When is a rescue not a rescue?

Interesting post, as are some of the replies!!

We are based in the UK and run the largest chinchilla rescue.

An extract from our website:

Our main objective is to provide a dedicated service for any chinchilla in the UK requiring rescue, rehabilitation, re-homing, and/or on-going permanent care where necessary and appropriate.

We never put a healthy chinchilla down, we prefer to go the extra mile and endeavour to get the chinchillas back to full or optimum health. A chin is only put to sleep when all reasonable treatment options have been exhausted and no other clinical outcome is possible or where the animal is considered to be suffering.

Once the chinchillas are in good health and condition, we arrange for them to be available for re-homing. Sadly though, this is not always possible as some of our rescued chinchillas are unable to go to a new forever home. These stay with us and we endeavour to make them as comfortable as possible for as long as is necessary.


We currently have approx 200 chins in our care (don't count anymore), nearly 50 of these are permanent rescues, 35 possible rehomers, a further 50 currently being monitored and the remainder available for rehoming.

Over here non profit organisations go for 'charity status' - something we would love to do, but never seem to find the time to fill in all the paperwork - the chins come first here!

There is a specific quarantine area here, where all new arrivals are placed for no less than 8 weeks - this not only gives us time to get to know them, we can also monitor the chins and wean them onto our pellets if needed. If quarantine is full, then anyone waiting has to go on our waiting list until a cage becomes available.

We do not rush into getting new homes for these unfortunate furries, they need time, patience and understanding. Once we are happy, then they will go up for adoption. Our rehoming policy is quite strict, as we prefer these chins to go to 'forever' homes where they will receive all the tlc they so deserve.

We did not intend to run a rescue, we started off showing and breeding - the rescue side of things just 'happened' and eventually took over, not only our own chins but our whole life. A day out with completely out of the question, let alone a holiday!! Everyone of these rescues rely on us totally, and we are here for them 24/7

Here is the thing I have seen where someone that I would have considered a legitimate rescue was getting things for their personal chins at a discount because they were a rescue. To me that is taking advantage of the word "rescue". Susan (since you have been brought up) if you wanted hammocks and pillows for your care packages I would be happy to send something like that (if my sewing machine was not broke). As far as money donations, there are too many people out there that claim to be a rescue and they really are not.

I have 5 chins here that are rescues, one of them unless I found someone that I knew they could handle him is staying here. I by no means consider myself a rescue. When the other four are adopted if there are more that need me I will take them in. I'm not going to go buying chins off of CL that I think need new homes and consider them rescues. At this point in time I have no desire to become a rescue, but I will help a chin that is in need.

The organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, and no part of a section 501(c)(3) organization's net earnings may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. If the organization engages in an excess benefit transaction with a person having substantial influence over the organization, an excise tax may be imposed on the person and any organization managers agreeing to the transaction.
http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=96099,00.html

Agreed, Bethany. Thank you for the 501(c)3 information! That's exactly what I was looking for. From what I'm reading, that just involves the money aspect and making a profit. It doesn't describe a rescue but "any charitable organization" so to me being 501(c)3 approved or whatever STILL does not describe a rescue.

As I've said before...a rescue is someone that is in it for the benefit of the animal. Getting outside funding is a great idea but rescuing without the help from outside sources doesn't disqualify someone from being a rescue. A rescue is there for the animals, not the money or supplies meant to help the animals.

Slightly off topic...
A 501(c)3 does not describe a rescue or make anyone who has one a rescue. But it is a very good thing to have. This standing allows for all donations to your rescue to be tax deductible. The rescue benefits because it may encourage people to donate more and the person donating benefits as they get to use it as a tax deduction. It can also help encourage businesses to donate items for the same reason, they get to use it as a tax deduction.

I've had a couple of businesses donate things. Most of the time they would go through another non profit that I work with. So, it is indirectly given to me... Most of the time though it's waterbottles or something like that and I would end up giving those away to people adopting rescues or people that need them.

Ok I have another question to throw in here

How long do you think someone should have owned chinchillas (or hedgies) & how much knowledge & experience should they have had before they consider starting up a "rescue" service?
The reason I ask is because we often see people come "out of the blue" & suddenly they are touting themselves as a rescue (chins or hedgies) when they actually have little/no experience of keeping these animals - what usually happens is they then claim to be "experts" (I'm a rescue doncha know) & they may even sound plausible BUT they soon get in over their heads & the chins/hedgies suffer because of their lack of knowledge &/or experience.

Now don't get me wrong - there are an awful lot of people in this world who have their hearts in the right place but running a proper rescue takes more than just compassion - yes everyone learns &, again, I'm not taking that away from anyone - BUT do you think someone can start up/run a successful (in terms of the outcome for the animals' care & welfare) without a minimal amount of knowledge & hands-on experience?


What do you think? :confused2:


BTW this was provoked by me thinking about the example I used in my first post about the bloke who set up a "rescue", taking in chins from all over the place - some of them died through neglect, as did several types of reptiles he was also "rescuing".
The animals died needless deaths & the information this guy was spouting was absolute garbage - but because he claimed to be a "rescue" people listened to him - subsequently other legitimate, knowledgeable rescues ended up clearing up the mess, caring for the sick animals, & trying to help those who had been given crappy advice for their own animals.

Since I work with many non-profit rescues and 501(3)c rescue alike I thought I would chime in.

You dont have to be a rescue to get a 501(3)c status so I don't consider you a rescue if you have one. Many companies whos goals are for people or for education ect ect have a 501(3)c status so they may accept tax deductable donations. My friends campaign for equal rights in CA is a 501(3)c… he sure isn’t a rescue.

