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I've had reference check calls to my vet and to other people who handled adoptions with me. (I understand you might not have previous experience, but you should have a vet lined up).
The time someone came to the house, they saw my existing dogs (happy, shiny, and sleeping on the furniture), saw that I did have the fence I said I had, and that there were no kids, as I was adopting a dog who could not live with kids. The woman asked me, "Do you like kids?" and I answered her quite honestly, "No, I don't." (Then I flagged a bit and added, "If I must be around older kids, I'm very good with them and treat them with respect, but I try to avoid it. With babies and small kids, I'm at a total loss and do avoid them.")
She asked me questions about what if the dog has an accident, how much he'd be home without me, would he sleep inside. Because I was adopting long-distance, I think the agency mainly wanted to see that I was who I said I was.
Best wishes on your new best friend, and great for adopting!
You mean leery of people with no kids who have never owned a dog before right? I personally would be more leery of people WITH kids because there is always some reason to ditch the dog. I have no kids but have adopted 5 dogs and a cat. And since all but 1 were from shelters or rescues, I worked through whatever issues they came with. Didn't always have a fence either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Giesela
Rescue groups don't want the dog to come back (sometimes with bad habits and problems they didn't have before) so yes they are careful.
I would ask yourself (and maybe I would ask these if I was a HV person) ok so you walk everyday. How often do YOU go to the bathroom a day? You need to plan how your going to potty your dog that many times a day without a fenced in yard.
You spend your days outside - do you want to spend them holding a leash?
Where will the dog spend most of its days?
I did the rescue HV thing for a short time. I must say I was dismayed by the number of dogs in rescue because "now we have a real kid" (Lord how many times have I heard that) or "the kids take too much time and its not fair to our now 8/9/10 year old dog" or "we want to move and can't get into the school district neighborhood we want with the dogs because the HOA doesn't allow it" - that's a true story - two 7 yr old Australian Shepherds, kicked to the curb. Thus I personally tend to be leery of people with no kids. At least someone with a kid knows what they are up against with adding to family, furred and human.
When we first began adopting rescue dogs, we visited the facility and spent time talking to the administrator and volunteers, sharing our previous experiences with dogs (if any). We also interacted with dogs we would possibly adopt. They already had our application with references.
We moved to a different state where they required a home visit. The interviewer brought a dog with her to see how we interacted with it in a home setting. There was a time lag till after the holidays (too hectic a time to bring an animal into the home, IMO) so the adoption wasn’t immediate.
(I learned with every adoption that there’s an adjustment period when we and the dog learned more about each other. One dog took a few weeks. One made himself at home within the hour)
I agree with just be yourselves, be honest about concerns (it’s natural to have some). We had an unfortunate rescue return and frankly shared that, knowing they might ask the previous rescue group. They saw that we love animals and would provide a good home. They want you and the cat or dog to be happy.
This is all so ridiculous. Remember when you could just go to a shelter, pick out a dog to love and bring it home?
And then about 50% of them ended up back at the shelter pretty quickly.
It's much better to have someone investigate whether or not the family really wants a dog, knows how to take care of it, and has a safe place for it (and a landlord who isn't going to evict them for sneaking in an unauthorized pet)
I posted a little bit ago about the fact that we are considering adopting a dog and had a ton of questions at that time.
We have decided to move forward and take the plunge and I've been looking into what I will need to change in our home.
What kinds of things should we have ahead of time and what will a rescue need to see in our home? We don't have a fence but I'm hoping that won't be a problem since we spend most of our days outside and usually walk 6 miles a day (to and from school, rain or shine!), go to the parks on the weekends, etc.
How long typically is the time between a home visit and when you get the pup (if approved)? I'm wondering how much time we'll have to make any recommended purchases/changes to the home after the visit.
Thanks for any insight!
We rescued our Bichon. He rescued us.
They try to determine how responsible you are. Do you have the temperament to keep a long term relationship with a dog. They try to gauge if the home is a good fit for the adoptee. They usually want to know what forethought, planning and thoughtfulness you have in taking on a responsibility of a pet.
We all know the purchase of a dog from a pet shop is an impulsive purchase for some. Not enough research on the temperament, lifestyle and requirements of a certain breed. After the novelty wears off they are sent to the pound or discarded.
To me, it’s a long term commitment. Knowing the type of breed allows me to understand what is required of me as a new fur parent. Exercise habits, room to roam and exercise, my lifestyle matching that of a rescue, and the family dynamic of the household.
