Long winded review ahead but a warning for people trying to use BarkBarkWag rescue. We tried to comment about our uncomfortable experience on the rescues post and Sheri the owner promptly deleted it and blocked us from the page so I'm warning people here. Note there is only one Bark Bark Wag Rescue but they have two yelp pages with different locations on them.
I had the rug ripped out from me a second time on the same dog. I applied for her originally 7 weeks ago and was approved back in early February. When the rescue owner called to speak with me (hours after she said she would) she changed the requirements to the dog not being adopted out without a housemate to which she tried to get me to adopt two of her animals at once. I was not ready for this as we just lost our special needs dog 2 weeks prior and I felt forced to get two at once (one of which I didn't feel connected to).
FFW to this week when I notice the dog pop up again after being in this woman's home for 5 months now. We had fallen in love with another dog (through a different rescue) that we've had now for 5 weeks. I've gotten to know him (he's learning and thriving!) and thought maybe he would like a friend. It has to be fate that she's still there right? I meet the new requirements of a playmate for her so I re-inquire. I'm approved again. I send videos of EVERY room of my home/basement/garage as the "virtual home visit" which Sheri now still has as an inventory of my possessions on her phone. Am told they do this instead of coming to your home because of COVID however they do still come to your house during their required multiple meet and greets. I set up an appointment for a meet and greet at her home where the dog is the very next day with us and our current dog. I'm told I'll receive an email within a couple hours with the information on the meet and greet. I patiently wait until the next morning when I have to ask again. The email is then sent but still no address, still no information on the process when we get there, just to text when I arrive. I finally get the address, time and text when we arrived as I was told, only to be greeted with hostility.
This woman walked up to my vehicle and said she had no idea who I was. Remind you, she had a video of the front of my house with my vehicles in it. I had an appointment confirmed 3 hours prior (spoke with her on the phone at this time also) and I text when I arrived as instructed. She said she doesn't have her phone on her and she's not ready. I said that's ok we are a few minutes early and can wait. She says "are you ok?" "This isn't going to work is it?" I told her if this doesn't work it's not because of me and because I think she's trying to keep her. She proceeds to tell me I parked wrong in her driveway and expected me to leave my recently rescued dog unattended in my car for however long it took us to get acquainted with the new dog before we introduce them. I told her I wasn't comfortable making my dog sit here by himself scared and nervous that I may not come back. Suggested my boyfriend sit with our current dog while I meet her and then switch. She told me no that wouldn't work for her dog. It was too much in and out of the yard for her and had no regard for the safety and comfort level of both dogs. Needless to say, we never got to meet the dog even though we were physically at her house.
All of this after about 2 hours of phone conversations where she belittled me and told me I had to change everything I do with my current dog to accommodate the new one. I was talked down to in a rude and condescending tone about inquiring about worms/fleas/ticks/parasites given they are a rescue that likely have new dogs coming in. She told me many times that she was flooded with applications but no one was the perfect fit. I realized after 5 months of being in her home this poor sweet dog is still not being properly socialized or worked with on her fears/leash/people.
Every instinct in my body told me something is wrong with this woman and the situation, but I was committed to trying to save this baby from her basement where the foster dogs are not allowed to cohabitate with her personal dogs. Don't even get me started on the "contract" you're required to sign that she can continue to check in on the dog to make sure you're doing what she wants you to do and if you break any of her rules she's within her rights to sue you AT YOUR COST and take your dog away from you. My heart goes out to Celeste (and any other dog under this woman's thumb) that she's stuck in an unfavorable position and I'm sad I couldn't save her. This rescue owner may have given her a better home than she came from but emaciated and neglected was a low bar to begin with. Please be careful, do your research and listen to your gut! There are plenty of good rescues out there and this is not one of them. read more