SHELTER DOGS

Yes I would on a case x case. My first shelter experience was Milo, and my second shelter experience was the dear departed insane Jem Finch. My problem with shelters is that, as opposed to foster care, you can't really tell a dog's personality in a kennel environment. You can see how well he takes stress, but there's no prolonged one on one. For instance, it would have helped to know Jem was extremely dog agressive. And BTW he passed their cat test - walking him through the cat room - and absolutely failed the cat test in the real world.

But I am also active with ridgeback rescue and always turn to rescues as well for animals.

IMO it's not necessarily that the shelter mis-represents the dog, but that people lie. I am convinced in hindsight that Jem Finch offended (bit) and the owner surrendered him and lied.

Paula

I like the idea of adopting a dog that's stuck in a shelter.  I really want to help them.  But, I probably will not get my next dog from one.  Unfortunately, I've gone thru a lot of issues with Willow temperment wise and also physically.  I'm living my life as fully as possible with the type of temperment that she has.  But, I'm limited because she is. 

I wouldn't trade the time I spend with her for anything but my next dog needs to be different.  I just can't do the emotional strain of a dog like this again. 

Maybe I'll feel differently when the time comes but that's how I feel now.  I want to know what I'm taking home or at least a really, really good idea.  I want a pup from a good breeder. 

Just to raise this as an issue, and I'm not sure if this occurs elsewhere, but Florida seems full of "rescue groups" who troll all the shelters/animal controls and literally adopt anything that might be placeable.  That gets them a $20 spay/neuter and free shots for the dog and a minimal adoption fee (like unbelievably cheap). 
 
Then they turn around and "place" that dog for $250 if it's close to 'purebreed' or $100 if it's not. 
 
Now I've seen good rescues and very very very bad ones down here.  Unfortunately a lot of people are doing this as their 'job'.  They often go out and get donations  in addition (I've seen many go on the radio, etc. to get 'donations' for anything from a vhicle to crates)  and like I said, some of them are very very good and some of them are horrible.
 
Ok -- that being said, and everything everyone said above about the benefits of getting a dog from a rescue group so it has been fostered and you know it's personality 'better' (only IF the rescue group is honest, which Billy's WAS NOT).
 
THAT leaves the animals at animal control and shelters as bigger risks.  Mostly pit mixes, mostly dogs that truly do NOT do well with any sort of stressful environment, BIG dogs (little dogs are at a huge premium down here) and generally it, unfortunately, increases the riskiness of a shelter dog.  I'm not in any way 'anti-shelter' -- BUT I see the odds stacked against shelter dogs down here.  It's almost accurate to say that the dogs at shelters are 'leftovers' -- because anything at all personable, small or 'purebred' has been snagged by these people coming in to adopt 15 dogs at a time.
 
Yes, these agencies know these people are 'rescues'  and I think they figure the dogs have a better chance of success in a home this way, and they have less they must euthanize.    But it does give shelter dogs down here a more negative connotation which I think is unfair and unfortunate. 
 
For me?  Yes, I'd take a shelter dog in a heartbeat if it was the right dog for us at the time.
 
 

Just to raise this as an issue, and I'm not sure if this occurs elsewhere, but Florida seems full of "rescue groups" who troll all the shelters/animal controls and literally adopt anything that might be placeable. That gets them a $20 spay/neuter and free shots for the dog and a minimal adoption fee (like unbelievably cheap).

Then they turn around and "place" that dog for $250 if it's close to 'purebreed' or $100 if it's not.

Now I've seen good rescues and very very very bad ones down here. Unfortunately a lot of people are doing this as their 'job'. They often go out and get donations in addition (I've seen many go on the radio, etc. to get 'donations' for anything from a vhicle to crates) and like I said, some of them are very very good and some of them are horrible.

That's terrible!  I've never even thought of that!

