[Clowndisco88]

I believe that a main problem(well not really a problem) is that people are searching for dogs online at petfinder.com and alot of the dogs on there docome from other states. I have also realized that alot of the pounds here are not putting info up on the dogs as well as the humane society. When I went to the humane society in middletown about 3 years ago they really didnt have many dogs. However, a few months ago I was looking around the pounds for a dog and there were alot of dogs, but alot of them were pitbulls who they were not going to sell because alot of them had been breed for fighting and were rescued from fighting locations. However, we did find our perfect dog. But you are right, there are not alot of dogs in ct, at least they are hard to come across.

[wanderintonc]

I don't have a dog, but I had taken my kiddos to the Humane Society in Newington a bunch of times to look around and they never seem to have puppies! Just lots of pitbulls and big dogs. They don't seem to have kittens either much-we did go there to look for our kitten and there was one-folks ahead of me got it. All the older cats said 'no young children please' so those were out. We did wish to adopt but in the end had to go elsewhere-I thought, how wierd, are there no puppies or kittens in this state?

[KH02]

IMO dogs are better then puppies, you dont need to train them as most of them already are. Those dogs were once puppies that apparently no one wanted.
I would much rather save an adult then a puppy who i KNOW is more likely to get a home.

[Silli]

I used to volunteer for the Animal Rescue League in Boston and they got shipments of puppies and smaller dogs from the south to meet the demand for these types of dogs. They also did a fabulous job preparing dogs for adoption- putting them through obedience training, etc. There just aren't enough puppies locally to meet the demand, which is a good thing. Most shelters require that you have your adopted animals spayed and neutered, and followup if the animal is too young when adopted. Many reputable breeders also require spaying and neutering of animals that are purchased from them, in order to prevent unwanted pets.

[Rich Lee]

Originally Posted by KH02

IMO dogs are better than puppies, you don't need to train them as most of them already are. Those dogs were once puppies that apparently no one wanted.

I would much rather save an adult than a puppy who I KNOW is more likely to get a home.

I agree. You pretty much know the temperament and personality of an adult. However, some quirks might be hidden. A friend of mine adopted a 7-year-old dog that barks when people hug.

[jmarkey]

Originally Posted by Silli

I used to volunteer for the Animal Rescue League in Boston and they got shipments of puppies and smaller dogs from the south to meet the demand for these types of dogs. They also did a fabulous job preparing dogs for adoption- putting them through obedience training, etc. There just aren't enough puppies locally to meet the demand, which is a good thing. Most shelters require that you have your adopted animals spayed and neutered, and followup if the animal is too young when adopted. Many reputable breeders also require spaying and neutering of animals that are purchased from them, in order to prevent unwanted pets.

OP in Texas here again.

Back in 2001, while I was still in CT, I started looking for a 15-20 lb. terrier mix. It turned into a quest that lasted a couple of months. I didn't care if the dog was a puppy or an adult, nor did I care if it was a purebred. I don't do $800+ dogs. $300 was my maximum. Even back then, it was very tough to find a small dog. I just figured it was a fluke and didn't realize how few of that type are available for adoption until I looked into why our shelter is transporting so many dogs to CT.

We have so many puppies here that the shelter doesn't bother to put them all on the website. When they're very small, they go pretty quick. As they get up to around 5+ months, adoptions slow down and they'll probably head north. Yesterday I learned a litter of tiny guys had been brought in. A passerby caught a man throwing them off a bridge. A pickup truck pulled in yesterday morning with two adorable very young strays. I don't live in a rural area, but this disposable dog syndrome is pretty common around here.

We do obedience classes for the shelter dogs and it's my favorite part of volunteering. These adult dogs are so quick to pick up on what you want from them. My favorite dogs in the kennel are the most overlooked - adult black lab crosses. I don't think you'll find a sweeter, more "tuned into people" dog. I wish they weren't so overlooked.

Anyway, as I learn more about the situation here and in CT and as I learn more about the organizations our dogs are going to, I feel it's a good situation for all involved.

[Yankeerose00]

I totally agree Jmarkey about the black lab mixes. Large dogs, especially black or dark colored dogs are the last to be adopted out. Same with cats. It's very sad that the color of an animal's fur could make an impact as to whether or not they find a home.

