Harlequin Haven Great Dane Rescue

Unfortunately there's another bad experience with HHGDR. As others have posted, the adoption process is tough... Apparently too tough to let ANY dog go. After meeting all the criteria, we were denied for an adoption. When asking for more information on the reasoning, we were given a very generic, "to protect the review process, we don't share that information". I understand that they have to be cautious, however there's no need to be rude, shady, or flat out disrespectful. Avoid them at all costs.

Well...it looks like they haven't changed any since 2004 when I experienced the same rudeness from the organization's "owner". I've had 5 Dane companions in my lifetime.....at that time 3....all three living to above the expected age of a Dane; 9, 13, and 12. All died of natural causes and were EXTREMELY healthy after starting out their lives in bad circumstances. Yes, that's right, I adopt my Danes, but not from Harlequin Haven. I currently have 2 Danes, one is deaf from birth as she is white and she will be 10 years old this month; the other girl is 12 years old this month. They both still play like pups with their balls and love taking walks with me.

I visited there about 6 months after my 3rd Dane had passed and was treated with suspicion and disgust. My feeling about the whole experience was that they think no one else besides themselves are capable of loving a Dane as well as they can. Which is very sad because Danes deserve better lives than being in cages most of their day and only being let out to run around once or twice a day. They deserve a FAMILY that loves them, not caretakers. They deserve to lie in front of a fireplace with their owners, walks through the woods with their FAMILY, time to play ball with THEIR OWN FAMILY.

This place is a joke and if you watch their web site with any regularity, you will see Danes that are at that place for YEARS. They have a few "special" adopters that get to adopt but they are few and far between and that's why the Danes just don't get out of there. I've contacted our local shelter and BEGGED them not to call HH Haven when they get Danes in as they are committing them to a certain jail time for the rest of their life.

I have adopted from, volunteered, served on the board, and donated to Harlequin Haven. As an adopter I have filled out lengthy paperwork. I have done awareness events to advocate for this regal breed and life altering rescue as a volunteer. I have been on both sides of the fence when it comes to placing a dane in a family as a board member. I have given monetary contributions to keep this much needed vessel afloat as a donor. I have seen many sides of this organization and can attest that all are for the greater good of the breed. The organization and its affiliates are the voice for the Great Danes in their care. Look at it like this....if someone came to you and wanted to have one of your children but lied about the care provided to their other kids, would you likely respond in a friendly manner? Harlequin Haven is all about finding the best homes for the dogs in their care.

I discovered and have been adopting from Harlequin Haven since 1999. I have adopted 5 Danes from them over the years and I could not be happier with all the help, support and guidance I have received from day one. I have also volunteered for Harlequin Haven since the time of my first adoption as I felt so strongly that this rescue was doing so much for homeless Danes (and other dogs) that are in very great need. I have seen Danes come into Harlequin Haven that have been severely abused and neglected, and then I watched them heal mentally and physically through all the love and help of the volunteers as they are adopted into loving homes. Yes, the adoption policies and procedures are strict, but every guideline is there for a reason and for the protection of the Danes who have already gone through too much before coming to Harlequin Haven. I am very grateful to have found Harlequin Haven and I will always continue to adopt and volunteer there as I believe what they are doing for homeless Great Danes is amazing!

I used to have a rescue myself and I have dealt with Harlequin Haven for over 15 yrs. I have found them to be one of the most reputable groups around. Their mission is to protect the dogs at all cost. They go over and beyond to help a dog in need especially a Dane, but they do not turn their backs on others. They are a strict rescue when it comes to adoption which upsets many but I have seen many people that were turned down for adoption come back a year or 2 later to dump their Dane and they admit that HHGDR was right, that they could not afford to care for a Dane or a Dane just was not for them. I have seen Danes that have arrived at the rescue on deaths doorstep and the love, care and devotion given at this rescue has saved many lives. HHGDR takes in Danes that most rescues would turn away yet they open their hearts to all they can.

HHGDR is a rescue to be respected and admired. Too bad there are not more rescues just like them!

