In the midst of one of Washington’s wettest winters, embattled dog rescue group PURRR Rescue is keeping more than 20 dogs outdoors in kennels inside tents.
Several of the dogs were brought up from California about a year ago and most of them have lived either in boarding or kennels since they arrived in Washington.
Still shot of one of the pop up tents PURRR uses to store the dogs in their kennels. The video for this shot has since been taken down from the PURRR Facebook page. Image from PURRR Rescue.
PURRR has already faced increased scrutiny in the last several weeks:
- The Tacoma News Tribune reported in December that 3 dogs adopted from PURRR killed 2 cats and 2 dogs last summer.
- Another dog adopted from PURRR mauled a 6-year-old boy in 2013. It also bit 2 other children and their father.
- Text messages recently surfaced in which PURRR Rescue director Diana VanDusen admitted that she used a taser on the dogs.
Now, with the constant downpour of rain we’ve had in Western Washington for the last few weeks, I’m concerned how these dogs are doing.
PURRR has not hidden the fact that these dogs are living outside. They had videos showing the tents on the group’s Facebook page last month. They have since been taken down, but I still have screenshots that show how flimsy the tents look.
Based on what I see I can’t believe these tents can protect the dogs from the high winds and pounding rain we’ve experienced. Imagine how these dogs feel at night listening to the howling wind as it rattles their tents. I wonder if the tents are sturdy enough to keep them dry.
PURRR is using space heaters to keep the dogs warm. Volunteers have claimed they are using non-flammable space heaters, which is great, but what about the network of extension chords criss-crossing the area where the tents are? Is it safe to have them out in the rain? And if the space heaters are turned off when it rains for safety, what’s keeping the dogs warm?
More importantly, why does PURRR Rescue still have these dogs, most of which were rescued over a year ago?
PURRR pulled most of these dogs from high-kill shelters in California, and but bringing them to Washington is only part of work. Rescues exist to find dogs homes.
Keeping them in kennels or in boarding for months and months isn’t rescuing them, it’s putting them in storage. And it can create or exacerbate behavior problems.
In this screenshot of a video from the PURRR Facebook page you can see the orange extension chord leading to a pop up tent where the dogs’ kennels are.
Furthermore, only 8 dogs are listed for adoption on the PURRR Adopt-a-Pet page. Where are all the others, and why is PURRR still bringing dogs up from California to Washington?
Rescues have stepped forward to take some of the dogs, but Ms. VanDusen turned them away. In fact, she refuses to tell anyone other than a select few where the dogs are located.
I tried contacting Ms. VanDusen to see if the dogs were still living outside, but the email address on the website doesn’t work. I also filled out a message form on the site, but I received no response.
Until I hear from her I have to assume the dogs are still living in tents outside.
As we learned with the Olympic Animal “Sanctuary” fiasco last year, hiding dogs from the public only invites suspicion. It may not be illegal, but it is certainly unethical, especially for a nonprofit charity.
Responsible rescues do not hide their dogs from the public.
Furthermore, while these dogs continue to live outside at an undisclosed location, PURRR and its supporters are still asking the public for donations.
Recently someone started a fundraising page to raise $50,000 for PURRR (it’s no longer active) with no explanation regarding how the money will be used. She started it “to see if the world can help Diana do what she loves to do.”
No one has donated any money yet, but if they do I hope they get specific details about what the money will be used for before they give.
Meanwhile, despite the fact a couple of dozen dogs are living in tents, PURRR is still asking for money to rescue more animals like this 17-year-old cat…
PURRR is asking for money to rescue this 17-year-old car. Image from PURRR Rescue Facebook page 2/8/15.
…even though one of the dogs living outside has a tumor hanging off its chest that should be removed.
This picture taken 2 months ago shows a tumor hanging off the stomach off a dog named Myles. Photo credit withheld.
A person who saw Miles recently said the tumor is now almost touching the ground.
Why is PURRR asking for contributions to rescue a 17-year-old cat when one of its dogs needs surgery to have a tumor removed?
It’s humane of PURRR to want to help the cat, but shouldn’t taking care of the health problems of the animals they already have be a bigger priority?
Meanwhile, it’s supposed to rain again this week in Western Washington.
I hope the dogs will be safe, warm, and dry.
Wherever they are.
More rain is predicted for Western Washington this week. Image from weather.com.
