and he said she was a bit “temperamental” (he might of said “moody,” but still this was the vet tech! I couldn’t believe it. She is paid, I dedicate my free time to volunteer at Maxfund, and she was “moody.”); He said I would have to talk to her in person.

I let Brad know that I really wanted to adopt Astro, and he simply repeated what the other woman said, “you have to wait until the medical hold was over.” But, he said that once the vet saw Astro, I could submit my adoption application. Excellent. Brad said that Astro would be seeing the vet either that afternoon or the next day. Yippee!

I called the next afternoon to see if the vet had seen Astro yet. I was on my lunch break at school and was ready to rush over to Maxfund to fill out an application. When I called I asked for Brad, but the woman who answered the phone said he was busy and asked if I would like to leave a message. I explained to her that I was interested in adopting Astro, and I wanted to see if the vet had seen him yet.

She said, “He is scheduled to see the vet this afternoon, but a man came in this morning, right when we opened, and filled out an adoption application for him already.”

“What?!?! I was told that he has to been seen by the vet before Maxfund accepts any adoption applications.”

“Well, he will be seen by the vet today.”

“I am a volunteer at Maxfund; can I come in and also submit an application?”

“I’m sorry but we only take one application at a time.”

“But when he was adopted the first time, before he was returned, the woman at the front desk said that he had 'three applications' for him.”

I was so upset. I couldn’t believe it. I have been such a dedicated supporter of Maxfund, and this is how I am treated. What is Maxfund’s policy?

The woman finally said that I “could check back in a few days to see if the adoption went through and if not then [I] could submit my adoption application.”

I didn’t know what to do. I just said, “Ok, thanks,” and hung up the phone.

After Gracie, our first foster doggie, jumped our front fence—the first day we had her—and ran to the neighbor’s house—who consequently instantly fell in love with her and adopted her—Maxfund almost didn’t let us foster anymore. Because we let the dog jump the fence! Brad, the same Brad, said it was the veterinarians at Maxfund who wanted to make that decision. But he “fought” for us, and we then were able to foster the old guys Buddy and Fella. After I started teaching at Colorado High School Charter we decided that Buddy and Fella really needed a home where someone can take care of them all day long. They had incontinence problems; they were both blind; they were on a lot of medications; our house just wasn’t ideal for them. Maxfund gladly found a foster parent that worked from home and was happy to take them in.

I have always supported Maxfund—being one of the only true no-kill shelters in Denver. But after the Astro stuff, I can no longer support them.

Maxfund does not truly appreciate their volunteers.

While volunteering at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, I am thanked everyday. I only go once a year to Kanab, but the people remember my mom and me. When I call Maxfund I am a stranger. When I volunteer at Maxfund no one remembers my name, or ever takes the time to say thank you. When I try to adopt a dog from Maxfund, I am pushed aside with wavering “policy.”

Bye Maxfund. I hope one day someone will read this and make note of how volunteers are really treated at Maxfund and hopefully one day you will decide on what “policy” you really follow. 

Next on Woof. A Blog on Dogs the story of our new puppy, Checkers, rescued from Colorado Cells Dogs. Be sure to check back soon!

Gracie Update

Yesterday, Dominic and I decided to leave the two dogs, Gracie and Senior Ding-Dong, alone for the first time while we went to get some breakfast. As we were paying for our breakfast I got a call: "Hello, is this Sadie? This is your neighbor from across the street. We found Gracie and she is at our house."

Yep, you've got it—Gracie, our perfect girl, jumped our front fence. Who knew a 70 pound lab with minor hip problems could get over a 5 foot fence. I don't know why she jumped the fence: wither she was scared, lonely, saw a squirrel, saw a cat, or something else encouraged her to take the leap.

When we got to our neighbors house she was there to greet us. We explained to our neighbors that she was our foster dog and that she was staying with us until she found her forever home. And they said, "We'll take her." We thought they were kidding, but it is true they fell in love with her, just as we did.

Grace spent the day at their house, even though our neighbor said that Gracie was looking out the window at our house most of the day. She seemed to get a long well with Tootie, their 12 year old lab/beagle mix. And they are seriously considering giving her her much needed forever home.

That evening our neighbor brought Gracie back, and Senior Ding-Dong and Gracie were very excited to see each other. They played and played while we were talking about Gracie's potential future at the neighbor's house. But, we knew because of the fence issue that she would not be able to stay with us.

This morning we woke up. Gracie was full of love as always. Senior Ding-Dong, Gracie, and I went for a walk around the park, and then it was time to take her back to Maxfund. After talking to the staff at Maxfund, I learned that our neighbor is one of two people who had called about adopting Gracie, so I feel very hopeful that she will find her home soon.

However, when we walked into Maxfund, and the staff came to return her to the large dog area she gave me the saddest eyes. She stood her ground and really did not want to go back. She broke my heart. I am now just another person on the list of many who brought her to Maxfund and left her there. It absolutely breaks my heart that she will have to be there another night. I would much rather having her laying on the floor next to our bed, and getting endless amounts of belly rubs.

The good news is that both people that were interested in Gracie visited Maxfund today; however, they both only filled out foster applications and not adoption applications. I really hope she will be living across the street, and I will have the opportunity to see her all the time. But as of now, she is still without a home and at the shelter.

Gracie- Our House Guest

Today Dominic and I became foster parents to the most wonderful black lab mix from Maxfund, named Gracie. She is loving, kind, sweet, obedient, walks perfectly on a leash, loves belly rubs, is great in the car, enjoys playing with Senior Ding-Dong, gives the most precious kisses, and is simply an all around love bug. According to the wonderful staff at Maxfund, she just doesn't so much care for cats, and her last owner discovered this the hard way after she killed the family cat. It is hard to imagine that she could even harm a fly, but that incident brought her back to Maxfund for the second time. She had been very sad about this transition and that is how she became a foster candidate.

I have now been volunteering at Maxfund for a little over a year, and I absolutely love it. We decided that it was time that we find a playmate for Ding-Dong and the perfect way to do that would be to foster a doggie. Maxfund is a no-kill shelter; any dog that comes to Maxfund has a place there until they find their forever home. But, if all the runs are full they are forced to say no to dogs that really deserve a second chance. Maxfund often takes dogs from high-kill shelters to save them from euthanasia. But, fostering doesn't just help free up a little extra space at the shelter it also helps dogs during transition from the shelter to their forever home.

At the shelter it is loud, scary, and very intimidating to dogs. Dogs that come in from family turnovers often lose their spunk, and their true personality, merely because of the shelter conditions. This makes it hard to impress their potential adopters. At a foster home they get all the benefits of a loved dog: a warm house, a family to walk them, someone to rub their belly, and they are able to maintain, or even gain, good behaviors.

Gracie was certainly depressed at the shelter, and even after one day at our house I have seen the light in her eyes change. Today she got to play as much as she wanted, sleep in a warm and quiet house, get a nice relaxing bath and a good brushing, learn what doggie doors are all about (However, the doggie door is still a bit intimidating to her, but we will keep working on it.), run in the grass, and get not one, but two car rides. I assume it is just a matter of time before this 70 pound girl finds her forever home, but until then she will certainly be a nice addition in our lives.

Ultimately what Gracie needs is a loving home and a good family. If you are interested in adopting Gracie please don't hesitate to contact me or Maxfund. Her bio is linked to her name at the beginning of this post.