Questions about adopting from ACS (new home, living in, fence)

[SAFD_Wife]

Good Afternoon Everyone,
I have a few questions about adopting from ACS. I have perused their site and checked old posts, but can't find the answers I need.

My husband and I will be moving to a new home in about a month. We will have a little over an acre of property, and we would like to open our new home to some new family members. We currently have two full bred yorkies, which we adore, but recently our hearts have been pulled towards animal rescue. I vowed that all pets I get from here on out will be from shelters. So, here are my questions...

1. How many animals will ACS allow you to adopt? We would like to adopt two large outside dogs and two cats, which will be outside as well. We want two of each so none of the animals will be lonely .

2. Does ACS declaw cats prior to adoption?

3. Are the adoption fees any less if you attend an adoption event? The price is pretty low already so this isn't really a huge issue, just wondering.

4. Two years ago we tried to adopt a cat from the Humane Society, but we weren't approved because on our interview card we said the cat would be partially indoor and partially outdoor. We left there feeling embarrassed and deflated . We are wonderful pet owners and couldn't understand their reasoning. Is this the same procedure at ACS?

Some people criticize us for wanting outdoor cats, however we feel that giving them food, water, shelter and attention is better than living in a cage or being euthanized. I don't want to go to ACS with my heart set on bringing home a brood, just to be let down as I was at the Humane Society . Both my husband and I have always owned animals, from dogs to cats to horses to sugargliders. We know we can offer a few animals a better life than what they had.

Any information is appreciated Oh, and I hope you enjoyed all of my smileys

[ryneone]

What is the ACS?

[SAFD_Wife]

Animal Care Services. From your question I am guessing you won't be able to answer my questions

[ryneone]

Originally Posted by SAFD_Wife

Animal Care Services. From your question I am guessing you won't be able to answer my questions

Is that the city?

We adopted ours from the Humane Society. They come sterilized and with shots or my cat did.

[SAFD_Wife]

ACS is the city shelter. Unfortunately, it has one of the worst reputations in the country for euthanasia, which is why we feel strongly about adopting.

[Rottnboys]

You may find that even ACS frowns on your desire to keep the dogs and cats as outside pets, since a vast majority of the dogs/cats they intake, were cast outside and forgotten and even ACS is hoping to place animals in adoptive homes where they will not find themselves 'no better' than where they formerly came. I'm not saying that is what you will do - but outside pets can often lead a lonely and sometimes dangerous life. Your outside cats are at risk of being attacked by another animal, run over by a car, or stolen.

If you live inside the city limits, you are allowed to have 5 dogs and 3 cats, as long as they are all spayed/neutered. If you live outside the city, it will depend on where you live, since the county doesn't have limits per se.

Declawed cats, even through ACS would HAVE TO BE INSIDE PETS.....they do not declaw - but they do receive cats that are declawed when they come in to the ACS facility.

Adoption fees at the city were $73 per animal - but I believe that has gone up a bit - it might now be $85 per animal. There are times when they do "reduced fee" adoption events in the city, and those should be published on their website and the pet calendar on mysa.com.

I would encourage you to give serious thought to keeping outside only pets. You should be getting additional pets for yourself - and not so they can keep one another company outside. I realize this will sound harsh on a computer screen - I don't mean for it to be - but being involved in dog rescue, I really feel strongly that pets belong inside with their family - where they can be a part of the family. Not outside..........good luck on your desire to add new pets to your home.

Sadly, if you wait long enough, I'm almost certain you will be able to do personal rescue of any number of dogs and cats on your own, since our stray animal population is higher than it has been in recent times.

[SAFD_Wife]

Originally Posted by Rottnboys

You may find that even ACS frowns on your desire to keep the dogs and cats as outside pets, since a vast majority of the dogs/cats they intake, were cast outside and forgotten and even ACS is hoping to place animals in adoptive homes where they will not find themselves 'no better' than where they formerly came. I'm not saying that is what you will do - but outside pets can often lead a lonely and sometimes dangerous life. Your outside cats are at risk of being attacked by another animal, run over by a car, or stolen.

If you live inside the city limits, you are allowed to have 5 dogs and 3 cats, as long as they are all spayed/neutered. If you live outside the city, it will depend on where you live, since the county doesn't have limits per se.

Declawed cats, even through ACS would HAVE TO BE INSIDE PETS.....they do not declaw - but they do receive cats that are declawed when they come in to the ACS facility.

Adoption fees at the city were $73 per animal - but I believe that has gone up a bit - it might now be $85 per animal. There are times when they do "reduced fee" adoption events in the city, and those should be published on their website and the pet calendar on mysa.com.

I would encourage you to give serious thought to keeping outside only pets. You should be getting additional pets for yourself - and not so they can keep one another company outside. I realize this will sound harsh on a computer screen - I don't mean for it to be - but being involved in dog rescue, I really feel strongly that pets belong inside with their family - where they can be a part of the family. Not outside..........good luck on your desire to add new pets to your home.

Sadly, if you wait long enough, I'm almost certain you will be able to do personal rescue of any number of dogs and cats on your own, since our stray animal population is higher than it has been in recent times.

I can understand the hesitation on their part. I guess what I hope for from a pet rescue center is a case by case consideration. From my experience at the Humane Society, I know they looked at the card, didn't ask any questions and just said no. I think my biggest frustration is this - that they would say no to someone very capable of offering a wonderful home to stray or mistreated animals thus saying it would be better for that animal to live in a small cage and possibly be put to death.

Regarding the declawing question...I wouldn't never let a cat stay outside that had been declawed.

I don't take your comments offensively at all, I can totally understand the hesitation with letting just anyone take home an animal.

[cr1039]

In response to #4: Most organizations will not adopt to you if you plan to leave the adopted animals outside. So your experience was not unusual, not sure about ACS but look forward to seeing the responses you get.

In the case of adopting a dog; if you explain upfront that the animal would be kept indoor/outdoor, many organizations will want you to verify that the animals will not be tethered, will have access to food, shade and water and that your fence is both secure and tall enough to be a proper enclosure. Sometimes we will leave our dog outside while we run an errand etc.

[Rottnboys]

Originally Posted by SAFD_Wife

I think my biggest frustration is this - that they would say no to someone very capable of offering a wonderful home to stray or mistreated animals thus saying it would be better for that animal to live in a small cage and possibly be put to death.

Regarding the declawing question...I wouldn't never let a cat stay outside that had been declawed.

I don't take your comments offensively at all, I can totally understand the hesitation with letting just anyone take home an animal.

In rescue, all of the groups have heard it all - and when someone says "the dog/cat will be outside, but we aren't like those people who leave their dog/cat outside and never interact with them - we'll be a great home"........the thought is "yeah right - NEXT".......it's just the way it is with rescue. So much time and effort goes into the animals........anyway - there are some dogs, in some groups, who do better outside than in - and those groups have decided to work with potential adopters who want an 'outside/inside' dog on those particular dogs. It's going to be hard convincing a rescue group, that your desire to keep outside pets, is really that different from any other interest from someone who wants a yard dog/cat.

And thanks for not getting offended......the internet is sometimes a harsh feeling place - and I didn't want to sound that way.

[sapphire]

Have you considered the cats at Nine Lives Bookstore? They are all current on shots, fixed, and ready to be adopted--not sure how particular they are about whether the cat is indoors or outdoors. I think they are just happy to have the cats go to someone who will care for them.

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