Zena now has a vet that makes house calls so she doesn’t have be around other dogs in his/her office.
Last March I wrote about Zena, a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois with severe reactivity to other dogs that was adopted out by Rising Phoenix Mastiff Rescue to a family in British Columbia that had 2 other dogs. (Rising Phoenix Mastiff Rescue Lies to Another Family About the Dog They Adopted).
Rising Phoenix Mastiff Rescue is, in my opinion, the worst fake dog rescue in Washington.
A woman named Trish Porter (this is just one of names she uses) runs it as a money making operation.
Her only concern is finding dogs wherever she can and adopting them out quickly without addressing any health/behavioral problems.
That’s why many of the dogs people adopted from Rising Phoenix Mastiff Rescue had significant behavior and/or health problems (Dozens Say Dogs They Adopted from Rising Phoenix Mastiff Rescue Were Sick, Emaciated).
Rising Phoenix adopted out Zena to a British Columbia family without mentioning her reactivity to other dogs.
She also had an untreated laceration on her hip that the rescue did not disclose.
Zena initial adopter eventually found an appropriate home for her.
Zena repeatedly tried to attack the family’s 2 other dogs. She also went after other dogs she saw when they walked her.
Dealing with Zena but an incredible amount of pressure and stress on their household. Eventually they decided they had to find another home for her.
They didn’t return Zena to Rising Phoenix because the rescue treated the her so badly.
Instead, the family did what Rising Phoenix should have done – they kept Zena until they found an appropriate family with no other dogs.
Zena’s new family now works with a trainer familiar with Belgian Malinois. They also take her on nature walks and give her the run of the house.
Zena was extremely lucky that the family who initially adopted her was conscientious enough to find loving home for her instead of sending back to Rising Phoenix or dumping her at a shelter.
Rescuing dogs and finding appropriate homes for them shouldn’t be a crapshoot. Washington has many dog rescues run by people whose sole concern is finding the best possible homes for their dogs instead of using them as products to generate cash like Rising Phoenix Mastiff Rescue.
Many thanks to the family who found a great home for Zena when they realized they couldn’t keep her. They still visit her when they can.
And congratulations to Zena for finding her forever home!
When will the county finally shut this woman down and charge her with crimes of Fraud and deceit. She is taking people’s money off for false pretenses and she is taking donations when she is not a legitimate rescue or charity. She is a blight on society and the animal industry.
She has been reported to the Attorney General, Secretary of State’s office, and the Dept. of Revenue. We’ll see if they take any action.