I adopted from Harlequin Haven Great Dane Rescue in 2012 and was so thrilled with the great knowledge of the breed and the care taken of the dogs in their rescue. The adoption procedure was tuff but I totally understood why they do what they do. These volunteers take Danes that are sometimes in horrible condition and they nurse them back to health. There requirements are not bad if you have loved and cared for your previous pets.

Once you adopt a dog from Harlequin Haven Great Dane Rescue you are family and they are there for you for the rest of your life and the dogs.

They need to learn to treat people as well as they do animals. Their pups may be treated well but not well enough for me to deal with them or to recommend them, and that is a sad sad thing for me to say. After putting in an application to adopt, I also referred a volunteer. Needless to say, one conversation later I withdrew my application and went to another large breed rescue to complete an adoption. I will let the volunteer post their own review but suffice it to say, the potential volunteer, once again, has too much time on hand...... Such a shame, after all, it is a good mission worth supporting, just not through this organization.

I began volunteering several years ago after purchasing 2 great dane pups and then realizing that rescue is the only way to go. I am not able to participate as much as I'd like, but I do try to do what I can. I initially had my heart set on a dane that was very fearful of people, and at that time I still had several children at home. Our family went to see Joe and we could tell he would not be a good fit at that time. Later, I spoke with the person who runs the rescue and thanked her for letting me see it for myself--she knew it wasn't going to work out at that time. Once my children moved out she felt he could go home with us and we have had 4 wonderful years with him. We have also adopted 2 other danes there and are thinking about another in the near future. Even when a volunteer applies for a dog, they still do a home inspection (very thorough), vet references, etc. My vet's employees are also very good to answer questions and give a thorough reference--no one needs to talk to the vet with the girls doing such a good job.

There has to be a good reason to deny an application. Do you really think we want to keep these dogs at the rescue and not give them a loving family? We want them placed well and to fit in, be loved and cared for, and NOT be returned to the rescue. I've seen dogs returned and it is absolutely heartbreaking. That is the reason hhgdr is so picky!!! At the same time, I would challenge anyone to find a rescue that is more caring--not to say there aren't some ass good, but these dogs get the best care and love we can give them. The buildings are completely (and I mean COMPLETELY) cleaned every week, the dogs are vetted appropriately, and there is every attempt made to place them in good, loving homes that are a good fit.

I do understand it would be upsetting to be denied, but we are only doing what we think is best for the dog. After all, that's what the rescue is all about.

As a volunteer for Harlequin Haven, I’ve been impressed with the high quality care the dogs receive at the rescue. Dogs that have been abused, starved, beaten are given personal, loving care and brought back to good health ready to be adopted. No dog is adopted without a temperament and health check. The adoption rules are stringent but necessary. These dogs have already been through so much that a careful check of potential adopters is necessary. These dogs deserve the best. Applications are checked for dishonesty or misleading statements. The goal is to find a safe, forever home where the Dane will be well cared for, loved, and welcomed into the family. After adoption, adopters are not left on their own. The rescue is there for them 24/7 to help the Dane and the new family if problems arise.

We adopted 2 Danes from HHGDR and were very impressed with the care and attention taken at every step of the process. HHGDR have the most thorough application process of all the rescues/shelters we looked at, which clearly shows their level of commitment to finding the right forever home for their dogs. The relationship does not end when they hand the dog over either, they are always there to offer support and advice for the continued care of these wonderful giants. I have been so impressed with the amazing care they give these dogs that I became a volunteer to help in some small way.
I could not recommend them more highly.

l adopted numerous Great Danes from Harlequin Haven Great Dane Rescue through the years. The folks at Harlequin Haven Great Dane Rescue are great. Each time, they have matched a Great Dane that is perfect for our family. They have coached us through the stresses of introducing the dog to its new home. If I have a question or concern, I just call. They always have good answers and suggestions. We are forever grateful for the wonderful dogs and Harlequin Haven for enriching our lives.

