Want to adopt a dog or cat? Prepare for an inquisition at the animal rescue.(ARTICLE)

Holly

Animal rescue: Want to adopt a dog or cat? Prepare for an inquisition. - Slate Magazine

Criosphynx

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emma09

I can relate to that article. When I decided I wanted a pug I put in an application to the pug rescue, paid the fee, and waited...forever! Actually 6 weeks to be exact for them to tell me I couldnt have a Pug cause my yard wasnt fenced in at the time. Even though I told them I had plans to put one in in the future they didnt care. Thats why Lola came from a breeder.
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Tess

This is why people end up on Craig's list.

We got our kittens from Craig's list, full of ear mites and fleas as expected. But we avoided the inquisition at the shelter... been through that too many times. Its aggravating, as we know we will provide an excellent home... that said, I understand why the shelters do what they do.

Incidentally, I have to say it was probably more expensive for us to go the Craig's list route though. Even though the kittens cost us next to nothing, we put several hundred dollars into each kitten for shots, ear mite and flea treatment and neuter surgery. So those who complain about the hundred dollar adoption fee for a kitten, with all that done already, might want to know its actually a good deal.

Tess

One more comment. When we were looking for a companion for Josey, after our lovely old setter Cooper died, we tried to go through an English Setter rescue. The rescue was enthusiastic about us as a home (we went through the whole home inspection, questions etc.) but they just kept stringing us along for weeks about a 9 month old female in Pennsylvania. We told them repeatedly that we were ready to drive the 12 hours to go get her at the drop of a hat, but there was something political going on at this place. I also suspect there was a minor health issue they were unwilling to disclose (bad hips or undershot jaw.). In any case, we got frustrated and gave up.

In the end, we got our lovely Tessa from a Llewellin breeder in Arkansas. She came to us in a mailbox sized puppy crate, carefully shipped by Delta airlines, last off the plane (kept behind the pilot's area) and hand delivered to us at the ticket counter at Manchester NH airport. We could not have had a better experience with the breeder, or with this puppy. She has been the love of our lives since that first moment.

So yeah, I can certainly relate to that article!

Tulip

I do think that a lot of good homes slip through the net if a rescue has policies that don't allow any 'wiggle room'.

pawzaddict

In my opinion, if you don't like the way one rescue screens then go elsewhere lol its that simple, at least for large city dwellers. Just remember that not all rescues screen to that extent I find it ridiculous whenpeople say they go the route of finding breeders and byb simply bc one rescue was too strict.
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pawzaddict

Also I find this to be more of a problem with breed specific rescues....
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bigpawsup

I find that the "breed specific" rescues want you to jump through a lot more hoops than a local shelter. I've adopted both of my girls through local rescues and neither had more than a 2 pages of basic questions. I took both dogs the day I saw them.

The shelter I work with only holds the dog/cat if you are renting - they want either a lease or to check with the landlord. Otherwise, we have more animals than room so please take someone home.

Now, after my Mopet passed I tried a Carin rescue. I did give up - when they started asking about my custody arrangements for my son and wanted doctors notes about his disability (no I am not kidding).

I went to an adoption day at Petsmart (where they have all the local groups come in with dogs/cats that need homes). We went home with Gypsy that day.

emma09

I completely agree with that.
We would have went to a different Pug rescue, but the only other one near us was in TN and they didnt adopt dogs out to ppl that were out of state.
One year later we adoped Emma from a humane society that had no problem giving her to us, and then another yr later getting Lily. Im sorry, but I think its ridiculous that you have to jump through hoops to adopt a dog from a breed specific rescue.
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