I am wondering?

Question

This is a serious question. Why do people adopt dogs from rescue groups or shelters? I am not talking about the moral points here such as saving a life etc. I am talking about how do you put a dog in your house that you know nothing about and may have all types of serious issues that flare up later? Please< I do not want to be preached at. I am looking for serious answers to a question that I have had for a long time. The reason this came up today is because a friend rescued a dog last week, against my advice, and the dog has already bitten 2 people. How and why do people do this? Serious answers only please.

Add on. My friend is involved in rescue work and when she heard that this particualr dog was up for being euthanized, she felt the need to rescue it. She only knows that the dog was at the shelter before, in 02 and that's it. She picked up the dog and placed it in foster care with one of the rescue groups and the dog bit 2 people and an older bigger dog in a week's time. Great answers so far.

Answer 1

I think people do it for many different reasons.

Some do it because they want a dog, and just prefer to be part of the over population solution, by taking in a shetler/rescue dog.

Others maybe grew up with mixed breeds and simply prefer that to a purebred and they are smart enuf not to be out buying those "designer breeds".

In other cases, it is likely a cost factor. It's less expensive to adopt from a shelter/rescue than to buy a purebred and the dog comes fully updated on all shots and already altered for that cost.

Unfortunately, not all rescues/shelters properly screen their dogs before adopting them out. I have had a few mixed breeds and shelter rescues over the years, and most have been just fine. The only time we encountered and issue was this past summer with a rescue we adopted. He was a sweet puppy (3 1/2 months when we took him in) for the most part, but was showing signs of dominance over our young children. We decided to return him to the rescue. He never bit, but we simply felt he would be more suitable in a home where if there were children, they would be old enuf to participate in his training and assert their dominance. Still wanting a puppy, we then persued a purebred as we felt that with younger children, we would do better with a dog that we knew what to expect. We still "broke the rules" and got a Border Collie, which are said not to be good in homes with young children, but we were able to go into it knowing this fact and address it accordingly. Haven't had a problem yet!

I see nothing wrong with taking in a shelter or rescue dog if people at least do some research and are well informed about their decision. There really are a lot of good dogs in shelters, people just need to know what to look for when choosing to adopt.

Answer 2

Both 'fortunately' and 'unfortunately' most people adopt dogs from rescue groups or shelters rather than buy 'puppies' from breeders because there are already too many dogs in the world, and those 'older animals' need good homes, too. MOST of the 'rescue groups' make sure that the animals are 'adoptable' (are 'civilized' and are not going to bite people, etc.) but not ALL do this, so I think that your friend needs to take the dog to a good 'trainer' and do what he's told to do with that dog before he simply gives it back to a shelter. I'm guessing that the dog 'bit' the people because they were acting 'too aggressive' (to the dog, anyway) and it was frightened and bit them to 'save itself' ... so give them BOTH a chance and try 'backing off' and being really quiet and gentle around the dog and giving it a chance to 'settle down' and learn 'right from wrong' ....

Answer 3

Most shelters have instituted evaluation programs. Due to the threat of litigation, shelters have to be increasingly careful about adopting out animals that may bite.

Breed rescue groups rely on foster homes a lot. In the foster home, the dog is evaluated.

I got one of my pure bred Golden Retrievers from the local Animal Control, where he was a 2 time loser and branded dog and people aggressive. He was neither.

He's been with us for 5 years and he's a great dog. He needed a little more work at first, sort of like buying a used car. You may need to do a little work at first, but then you have a great vehicle.

The dog your friend got, when he has bitten, did he warn first? Did he break the skin? Dr. Ian Dunbar has identified a bite ration that is helpful in evaluating how serious it is.

Answer 4

When i wouild go to adopt a dog, I would like reassurance. All dogs that are in the shelter that have a bite history should be euthanized...i am really against that too. But, why would you adopt a dog with a bite history??? I adopted a dog with an abusive background, she was always sooo skiddish...not mean...so it could go either way...so not all dogs are going to be mean after a traumatic situation...you just gotta trust...I know some people trust more than others, and some not enough, but your friend should have had all the info they needed from a recue foundation...people drop those dogs off...they have to give an explanation why they are...so i dont know what your friend was thinking... but your friend may have been one of those too trusting people. OR

Answer 5

For every horror story there are happy ones. I rescue once in awhile. I got a Lab or at least it looked like a Lab (without papers I could never be 100% sure) I had for 14 yrs. You couldn't ask for a better dog. Also, I have gotten dogs that once they became familiar in my home were just EVIL!!! I am not against rescue and realize there can be unforeseen problems. What scares me is armatures adopting a dog. If they don't know how to train, how can they expect to retrain a dog? How about reading a dogs aggression against playfulness? Both times the dog could wag its tail. I certainly don't depend on the kennel help to tell me if the dog is aggressive or not, they don't really know. Not enough time to do a complete evaluation. I don't think rescues should end but, I think dogs and humans need better evaluations and trials. I really don't know what the answer is?????