I adopted my first Dane from this organization in 2008. I had such a good experience that I adopted my second Dane a month later. With my first adoption, I ended up having 2 in home visits because they were not sure about how I would handle situations if the dog destroyed my flower beds. After the second visit, I was approved. I appreciated the fact that they were so concerned about all involved. I started volunteering on grooming days. Then as I got more attached to the dogs and saw how people have treated the ones that were there, I started coming more often. I now drive the2 hours one way, three times a month plus I do events in Columbus. I have also adopted my third Dane from there. I know for a fact that they only want the best for the dogs . I will always have Danes and will always go to hhgdr. I have always had very considerate people to work with on my adoptions and they are always willing to answer any question that come up.

I have known and adopted Great Danes from this organization for almost 20 years. I am presently in the process of adopting my 5th one from them as my senior Dane (9) has bone cancer. The owner has always been there through thick and thin helping me when issues arise. There has NEVER been a time when I haven't been able to reach out to her with an issue that she hasn't not responded with wisdom, encouragement or help. These dogs are like her "children", she is known to them as "Grandma". Out of my first two that I adopted, the owner even took one that had HOD back to her place, nursed it back to health with medications, etc and never even charged me. There has not been a time that the advice the owner has offered has been incorrect, she's always been right. She has a love for these dogs that exceeds even my own and diligently works hard to place them in good homes since they come from usually very poor conditions. Even as recently as this year my own daughter (26) was denied placement from this organization as it was felt that it would not be in the best interest of the dog. It was a wise choice on the owner's part. I respect her knowledge and her as a person that she will ONLY do what is best for all involved. I HIGHLY recommend obtaining a dog from them if it the best fit for all, the owner will let you know.
Regarding the staff I cannot say I have experienced any of the issues mentioned in previous reviews. Several reviews are duplicated concerning one incident. I cannot speak regarding those as I am not a party to them but I would say I have not ever experienced anything like that EVER from this organization. I will continue to obtain my Great Danes from Harlequin Haven Great Dane Rescue as long as they feel the fit is right.

I am a volunteer at Harlequin Haven Great Dane Rescue. Before I was a volunteer I was an adopter and have since adopted a total of four dogs over the last few years. I have always taken the older dogs, three of whom had been badly abused in their previous homes. I have nothing but the highest praise and respect for this rescue. Virtually every animal that comes into the rescue is in an unbelievable condition. Just take a look at the website and read the history of these dogs. The rescue brings them back to good health, assesses their temperament, and goes to great lengths to match a dog with new owners desires and abilities to deal with and love a dog who has never known a nice human being. Those dogs that cannot be adopted out for various reasons, live the rest of their lives at the rescue receiving any medical attention, comfort and security and love from the volunteers. If the rescue refuses a potential adopter, it is for a very good reason, the most often reason being that they were not truthful on their application or they were not honest about how they would treat the dog. These dogs have already had a terrible life. The rescue tries its best to see that that doesn't continue in a new home. For those who were disappointed in not being approved, there are other rescues and local humane societies. There is no shortage of dogs! And if you really 'love' dogs, it won't make any difference what breed it is.

I have adopted four danes over the last 6 1/2 years and in tis time i became a volunteer to which I have had many great expirences and a few not so nice ones that will forever be etched in my memory. The one most troubling was a K9 repo that I was apart of. His owners had adopted two danes from HHGDR and the contract was violated and a repo was set up,long story short one of the two danes was in such horrible shape that he was emaciated, his teeth were in poor shape,nails were so long that it hurt him to walk, and he had pressure sores on his chest,stomach and elbow from laying on concrete. It took 6months of constant care for him to be healthy and happy again.The other dane to this day has yet to be recovered. These people made a commitment to the animals to keep their best intrest at heart, well they did not. So for those who feel they need an apology for rudeness, get over yourself. These dogs need forever homes who will be there for them until their final day! If you are not qualified as I was or the neary 1,900 ther adopters look for another rescue group with less rules and stipulations! This is a great oganization, they commit their time and energy to the care and well being of animals in their care, thats the bottom line not your feelings!

