Be Aware - Event Date: 03�Dec�2009

Pit Rescuers

   I appreciate that people on this site are working to stop people who are taking advantage of others concern for animals and generosity, but I really urge you to research people more before you post defamatory things about them.  I don't know anything about Sheila, but I do know Helping the Helpless and Veronica well and I know that these things are untrue.  The idea that anyone would say that she either doesn't care about the dogs or is lining her pockets is possibly the most laughable thing I have heard in a long time.  I have never met anyone who sacrifices more for these animals or who supplies more of her own personal (and not easily sacrificed) money for their needs.  This is not just a non-profit, it is certainly a lose profit endeavor on Veronica's part.  Stopthem, I wasn't aware that people should only foster dogs in fancy homes.  Her home is clean and they have built a dog yard for the dogs, complete with all of Department of Agriculture's requirements for a dog yard.  She has a trainer spend time with the dogs at least once a week to help them with behavioral issues.  She vets the dogs with whatever they could possible need, far more than others do.  When I brought my dog to the vet for the first time, a dog I adopted from Veronica, my vet was very impressed with the amount of vetting he had received.  She said she had never seen another rescue provide as much as she did.  In addition to all of these things, she provides an enormous amount of love and care to these animals.  
The charges you are referring to actually center around the fact that her kennel license had fallen off of her window when the Dept. of Agriculture came to visit.  Reports on websites do not tell the whole story.
I mentioned my dog - he is a wonderful pittie who is an integral part of our family.  Veronica saved his life, brought him to health, and cared for him for 6 months before we adopted him.  The adoption fee - NOT sales price - is meant to off-set some of those vetting costs.  I know there is no way she only spent $300 on him during that time.  I know I also paid an adoption fee at the SPCA when we adopted our cat years ago.  
I encourage anyone who wants to hear more or see for themselves - and not just believe people who have limited facts and make off-the-cuff posts on-line - to check out the website and contact for more information.  Please don't smear the name of good people who are on the same side.

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getallthefacts Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 14�Jun�2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote getallthefacts Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 14�Jun�2010 at 10:09pm
	I appreciate that people on this site are working to stop people who are taking advantage of others concern for animals and generosity, but I really urge you to research people more before you post defamatory things about them. I don't know anything about Sheila, but I do know Helping the Helpless and Veronica well and I know that these things are untrue. The idea that anyone would say that she either doesn't care about the dogs or is lining her pockets is possibly the most laughable thing I have heard in a long time. I have never met anyone who sacrifices more for these animals or who supplies more of her own personal (and not easily sacrificed) money for their needs. This is not just a non-profit, it is certainly a lose profit endeavor on Veronica's part. Stopthem, I wasn't aware that people should only foster dogs in fancy homes. Her home is clean and they have built a dog yard for the dogs, complete with all of Department of Agriculture's requirements for a dog yard. She has a trainer spend time with the dogs at least once a week to help them with behavioral issues. She vets the dogs with whatever they could possible need, far more than others do. When I brought my dog to the vet for the first time, a dog I adopted from Veronica, my vet was very impressed with the amount of vetting he had received. She said she had never seen another rescue provide as much as she did. In addition to all of these things, she provides an enormous amount of love and care to these animals. The charges you are referring to actually center around the fact that her kennel license had fallen off of her window when the Dept. of Agriculture came to visit. Reports on websites do not tell the whole story. I mentioned my dog - he is a wonderful pittie who is an integral part of our family. Veronica saved his life, brought him to health, and cared for him for 6 months before we adopted him. The adoption fee - NOT sales price - is meant to off-set some of those vetting costs. I know there is no way she only spent $300 on him during that time. I know I also paid an adoption fee at the SPCA when we adopted our cat years ago. I encourage anyone who wants to hear more or see for themselves - and not just believe people who have limited facts and make off-the-cuff posts on-line - to check out the website and contact for more information. Please don't smear the name of good people who are on the same side.

