Ellen's Heartbreak

I wanted to comment on the dog story that Ellen adopted and then gave to her hair dresser. Several things went wrong here. First Ellen signed a contract stating she would return the dog if it did not work out. This is a standard contract that most dog rescues offer. It is to protect the dog from going to another bad home. Most of these dogs that are rescued have already been mistreated and neglected and need special homes and lot's of patience and love. I being a dog lover and one who has rescued several dogs understand the contract and who is it to protect. It's the dog who has no voice. The second mistake that happened in this case, the rescue organization should have been upfront with the new owner and explained what had happened. Not go to the home under false pretences. I'm sure the home Ellen gave the dog too was a wonderful and loving home, but that was not the issue. The main issue in this case is that she signed a contract. If she had returned the dog to the rescue group, her friends could have gone to adopt. These groups are no kill shelters. So...the cute little puppy would have been placed in a loving home. Some people may think that it shouldn't be this hard to adopt a pet. I disagree. When I have seen how some dogs are treated and abused you would want to make sure through the legal system that any dog you placed would have a wonderful home. It is sad that one rule broken can cause such heartache. I feel for the little girl and I feel for the little dog. But rules are in place for a reason. In cases where we the advocate represent special groups who do not have a voice, we have to follow the rules for their protection. I don't think people should be angry at anyone, because everyone in this case was just trying to love a puppy who wanted a home. The end result is that the puppy did find a loving home.