I presently have 2 Great Danes from Harlequin Haven Great Dane Rescue. Our senior Dane is almost 12 and we have a 3 year old. This past year they have been extremely helpful and supportive as my senior bloated and my younger girl had serious complications as a result of a condition brought about by shoddy breeding. In all my dealings with Harlequin Haven, from the application process to matching the perfect Danes to my family and lifestyle to being there for advice and support, they have been nothing less than professional.
Thank you Harlequin Haven!

It would be very easy for a rescue organization to let a dog go to just any home. It seems as if the ones complaining on this site are the ones who either 1) have something to hide, or 2) are not being truthful and don't like the fact that they have been caught in a lie. You cannot fault an organization for wanting only the very best for the animals in their care. Just take a look at the background stories of these dogs. Most have come from horrific conditions. It has got to be very time consuming and frustrating, to say the least, for an all-volunteer organization to screen these applications. I'm sure many of the applications that they run across are laughable. Personally, if I were adopting I would be grateful to know that these pets go to only the best of homes that have been thoroughly investigated to ensure that the dogs never have to endure what they has in the past again their lives . I think this organization deserves a big THANK YOU for doing what they do to get their dogs adopted.

I had a very negative experience with this organization. I believe in their mission as an organization however their volunteers are nasty, rude, and incompetent. After my negative experience I demanded an apology from the organization for comments made to me. I never received an apology, but soon found out that the individual that spoke rudely to me had resigned days after our interaction. As a business owner myself (not even a non profit) I understand the importance of customer service and an apology when necessary. Being a nonprofit I would think that they would be overly concerned with their public image, but instead they have no common decency. When approached about my request for an apology they said, "well they never asked for one". What a wonderful world we live in when people can treat us poorly and if we think it is wrong we have to ASK for an apology. Terrible organization and the money I planned on donating will now be going to a rescue with not only animal skills, but people skills as well.

My family has adopted two Danes from HHGDR. I have been very happy with the entire experience. HHGDR does a tremendous job in screening and qualifying candidates, placing the right dog with the right family and providing important after adoption advice whenever needed. We were provided great training recommendations and referrals that really helped the entire family and the dogs. I highly recommend this rescue!

I have adopted 3 Great Danes, and 1 Great Dane mix from HH Dane. I would like to express my gratitude to the wonderful people of HH Dane rescue who made it possible to be blessed by these wonderful additions to my family. It was a very thorough process, including making sure I keep my pets vaccinated and well cared for. The volunteers worked with me to make sure the Danes I adopted would be a good fit and are always available if I have any questions about health or training concerns. Our experience with Harlequin Haven was just wonderful and we have so enjoyed each of our Danes we have been given the privilege to share our lives with.
Thank-You

My family first adopted from this wonderful Rescue in 2011. We have always adopted through Rescues, and this is the first organization that I’ve ever dealt with that went to great lengths to assure the right animal went to the right home. Yes, this Rescue is very thorough with their adoption procedures, but nothing out of the ordinary that isn’t a “given” with any good animal lover. I have found only very knowledgeable as well as caring and compassionate volunteers involved with every aspect of this Rescue. This Rescue is unique in that it offers assistance with any matter concerning the Dane 24/7 once the Dane is placed in a home. I have, at times, been concerned about an issue with my Dane during the evening and the Rescue has always been there! Amazing, professional, kind, helpful and considerate are all words I would use to describe my experience with HHGDR!

I adopted my first Great Dane from HHGDR in 1994. At first I questioned some of their requirements, but soon learned that it was in the best interest of the dog and the adopter to make sure that the placement would be permanent. This was my first experience with the breed, and they were very supportive of me when I had questions. In the following years I have adopted several more Danes from HHGDR with the same positive experiences. I have read some of the negative reviews, and have come to the conclusion that they are the result of "sour grapes." If you have lied on your application and/or have not vetted your previous pets, you should not be surprised if your application is turned down.

