Adventures in Pug Rescue

[RitaJH]

I have to share a story about my encounter (or should I say close encouter) with a “potential” adopter this week. This is a long story, but true, scout’s honor.

I met this applicant at an adoption day and she was well…different. An older woman my age, late 40’s I’d guess, but way too mature to be dressed the way she was. She had long hair (being a long hair myself that’s ok), tight blue jeans (um no thanks I prefer circulation), 4 inch bejeweled high heels (a podiatrist nightmare), and a shirt so tight and low that every time she bent over, I closed my eyes and prayed that the elastic would hold. She was obviously a woman who was accustomed to getting what she wanted, when she wanted it and if she didn’t get it she knew what to do to try and get it.

She spied poor Odie, a gorgeous cobby, perfectly bewrinkled, show quality pug in the x-pen and swooped down on him like a pug hawk. She begged and pleaded to “buy” him. Good rescuer that I am I told her flat out no way that she had to submit an application and go through the process like all the other (lowly) humans. She offered money on the spot but I stuck to my clipboards.

Although I had my doubts about this lady, her vet reference checked out perfectly. So I moved on to interviewing her personal reference where things started going south again. As it turns out our Applicant’s reference was none other than her brother, Dr. ENT. First thing he said to me was her name is “Helen” not “Ellen”. Other than a grammar school flashback, I didn’t get much out of Dr. ENT but he did tell me that he felt Helen, being a high maintenance girl herself, could handle a high maintenance pug.

I didn’t feel Odie would be the best fit for Helen so I called her to let her know and to tell her about several pugs that would be a better fit. Needless to say she wasn’t happy but it wasn’t as bad as I anticipated, at least that’s what I thought.

She asked me if I had a “Boston Pug” and I told her no, but we do sometimes rescue them. She asked me to call her if I get a Boston Pug in. She wanted to hear about the other pugs we had so I proceeded to go down my list. The first pug was CeeCee. She asked me if CeeCee was a Chinese Pug. I told her no CeeCee was just a pug. She replied that she really wanted a Chinese Pug like Odie. I told her that Odie wasn’t a Chinese Pug (thank God, I didn't tell her he was born in Australia, shipped to Hawaii, then moved to Texas) and that there wasn’t such a thing as a Chinese Pug. She again repeated she wanted a Chinese Pug. Slightly exasperated I moved on to the next pug on my list. It was Princess. She asked me if Princess was a Chinese Pug, and it finally dawned on me that this lady was clueless so I decided to just play along. I told her no, I thought Princess was a Texas Pug. The next pug was Tulsa , an Oklahoma Pug. Then, without thinking, I named off the next Pug... China . She said “I thought you said you didn’t have a Chinese Pug”? I said “I don’t have a Chinese Pug”. She said “but you said this pug is from China ”. I told her no, “I said the pug’s name is China ”. She said “so is she a Chinese Pug”? Folks at this point I began looking for a needle to stick in my eye. Not finding one, I calmly told her I’m sorry I don’t have any Chinese Pugs. She said that’s ok, I really want a Boston Pug any way. I told her I’d call her if I got a Boston Pug and I hung up the phone

Rita Hagan, FORMER Adoption Application Processor
DFWPR-Austin

[rhenry]

{head bang} Way to funny. So then does this mean we have a Minnesota pug?

[RitaJH]

As they say in Texas, yep ya got yerself one them thar rare Minnesota Pugs.

I should ask her if she can tell where their from by the accent? I mean they do kind of all look the same.

I've laughed so much its given me a headache.

Rita

[Eliettesmom]

Well I have 2 Kahoma Pugs and 1 Kafornia Pug LOL

[TNPUGMOMOF2]

People make me love dogs even more.....

The level of stupidity is amazing!!!!

[FourteenLegs]

Oh good grief. What an (and thanks to Amber for this wonderful expression) ASSCLOWN.

And a puggie from Australia? Do you have his papers? It would be interesting to know who bred him.

[PugSavers]

OMG that is too funny! I remember when I adopted Bailey in 1996, a show breeder told me "If you ever talk to anyone who is supposedly involved with pugs, like a breeder, and they call them a Chinese Pug, run like hell. They don't have a clue what they're taking about and are dumber than dirt, unless they can show you a picture of the pug in China!"
Maybe you could take a picture of a pug in front of some Baked Beans and tell her you have a Boston Pug!!

[Pugpillow]

You better call the Boston Pug rescue folks and warn them.

[Rebecca and the Pugs]

Oh no... That is too funny.

[hagridsmom]

My DH used to show pugs and he said he couldn't believe the people that came to shows and did not know what kind of dogs they were....soooo....he decided that just to be obnoxious he would tell them that the pugs were "short-haired pekinese". He said he could not believe the people that would tell him that they had read about the "short haired pekinese" but had never seen one!!!!!!