MPR would never turn its back on a dog it once rescued, but returns are very hard on the organization. MPR survives solely on donations, and works very hard to make sure that we can properly provide for each and every dog we take into our program. Whenever an adopter lets us know that he will be returning the dog he adopted, we must scramble to not only find financial means to care for an unanticipated dog, but we must also find a place for the dog to live until he is adopted again. 99% of the time, a returned dog must be placed in a boarding facility because our foster homes are full. Boarding is especially difficult on dogs who have been returned, as they have experienced what it means to have a real home. Therefore, we are forced to place returned dogs (who are already depressed about losing their owner and home) into a concrete boarding facility that is far from being comparable to a comfortable, loving home. We have watched what boarding can do to a dog-- it can, and often does, break a dog's spirit. It is heart breaking to watch a dog gradually turn apathetic, and loose his or her will to live.
Boarding is a life saving solution for dogs we rescue from difficult situations and this is why we use it. Stray dogs, chained dogs, dogs that were mistreated and never had a good life before entering our program accept boarding with ease. It's a step up for them and positive experience. Boarding however, is not a step up for a cherished family pet. Because of how difficult a return is on MPR and the returned dog, MPR asks that adopters who find themselves in a situation where they are considering separating the dog from the family, to please contact us as soon as possible about possible solutions so that the dog doesn't have to leave its home. Collectively, we have years of experience and can offer possible solutions not thought of by an adopter in handling almost any situation. If keeping the dog is simply impossible, the best solution is for the adoptive family to keep the dog until MPR can find him or her a new home, which could take several months. Please remember, pets are not disposable! They are family members and you don't get rid of a family member... For additional information on this subject, tips and solutions, please read: Do you really have to?
~ MPR

THE TRAGIC STORY OF A DOG CONSIDERED "DISPOSABLE" BY HER ADOPTERS

Dream was adopted as a puppy in 2006 by what MPR thought was a caring family. She was a cute puppy then and finding her a home wasn't difficult. Everyone wants a puppy.... Dream went home to live with a Mom, a Dad, a little girl and a baby to come!  Oh Happy Day!  There it was said that she would be cherished and safe.  A promise was made, verbally and with a signed Contract.  The adopters understood that if for any reason Dream could no longer stay with her family, she would be returned to MPR.  Unfortunately the owners broke all their promises. About a year later Dream's family decided they didn't want her anymore. For reasons we don't understand, they chose not to contact MPR to let us know what was going on. They found Dream a new home through an acquaintance. One year later MPR received a call from an Animal Officer in IL who tracked us down thanks to Dream's microchip. That poor baby had been found abandoned in the country, sick and starving. After several phone calls, we were able to piece together what happened. The lady who adopted Dream from the first family had not been screened and did not receive proper education about the breed. Dream had been rehomed with another female and within a few months, the two dogs didn't get along anymore. Dreams' owner placed an add in Craigslist; 'Free to good home" Within a few days a "good ole country boy" came to get Dream. We tracked him down thanks to the company name on his truck, and asked him why Dream was found in bad condition in the country. That "good ole country boy" was not so good after all. He rudely explained to us that he had taken Dream to the flea market and "traded the bitch for 3 fish polls"...

MPR makes a lifelong commitment to our dogs when they enter our program.  We uphold a promise that they will never again be neglected, abused, hungry or homeless.  We guarantee that even if an adoptive family is unable to keep the dog, regardless of reason, we will take that dog back into our Program.  We also promise to never allow a lapse in time where one of our dogs is without the proper care and love that we would provide one to our own pets. This is not only our personal promise ~ this is written into the Adoption Contract that is signed by all parties.  This promise we can only hold true if the adoptive family also keeps their part of the bargain.  Without a commitment to those standards and micro chipping, other dogs could very well face a similar fate.  Too many people see family companions as ‘fair weather pets’ and when life throws its curves, they think ‘getting rid’ of the pet is the answer. In reality though, making the family pet homeless doesn’t resolve family problems, but in fact causes problems. Problems that include the increase in euthanasia rates, strays, unwanted litters to be born.  Rescues are busting at the seams to accommodate this problem.

When you make the desision to bring a pet into your lives, it is your responsibility to, for the life of that pet, provide CARE and LOVE.  Your pet is not disposable just as any member of you family is not disposable.

Pets are living creatures, capable of fear, love, pain, loneliness, and joy. They should never be considered disposable property, but rather, they should be considered members of the family. You wouldn't separate your kids from your family for the following reasons, would you?

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