We used to have awesome large black dogs in our group that were housebroken, lovable, never chewed, great with kids and other pets, and they would sit for months looking for a home.
Get a little dog like a yorkie and it could be a chewer, pee all over the house, hate kids, bite everyone and I swear you'd have 30 applications on that dog, including people that had kids! It used to drive me crazy how people had in their mind that smaller was better.

Same with cats. You could have the sweetest, most lovable cat that wanted nothing more than to sit on your lap and cuddle, but if it was a black cat, people just overlooked it. It's not even being superstitious. It's just the way it is with black animals. I knew of a girl who did rabbit rescue and she said that adopting out black rabbits was much harder than the white or tan ones.

I'm so happy to be living in an area that is for the most part, very progressive and has a deeper respect for animals. It's not okay to let your dog to have litter after litter of puppies and bring each litter to the pound twice a year. Or let your unspayed cat have litter after litter of kittens and let your kids take them to the flea market to sell them for $5 each to any moron passing by. You may see things like that happen on occasion in New England, but nothing like I saw down south. It's such a breath of fresh air being here in so many ways.

[newenglandblonde]

You are right about the Vets...you get your 10 minute visit and treat symptoms.

I do have to say the labs4rescue fees are high and prohibitive for low-income and fixed income folks. labs4rescue charge $15 application fee and $365 for the adoption and many of these dogs are medically and socially challenged. I found interest in Dakota at their facility and requested the fees be reduced, due to costs associated with the care I would acquire and this was the Directors comment:

"I am going to assume you were just clueless to the issues surrounding rescue, when you asked that the fee be waived. I would now expect that having been educated in this process, that you would be more than enthusiastic to pay an adoption fee to enable us to save more labs! Each adoption fee paid, allows us to save labs. Someone who doesn't pay a fee, is in actuality, causing labs to die".

Very poor for a professional and makes me question the agenda of her facility. It is my opinion, all qualified loving people should be able to adopt these pets. Not just people who have discretionary monies for fees associated with the adoption process. This is unfair to the dogs and people of lesser means, bordering on discriminatory.

[AMSS]

Originally Posted by ctgal21

I found my dog on petfinder.com. She was affiliated with a CT rescue group though she was being fostered down in TN. I was very hesitant to adopt her sight unseen but I asked lots of questions about her and they fulfilled my request to have a short video made of her so I could see her in action. There was an adoption fee and a fee to have her transported up here. She arrived healthy, spayed and with all her shots. She has an awesome personailty, very loving and loyal. Everything has worked out perfectly and I couldn't be happier! I also want to add I was approved for the adoption and I don't have a backyard since I live in a condo!

We did the same except the dog came from Arkansas…which has a huge puppy mill issue. It was a $250 donation to the humane society she came from and an extra $135 for the transport. I'm not complaining. The internet basically gave me access to every humane society and dog pound in the country. And while I did feel crazy buying a dog online, I found most affiliated with pet finder don't want the dogs returned so they will make sure the prospective owner is aware of everything about that animal. Rich commented that he "wasn't fit to own a dog" and that is a weird answer, but most humane societies are not big on families owning multiple dogs.

[willow wind]

Just why should someone be allowed to adopt a dog just because they want one ? Pets are expensive. If a few hundred dollars one way or another makes a difference, then one probably can't really afford a pet.

Flea/tick preventative and heartworm meds cost a chunk of change alone.
Animals like people, do get sick, do develop illnesses, some very serious. Vet bills can easily run into the thousands of dollars. Just throwing food at a pet isn't enough. Even good quality food is pricey.

And simply, put if you can't afford it today, you can always work toward saving up for it. It's OK to delay rewards. If that means you put aside $ 30-40 a month and adopt a pet in a year, what is wrong with that ? And if waiting another year to save up an amount for a rainy day fund, then what is wrong with waiting two years ? The I want what I want now, but I have no means to get it or care for it, attitude is disturbing.

Low income people are not being discriminated against by rescues. This is a just an honest assessment of one's ability to care for a pet. Getting a pet ready for placement is expensive. Spaying/neutering/ vaccinating, heart worm tests and often treatment can run into several hundred dollars.

Expecting someone else to do all expense, work and effort and then feeling entitled to be given the pet for a pittance is a curious attitude. You can always find that $50-100 dog on Craigslist.

And as for kittens, seriously , just go to Petfinder. There are tons kittens
out there. For the person looking in Newington, head over to the Meriden Humane Society. Tons of kittens and cats. Don't just go to one shelter and say " gee- there weren't a lot of kittens.".