Orange County SPCA Rant

[urban_hippie]

sorry, but i've got to side with the spca on this one. the questions aren't intended to trick anyone; they're intended to determine what kind of pet owner you'd be. and they are right: leaving a dog unsupervised outside for even just a few short hours is a bad idea. aside from the risk of the dog escaping, think of the heat, etc. i'm not saying you can't provide a loving home for a dog, but i do think you should reconsider leaving an animal outside unsupervised for any number of hours.

keep searching other rescue groups, as other posters have mentioned, and don't give up on the idea of rescuing a dog - i don't believe in buying breeder pets at all. but i'd suggest crate training any dog you wind up getting; it's better for the dog's psyche (the crate becomes his or her den) and ensures your place won't get destroyed if you do have to run to the store for a few hours and the dog has separation anxiety or anything. just don't consider leaving him or her alone, outside, and unsupervised. dogs don't rationalize the way that we do, and you could wind up in a bad situation for yourself, particularly if a neighbor kid decided to jump your fence to retrieve a ball or frisbee, then your dog protects "his" or "her" house, and the next thing you know, you've got a lawsuit on your hands AND the dog is locked down in animal control.

that's the reason for the questioning - they want to ensure that any animal they adopt is going to a good, FOREVER home - they don't want to see the animal returned to cage life again, for any reason whatsoever.

good luck!

[LoveBoating]

When we lived in CO, we adopted a 2yr old female Mal-Sibi Mix Husky and they asked us how big our backyard was and we told them it was BIG......which it was. We told also told them that we had bought/put together a large dog house (Husky size) for a new Husky. We also told them that "Nikki" would be in the backyard all day while we were both at work (with a full bucket of water)......no problem! Of course Husky's are outside dogs and she loved being outside during the winter months. During the summer/hotter days, she would curl up on the ground under the our garage roof overhang or go into her doghouse during a rainstorm. We also put in a "doggy door" so she could come in and out of the house anytime while we were at home. We also took her to a Dog Park often so she could be around other dogs. Unfortunately, we no longer have Nikki, but will get another (smaller) dog later on.
At times, adoption agencies can really ask some "inquiring" type questions just so the can make sure the people who are adopting a certain pet can take (and will) care of it.

[Kali's Grandma]

We have a friend that got denied because he admitted that he would leave the dog on a chain for a little bit every day. He's one of the most responsible people I know.
He was even told that now this was on his record with the SPCA and he would NEVER get a dog from them.
My dog stays out all day, he comes in for a few hours then out all night. He's a guard dog and member of our family. He has plenty of water and shade.

I say if you have a fenced in yard or willing to responsibly chain the dog it's not a problem.

I'm sorry this happened.

[SimoneK]

I went there one time with my two Kids because they had a Bichon Frise. My son has a Dog Allergy but he has no reaction at all to this breed. Anyway, after a long drive we finally arrived. I asked for the Bichon (I had it printed out) and one Lady told me that they don't have Bichons here and I should better get a bigger dog anyway because I have Kids. She tol me to go and take a look at the larger breeds. She didn't listen to me at all. I am not a very confident person, I didn't know what to say. So we just left. We found a Bichon 2 months later in the Local Newspaper. That was my experience.

[az4good]

Originally Posted by Kali's Grandma

We have a friend that got denied because he admitted that he would leave the dog on a chain for a little bit every day. He's one of the most responsible people I know.
He was even told that now this was on his record with the SPCA and he would NEVER get a dog from them.
My dog stays out all day, he comes in for a few hours then out all night. He's a guard dog and member of our family. He has plenty of water and shade.

I say if you have a fenced in yard or willing to responsibly chain the dog it's not a problem.

I'm sorry this happened.

Chaining a dog is VERY different than having one in the backyard. Dogs who are chained can get extremely aggressive and dangerous. There is also a chance of strangulation and of the dog being attacked by another dog since it has no protection. I understand why they refused to adopt out a dog to someone that would chain them up. I would imagine any shelter or rescue group would take issue with that.

On the other hand I have never in my life heard of a shelter that wouldn't adopt out a dog to someone that said they were going to leave it in a fenced backyard. Sometimes shelter people care too much to the point that it hurts the animal's chances of finding a home.

[Kali's Grandma]

Originally Posted by az4good

Chaining a dog is VERY different than having one in the backyard. Dogs who are chained can get extremely aggressive and dangerous. There is also a chance of strangulation and of the dog being attacked by another dog since it has no protection. I understand why they refused to adopt out a dog to someone that would chain them up. I would imagine any shelter or rescue group would take issue with that.

On the other hand I have never in my life heard of a shelter that wouldn't adopt out a dog to someone that said they were going to leave it in a fenced backyard. Sometimes shelter people care too much to the point that it hurts the animal's chances of finding a home.

I suggest that before you paint me as a bad animal owner you got back and really read what I wrote..............I very plainly stated that he us a very responsible dog owner and would only chain the dog for short periods of time.
Because his yard isn't fenced and he knows it important for dogs of his size to be outside.

And don't even think you are going to tell me that I don't care about my dog. A 96 lb dogs has no business being shut up all day in a house. He needs room to run and the fence is to protect HIM from any outside dangers. It is quite possible to TRAIN a dog not to get out. That's what responsible dog owners do.
I've had this dog since he was 5 wks old and in his 14 years of being tortured by being chained up and put in a fenced yard, allowed children to ride on him, pull his ears and learn to walk while holding on to him, cornered two burglars and chased off many many rabid lizards (kidding). He has more than earned the life of reilly he has now.

So I would suggest that in the future you might want to consider what people actually state instead of attempting to read between the lines.

I guess I just care too much about my animals to worry about what OTHER people think.

[rholborn]

Don't give up! if you feel this dog is the right one for you, don't be afraid to try one more time and talk to a supervisor. my dog is a rescue dog from the seminole county humane society, and she is part of our family. "our furry little daughter". good luck to you, and don't be afraid to fight for what you feel in your gut, if it feels right go for it! let us know how it goes okay?

[doctorbrandi07]

Ok.. yea I agree dogs shouldnt be left outside in florida. however, these dogs at the SPCA are pretty much outside themselves. Not to mention the small cages they are kept in.. Good luck in finding a dog! Dont give up!

[cmj_fla]

Originally Posted by Kali's Grandma

I suggest that before you paint me as a bad animal owner you got back and really read what I wrote..............I very plainly stated that he us a very responsible dog owner and would only chain the dog for short periods of time.
Because his yard isn't fenced and he knows it important for dogs of his size to be outside.

And don't even think you are going to tell me that I don't care about my dog. A 96 lb dogs has no business being shut up all day in a house. He needs room to run and the fence is to protect HIM from any outside dangers. It is quite possible to TRAIN a dog not to get out. That's what responsible dog owners do.
I've had this dog since he was 5 wks old and in his 14 years of being tortured by being chained up and put in a fenced yard, allowed children to ride on him, pull his ears and learn to walk while holding on to him, cornered two burglars and chased off many many rabid lizards (kidding). He has more than earned the life of reilly he has now.

So I would suggest that in the future you might want to consider what people actually state instead of attempting to read between the lines.

I guess I just care too much about my animals to worry about what OTHER people think.

I really don't think the poster was attacking you as a dog owner but just stating his/her opinion on chaining a dog, which is also shared by the shelter you were referring to.

I feel keeping dogs outside is a completely normal and acceptable thing to do. I never heard that people were getting turned down for such a thing. Do they do this kind of screening at the County Pounds?

[VaNative]

Thanks for all the opinions and views. I have not returned to the SPCA to adopt a pet but maybe someday.