Answer 6

Cost is a big factor for many people. There are lots of people out there who just want a pet, not a purebred champion dog. For them, spending hundreds of dollars on a purebred dog from a breeder is ridiculous. So, they look in the newspapers and at shelters.

When you think about it, getting a dog from a breeder doesn't guarantee it's temprament or ensure that it won't have serious issues later, especially if the breeder is a BYB. Many shelters do temprament tests, but many don't. I think it's important to spend time with the dog you're considering before adopting it.

I adopted a dog from a shelter once, and it bit everyone in my household in three days. I took it back to the shelter, and I've never gotten a shelter dog again. I have great luck with taking dogs that people I know (or a friend of a friend) can't care for anymore, so I stick with that.

Answer 7

I have 3 rescued greyhounds as well as fostering a good many others. With greyhounds you have a good idea of their temperaments going in, but the dogs (usually) go through a foster home before they're adopted where they're pretty thoroughly evaluated as to their temperaments with kids and at what ages, with other dogs, small and large, as well as with cats. People adopting a rescued greyhound do know what they're getting - both health and temperament wise. If you adopt a dog straight off the track like 2 of mine were, if you have any kind of common sense in regards to dogs, you can pretty much know what you're getting after spending a bit of time with them.

I know this doesn't apply to shelter dogs where you don't know why they've been turned in by their owners. Much riskier and I'd never do it, but I believe breed rescues are much different.

Answer 8

I have been working in and with shelters in my area for years, and I can tell you that the people in charge of "evaluating" most of the dogs, have no business doing the evaluations. Even some of the ones you see on TV that "Animal Cops" have are not great. Walking a plastic doll in front of the dog while making "baby noises" does NOT inspire me to declare a dog fit for kids. Dogs are HARD to evaluate for various things and react different in different situations.
I have had a shelter dog that nearly took my arm off, and will never have another. I do currently have a mix that was a stray, and she was never good around kids, but she reacts in certain situations with kids, buy not all. Any evaluator would have had a hard time picking up on her "quirks".
And we must face the reason most dogs are in a shelter to begin with. BEHAVIOR. That is rarely the reason people SAY they are bringing it to the shelter, because they know it will often be a death sentence for the dog. So, they lie. Then if the problems are not picked up, the dog is adopted out and we all hope for the best. Many times the dog is returned, and even then, some shelters will put it up for adoption again!!!!
I cannot take the risk again with a dog that can harm a human or one of the other animals. That is just how it is.
Some people don't see it that way, and just want to help an animal. That is fine for them, but they should not expect that everyone HAS to feel the same way. That "don't breed or buy while shelter animals die" crap is OLD!!!!! I tried, got bit, will not do it again. Everyone has to have their own choice!!!

Answer 9

I had gotten two dogs from a shelter. A brother & sister 4 month old boxer/lab/begal mix (mutt). Anyway, when I first brought them home they were so jealous of each other and fought so bad, bit my dad, I had to seperate them. I wanted to take them back, I was afraid of them... Well I decided to give them a little time. I keep them seperated for a month. They could see each other, but not get close. I would perioditically let them be together on a leash to see how they acted, if they started to fight, I keep them apart for a month. Finally, after a few months, they just stopped fighting and haven't fought since. I've had them for three years and they are the most loveable dogs, and would never bit anyone. They are together all day.

Just about any dog can be rehabilitated. Have you ever watch the Dog Whisper? You have to be the Alpha Leader. If you friend is not willing to work with the dog, then they are not the right owner for the dog.

Answer 10

I have a rescue animal and before they put them up for adoption they do adoptability tests to make sure that the animal IS adoptable along with to test to see if they would be good with small children and other animals that might be in the home already, if they are friendly but aren't great around children or other pets they make sure to note that in their bois. My little boy that is pictured to the left is the rescue dog that I adopted and he is wonderful. Also you should know that I got him from a humane society from a city about 30 minutes away and he was being fostered with a family for a majority of the time that he was with the humane society as they don't have a central building and on certain Saturdays of the month he was taken to a PetSmart that holds adoption days for that humane society and another one in a neighboring city. I got to see him and pet him and I was checked out because they needed to call a reference to make sure that I would be a good parent to him. I also talked to his foster parents and they were pleased as was the other humane society volunteers that I decided to take his as he is a special needs dog. My best advise is that if they haven't tested for adoptability and don't have you fill out an application (which I also had to do and was happy to do so), then I would stay away from them.