anyone have negative dealings with Bkln animal foster networ

Subject: I sometimes can't make it to the bathroom either...

Well, just a few words here

We've fostered animals through BAFN. And some of them have had problems, but none of those problems have been insurmountable. Some dogs weren't well housebroken (thank god for hardwoods!) That's pretty normal for a dog in a new home-- heck, i've even had problems in hotel rooms where I couldn't find the bathroom on my first night there. Some dogs have had hip problems. Others didn't understand how to sleep in a crate. Others have had mange or kennel cough.

There's no way for BAFN to know that the dogs have these problems. The foster parents should evaluate the dogs and find a SUITABLE home. That means that the home should fit the dog, not the other way around.

Someone in this forum ended up with a well-bred dog with a clean, well-known pedigree. Great news for them. That's what they wanted, and I'm sure that dog is showered with love and more money is spent on it than some families earn in a year. Personally, I want to see dogs in bad situations moved into loving homes, or immediately put down. I'm working for a reduction in suffering by animals. That's it.

BAFN works hard to do this. Laurie is obviously affected by this in many ways. Spend one day in a New York City Animal Shelter. You think the stuff they show on Animal Planet is rough?? Hmph.

Until any of us step up to do as much as Laurie does, we should muster some forgiveness, and we should do what we can to help. Why not foster a dog for a week. Or post some fliers. Find someone else to foster. Get a dog rescued. Choose any of these.

Just try to make a difference. Please. Of course, it's a free country, so you're also free to call you local breeder and to pay a few hundred dollars for an inbred animal. Ignoring the problem is the more popular option, isn't it? And i'm sure those purebred dogs won't pee or poo in any apartment, right? only the strays do that on your ethan allen furniture. (but seriously, buying a dog isn't evil, it does however feed into the problem. Any dog can be a good dog. It's about the owner. And if the medical bills are so insurmountable, then you should in good conscience have the animal put down.)

Regardless, BAFN has a good heart in Laurie. While sometimes extreme, if you know what change you want to affect in this world (or even the world around you,) you can make a difference through BAFN.

And if you have a problem with them, you can always go down to the shelter yourself (that's right, ON YOUR OWN!) to rescue a dog, to foster a dog, or to work to get one into a good home. Craigslist is open to all of us, as is petfinder.com. Get down there. Find a dog. If you can't keep it, work to find it a home. It's not THAT hard, and it can make all the difference. And during the process, you just might find an animal you love!

Take a few hours a week and try to reduce the suffering of animals in the world. That is, of course, unless you're already spending your free time reducing the suffering of people in this world.

well, that was a long time ago. i was in college, and i'd had a few too many drinks in cardiff. but that's another story for a different day.

sorry to be consescending. i only meant to direct it at the person who doesn't like strays because she doesn't know their history (versus purebred dogs)