TO THE PERSON WHO KEEPS WRITTING ALL THIS LIES ABOUT MY DAUGHTER DIANA AND HERE RESCUE..FIRST OF ALL WHO IN THE HELL R U YOU AND WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO SPREED ALL THIS LIES..DIANE SAVED HUNDERDS OF ANIMALS OVER THE YEARS …SHE GIVE HERE WHOLE LIVE TO THIS POOR CATS AND DOGS THAT OTHERWISE BEING PUT DOWN…WHY DONT YOU WRITE ABOUT THE HUMANE SOCIETY ..THAT KILLS HEALTHY CATS AND DOGS EVERY DAY…IF YOU DONT STOP I WILL SUE YOU ..ALREADY TALKED TO MY ATTORNEY.be very careful what you write from now on..
Of course the conditions these animals are living in should be questioned. Looks like another case of ‘no kill’ – live and suffer style rescuing which is popping up all over the USA. Why should you accept donations and not be willing to answer some very real concerns about these animals? Why are dogs living in crates? If this is the only housing you have to offer on a long term basis you should NOT be taking in more dogs. You have the exact same attitude as Steve Markwell when he launched his defense of the Olympic Animal Sanctuary and tried hiding behind government officials and lawyers. Those dogs languished in filthy crates with a poor diet, no interaction, exercise or affection yet he still managed to have supporters. Shame on you for going on the attack instead of showing a little common sense and courtesy to the concerns of the very people who donate to this very dubious rescue. Shame on the people who send the dogs thousands of miles to live in makeshift prisons with no hope of a forever home. There are fates a lot worse than death and badly managed, overfull rescues are one of them.
LOLOLOLOLOLOL i am cracking up
With all due respect Elfi M, if your daughter has nothing to hide, maybe you could ask her to update the status on the CA. Dogs she has pulled from shelters. Do you think the good people that donate their hard earned money to support rescues should be Left in the dark about these living situations?
As HER mother ( if indeed the comment wasnt written by PURRR) It is probably hard for you to believe your daughter would mistreat these rescue dogs, but have you been to the new place? What can you tell us about the shelters? head count? And the taser used for disipline she is accused of doing?
Lets hear what you have to say about rescue dogs living in kennels for over a year, In make shift tents in the mud, with zero ability for a potential adopter to visit with a dog where he/ she is being cared for.
IF this story is All lies, you could easily dispell them with honesty.
I am more than disgusted that your daughter is treating the abused dogs she ” pulled” from any source with such hostility and contempt. These dogs deserve a life, NOT A CAGE, I bet they think they died and went to PURRR ( Hell in dog words ) the shame is on you people that allow this to continue. Please, remember why you started helping animals, let the rescues truely be rescued.
PLEASE!
For starters that is her mother. Its impossible that these does have been living in these tents outside for a year because she only recently moved to this property. As far as fund raising its done on an individual basis. The cat has nothing to do with dog. Who is lining your pocket to bash her the way you to? You should have checked this out yourself instead you listen to haters. If you came to her asking for the truth willing to help you would have your answers. You are a hack you write second had gossip. If you are so concerned about the welfare of the animals step up and help. Instead of criticizing help raise funds to make it place you feel it should be. The only thing you are doing is making it harder for the animals and for her to care for them. As far as the reports on the dogs that had issues you don’t blame the breeder,pound or pet store when a dog bites how is this different. What you are doing is not helping I think more is going on here then just concerned for these animals.
I said they’ve either been in boarding or in the kennels outside for a year. The cat has everything to do with the dogs. It’s wonderful they want to save it but they’ve had 2 dozen dogs for 1-2 years that should be getting all their attention.
The Olympic Animal Sanctuary apologists used the arguments – You’re lying! You’re a hater! If you’re so concerned step up and help! Give us money! In the end, everything we wrote about them was proven true.
How about letting us come in, see the dogs, and try to find rescues to take them? More money isn’t going to find them homes. It will just allow PURRR to bring up more dogs from California while the dogs in the kennels go nowhere.
And for the record, the Seattle humane society in Bellevue, wa is a no kill facility. I volunteer there and wouldn’t work for a kill shelter.
1) Myles went to the vet yesterday, again, to have his growth examined.
2) The dogs are out of the elements and in a large barn style shed with heat, blankets, toys, bedding, and more.
I hope that’s true. Are there pictures?
1. My mom always told me that those who bash on others the most are the ones with the most skeletons in their closet. Hmm food for thought. 2. We have a beautiful healthy loving dog who would have been unnecessarily put down at a high kill shelter had it not been for Diana and PURR. He had been up for adoption for about a year before we got him. Adoption often takes time! BTW he was in good condition when we adopted him!!