Veronica'sVet Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 16�Jun�2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote Veronica'sVet Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 16�Jun�2010 at 10:17pm
	I am Veronica Henson's vet. I don't know anything about Sheila but I have a lot of first hand information about Veronica and how she cares for her rescue dogs. I have inspected her kennel. The dogs that end up there are among the luckiest dogs in the world. I provide most of her veterinary care. She is driven to provide the best care possible for the dogs she rescues. She is obsessive about the health, physical and emotional, of the dogs. She goes above and beyond to care for these dogs. I have to be careful about what I suggest to her about their care, because I know she will do whatever I say is necessary for their health. She loves these animals unconditionally. She is very careful about screening the people who adopt her rescues. She does a great job on their follow-up care, helping out long after they have passed out of her care. Dog Law in Pennsylvania is often very arbitrary, trivial, and irrational in the way they are inspecting kennels. You would think that Dog Law would have the attitude of promoting the good care of dogs which would otherwise be euthanized, instead of harassing their rescuers with ridiculous citations that hinder the job of rescue instead of helping it. Veronica has made every effort to comply with all the regulations applicable to her. She does NOT profit financially from her hard work. On the contrary, she has made great sacrifices to do this work. I have to say that smearing the reputation of Veronica Henson is about the most counter-productive activity to be undertaken by anyone who cares about rescuing Helpless Dogs.

carpipes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 17�Jun�2010 Location: Cochranville, P Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote carpipes Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 17�Jun�2010 at 11:26am
	I have to reply in kind to the last 2 posts re: Veronica and her rescue. We adopted a puppy almost 1 year ago. Having already adopted another rescue puppy2 years prior, I thought I had knowledge of the process. She was 100 times more thorough in her screening and requirements of us as prospective owners then the 1st place. She provided me with a detailed listing of all the vet costs to ease my mind on why her fees are $300.00. She didn't release the puppies until they were 12 weeks old. All the pups were spayed/neutered, up to date on shots, came with a care package (a canvas tote) which included treats, samples of dog food, toys, a sweater for the puppy, and harness & leash as well. The puppies were all micro-chipped and were enrolled in pet insurance for a month free. All of this takes time and to my knowledge - none of it is required to adopt out pets from rescues except the vetting and sterilization. You can tell when you drive up to her home that it is ALL about the animals. How about the fact that she is renovating an old home, raising a young family and caring for all these animals and running this business and works outside the home??? Frankly, I'm in awe of her dedication and energy! We just had a reunion for our puppies...Veronica and her entire family came and when her mom, who also helps with the rescue, saw the puppies, she was emotionally moved to tears. This is not a job to her but a labor of love and now I can see a thankless one. Why not put your efforts to helping her be successful rather then tear her work down? Yes, I read her inspections...just like I read about restaurant inspections @ the Board of Health...so what? That's what the inspections are for...to make sure people stay compliant. I think what your organization does is commendable as well and ironically I heard about you through FB through Veronica months ago!!! If Veronica had something to hide, why then did she bring this to the attention of all the dog owners that know her through Helpingthehelpless? I would be happy to speak with anyone in your organization to dispell your suspicions and think a retraction on your blog here is necessary!
	carpipes

pittielover Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 17�Jun�2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote pittielover Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 17�Jun�2010 at 11:29am
	As well as being a very close freind, I have worked with Veronica and the rescue for over 2 years. I myself have adopted 3 pit bulls from her. I have never seen someone more dedicated to the health, care and love of animals as much as Veronica. Her entire goal is to find responsible, loving and dedicated homes to all animals that come through her rescue. I have laughed with her over the antics of the puppies with her children, we have cried when dogs we have fell in love with have gone to their new homes and rejoiced with her over the amazing updates we have received from the loving families that have adopted our dogs. My entire family, including my children, have helped with the cleaning and setting up of the kennel on many occasians to make sure it is up to the sanitary standards that Veronica insists on daily. Every dog in our rescue is walked daily and exercised. Every dog meets with the behaviorist and is socialized with kids, dogs, puppies and as many humans as possible, including the meet and greets that are organized. Every bit of money that Veronica makes from the adoption of these beloved animals goes back to their care and well being. If anyone know the tragedies and set backs that Veronica and her family have been through in the last 2 1/2 years and she has still managed to rescue and save as many animals as she has, people would stand and applaude. Or even better, offer to become a volunteer or foster home. If we all work together instead of putting good people down and trying to diminish their amazing efforts, we could save so many more animals!!

