UPDATE 11/11/2015 12:56 PM : Francisvale’s Executive Director has contacted me. In the spirit of keeping things civil our discussion remains off record. I consider this at an end.

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This is Elsie. She is a dacshund mix. She has been living in an office at Francisvale for I think four years. Recently she was sprung from an awful kind of of animal purgatory by one of my dearest friends who agreed to be a foster mom to her.

Elsie has been with my friend for a month and a half and has made great strides. She is finally almost completely house trained (dachshunds are stubborn!) and she is a good dog who has had a crappy life.

this is Elsie’s photo off the rescue’s website. Note the way they have her harness and leash and collar hooked up. Guaranteed to hurt a dog shoulder right? That is their photo, not the rescue mom’s living eith her.

I have spent quite a bit of time with Elsie and my friend and really like her. I think she’s a great dog. But she does have some fear based aggression which is not unusual for rescues. Today even though she  has been around me, something in her switched and well, she bit me. Through my clothes, yes broke skin, but clothes didn’t tear. She made a mistake. It happens. I have to admit it was somewhat startling because I’ve never been bitten by a dog before.

My friend had to call Francisvale to report this as a foster mom. The executive director was terse with my friend. All my friend asked was for permission and the money they said was there to take her to behavior training at What A Good Dog in Malvern. What A Good Dog is amazing with these issues.

But no, no conversation, just bring the dog back. They have an endowment, correct? Why not pay for the training? Why are they in the rescue business? To act a non profit hoarding situation?

The executive director did NOT even ask my friend for my name and phone number at the time to see if I was ok. How is that for a caring rescue? Professionalism is optional?

So I called the executive director twice. I did not want Elsie removed from a caring foster situation, just get her the help she needs and keep her out of the kennel and get her to a furever home. But the woman would not take my call. “Too busy” was what I was told by whomever answered the phone—I got this woman who was practically reading from a script about how to patronize people while calming them down.

I am now in tears and so is my friend as she takes Elsie back to life in a cage. Or worse.

I am so upset and technically I am the aggrieved party with a dog bite. But the reason I am upset is I know Elsie is a good dog. Not vicious, just scared. She made a mistake and they are a rescue that can afford behavior modification training. Her foster mom is willing to devote the time to do this – Francisvale just needs to pay for the training which is what they are supposed to do dogs and a foster situation aren’t they?

You know years ago I considered  rescuing from them. I even was one of the people who supported them the last time their neighbors are nearby streets complained about noise coming from the kennels.

I am being public with this post because I think Elsie and my friend are getting the short end of the stick.

The phone number to Francisvale is 610 688-1018. Their address is 328 Upper Gulph Rd., Radnor PA 19087

I think they pretty much suck  right now.

Again let me reiterate: I got bitten. I know it was an accident and I know this is a good dog. I also know that any rescue worth it’s salt doesn’t like dogs coming back into a kennel once they have gotten out as it can ruin a dog.

It makes me very very sad that I now wonder if this rescue is actually living its mission.

Elsie is getting the short end of things right now.  She is a victim of stupid human tricks.  I hope St. Francis looks out for her.