# Rescue verses adopt



## ShelterPups (Jan 3, 2013)

Although I have adopted several dogs from shelters and taken in strays which have found their way to my home, some of which I have placed in loving homes, I'm not sure what classifies as a true "rescue".


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Hmm, I'd probably say that if they were taken out of a bad situation, or prevented from being in a bad situation, and you didn't pay the person responsible for that bad situation any money, you can call it a rescue. Not that it really matters.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Willowy said:


> Hmm, I'd probably say that if they were taken out of a bad situation, or prevented from being in a bad situation, and you didn't pay the person responsible for that bad situation any money, you can call it a rescue. Not that it really matters.


Ditto.

Here's how I look at it more or less-

If you get the dog to safety or significantly improve its living conditions without monetarily or otherwise encouraging the bad situation to continue, its a rescue. 

If you then keep the dog permanently and formally make it "yours" then you have adopted it. A dog can be adopted but not really so much a rescue in the sense that the dog may be obtained from someone that cares for it and treats it well but wasn't suited to that dog (like say an elderly person with an active dog) if there isn't a significant sum of money changing hands. 

The distinction on the paying/supporting continuing bad treatment is why I do not consider dogs purchased from puppy mills or pet stores to be "rescues" or "adoptions" : they are bought and this is bad since the income encourages the continued breeding of the puppy mill dogs.

Dogs can also be bought from reputable breeders which is just fine, but they are not "adopted" either IMO. 

I use rescue as the overall term for working to provide loving homes for dogs. A rescue can be an organization or an action. 

I consider myself to have adopted one dog (Chester from the local humane society) and rescued, in cooperation with a rescue group, the 5 fosters that have come through my house and assisted in rescuing an additional handful of dogs by connecting them to their new owners.


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