PittieFosterMom129 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 17�Jun�2010 Location: Central PA Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote PittieFosterMom129 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 17�Jun�2010 at 12:17pm
	I have been a foster home for Veronica's rescue for about 2 years now. I chose to work with her specifically over a few other rescues I have spoken to because of how thorough she is with screening her adoption applicants as well as how dedicated she is to the health and wellbeing of the animals that come through her doors. She doesn't have a big, expensive shelter and a staff. Instead, she has a loving home- and an amazing network of other loving homes who give endlessly of themselves and their resources to try to make a small difference in what is such a huge problem that our area has. The adoption fees try to help offset the costs of transportation, vetting, emergency care and specialty products that many of our rescues need to be brought back to health after the horrible conditions they are saved from. She's hardly "selling" dogs. She doesn't make a profit- she consistently loses money and you never hear her complain about it because she is making a real difference and that's what she cares about. My last foster dog who was just placed fell extremely ill. After rushing him to the emergency vet, we found out that although the shelter who had him before us said he tested heartworm negative- he was actually heartworm positive. After $800+ in emergency fees, $350+ after having an u/s done at my regular vet and finally $1500+ for a surgery because of a suspected secondary mass in his abdomen... THEN the cost of heartworm treatments 2 weeks later... Are you telling me you can say with a straight face that she profited from a $300.00 adoption fee? Thankfully, we were able to network and find some generous donors who were able to assist with some of the costs- but trust me ladies and gentlemen- whatever funds that may have been regenerated in no way benefited Veronica directly. What upsets me so much is that a bunch of people in the vast abyss of an internet forum can hear a story about 1 rescue- and suddenly any rescue that they may work with must also be horrific people who don't give EVERYTHING of themselves to try to do some good. Whatever happened with Clairmont Rescue happened with Clairmont Rescue. HTH is NOT Clairmont. We are in a different state, we have someone different in charge and quite obviously, we have an entirely different standard of care and standard of operation. Believe it or not- sometimes even rescues CAN be screwed by other rescues. As sad as it is- I still hold the rescue that we took our last foster dog from directly responsible for the problems he encountered. Veronica does as well. If that problem had not come up- we never would have known about a very questionable policy that they have and that actually made us decide we would no longer work with them to the capacity that we had been. So you know what, excuse Veronica for having a good heart and likely giving Clairmont the benefit of the doubt that they were good people with the same convictions that we have. Have you never thought well of someone to have them later prove you wrong? Also, no, HTH is not 501 c3. I didn't realize that having a 501 c3 automatically meant you are doing everything perfectly and not having one automatically meant you were a snake with horrible intentions only out to benefit yourself. So I would assume that no 501 c3 has ever been found to be unscrupulous by your standards, right? Right. I'm done with this now- but I strongly urge you all to try to obtain valid information before you pass judgement on anyone- especially on someone who does so much to do everything she can to help not only animals in need, but also people that she cares about. As a previous poster said- she has had so many personal obstacles in her life in the past 2 years and she still does absolutely whatever she can to help in any way she can. I wish you all knew the kind of things this woman has been dealt and knew her amazing ability to always put herself after everything else. She has a beautiful family that she takes care of, and every bit of energy that she has otherwise goes into rescue. I am very proud to be a part of her foster network and I absolutely believe in her and the way she does things 100%. I hope that those of you who felt the need to bash someone that you obviously don't know and have obviously not worked with feel very, very proud of yourselves. You've managed to take a story about someone who was doing something absolutely inexcusable and turn it into a witch hunt over someone else. Veronica didn't have anything to do with Sheila or her decisions on how to run her "rescue". I sincerely hope you all have better rationalization skills in real life.

Suki'sDad Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 17�Jun�2010 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote Suki'sDad Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 17�Jun�2010 at 12:30pm
	I have only known on Helping the Helpless since early Dec 2009. In that short period of time, not only has my family of 4 adopted a pit, I personally volunteer to help her any days that I can and if possible I also bring my son with me so he can understand the importance of knowing the facts before you just assume and throw out opinions that don’t matter to anyone but yourself. Veronica and her family are very, very knowledgeable people when it comes to rescuing, in fact, they have taught me a great deal in just a few weeks of volunteering; in which I turn around a use that learning experience on both my Pitts and my family. So.. to the other alleged “Pit Rescuers”, you obviously do not practice what you preach. You are going by what you hear and not by actually educating yourself about the topic. From the sounds of your postings, my 7yr old is more knowledgeable about “Helping the Helpless” than you guys are.