I have a plan!!!! What do you all think?

Question

I have a plan. What do you think if there would be a law enacted that would require a 3 day waiting period before purchasing a pet? I know the local pound will not allow same day adoptions. So, what if we required breeders and pet stores to do the same? Do you think that would cut down on the amount of animals that are abandoned at the pound because of "buyer’s remorse"? Do you think that it would decrease the amount of pet store puppies because people would like twice about buying one if they had to spend three days to think it over? If the AKC required proof that the new owners waited for this waiting period, or the dog couldn't be registered, maybe that could help? Maybe that would be the way to control the amount of people out there who own these poor dogs that can't care for them?

I think if we need to have a 3 day waiting period on buying a gun because of the harm it can cause, than we should have the same on buying a dog or a cat for the same reasons! What do you think?

DP and Diane, I know that reputable breeders have waiting lists and that would cover the "waiting period" so to speak. But, if ALL breeders, BYB and accidental, had to follow these rules than maybe?

Answer 1

I like it! Not everyone but lots of people buy pets spurr of the moment.
I am not sure how it would change with breeders tho.. We take deposits and lots of times people are actually waiting for sometimes up to a year for their new puppy.
Plenty of time to change your mind in a year :)

I don't know about withholding registration, the papers go with the dog.. If they have purebred parents, they deserve their purebred registration.
How would you prove when someone originally contacted you and that they waited 3 days before they came back for their puppy?

I can see it working very well with petstores and shelters.

Breeders themselves need to take more responsibility for the dogs they produce. Not just breeders in the sense of the word but anyone breeding dogs that they own.. People need to spend more time evaluating the potential puppy buyer, their situation, experience, lifestyle etc. People need to stop selling to the first guy that comes along with cash. Need to know more about their puppies so that they can suggest the proper puppy to the family, the right puppy for the Sch home etc.. They need to learn more about people so that they can properly decide if this particular person should even own a dog..
We take deposits so that we have several months of talking to people learning about them, finding out what they expect etc.. It really helps.. I have 3 deposits sitting on my desk that I need to drop in the mail.. Returning them to people I have talked to over the last several months and have decided that I don't like the situation. So for me as the person that has the puppies, I would like more than 3 days to find out more about people. I don't mind taking back puppies that people can no longer keep, but I would prefer that they went to the right homes first time around. That takes alot of work ..

But generally I think 3 days is a good idea for petstores and shelters.. That way people can get home and really think about it.. Talk to their friends and maybe realize that it wasn't such a good idea to think about adding a dog to their family.

Answer 2

I agree w/ shepgirl buyers remorse after a week is usually the problem. I think a better idea, though this will never happen, is people should have to take a month off work, and stay home with the dog. That way they have the time needed for the puppy. As we are speaking hypothetically, I wish pet stores would sell cheaply big roles of plastic you could roll out over your carpet or even hard floors during potty training time. I bet more dogs would not be rehomed, if they did.

Answer 3

It sounds like a good idea but the problem I see is that people do not feel the remorse until they have had the dog in their possession and have had to deal with the dog for a day or two.
I think this might work but only if they had some literature to read about the pros and cons of dog ownership as well as info about the cost and care of a dog. They should have to read up on every aspect of dog ownership including info about vet care and training, and what it entails. When they finish reading all that is required after three days, then if they still want the dog, it would be permitted.

ETA: The shelter in my area does make people wait two or three days, they have to fill out a questionaire and they are also interviewed and asked a series of questions and they are told what reponsible pet ownership entails. They are also given reading material. This seems to work for them because some people never come back after the interview process but most of the dogs they place are not returned.

Answer 4

I think it's a good idea, but as shepherd girl said people don;t usually regret getting them until after they have them. Once they have had the leg of a table chewed for instance and their expensive carpet/hardwood floor peed and pooped on a few times then the regrets start to set in when they really did not think out getting a pet. For some it's not even until they take it to the vet for the shots that they realize that cute puppy may also cost a lot of money or when they want to go away for a weekend, but they can;t find someone to take puppy for them and they can;t board because it's still going through the puppy shots.

A waiting period may help some people change their minds, but for most I feel by the time they have any real second thoughts it's already too late.

The shelter I volunteer with does have a 2 day waiting period before you can take a cat/kitten and 3 day wait before you can take a puppy/dog. Then you have 48 hours after you have taken it to change your mind and get a full refund. After that you can surrender it back and it is encouraged if you find you don;t want it, but you don't get your money back.

Editing in: As DP said most good breeders have waiting lists from before a puppy is even conceived let alone born so you do have lots of time to make up your mind if you are getting the pup from a good breeder. I myself waited almost a year for my first 2. My third one came nearly 3 years later as i wanted a blue/fawn tan long coat and my 4th almost 4 years as my husband wanted a black/white/tan pup which the breeder rarely has.

Answer 5

I think that's a good idea, I also think there should be some sort of questionnaire you fill out to see if someone is emotionally/financially able to care for a pet. I think the humane society requires this, but I would like to see it be a requirement for all prospective pet owners. A lot of buyer's remorse comes from people not realizing how much time/money a pet can take up, especially a young pet. Puppies and kittens are like human babies, they take up most of your free time and vet bills aren't cheap :) A little more awareness of what is going to be needed from you to give a pet a good home could make you think twice about if a pet would be a good fit for you.

Answer 6

I think that people should just be more careful about where the pups end up. My dog had an unexpected litter and gave birth to 13 pups. There were too many for me to be too picky about new owners but I know where most of them are and have also rescued one of them from the pound. I saw her on the website and immediatly called to tell them I would take her back if she didnt find a home. She now lives with us and will for the rest of her life. The three day waiting period is an idea if it could be enforced. I just made sure that all my pups new owners had a way to contact me in case they couldnt or didnt want to care for the dog any more.

Answer 7

Sadly it wouldn't really reduce the number of homeless pets. Three days is not that long.
However i think it is a good idea! If people had to wait to get their dog they'd seiously consider during those days and get the stuff to take care of a puppy. Too many dogs need help in our day of time. Our sociay is going to the abused dogs! For crying out loud six year olds r dating and second graders are getting into seirous relationships!
It is up to us dog lovers to save them. If this means "Talking too" people who aren't taking care of their puppy by all means should we do it. Dogs need r help big time, u have an exellent idea.

Answer 8

i think it should be more of a 6 month waiting period... 3 days people dont get over puppy cuteness... what typically happens is they buy the cute little puppy and dont realize how much work, training, and money that little puppy will need once it starts turning into a dog....

Answer 9

YES!-m

Answer 10

snore snore it is all right