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Spouse doesn't believe in buying dogs and cats, since there are so many in shelters awaiting adoption. So when we decided to become parents we contacted a beagle and basset hound rescue league. A woman came to interview us and "inspect" (her word) our house and yard. She asked if we both worked full-time and when we replied that we did, she asked who was going to be at home to care for the dog during the day while we were at work? Quickly seeing where this was headed, Spouse lied and said we were hiring a pet sitter to come a few hours each day.
Are these people crazy? Who in their right mind would expect someone to stay home all day just because they adopted a dog? In my mind the chief difference between adopting a dog and a child is that the dog can be left alone for a few hours. Are single people who want to adopt a pet supposed to quit their job so they can stay home with their new furry friend? Who's going to pay the bills?
In the backyard the woman told us we needed to move our firewood pile away from the shed and fence. She claimed this 15-inch beagle was capable of climbing onto the firewood pile, jumping onto the roof of the shed, and jumping over the fence! I was just about to say "Well, she'll have to sprout wings and fly first!" when Spouse placated her by agreeing to move the wood pile. We never did, and the dog never so much as climbed onto the wood pile, much less used it as a springboard to freedom.
It was only by lying about the pet sitter and moving the firewood pile that we were permitted to adopt a dog.
I can certainly understand the need for home visits prior to placing pets with potential adopters. You wouldn't want to place a dog with someone who actually lives in a car rather than a home. You wouldn't want to place a cat with someone who already has 26 cats and lives in a 1 bedroom apartment. I see the value in home visits to weed out the crazies. But some of these people working at the private pet adoption agencies take it way beyond that and become pet Nazis.
Which is preferable, to place a dog with people who actually want it but who work full-time, or not permit the adoption, even though the people are nice and passed the home visit, leaving the dog in a kennel at the agency simply because the people work full-time? It seems to me that if the agency's true aim is to find homes for the pets, they could be a little more reasonable.
The beagle and basset hound rescue league required us to sign an agreement, just like Ellen, stating if for any reason we no longer wanted the dog, we had to return it to the agency. Is this because needing to give up a pet automatically turns us into such bad judges of character that we can't be trusted to place the pet with a stable friend, relative, or hairdresser? Sometimes people have to give up pets because of allergies. Sometimes people have to give up pets because a new job requires frequent overnight travel. There are many valid reasons why a pet may no longer be practical or possible, so people who need to give up pets shouldn't be viewed as unloving, uncaring monsters.
Its crazy to me that your neighbor's dog can have 11 puppies and nobody-but-nobody oversees who the puppies are given to or how they are cared for, yet a conscientious person trying to adopt a dog given to a private pet adoption agency must go through the equivalent to a top secret government clearance. The process robs you of your dignity. There's got to be a balance.
When we decided to become parents for the 2nd time we picked out a kitten from our County animal shelter. They asked us some basic questions to determine we weren't mentally ill or otherwise incapable of caring for the kitten, and then encouraged us to take the little guy home with us that day. I suggested we go to the pet store 1st and get a litter box, food and water bowls, etc. but the County animal shelter said we should go ahead and take the kitten home. One of us could help him get settled in while the other went to the pet store.
I'm happy to say that both Jordan the dog and Pouncer the Wondercat quickly acclimated to life with us, despite the fact that we both work full-time. In the 9+ years we've had them there's never been a shortage of love, and they have never appeared to mind that we were absent for 8 hours during the day while at work. Honestly, I believe they enjoyed the uninterrupted nap time!
Its not like a rescue anymore, its like a fashion show
Rescues "saving" purebred, youngish, healthy Bichon, Shih, etc/ All tax free
Leaving the old, imperfect, mixed, incorrigible, to public shelters. Feeling sooo superior & judgmental.
breed specific rescues rescue dogs of those breeds..... there are many many rescues out there that take anything that comes down the pike or through the pound.... purebred or mutt....
good rescues are picky about placement because the dogs they are responsible for have already been dumped once... or quite often more.... and the whole point to the process is to avoid that happening again.... we all understand that sometimes life takes turns that can be unexpected and catastrophic.... that is the reason the rescue agrees to take the pet back if the adopter is no longer able to care for it..... as ANY breeder should, as well....
i understand COMPLETELY that some go entirely overboard.... but i will say this AGAIN.... when **I** do a home visit for a rescue, i am not looking for the perfect home... they don't exist .... I AM looking for a home that will provide love and safety and security for the dog for the remainder of its natural life.... I am also determining whether the potential adopters are "dog-savvy" and savvy about the breed they are looking to adopt .... and if they are not, if they are willing to learn.... I spend more time TALKING to the people than I do looking around.... I learn ALOT about people just through casual conversation.....
There have to be some restrictions, but not as many as some rescues ask for. I have read that some rescues also ask for ridiculous adoption fees. It makes me wonder about their motives in cases like that, especially if they don't pay taxes (as someone else mentioned)..