I can say with certainty the rescue I'm getting Chop through does NOT do that.  They DO use their network to advertise on behalf of GSDs in local shelters, but they don't actually "adopt" them to place them for more $$$.  They will adopt them into a foster if it's a better situation for the dog.  The rescue initially told me their adoption fee is $200, however I've learned that it's not necessarily true.  For example, I'm getting my dog for free because we are a perfect match and I've promised to return her through the rescue if it doesn't work out.  I also get e-mails from them trying to place GSDs from good homes whose circumstances have changed and the families are offering them for free through the rescue (b/c the rescue will screen interested persons rather than just anybody getting the dog for free and then using it to train pits or be chained in a yard).  I was told after the fact that the $200 fee they adtervise is mainly to ensure that only people who *really* care will apply, because if you didn't care, why would you be willing to pay $200?  The only time you have to pay is if you're getting a dog that's in a shelter and $200 is their adoption fee.

Tookey was a stray, Anna was from a no-kill rescue and Gracie was a shelter dog. Our next one will be one of those options, most likely the shelter. We temperment tested her ourselves. Leisje, while I think your suggestions are good, in a small rural shelter (like ours) some are just not feasible. There's simply not the financial or personnel resources to consult behaviorists and fully vet the animals. They have only recently been able to get all of them fixed due to donations from the Humane Society. They worm and give some basic shots. I think the best criteria you can say about our shelter is that the dogs are happy. Sure, some of them come in scared, but very, very, very few of them that have spent more than a few days there leave that way. I have seen dogs that were literally thrown out of a speeding truck and so afraid of humans that you'd think they'd never come around turn into love bugs. The reason? The staff (all 3 of them!) love the animals, really care about them and care for them. You walk into our shelter and you'd swear it was a boarding kennel, not only because it's so clean, but the dogs sense and know that they are safe and cared for.

yes. one of our dogs (sydney) was adopted from the humane society (i dont think AC has a shelter the HS receives funds from the county). amelia was adopted from a rescue.

we would like to adopt a boxer at some point, and we may try a breed rescue for that. otherwise, i will either go back to the HS or a rescue.

i am a member of a siberian husky email list and it is amazing how many great and purebred sibes are dumped at shelters. it i wanted a purebred husky (which i would love!) i can find several through the email list within a short drive almost every week.

there is nothing to rethink because what i said was, in short simple sentences, If you know the shelter has a good reputation, and they evaluate the dogs, as well as allow them time to run around outside of a kennel and if you have a history of that dog and know what suits your family then you are not taking as huge a risk as you would be if you just walked down a line of kennels and picked out the saddest looking face with no information to go on.
You said yourself you knew that dog on a personal level and trained him yourself. Not everyone has that benefit do they? Its for the ignorant that i recommend NOT going to a shelter. they're the ones that pick the saddest looking animals without really thinking things through.  Granted those kinds of people  probably shouldnt get a pet anyway, but we already know  we cant stop them.  people are going to do what they want anyway.  my method is to  at the very least reduce the risks of another number being added to the statistics of dog bite incidents.


getting a dog or cat from a shelter is like buying a car from a used car salesman in many cases... or it is today! too many bleeding hearts are not telling the truth because these animals are in desperate need of homes(i.e. Wally)
This stray dog we have taken in wouldnt last a day. A shelter would adopt her out giving only the information that she is sweet and gets along with small pets and other dogs and children.... but i doubt they will mention that she is a blatant thief and destructive towards anything that isnt nailed down.. and if it IS nailed down she chews on it. She has no concept of the word no. she is a bulldog after all, and sometimes they can be tough to train.

My original statement was only to say that if a FAMILY with children is out looking for a dog then they should consider a foster home over gambling with a shelter dog.

as for cats and kittens... when was the last time a house cat mauled someone to death? yes we know they are quite capable of hurting someone, but i have yet to hear of someone dying from feline inflicted injuries.
And puppies.... well it depends on the breed doesnt it? (being facetious)http://www.sptimes.com/2006/07/30/Floridian/Kennel_trash.shtml

Honestly i've seen how some shelters "temperament test". these people doing the testing arent behaviourist. if i were to go to a shelter i would have to know the dog was tested by a profesional. my kids and family mean more to me than a dog. as much as i love dogs, i would never put a child at risk. some people get lucky and adopt a gem of a dog, i've seen it done, but others arent so fortunate. why take that kind of a risk when children are involved? that's all i am saying. if you dont have kids or dont want kids then maybe you cant understand where i'm coming from.