We first adopted from Harlequin Haven Great Dane Rescue in 2004. Nearly 10 years later, we've just adopted our third Great Dane from the rescue, and would not go anywhere else! From the beginning, our friends, family and veterinarians were impressed by the thoroughness of the adoption process. This was not a rescue where one impulsively picked out a cute dog and went home with it all in a day's time. I must admit we've never gone home with the dog we first admired on the internet. Our three dogs chose us, with the help of the dedicated volunteers, who gave up their Saturdays to help the dogs find their forever homes.
I think what impresses me most about Harlequin Haven is, that if for any reason, a dog cannot find its forever home, it will live out its days in love and comfort at the rescue. The volunteers know each dog as if it was their own, and shower love and affection on the homeless dogs so that each dog is well socialized and well behaved. As a result, each dog we've adopted brings with her/him some of that love, and we consider ourselves blessed!

I adopted a Great Dane from Harlequin Haven in 2005, and I have to say it was a great experience. Yes, the rescue is stringent in their adoption requirements. This is for the health and safety of the dogs. They follow best practices for animal rescue, and try to make sure each dog goes to its "Forever Home" rather than being adopted out only to be returned. They made sure that my family understood the challenges and responsibilities of adopting a giant breed dog (we had never owned a Great Dane before), and they matched us up with the dog that was the best fit for our family (rather than the one that we thought looked the cutest on the website :) ).

Our great experience with Harlequin Haven didn't stop with adoption. They have always been available to provide advice and resources (even taking 3am phone calls from me and staying on the line for an hour when I was concerned my Dane was bloating and couldn't reach my vet). With their help, we were able to enjoy many wonderful years with our Great Dane. I cannot recommend Harlequin Haven enough for people who are conscientious pet owners. I would adopt from them again in a second if I lived within their adoption area (my family moved out of state a few years ago).

Do your homework on rescue; this is the kind of organization that you want to work with!

I have adopted 8 dogs through HHGDR and am amazed at the care and attention given to the animals there. they have been very kind and generous in supporting my dogs and educating me on the issues of having a rescued giant breed dog. The rescue takes personal responsibility for these animals and seeks to place them in forever-homes that have proven that they will act in the best interest of the dog. They are excellent in supporting the dogs and adopters.

I'm so glad that Harlequin Haven exists to take care of abused and abandoned Great Danes! Back around 2000 Harlequin Haven was recommended to me by a reputable show breeder as good Rescue and place to find a Dane. I followed that advice and checked out their website--they had been a registered nonprofit since 1998--and successfully adopted from there. Since then I have adopted several Danes and 1 mix from Harlequin Haven. Harlequin Haven is always there for me and dogs 24/7 if I have a question or worry about the dogs. They matched us perfectly with the right dog each time for our household/life. This takes a lot of work on their part as they must check references and vet records and meet us and our current dogs to get the match. I love and support the work they do (all are volunteers)! Highly recommended.

One of my friends put in an application for adoption and had a very negative experience. After reliving the exchange between the organization and the applicant, I was appalled.

I have been looking for the perfect words to articulate my disgust with the lack of humanity I have witnessed. I understand that we all have our roles in this giant hamster wheel of life and that we must each put our own needs ahead of others to preserve our livelihood and self-worth. However, in these exchanges, the organizations representatives have shown a complete lack of regard for the impact of their words or even their tone of speaking towards another human being. Admittedly, we all have bad days. When you let your hubris and self-importance dictate your actions, though, perhaps it is time to step back and evaluate if the way you treat others is the way you would like to be treated. Everyone carries a special set of responsibilities and burdens and as human beings, we should not take pleasure in antagonizing, belittling, or tearing someone else down to satisfy our own egos or need for instant gratification. Maybe, some sort of training needs to take place for the volunteers who will be interacting with the public needs to be considered. Volunteers, who represent the organization should be taught to consider how their words and actions impact those around them, as well as the organization they are devoted to. Just think before you speak and act. Your actions make all the difference, whether you are cognizant of that or not.