The time from a visit to selection will likely be based upon prospective homes most suitable for a rescue.
For my case, the rescue spoke with me, and said, “He’s yours.”
He lived with us from 2007 to 2019, after passing away from metastatic cancer. He was a special little boy to our family, and it pains me that he is gone. When I first saw him I knew he was the right fit. We have a toy poodle that joined my family in 2014. He had come from a dog hoarder. He wasn’t potty trained. He pooped and peed in his crate. He was always standoffish. He ran from everyone. He was bounced from 7 homes until ours. It took some work but he adjusted and is a valuable member of our household. He’s loving and affectionate now. He has adjusted very well. However, it took time and patience. It also helped that my wife teleworked allowing for his stability to develop.
Best of luck! It’s a great thing getting a rescue. They’re truly precious.
I've done one home visit. I looked for things where the dog could have hurt herself or gotten out. So I recommended minor changes like chicken wire over a gap in the fence and a barrier where the dog could have fallen through the bannister supports inside. I checked to see that their current dog was happy, ok with other dogs and well taken care of. I was looking for anything in the house representing a danger to the dog and getting a feel for the applicants' attitudes. They were happy to make the minor adjustments I asked for - I was uniquely suited to this as I have had dogs that were exceptional at getting themselves into dangerous situations.
Secure and safe environment, knowledgeable applicants, happy existing pets - those are the main things.
They were approved to adopt her and it was the perfect match. I get pictures of her from time to time
This is all so ridiculous. Remember when you could just go to a shelter, pick out a dog to love and bring it home?
You can still adopt a dog this way and many people do! I've volunteered in shelters, rescues and fostered countless dogs in our home. Many people want to avoid seeing the realities of shelter life and would rather adopt from a rescue and I understand that. Some shelters (not all) are really sad places. Rescues offer an alternative but it costs money to care for those dogs. Rescues usually pay for spay/neuter, food and any other medical issues so they want to make sure the adoption is a good fit. Also, many of the dogs available from Rescues were "rescued" from shelters where their time was up.
To the OP, as to the fence question, I can tell you first hand that it is not always a hard and fast rule, even with a larger energetic dog so just be honest with them about your lifestyle - you might be very surprised. You both have the same goal - to find the best fit for a dog in need. Thank you for choosing to save a life. For every dog that's adopted through a Rescue, a space opens up for another dog to be fostered or saved from euthanasia. People used to ask me how I was able to let go of a dog I've fostered and although it is hard to do, it's also a happy time because it means another dog will take its place and get a chance to find a loving home.
My background and experience sounds much like yours and I agree with you 100% on all points.
The only time I had to turn down an adopter did concern the lack of a fence...but around a pool. The rescue I represented was not negotiable despite all their previous dogs could swim, even the breed I was trying to place. Boston Terriers are not known for swimming but I do know many do...in pools and even play in the ocean. But the rescues rules were not negotiable and I had to say no to them. Said dog was placed with a great family so all's well that ends well.
One of the BT's I met years ago was a great swimmer and in fact, I placed a BT with them. She was an owner surrender, a neighbor who really couldn't handle the active dog she'd bought for her young daughter after seeing the movie "Hotel For Dogs"
She stayed with me for almost 6 months while I searched for a great home for her. They had a pool, no fence, but their BT swimmer wore a sensor/monitor/alarm that activated if and when their dog got in the pool or fell in...they were hyper vigilant about his safety. I won't type all the details but she's been with them since 2010 and lived her best life.
All said, I do support adoptions via rescue, shelters and private as long as they have the best interest of the dog at heart.
^^^
Thx Fairy Dogmother Some Rescues allow the foster parents more leeway than others in making their decisions but others are non-negotiable. It sounds like it all worked out for the best with your pups.
An amazing thing happened on the day I posted on this thread. I received an email from a woman who had adopted one of my fosters five years ago! All was fine with her Bessie - she just wanted to let me know how happy they were with her and thank us for allowing her to adopt their little girl.
It's not unusual to hear from an adopter a few weeks or so after an adoption, usually with pictures, and I always appreciate that but to hear from someone five years afterwards is a first for me! A very happy one at that
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Leery of people with no kids?
Some Rescues allow the foster parents more leeway than others in making their decisions but others are non-negotiable. It sounds like it all worked out for the best with your pups. 