I am a volunteer and a foster parent for a local dog rescue (mn). I honestly used to wonder the same thing but then I started doing rescue work. I can't speak for all rescues, but adoption fee's help to cover the expenses of rehabilitating the very neglected and abused dogs we take in. Rarely do the adoption fees cover all the expenses.
I am fostering a doxie that spent his entire life at a puppy mill in a 4x4 wire cage, never had any vetting, was very under weight. once in our care he saw a vet, needed all of his shots, had a severe urinary track infection that caused painful urinary stones, had a bad ear infection and almost an entire mouth of decayed teeth. Roughly 1500.00 he has a clean bill of health. The family that adopts him will get a healthly dog and the satisification of being part of the rescue process - $300.00 is his adoption fee.
Yes, you can get a dog from a breeder, but you would just be contributing to the dog overpopulation problem. Breeders exist because of demand.
Anyway, I just wanted to share how my rescue works.
Common sense interview yes-interviews that no one could pass, no
[quote][/QUOT understand COMPLETELY that some go entirely overboard.... but i will say this AGAIN.... when **I** do a home visit for a rescue, i am not looking for the perfect home... they don't exist .... I AM looking for a home that will provide love and safety and security for the dog for the remainder of its natural life.... I am also determining whether the potential adopters are "dog-savvy" and savvy about the breed they are looking to adopt .... and if they are not, if they are willing to learn.... I spend more time TALKING to the people than I do looking around.... I learn ALOT about people just through casual conversation..... E]
THAT is fine-and what a sincere rescue should do-
not a half day interview w/ one criteria being :"Are the owner's dog's teeth in good condition?" "Try to examine them!"
This thread is about onerous adoption criteria-ridiculous rules which result in foster dogs not being adopted-either staying months w/ foster family or at rescue kennel-either way these highly desirable dogs are not placed w/ a forever home-the national shih tzu rescue has had the same 8-9 dogs under pending for months. How long should it take? This is the one I referred someone to who was told interview would be a half day.
shih tzus are highly desirable dogs and that is likely why they are being so picky.... a shih tzu or other mix would likely provide the same level of love and companionship that a purebred would...... and would be less likely to be from a breeder or mill.....
I am a volunteer and a foster parent for a local dog rescue (mn). I honestly used to wonder the same thing but then I started doing rescue work. I can't speak for all rescues, but adoption fee's help to cover the expenses of rehabilitating the very neglected and abused dogs we take in. Rarely do the adoption fees cover all the expenses.
I am fostering a doxie that spent his entire life at a puppy mill in a 4x4 wire cage, never had any vetting, was very under weight. once in our care he saw a vet, needed all of his shots, had a severe urinary track infection that caused painful urinary stones, had a bad ear infection and almost an entire mouth of decayed teeth. Roughly 1500.00 he has a clean bill of health. The family that adopts him will get a healthly dog and the satisification of being part of the rescue process - $300.00 is his adoption fee.
Yes, you can get a dog from a breeder, but you would just be contributing to the dog overpopulation problem. Breeders exist because of demand.
Anyway, I just wanted to share how my rescue works.
I understand that rescues and shelters need to cover their costs. I do wonder about some of them, not the majority, though.
I'm not a big fan of breeders, though they certainly can be very good at what they do. Our chihuahua came from a breeder, though she wasn't very expensive. Our Min Pin mix's mother was a breeding Min Pin, though our dog was the result of her mother's escape from her pen and meeting up with an unknown dog.
Breeding can be good if people take care of their animals. The problem is that many of these large operations don't.
New Haven, Conn.: I tried to rescue a small dog from a breed specific group and, after applications, interviews and general excitement about my new friend, they rejected me. Why? Not because of long work hours, small children or concern for the health, safety or happiness of the dog. They rejected me because I don't have a yard -- despite the fact that I live 10 feet away from a lovely park with an enclosed dog run. I have heard this from others, too. I understand that these groups don't want dogs bouncing in and out of homes but I had my last dog for 12 years. Long story short - bought a puppy from a breeder.
Melissa Bell: I'm sorry to hear it didn't work out for you. I have a sad story to admit to: I am a rescue group reject too! The groups try their best to match dogs up with owners, but they are really careful about the selection--in some cases, maybe too much (I'd like to think in my case definitely too much. Hmph!), but they often see dogs in really poor conditions and are trying to find the best possible scenario for the dogs. I hope you're happy with the breed dog!
This from a washington post news article about rescues
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Spouse doesn't believe in buying dogs and cats, since there are so many in shelters awaiting adoption. So when we decided to become parents we contacted a beagle and basset hound rescue league. A woman came to interview us and "inspect" (her word) our house and yard. She asked if we both worked full-time and when we replied that we did, she asked who was going to be at home to care for the dog during the day while we were at work? Quickly seeing where this was headed, Spouse lied and said we were hiring a pet sitter to come a few hours each day. 
Common sense interview yes-interviews that no one could pass, no
