I can't get my dog becouse of a stupid reason :(?

Question

Hey all this is Zazy's friend ( we share this acount becouse my parents won't let me have my own). If you rember i asked a question a couple of days ago about what kind of supplies & food i should get for a two month old black lab my parents were adopting for my birthday present. Well guss what!? The shelter i was supposed to be getting my dog from won't let me have her becouse of a really stupid reason.. guss what the reason is? It's becouse my parents are renting the house we live in & we don't own it. The shelter told us that they only let people adopt who own houses since they think they have more money & thus can take car of that animal better! WTF? Just becouse we may not be rich does not mean that we won't be good pet owners! Im so mad i had already fallen in love with that puppy & i'm devasted that i can't adopt her. Anywho my question is: is that shelter alowed to do that? If not how can we get them into truble?

Sorry for the words that are spelled wrong.

My family has 2 cats & a bird that are taken care of VERY well plus we have been living in this house for 4 years.

Answer 1

They probably have that rule because when people move they sometimes give the dog to any shelter if they can't take them with them, or they might be afraid the people you rent from wont allow dogs?
Im really sorry. There are bad people out there who will do that but obviously youre not one of them it's too bad that shelter can't take the chance and trust you and your parents though.
Have you ever had a pet before? You can get the previous pets vet to write a recommendation perhaps? Or get recommendations from neighbors?

Answer 2

It's a common practice that I agree with. They can't give adog to someone where there's a chance you may move or have to live somewhere they don't let dogs in-Which will ultimately leave the dog back at the shelter. All good shelters and breeders will think of the dogs first before the humans needs. They need to make sure the animal is placed ina permanent home, and if there's any chances that the situation isn't stable they have the right to withold the dog.
Many dogs end up at the shelter b.c someone had to move due to renting situations, so they want people with stability. It has nothing to do with how much money you have, just that you don't own the home so you cannot guarantee you will be able to care for the dog if you ever have to leave-which you can't promise.

Answer 3

If the shelter wouldn't let you adopt it would be because people who are renting often have to move through no fault of their own. What would you do if the house was sold and you had to find somewhere else to live? Most landlords don't want pets in their properties so you may have to find another home for the dog.

This is the reason - nothing to do with how much money you have.

Answer 4

The shelters primary purpose is to get an animal a "forever home". They experience every day people turning pets in because they are moving to houses or apartments that don't allow animals. They are thinking of the best interest of the dog.

I am sorry you won't get your puppy, but you could volunteer down at the shelter and get some doggie lovin' every day. They always need people to walk the dogs and socialize the animals. You could be around animals without having them in your home. You can volunteer even if you are under 16, at least my local shelter allows it.

Answer 5

Shelters are allowed to make their own rules regarding who can and cannot adopt a dog. They are probably more worried that because you are renting that you could move at any time and that place would not be suitable for a lab. Such as an apartment or a house without a fenced in yard. Unfortunately, you'll have to try different shelters that don't have that rule.

Answer 6

That is pretty messed up. But they are a private organization, they can do whatever they want.

Where I got my dog required people have a decent sized yard, apartment dwellers and condo owners didn't even make it to the application process.

A lot of animals get abandoned when renters move to a place that doesn't allow pets, that may be a problem in your area. So they may have put that rule in to avoid adopting out pets that will get abandoned again later.

Answer 7

The more common and better reason is because renter are too unstable. You could get evicted tomorrow. The landlord could decide you cannot have a dog tomorrow. You could have to move to another apartment tomorrow and it may not allow dogs and you could be dumping it right back at the shelter.
Many shelters have a policy like that.
Yes, shelters are ALLOWED to do that. They can reject you as adopters for lots of reasons. Adopting a pet is not a RIGHT!!!!!

It doesn't matter how long you have been there......it could all change tomorrow!!!!!! Wouldn't that be very unfair to a dog to be put in a situation where you had to place it due to living arrangements???

Answer 8

unfortunately, shelters can make up their own policies.. but, this one is BS. If your landlord agrees, it should be allowed. Try other shelters in your area, even though know you were attached to this girl. Also, try hoodwinking them with an address that's a family members who owns a home.


PS.. because I love my dogs SO MUCH, I lived at a campground for a few days before I could go to a place that allows them. I would NEVER give up my dogs!

Answer 9

Shelters are non profit orginizations and can pretty much make their own rules.

Keep looking. Try petfinder.com. They have links to all different kinds of rescue groups. They all have different rules and I am sure there are some that have no problem with people who rent.

Just so you know, it's not because you don't have enough money.
It is because they want homes that are stable.

The number one reason why dogs in up in shelters is the people move and can't keep them. They want people who don't move often.

Keep looking. There is another dog just waiting for you.

I am sorry this happened to you.

Answer 10

Hi Zazy's friend.

Zazy's friend, that is crazy!!!

I have never heard of such an insane rule. Whoever thinks that people who rent as opposed to own are incapable of affording to care for pet are just ignorant!

All my life, growing up, my family always rented, never owned. We always had pets — both cats & dogs. All pets were taken care of perfectly.

No one I knew owned where they lived either; they all rented — and most people had pets.

If all shelters had that kind of a rule, there would be millions more poor animals being euthanized because they can't find homes for the animals.

Also, to the ignoramus who implied this — people who rent are NOT more likely to abandon their pets. It is actually the other way around — statistics show this

I now own the apartment I live in — big deal — I took just as good care when I rented it as I do now, owning it

I live in New York City. If they had a rule like that here, no one would have a pet. That's because about 85% of the people rent the homes they live in, not own.

To give them the benefit of the doubt, I could even see if they required income tax forms to make sure you can afford it; but to disqualify because your family rents — that is discrimination!

Ask them what is going to happen to the animal if no one adopts him? Are they a "no-kill" shelter? If not, I would write to the newspapers in your town/city. Let them know that the shelter would rather kill the animal than let a renter take it (if they do, indeed euthanize).

That really ticks me off. I wish I knew the name & address of that place. I would call them up myself; that's how angry I am. That poor dog — she could be with someone who loves her, right now, instead of being stuck in a cage at a shelter.

The ASPCA, which is the biggest organization when it comes to animal care, makes sure that the people who adopt animals have stable homes. Owning, not renting does NOT in any way ensure a stable home. That is pure bigotry. I know of a woman who owned a very nice home. She kept her pup chained to a tree until it starved itself. So much for ownership equaling stability.

The ASPCA makes you give them 3 letters of reference, fill out a strict application, does a thorough interview — but they still give pets to renters. Those people answering who are equating owners of homes to stable homes are ignorant and snobs.

Of course a shelter can't give an animal to "just anyone." But someone who rents, rather than owns is not "just anyone."

Good luck.