GSROC is a 501(3)c rescue

Lily Sanctuary is a 501(3)c rescue

BUT the rescue that GSROC works with "Cuddy Canines” is Not. They take in mothers who are pregnant from the Riverside Shelter and new born puppies that need to be bottle fed and then adopt them out. They are not a 501(3)c but have been around for years and are recognized by the LA and Riverside shelter system and I see them as a 100% rescue - non-profit but not 501(3)c.

I personally have opened a small animal rescue OC Pocket Pets Rescue. I am not a 501(3) rescue (yet) though I am a non-profit. I do not make any money (though I do put in hundreds). I have a website about to open ( .org) and I have connections to other rescue through my current rescues. I consider my organization a rescue though we are non-profit we are not a 501(3)c. I am on the fence about filling to be tax exempt. I am all about saving animals in need and spend my time doing so But I don’t know if I want to go through all the paperwork and tax papers every year to do so. At this point I am more focused on the animals then the "501(3)c" status.

Very true and interesting. I've rehomed a couple of chins, but I was essentially a pet hotel rather than a rescue. I do consider 2 of my pets 'pet store rescues' only on the count that both stores refused to provide them with the vet care they needed. But even then they weren't technically rescues, they were really really expensive pets with slight issues.

I just wanted to bring this thread up again since there are threads about what is and is not a rescue and what IS a rescue. A rescue organization is not someone who buys off CL keeps the chins a week and then sells them, AFTER begging for supplies, that is a dealer and frankly a scam. This type of "rescue" gives legit rescues a bad name. A rescue animal is not a owner surrender or a pet store purchase and IMO a rescue is not paid for in most cases unless the chins life is in danger.

Quite honestly I think that one shouldn't be considered a "true" rescue until they have filed for non profit status for one. IMO that shows they AT LEAST are above your run of the mill I want your free animal type operation. If one files proper paperwork then if there are complaints against that "rescue" there would at least be some type of authority to oversee it. I don't think either that just because one would file the paperwork either that they may necessarily be the most fantastic organization cause as with anything else you will have your good and your bad but at least becomming legally deemed "a nonprofit rescue" is a STEP in the right direction.

The only issue there is that I think a lot of rescues are run by one or two people. Very small organizations. Sure, there are some rescues that have their own building and offices and all, but I know several people who rescue out of their homes, and it's just them and maybe their husband/wife if they have one.

Here's why that matters -- I've looked into the 501(c)(3) designation. In order to obtain that, your rescue has to have to have a board of directors (among other things). In my situation, I am the only person running the rescue. Sure, I have volunteers and stuff, but at the end of the day, it's my rescue. As there cannot be a one-person board of directors, I cannot file to become 501(c)(3). It's not that I wouldn't like to, but there aren't the people here with me who would run/oversee the rescue, so that keeps me from being able to meet the criteria to even apply.

See I think that is where the line needs to be drawn...there are people who do SOME OCCASIONAL RESCUE WORK and if it is done in the best interest of the chin and not their pocket I think then that it is all well and good but I wouldn't classify those people as "operating a FULL BLOWN rescue". I see ads all too often about people who want to take in everyone's unwanted animals and I think that these fly by nighters are nothing more than flippers. Greychins I know you personally DO CARE and have the chins best interest at heart but I am not talking about you specifically as a case in point. I am saying this as just my own personal GENERAL opinion about the subject as a whole.

I was on the board of directors for the 501(c)(3) I worked with for years, I was not a owner of the rescue nor participated in the every day running of it, I was a foster parent, did education and rescue removal, being on the board was no big deal.

Pookinaround -- I agree. I often see ads on craiglist saying "we can take in your unwanted exotics! if you have sugargliders, we love them, if you have hedgehogs" and so on. Those people drive me nuts. And for a lot of them, I would question if the point is even to rescue. Maybe these people just want a free sugarglider, you know? And that's not the right way to go about doing it. Those people are the ones giving the real rescues a bad rap.

Dawn -- I would totally trust you if I had my 501(c)(3) with a board of directors... but I was under the impression that the reason for the board of directors is that the board gets together for when decisions have to be made. So in that case, I'd want people very chin-knowledgeable as the other board members. While I have plenty of adoptive homes, I'm not sure I'd trust their judgment (having owned one chin for not very many years) if it came down to some issue that we couldn't agree on. May I ask -- when you were on the board, you said you did education and rescue removal -- I assume rescue removal would be going to get rescues to bring back to the shelter? But I am curious about what type of education you did? We try our best to educate people when they come to one of our adoption events and hand out booklets and all, but I was wondering how you went about it?

I think that getting your status would give you a lot more UMPH to stand on. I don't know personally but from what Dawn is saying putting a Board together shouldn't be too awful of an undertaking. I think that is probably just ensuring a system of checks and balances. Again enhancing credibility for your organization.

Rescue removal was either picking up at the owners home, picking up at the HS or animal control, a couple of crime scenes, forclosed homes, raided pet stores, hoarding situations etc. Depending on how many foster chins I had at the time, the chin would go home with me where I would evaluate it for health and disposition and I would take it for its vet check up, which all chins got regardless of health or I would drop off at the Presidents house. Usually we did it in teams for safety. Education days happened at Petco/Petsmart/Petfood express/For all living things , street fairs, the HS events, health care day at the vet etc. 3-4 of us would bring our tame chins and spend the afternoon at wherever would let us. Our board consisted of the president, the secretary and treasurer, in CA you actually only need one person. I was the secretary-raised funds by selling member items on ebay using their non profit service and begged for bucks from whoever, typed up the once a year meeting notes which happened at the yearly party I hosted for the members.