[wethern]

I rescued 2 dogs roaming the streets. I was able to find a home for one through another rescue. The one I couldn't place we cared for over 3 years. Even though we gave a lot of love to this dog (best not to mention name for consideration of new owner) over the 3 years she started to develop separation anxiety I believe because she feared being alone many hours during the day. She destroyed screens and doors and wires, etc. I would come home and not only was there much damage but she would lose nails and there would be lots of blood. The advice I was given was that she needed to be with a family who was home a lot and had other dogs. This is why I contacted Elizabeth at Marley's Pit Stop Rescue. She said she would help us find this dog a new home. She also said I would keep the adoption fee because it is used for expenses such as neutering, shots, etc. Since I am the one paid for all of these things and still have more repairs to do I thought this was helpful. My main goal though was to see this little dog happy. For a few weeks I brought this dog to adoption day at the MB Petsmart. Elizabeth during this time said that I would have to get her 3 shots before she could get adopted. She also changed her mind and said that she wanted to split the adoption fee. I said ok. There was an interested family to take this dog. So there was a rush on the shots. (She had already had one of the shots but because it wasn't given at a vet Elizabeth wanted her to have another one. I was concerned that all this would compromise her immune system.) Elizabeth had the vaccines and offered to do the shots there at the store since there was not much time. The dog went with the first family and didn't work out because one of the other dogs was resistant with this dog. The next week she went with another family but had kennel cough (from being with all the dogs.) It took 2 1/2 weeks for them to decide they wanted to adopt her. During this 3 1/2 weeks I constantly emailed and called Elizabeth wanting to find out how this dog was doing, especially since she had the cough. I donated 2 big bottles of B vits. for the dogs. Elizabeth took days to ever get back to me. It was a very difficult time for us. We wanted this little dog to be happy and healthy and Elizabeth made it very difficult to find out what was going on. After a week of me emailing and calling, Elizabeth finally gets back to me and tells me that the week before the family came in and said they wanted to adopt this dog. I wish she had told me then. I ask when we can visit because I was told in the beginning that we would be able to. She tells me the following week. I get an email the next Sat. morning that I am to come to Petsmart to say goodbye to this dog at 4:30. I rearrange my entire families' schedule and get there and almost miss the family because even though Elizabeth saw us waiting 10 minutes where we stood at the adoption stand in the back of the store she comes and tells us that the family is outside in the front. We rush to see this dog we haven't seen in over a month and to say goodbye. Oh and on the way up Elizabeth makes a remark, " I know you want the money but do you want to see _____? (dog's name) Of course we do! What were we there for?! When we see the dog we are so sad but happy that the dog is happy. It is noticeable right away that Elizabeth has been gossiping to this new owner. The first time I met this woman she was very nice and easy to talk to (I met her the first time at Pet Smart Adoption day the first day I took the dog there.) This time she was in a hurry to leave and when my daughter asked if we could visit this dog she said "I don't know." I am so disappointed in how this was going but the new owner tells me that this dog is happy. After they left Elizabeth tells us very sarcastically that we are the only family who has made a profit on an adoption. I remind her of our arrangement and that this money is to go towards the expenses and that it doesn't even begin to cover everything. That is what this fee is used for! If she had not collected the fee and given the dog for free I would have been fine with that but she did collect it & she was getting 1/2 of it as well! We are talking about $127. What profit? I am the one who took care of her for 3 yrs, got her fixed, shots, repairs, etc. The feeling in all of our stomachs is sick and we are so sad. Elizabeth was so unprofessional. We feel as if we made a mistake having entrusted this dog with Elizabeth. The only thing that helps me is knowing that the new family is loving this dog and that she is happy. Because of Elizabeth we don't have the opportunity to ever see this dog in her new environment happy, even though this too was our agreement. This has been so unsettling for us. My kids constantly question why they can't visit this dog or just know how she is doing. It is so disheartening how Elizabeth could treat us this way. This was such a loss many will hear about.