rwbeagles-In store adoptions

sillysally

Yeah, but a lot of these rescues pull from shelters/dogs who are on death row

The fact that many of the dogs are in foster homes for weeks, or month's, rather belies the 'urgency' of the situation really? They spend that time getting to know the dog or at least I'd hope they would, before placing a dog they've had less than a week or a few days into a home with kids, or other pets?

I had always figured the BIGGEST asset a rescue has, that utilizes the foster system, is knowledge of their animals thru living with them? That takes time...and having invested that time I guess I don't see the need to send the dog of within a couple of hours meeting someone.

My Mom left the store with her dog within 2 hours, without them meeting her other dog, or the other sister that lives with my Mom...to me, that isn't all that great.

I have issue with these home visits.  I haven't had a yard the whole time I've had Willow.  We haven't even gotten to figure out a fenced in situation in our new house for her yet.  And, I'm sorry, but she wouldn't get better care with someone with a yard. 

willowchow

I have issue with these home visits.  I haven't had a yard the whole time I've had Willow.  We haven't even gotten to figure out a fenced in situation in our new house for her yet.  And, I'm sorry, but she wouldn't get better care with someone with a yard. 

Yeah, I'm not much of a fan of the home visit.  I get why they do it, I really do.  However, I am a very private person (everyone, even my own mother, knows better than to stop by without calling first, and I never open the door unless I am specifically expecting someone) and the idea of someone coming into my home and scrutinizing it and my family creeps me out.

We didn't have a yard when we got Sally.  Whether it was walks, running on the longline somewhere, running in the arena  next door, playing with her Jolly Ball, etc, she always got her exercise.  We have a fenced yard now, and while it is certainly nice to have we are not magically better owners because of it.  

I know nobody here is like this.  But, my neighbors across the street, they've got two dogs and a fenced yard.  And, those dogs go in the yard and back inside.  They don't have anywhere near the type of life Willow has.  But, they've got a yard. 

yeah, i dont get the yard-thing either. i hear it all the time here. what is the purpose of having the yard-rule? playing in a yard is usually not sufficient excercise (cant seem to spell that right...) anyways. i see how it would be a convenience for the owner esp. for potty breaks, but it also seems that it can easily be "abused". as in, people not going for walks, cause the dog got a good run or two in the yard and seeing that as a substitute.

anyways, i think, its just this old concept of NEEDING a yard when you have a dog, that is stuck in people's heads...

as for me, i have 2 dogs in an appartment on the 10th floor and they get pretty good care. in fact in this city you cant afford a place with a yard, unless you are pretty rich, and even then you are most likely renting and arent even allowed to put up your own fence! my point is, how do city dwellers fit into this picture?

ETA: sorry, this was a bit off topic... as to OP, i also dont see why another day or two are gonna make a big difference. it's a good chance to think things through one last time.

 For us, the only real benefit I have seen of having the yard is that the two of them can tear around like wild things in a way that they could not in the house.  They both seem to really enjoy this.  But is this enough of a reason to deny someone a dog?  No IMHO.

Your mom's experience sounds troubling to me.  In my area, the animals I see on display in Petsmart and Petco still require the adopter to go through the process established by the organizations who has placed them there (different area humane societies or rescues, etc.) and the person cannot just pick it out and take it home, so there seems to be some protection at least here against impulse adoptions.

However, I got my cat just that way.  My county's AC is just awful, but I wanted to save a life.  It was pick it out, pay $25, sign this release that says you know it hasn't been vetted, it's been wormed and you have 48 hrs to get it checked out and you can bring it back, otherwise, adopter beware.  I had to agree to have him neutered by 6 mos. and send in proof. 

I'm torn in this area.  I think it's important to screen adopters and buyers (in the case of breeders) so the animals are going to the best possible situation.  But finances make that difficult to impossible for some shelters/rescues/breeders.  And I worry that the harder you make the adoption process, the fewer animals get placed and the more attractive you make the puppy store seem.  When I was looking for a dog when I first moved to VA, we went to the SPCA first.  They grilled us so badly and asked so many way out there "What if" questions that my ex eventually said "It's just a dog!" and hung up on them.  (He was/is kinda a putz)  It did put us off trying to rescue or adopt because we assumed all places would be like that, so we started looking into breeders.  What's funny was that the first question all the breeders asked was about allergies and the SPCA never asked that question!  It's what helped us realize any old dog wasn't a good idea with a son who had severe allergies and asthma and lead us towards lower allergen dogs like bichons, poodles, and eventually (what we got) a terrier.

The shelter I adopted Woobie from does everything they possibly can and does have somewhat of a waiting period while applications are checked and the adopters are interviewed etc, so you can't just walk in and walk out with an animal.  That does weed out some impulse adopters.  But they don't have the resources to do home visits or follow ups, so some placements (even with friends of volunteers) have not ended the way they hoped.

I think it's really hard to balance the need to place animals and the level to which you're able/willing to evaluate potential adopters.  Each group has to try to strike that balance in their own comfort zone with the resources they have available to them.