That being said, even after the organization was notified and given proof of the unacceptable and offensive interaction between the volunteer and supporter, no efforts were made to rectify the situation. Not only did the applicant/supporter not receive an apology, the offensive interaction was never even acknowledged by the organization. The volunteers represent the organization, and by not acknowledging or apologizing to those the volunteer offended, I can only assume that the organization supports the disrespectful and offensive treatment the potential adopters/donors received.

I have donated and volunteered for dozens of animal rescues and organizations, both local and nationwide, and unfortunately Harlequin Haven will not be one that I can, in good conscience, recommend or support in the future. Please research any organization before you adopt, volunteer or donate to ensure that the integrity of the mission is aligned with your own.

***** this review was edited to ensure that no unsubstantiated accusations were made and to reiterate that the opinions expressed are my own.*******

Wow! This was the worst interaction I have had with any organization or business EVER! They were rude, short, and judgmental from the very first moment we contacted them. My sister and father applied together for a dog. After the rescue collected vet records on the family's recently deceased pet - my sister's request for adoption was declined - because - my mother (the primary caregiver) who is also deceased, did not have the vaccinations done in a timely manner and even though the dog always received the care that was recommended by the doctor, the organization did not feel it was proper or consistent medical treatment. The vet's office did not document EVERY SINGLE interaction/conversation/quick visit with them over the last 25 years - so it looked like the dog had not been to the doctor for long periods of time. I believe that had they actually spoken to the doctor they would have found out about the longstanding relationship the family had with the doctor (also a neighbor) as well as the character of my father & sister (the prospective adopters.) The organization did not call the applicants however, they did talk to me - the daughter and sister (but NOT applicant) living 10 hours away who naively thought candor was the way to go about our previous family dynamic..... But the applicants were declined. I understand the organization wants to do what is best for the dog and after reviewing the vet records (but not speaking with the applicants) they did not feel the situation was appropriate for their dog. However, the denial is not the upsetting part, it is interaction that took place – especially after the denial. My sister sent the following regarding the form email denial that she received from them…..

"""How is it that we are declined for not having proper veterinary care when we were not the primary caretakers? I understand you doing your due diligence, but I feel that it is wrong to decline us for the faults of my mother. We are loving, caring people with the space, money, and ability to take care of the dog and love it like it deserves. We never even spoke. """"
________________________________________________________________________________
************to which she received this response from "Bret" (names have been changed) ********

Ms XXXXXX

Please feel free to blame your poor deceased mother apparently there was no love lost and us for caring about our Danes. But since your mother died March 10, 2012 and at that time you and your father became primary care takers of Coco and according to your sister Coco had a heart condition and a tumor on her leg yet did not see the vet till November 24, 2012. That is sad and then only for a rabies vaccination and yet she also was behind on her heartworm test, had not had heartworm preventative since 2007 as well as was behind on her DHLPP.

"Bret"
Harlequin Haven Great Dane Rescue
Mozart Says NO to Puppy Mills & Petland
Bethel, OH 937-379-2231
http://www.hhdane.org/
______________________________________________________________________________
just a factoid - the doctor was not interviewed, the history obtained was not complete and no one talked to the applicants to see if there was anything else to it......
******my sister, understandably upset -forwarded his response to me and I replied***(partial response)

As far as your comments about my mother? WHO ARE YOU to say any such thing. You have NO IDEA what our family has been through NOR DO YOU HAVE ANY RIGHT TO JUDGE - I thought explaining a little of the background or previous family dynamic would be appreciated and respected and used to see the bigger picture not used to be thrown back in our face in such a disrespectful, disgraceful, and abhorrent manner. So you just sit up there on your pedestal judging, judging, judging looking down your nose, in your narrow minded superior way, at others you do not even bother to speak with. It is because of organizations and people like you that make me question the inherent good and kindness in people.
Sincerely disgusted,
XXXXX

___________________________________________________________________________________*********then, I received the following regarding my above message*******************


As I said blame everyone but yourselves. FYI, when the volunteer called this AM the vets office had no clue who any of you were.