Callie,

I never thought of it that way. Ridgeback rescue regularly gets notified by shelters if they have ridgebacks. Not because they can place them for a couple of hundred dollars (because in he final analysis that $250.00 adoption fee doesn't cover a lot of the services foster and rescue often require), but because we 're better at placing ridgebacks. We are in a better position to evaluate homes and potential adopters, we are in a better position to evaluate behavior (in breed context) and they get fostered.

Paula

My next dog, unless my lifestyle drastically changes (i.e. kids or something of that nature..hey, you never know how long Cherokee'll live ), will be from a shelter, no hesitation. I will walk in, glance around, and immediately fall in love with someone. There's just no question in my mind. I don't need a predictable dog. I don't need a perfect dog. I don't need a friendly dog. I'm willing to work on behavior problems now that I know how. [8D]

i've noticed the same trend with so called adoption fees.... i laughed out loud when i saw in my news paper's want add section people requestion adoption fees. they even say it in the add. anywhere from $100 to $300 for a dog or cat.
maybe i'm wrong, maybe their intentions are true and good, but it looks like its another side business for people to make money off of animals.
one local rescue's website gives adoption fees based on the size of the dog. $50 for small, $100 for medium and $200 for large breeds. i dont understand why they dont have one set price and try to focus on finding these animals forever homes. the price for spaying and neutering a big dog and a small dog(cats included) is the same in the local S&N clinic. maybe this rescue is calculating the cost of food?

many times rescues will take in dogs in need of a great deal of medical care before they can be placed. i know it is not uncommon here for a dog to have to go through heart worm treatments. while they do make money on some dogs, they loose a great deal on others. the higher adoptions fees help to offset this.

not all s&n clinics offer the same price for all dogs. bigger dogs require more anesthetic and what not so the actual cost of the s/n is more.

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i know not all rescues are on the up and up, but the ones i have had dealings with seem to be.

My rescue organization pulls from many shelters.  I foster them.  I know next to nothing about the dog including the history and behaviors.  Next to nothing means I am told they are all sweeties.  Each dog comes to me with their own unique issues.  We work through them.  We find the right home situation for the dog.  I successfully place a lot of shelter dogs but there was one dog that was not adoptable.  From my experience, pretty close to all shelter dogs were successes.  Why do people on this forum focus on the one failure?

 Some shelters are also increasing the price of popular "designer mixes" to up to $450 +
 I see their point that they're trying to make it harder for people to get them and they're hoping people will look at their other commonly overlooked dogs, but that only drives people away. Then they'll think they can go get a dog from a puppy mill or BYB because they only have to pay $250 or something.

I have absolutely no problem adopting a shelter dog. 

Please don't misunderstand -- I'm not at all maligning rescue groups.  Some of them do wonderful things (and I've done rescue for many years) -- but I'm also seeing (and it may be relatively unique to this area) more "groups" that aren't rescues but businesses.  I don't think they make a ton of money, and I think at the heart of it is someone who loves animals and tries to put dogs in the most placeable light.
 
But I don't think it hurts to give a heads-up ... I think the availability of free advertising on Petfinder tends to encourage this, and unfortunately the fact that much of the public just wants whatever you are willing to 'sell' them.  I'm very glad we took Billy -- but had someone else gotten him, he would have been ditched.  He is my sweetheart, but it makes me really angry that this group literally drove an hour and a half to snag him from Animal Control (because someone called them) and then ABUSED him while in their care.  They were incredibly sloppy not only in their care of him and in supervising him with the foster children they also had (this woman had TWENTY foster kids in and out during the time she had Billy -- all with emotional problems at the same time she fostered these unknown dogs).  I shudder to think about it all. 
 
Would I adopt from a rescue group, shelter or animal control again?  You bet I would.  But I also have tried to make people be aware that you have to be cautious and not just believe everything you are told.