# Dog rescue question



## whitneyeh (Oct 15, 2013)

Hello, 

I have a question. I just adopted a WONDERFUL girl from a reputable rescue. She was beat up at her foster home by another dog. They knew that and I knew that. However, I brought her to the vet today to get checked out, she had two wounds that were infected and stitches in her from a few weeks ago. I knew she had stitches, but not that they were still in. Anyway, I gave the rescue 350, which I am happy to do to help out, however, the vet bill was 360! Do I ask the rescue to work with me on the adoption fee? I know that the money goes to helping out with vet bills and other things, but I wasn't expecting that much of a vet bill up front. 

What is the right course of action here?

Thank you for any info. 

By the way, we are already in love with her, we are not planning on returning her.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

I would bring up the vet bill with the rescue, yes. I would tell them you were not informed she had stitches still in or that they needed to be removed. If they do not have paper work stating that that was given to you and they are a reputable rescue I would expect them to realize the error they made and rectify it.


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## Prairie Dogs (Oct 14, 2013)

I don't think it is unreasonable to expect the rescue to compensate you for at least part of the vet bill, due to the injury occurring while she was in their care. At this point all you can do is let them know the situation, maybe give them your vet's contact information and hope that they will help you out.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

I would definitely speak with the rescue. Dogs should be adopted out healthy _to the best of their knowledge_ or any issues disclosed (like for recent surgeries, chronic illnesses, known allergies etc). Sometimes things do pop up in a new home that didn't occur while the dog was in foster and the rescue had no way of knowing (such as a food or medicine allergy if the dog wasn't ever exposed to that before getting adopted)

I can see the infection being overlooked if it was minor and the foster didn't know what they were looking at, but taking the stitches out should have been a planned event, like come back 1 week or 10 days or whatever after the initial injury. Since the injury happened under the care of the rescue, many rescues would pay the costs associated with that specific incident, even post adoption, unless agreed or disclosed otherwise. 

Did they request you take her to the vet within a given time frame? Was your vet visit within that time frame? Since you did know she had stitches in, _if_ they requested you take her to a vet within X days, they may have been working on the assumption that the vet would then remove the stitches and it would be at the suitable time.


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