"Bret"
Harlequin Haven Great Dane Rescue
Mozart Says NO to Puppy Mills & Petland

______________________________________________________________________________

We interacted with at least three people - one verbally ("Katy") who's tone and comments seemed extremely interrogative and judgmental - put me on the defensive right away. "Jakson" seemed indifferent via email and told me he didn't have time to call me but would have a volunteer call. And then there's "Bret"..... good ole "Bret" who seemed to be having a bad day and lost every ounce of tact, consideration, professionalism, or even humanness. I mean really - how about a professional -even a half hearted response (but not form letter) - like this "we understand your difficult situation and as much as we would love to place XXX with you in a forever home, we do not feel that it is the best timing or situation. However we would like for you to come visit and see our establishment so that we can build a relationship for possible adoptions/referrals down the road. We need supporters to continue doing the work we believe in and feel that personal interaction is the best way to judge a prospective family when the black and white vet records leave us to question a fit at the present time. Let's continue working together on this work we both seem to feel is meaningful and important. Maybe down the road we will have an opportunity to re-evaluate an adoption.......” That’s just my stab at an appropriate/human/kind/acceptable response and thinking as a prospective donor it’s a response that would keep me on board and interested in working with them.

But, instead we got the above responses which are how I arrived at my opinion which is that these people have no business interacting, at all, with the public -aka DONORS!!!! After speaking with others regarding our experience we heard many similar stories of being denied and feeling that they were dealt with poorly. ( if you are interested in these other opinions I can direct you to those I am referring to) Many of our friends were equally outraged by the above interaction (which is cut and pasted directly from the emails exchanged) and were able to direct us to several other shelters and rescues. In my opinion, even though this is a worthy cause, I cannot recommend or support this organization after the disrespectful treatment we received - not when there are so many other similar organizations out there who treat animals beautifully and people humanly....

On 2/19/13 I filled out an application for a Great Dane named Xannon at Harlequin Haven. Under the terms I understood they would be contacting my veterinarian, any references listed, etc. I paid the fee and waited for the work to be done in hopes to adopt a new pet to love and care for. I received an email the next morning that they had some questions regarding previous vet records and vaccination history of previous pets. I answered them as honestly as I could, that my now deceased mother had taken care of all of this, but as soon as I found out otherwise I updated the only vaccination mentioned by our trusted veterinarian. Later in the day my sister who was listed as a reference said that she had received a call and, again, was honest and said that she also believed my mother had been up to date on these vaccinations. My sister told me that she felt interrogated, and judged during this conversation and was a little taken back by the aggressive nature of this conversation. I told her that they are just doing their due diligence to ensure their dogs are given to good homes and not to worry. Later that evening I received a rejection email saying we were declined because of previous records from our family vet, by which had my deceased mothers name on every single file, further proof that my mother tool care of all vet visits and issues. I admittedly was disheartened from being declined. I wrote back asking KINDLY how they could decline us for issues that we were not tied to, not by vet records, not by my references, etc. their response was, and I quote "Please feel free to blame your poor deceased mother apparently there was no love lost and us for caring about our Danes. But since your mother died March 10, 2012 and at that time you and your father became primary care takers of Coco and according to your sister Coco had a heart condition and a tumor on her leg yet did not see the vet till November 24, 2012. That is sad and then only for a rabies vaccination and yet she also was behind on her heartworm test, had not had heartworm preventative since 2007 as well as was behind on her DHLPP."
This is rude, appauling, and above all disgusting behavior coming from an organization. They never once spoke to my father- THE ADOPTER, the vet (just associates that told them black and white facts from bills), nor other references or even me other than through email. For someone in a rescue organization to speak of my deceased mother and make assumptions is absurd. This complaint is NOT because we were turned down, this complaint is because the way they spoke to and treated me, as a potential adopter. It was unprofessional and down right rude. I have and will keep my emails to and from them for my records. I understand them researching, however a simple response would have been sufficient, an insult was far from necessary. If they are going to do research though, they should probably speak to the actual doctor instead of jumping to their own conclusions. The MOST unprofessional company I have ever come into contact with.