Ok, I have been trying since Wed to not let it bother me but it really really is. I send out an e-card every year to all my adopters and volunteers. The e-card is just away to say thank you for adopting, happy holiday and sometimes give a little information. It is nice to send out an e-card b/c it tracks who has opened the card. After I think 2 or 3 weeks I get a message that says "XXX@yahoo.com" has not opened the e-card you sent out. So, I usually send a message to the person says "Hey I sent you an e-card!!"
Sometimes it goes to spam folder or sometimes their email address doesn't work any longer. That always worries me b/c then I don't have an easy to contact people. Usually for those cases I send a message via snail mail. Just want to make sure the dog they adopted is doing ok.
I have had the situation where the adoptive parent passed away and the family didn't know what to do with the dog. Sometimes the family moves and looses my contact information so by sending the email helps them reconnect with me.. just strange stuff like that.
The last thing I want to happen is for one of my dogs that I worked so hard to get out of the kill shelter, make sure the dog was healthy, spayed/neutered, up to date on shots, processed applications, set appointments for people to meet, kept, feed, loved from anywhere from a month to a year to end up back at the shelter.
Anyway, this year I sent out a holiday card with a website link and a coupon code. Well the e-card deleted the website and I received a few message from people saying.. what website?? I sent out a 2nd email that said "sorry for the 2nd email but the e-card deleted links..." and I gave the website that was deleted along with a few other website addresses that I referenced in the e-card.
Well then like I said if people don't open the card I usually send an email that says "Hey sent you a card!"
Most people email me back and say that it did go to spam folder or just email me saying the email address I have they don't use that often any more... that kind of stuff. Or I get back a "mail failure" notice
One person emailed me back telling me they are too busy to receive emails from me so don't email them any more. They said the dog was doing just fine.
I emailed her back and said sure I will take her off my email list and I will snail mail her information on the puppy party. I send out two emails a year Holiday card and Puppy Party email. I asked her to just remember to update me should her contact information ever change.
She emailed me back and said 3 emails to open a card that she doesn't have time to open is over the top. She lives a busy life and doesn't want to receive emails from me or snail mail invite to something she would never attend anyway so don't send her anything via mail either. That Dog is just fine and that she would never give her to anyone. And that their are laws against spamming.
I told her I was sorry if my email came off wrong but that she signed a contract that said I would keep in touch just to make sure everything was going ok and I asked her how could I contact her that would not be such a bother.
She emailed me back
"STOP I have blocked you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
WTF??? Ok, # 1 why did she say that the dog is fine and she would never give her to anyone? I never actually asked about the dog so why do defensive? #2. Asking how I can contact you that wouldn't be a bother justifies saying to me "Stop I have blocked you!!!!!" Really? #3 you are so busy that you don't have time for email or regular mail? WOW. I wonder how much time you have for the dog? #4 you really needed that many explanation points?
This whole thing just really bothers me b/c I have never had anyone be so rude and defensive. Makes me wonder what is going on. The crappy thing is the dog was adopted through a group that I was fostering for when I first started fostering dogs so I have no real recourse to take up with the women. Normally I would just have the lawyer for the rescue reach out to her and have her provide documentation that the dog is ok.
I contacted the group and let them know what happened and that I was worried. They still have her original application and are going to call her vet office to see if the dog has been in lately and/or they know what is going on.
I just can't get off my mind how she acted. Was there something wrong with me asking how can I contact her that isn't a bother?? She signed a contracting stating that we/I could keep in touch. She was normal until know... they actually sent me a new updated email address just last year.
A rescue friend of mine said she has a similar situation with an adopter and when she looked into the situation more she found out that the dog was living outside in a barn with barely any human contact. And not a nice barn like a cold, dirty barn. Apparently the husband became a drunk and started abusing the wife and the dog. My friend got her dog back but it took her doing a little investigation work and having her lawyer write a letter asking for the dog back.
UGH! My stomach drops just thinking about it.
Sorry to write this post, I just had to get this off my chest.. it has really been bothering me.
7 comments:
That would leave me feeling uneasy too. When I adopted my first 2 rescue dogs they were in bad shape and for the first year their foster mom was a god-send. She was full of support and ideas. After the first year we didn't keep in as close contact but still email a couple times a year and I always send her a card, pictures and update for the holidays.
Since I became a foster mom myself, I realize how important it is to keep some contact. I really hope the dog is okay and maybe the ownwer's just going through some psycho stage. I'll keep my fingers crossed. :)
The way this woman acted is sending warning signals all through my brain! I think that something is not quite right here, and I hope that you can make sure that the dog is okay. You were not out of line; that woman was. She is being psycho for no reason..that is what makes this whole situation so strange.
I just hope that the dog is okay...
Yuck. That would leave me feeling uneasy too. Do you live close enough to do a home visit or have someone do a home visit? I'm guessing that's in the contract too.
-Beth
Hate to play devil's advocate but you said you were a foster for another group who was/is responsible for the dog's long term welfare. Besides my own rescue dogs, I foster for two groups: one wants me to do the adopting/follow up, etc. the other does not - they do the screening/evals/follow up. Therefore, I do follow up for the first but not the second; they have very clearly chosen to do follow up on their own. It was good & responsible to pass along to the adopter group for whom you fostered your information & concerns, but I may not either like getting follow up emails from both the foster and the group - though I may have mis-read. I am presuming the contract was not with you but with the group adopting out the dog. You have acted in good faith. Pray and follow up with the group responsible.
Again, people don't have to adopt from a rescue if they don't feel they can uphold the 'adoptee end of the bargin' in the adoption contract. We'd all LOVE for everyone to adopt, but it makes it so hard for those saving these animals and placing them in new homes when an adoptee acts like a jerk...as this woman has. *Sigh* I feel for ya Amy. I have people who've adopted horses that clearly are busy and emailing with updates and pics isn't always on the top of their list; I get that. But AT LEAST they make the effort every so often as they agreed to in their adoption contract!!!
Bobbie -
Sorry I wasn't clear. My fault. Yes, I was fostering for another group at the time this dog was adopted but I am the one that follows up with my fosters that I had. The head of the group knows that... she is REALLY busy so it takes a load off her plate.
I email the updates I get to the head of the group so they know the dog is safe too.. So, no this lady isn't getting hit by two different people. Just me.
I just don't have an recourse that she was a jerk like I would with my own rescue's dogs. The group I was fostering for has to do really investigate it as I am only responsible for follow up and reporting back. UGH. Still makes my stomach turn....
Gotcha. Thanks for the clarification. I, too, would be concerned about my dog. Hey, I welcome any follow up on dogs I adopt (yes, I still do - am currently looking at a Bloodhound...) - I want groups to come see how their dogs are doing :). Hope you get a good answer from the group on this pup.
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