When it all gets too much

We are constantly receiving rescue requests and it gets overwhelming sometimes. We can't help all the animals in need. Space, manpower and resources are always limited and we can only do what we can with what we have. Our days and nights are also filled with running the rescue and time is also a scarcity so it's impossible to get back to every e-mail and message that comes our way and we apologize for that.
One such e-mail sat in our inbox in mid-August about a dog hanging around an abandoned mountain building. I glanced at the photos but left it as is as we are full to the brim with dogs waiting for homes. Over one hundred, actually.  I passed it off as another feral dog able to survive on it's own. A nagging feeling kept me returning to the photos. Where were the other dogs?  Isn't is strange that a feral would stick around a building alone?  
​Soon enough, she was captured by animal control so we went to meet her there.  She was obviously not feral.

So she came to HEART.  I named her Juno. She is the sweetest of sweetest dogs.  People friendly, dog friendly, just an all around wonderful dog. She likes her sleep though, and that's the only time I've seen her get a bit pissed off but I totally get that.

So the moral of the story is that there are too, too many people that just want to get their animal problem off their hands and guilty conscious. And put it unto the ones doing rescue work. I've learned how to say no in a lot of cases but it doesn't make my guilt for not saving that one or two or sometimes 20.  

I think what put me off from the start was the initial e-mail.  The gist being "I have two dogs and I can't possibly do more. There must be someone that can give this dog a home. Why can't HEART do something to get this dog into a home". 

I wanted to respond with "I am responsible for over 100 dogs at the moment and 70 cats. I can't possibly do more.  There must be homes for the friendly and vetted animals in our care. Why are people so selfish and can't do more for the animals in front of their eyes."

Since Juno came to HEART, we haven't heard from the e-mailer. I'm assuming there wasn't donation of any kind, either.  This is from experience, but I apologize if the e-mailer did contribute to Juno's fees for pulling her from the Kanri center, her spay surgery, microchip, vaccinations, heart-worm blood test, flea/tick treatment, de-worming, food for the past three months, electric bills to keep her cool during the hot months and now warm during the cool ones, rent to pay for the roof over her head, etc. etc. etc. 

Juno due to fly out to her new home on the 23rd.  She is one of the lucky mid-sized adult dogs that could find a home.  It's not so easy. Just ask the other 100 of our mid-sized adult dogs.  Some of them pure-bred. Some of them with so much love to give. We all wonder why they haven't found a home yet. My only answer is that it must be destiny.