I have not read all responses....but, Nanook was a Petsmart adoption........I had no intention of adding a dog at that particular time.....( Saturdays can be a bit rough on bleeding hearts at the local Petsmart....lol).......the rescue lady was talking in my ear about my experience with large breed dogs and not knowing how he would end up, considering he is a mix between a Chow and Husky.....she kept going on ......and then I felt like I needed to take him........yay.....he is a very sweet dog .....we all love him.........the story of my life.......I keep running into dogs that need our(DH and I) help.....we are pure suckers......

calliecritturs

There's a balance to be struck, and honestly I think some groups need to take a real look at their 'rules' and try to figure out WHY they were made. 

Boy, you aren't kidding!  When I was looking to adopt a dog, I looked into all kinds of rescue groups, and some of them had the strictest rules, which seemed to me that it would make it next to impossible for them to find someone that would fit their definition of a qualified adopter.  It turned me off of those groups completely, and I ended up going to the Humane Society where I adopted Harry.  They had a decent application; one I thought asked the minimal amount of the "right" questions.  The workers there didn't overly scrutinize us, but did carefully read through our application and asked us a few pertinent questions.  In fact, I expected the process to be more difficult, even though I had printed the application off their website and brought it with me, to save time.  They were actually pretty appreciative of that!  I was able to take Harry home that day, and I don't see anything wrong with that.  Of course, that is a little different situation, we obviously made a purposeful trip to the shelter, as opposed to people who just happen to be at PetSmart and see a cute dog and want them on impulse, so I guess there's a difference there.

I don't get the "you MUST have a fenced-in yard" rules either.  We don't have a fence, but we do have a yard.  Does that mean we never exercise Harry?  Of course not!!  He gets daily walks, trips to the dog park, fetch games (his favorite!), training sessions, etc.  Trust me, he is one tired pup at the end of the day!  And, honestly, a lot of the people in my neighborhood who have fenced yards just leave their dogs outside 24-7, so I can't see how just because you do or don't have a fence is an automatic determination of who will make a good owner.

It gets better...the pup is around 4 mos old and was sent with my Mom unfixed...they are supposed to go in next week to get it done. Lots questions about that.

We adopted Jazzy, our German Shorthair/Lab/Boxer cross from a Humane Association that came to Petco once a month.  We just had to fill out an information sheet, hand over our money, and out we went.  Jazzy was 7 weeks old.  She had been handled by I don't know how many people.  We were going to go to the Humane Association to look for a dog anyway, so we decided to buy her.  She is now 3 years old and has been a wonderful addition to our family.

Had we had to wait a week I'm sure we would have still gotten her. We were actively looking for a dog.  I see nothing wrong with a waiting period.  What if we had been spur-of-the-moment buyers?  What if we had walked in, saw the cute little puppies, given in to our kids' begging, and got the puppy - without thinking through how much work a puppy is, what supplies are needed, and remembering that this cute little ball of fur is going to grow up and possibly live for a good 15 years?  Jazzy could have ended up in the pound, let go in the country, or neglected/abused.

Had a home visit been a condition, we would probably not have gotten her.  I don't feel I need to have someone coming in my home in order to adopt a dog. I have worked at the Humane Association and I have taken in and fostered many rescue dogs. I still do not think that home visits are necessary or right. 

I've never understood the home visits either- lets say you're a deranged hoarder. They tell you you're being visited at 8 pm on tuesday. Naturally you arrange for your friend to keep all the dogs in her backyard  for one hour, you frantically clean up the house, attempt to act normal, hey you pass the home visit.

mudpuppy

I've never understood the home visits either- lets say you're a deranged hoarder. 

Reality speaking, I think anyone, especially someone experienced at home visit, would be able to tell.  The home visit is a verification of what was stated in the application.   The address exist, the home exist, it is a house, the house is kept up, there is a yard, it is fenced, oh, this is where the dog would be kept when your not at home. 

An onsite home visit is very important for org to see how the dog will live with the new adopters.  Many a times people say they have fenced yard and it turns out to be partially fenced.  Although for my organization, a fence is not required for all dogs but it is required for some.  Remember we have lived with the dogs and we know the dogs and if a fence is needed for the dog's safety then it has to be there. 

For me and my fosters, there were 3 cases where the applicate was rejected because of the home visit.  One, the edges of the yard was lined with old rusted out lawn machinery,...motors, motor oil, sharp edges, tires, paint cans....just plain old junk.  Two, when the dog had a accident in the home during the visit, the lady got somewhat histerical.  And three, we were ok with the adopter not having a fenced yard, but there was a little or no backyard but a very large front yard.  But they were located on a very busy, high traffic street  and one mistake would cost the dog its life.

rwbeagles

It gets better...the pup is around 4 mos old and was sent with my Mom unfixed...they are supposed to go in next week to get it done. Lots questions about that.

The law allows that in your state?

 RWBeagles, was this a certain large local group who has been INSTURMETNAL in getting this damn MSN ordinance on the table? Four letter name? That group lets people pick out their pets at their christmas adoptathon in the mall and take them home same day. If you say you ernt, they'll call and check, but if you just say you own? Cool, you're good to go! (One of my neighbors got a dog from them and was happy to tell me all about this.) Dog is well cared for and loved, but... geebus.