3. Question for you, do you happen to know what a Dazer 2 is? You might want to look it up. That is what Diana has, and yes I have seen it! It is NOT the same thing as a taser. 4. I don’t like to place blame, but thanks to you, TNT reporter and Lakewood Animal Control the dogs no longer have the beautiful indoor facility they had in August. But no worries, PURR will rebuild because the people that REALLY know Diana, know that she has a calling and a heart of gold! 5. To the author and haters, STOP the bashing and bullying, so PURR can get back to saving animals instead of defending against the continual lies and uninformed thing you call journalism. Check back in 6 months and it will be rebuilt! 6. FYI if you had bashed me in an article I would NOT invite you to my rescue place, and I would not even allow you on my property!! I would have you arrested!! Love you Diana and ask the volunteers at PURR!!
I’m glad you had a good experience with PURRR. Many people have had good experiences with her. Many haven’t. Most rescues I know of have never adopted out dogs that have bitten kids multiple times or killed other animals. Some may have a dog or two in their care for more than a year, but not 2 dozen. It should be the exception, not the rule.
It’s not anyone’s fault that she doesn’t have a facility other than hers. She brought in too many dogs to handle and now she’s in over her head.
I looked up dazer 2. I makes a high pitched sound, not the shock that was given by Diana to the dogs she was pointing it at… She writes taser In her own words, how do you explain that? maybe she uses both?
Can anyone give me the locale of this place? We need to write some decent legislation to stop this kind of behavior.
Rescuing is more than just keeping animals from being killed, its giving them a life, this isn’t a life I would think any animal would want. Just because you can collect dogs and cats to keep them from being put down, doesn’t mean that you should, or that it is the best thing. If rescues cannot send these animals to the vet and make sure they will be safe to other dogs and people (training as needed) as well as keep them in better conditions than they were previously in, they should NOT be doing it. Collecting dogs and keeping them in poor conditions is called hording, not rescuing.
I’ve adopted all my pets from shelters. if I want to give a loving home to one of these dogs how is that possible if the “rescue shelter” is hiding? If this truly is the case then I don’t have a chance of saving one or two of these dogs because they are hoarding them away from the public hence the length of time they have been kenneled outdoors for so long. To me this is animal cruelty and authorities need to shut it down so the animals can go to a legitimate shelter and be publicized where people can actually see them! That is the only way they have a chance of a loving home to live out the remainder of their lives! Hopefully these people know that fines and prison time are the consequences.
Animals shouldn’t be forced to live in these conditions. I feel that humane euthanasia is better than the conditions portrayed in this article. I have fostered and volunteered for rescues for four years. I am across the country from PURRR and had never heard of it until I saw this article on facebook, so I have no connection with the group.
1. Rescue groups without a secure facility often keep their location secret because people will steal supplies and even dogs. Our dog food was stolen because the “wrong person” discovered the location.
2. I looked at PURRR’s website and they claim to show their dogs at Petsmart on Saturdays and Sunday’s from 11-6. This is how you can adopt one of their dogs. You can also go online and search for rescue groups.
3. Humane societies euthanize animals because there is an overpopulation.This is not caused by humane societies (who spay and neuter.) Overpopulation is caused by people who do not fix their animals! There are not enough homes, and there will be an overpopulation problem until people are responsible and fix their dang animals. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but I believe most humane societies do the best they can.
4. EVERY RESCUE NEEDS FOSTER HOMES! Money can be earned by working extra hours or taking on another job, but foster homes are priceless. I had 13 dogs at my house for two months. I live in a subdivision. I did a lot of rotating from yard to indoor family time to crate time. That is how much fosters are needed.
5. I don’t know Diana or her character, and it doesn’t look good from this article. But anyone local who wants to criticize should go volunteer and see what PURRR is really about. Your suspicions may be verified as truth, or you may find someone who just needs more volunteers and foster homes. (That doesn’t make it “right” to keep taking in more animals if she can’t provide everything for the ones already in the rescue, but how many of you have run a rescue or even volunteered for one?)
6. PURRR’s rescue says that new owners are made aware of any special requirements: such as no small animals or kids. Every rescue has dogs with special needs. One of my fosters (who I had on and off for two years!) is very nervous around kids and strangers. I ended up adopting her myself because I know her better than anyone.
I am not defending PURRR. I am not attacking PURRR. I am just giving my point of view as a rescuer, volunteer and foster because some of the opinions about rescue in general struck a nerve.