Has adopting a dog become too difficult?

Question

I understand that when adopting a dog an applictaion, home inspection, interview with all members of the family & existing pets, and vet reference is needed. But, sometimes I think that rescue's go too far...like asking for your social security number for a credit check to make sure you have the funds for a dog. This recently happend to a friend of mine, who fortunatley, has great credit, and got the dog she wanted. Also, when adopting a dog don't you think it's unfair for the volunteers to deciede what dog is "right" for you? I know that their input is needed because they know the dogs better, but I think you should be able to see the dogs to choose from them. This also applies to foster homes.

I own a rescue Labrador/Bloodhound mix and the volunteers and staff were great. But, sometimes at some places they aren't so great.


Just my 2 cents...!

Answer 1

Keep in mind every shelter sets its own rules and policies. And we have never asked for a credit check and I would never give a shelter employee my social security number. And I work with a shelter!

I'd find another shelter and work with them. I have never heard of any shelter requiring a credit check. I agree - too far!!!

And yes, you should be able to see all the dogs but the shelter should have the ultimate right to turn you down if the particular dog is a bad fit for you (for example, has killed or injured cats before and you own cats).

Answer 2

The rescue I am with would never ask for a credit check. They do an in home visit and must see all family members together for a dog adoption. They also check with your vet if you have animals or previously have had animals to make sure you will take care of them. They will not adopt to anyone who is against spay/neuter if it's a young pup or kitten. Animals over 5 months are spayed/neutered before they leave. You are given a coupon to get them spayed/neutered very cheaply if they are younger. If you have not returned the coupon by the time the animal is 7 months that has been filled in and stamped by your vet they will take the animal back. They do not want any animal they have rescued to ever be bred. Lord knows there are too many cats and dogs as it is.

The volunteers have usually fostered that dogs before they go up for adoption. That's why they know what the dog needs. It's nothing to do with how much money you have in the bank or how nice your home is. It's to make sure the right dog goes to the right people. Just because you think it will be the right dog for you it's not always.

Just look how many people come here with complaints about their dog. Had they of put more thought into what they were getting or had someone better qualified to guide them they may well have made a better choice for them. They all thought they made the right choice to start with I'm sure.

When we place an animal we really do want it to go to a forever home this time around. Not a just for now home. Most of these animals have either been abused, neglected, abandoned, or just not wanted anymore. We feel they ahve been through enough and only want the best for them. Better to say no to the wrong person today than next week have that animal come back to go through the system all over again.

Answer 3

I do think that some rescues go too far. I have worked with 4 different rescues over the past 5 years, and I have seen people turned away for no good reason. I agree with requiring an application, checking vet reference if they have previously owned a pet, and meeting with everyone in the household to ensure the pet is wanted by all. However, calling personal references is unnecessary as "bad" people can have good references too. I feel that rescues should ensure that the applicant understands the requirements of owning a dog, and any special needs for that potential dogs, and if the person seems to understand what they are getting into then let the person have the dog!

I can say that I have discouraged people from adopting a particular dog in the past. Some people get caught up in the looks of the dog, and don't consider whether the dog's personality and exercise needs will fit with their lifestyle. So if a sedentary person wants to adopt a Husky and has no plans for how to exercise it, I will not adopt the dog to that person. However, I would recommend dogs with a lesser exercise need to that person. It's better to pick the right family for the dog the first time, than to get the dog back 6 months later with new behavioral problems and have to try again.

Answer 4

First of all,it is based on whether you are renting or buying a place.Most rentals will not allow dogs.And even if you could have a dog in a rental it wouldn't be fair to the dog to leave it cooped up all day while you are at work.Maybe a bird or guinea pig would be nice for an apartment pet.Secondly,do NOT consider purchasing a dog from a pet store:it's a known fact that chain pet stores purchase their animals from puppy mills,and the dogs live in horrible conditions and are often very sickly.Do you think pet shops really give a crap about the dog's health? Hell no,they are only in it for the $$$.You stand a chance of getting a much better dog thru a shelter,where they have been neutered/spayed,taken care of and socialized. There are far too many loving pets in shelters that also need homes.As far as the breed, my family has experience with both Beagles and Goldens. My sister had a female golden and a male Beagle living together in the same house. Lucy (Golden)was the calmest,sweetest,smartest,loving,gentle female ever,whereas Barney (beagle) is really cute but LOUD and never stops barking.He refuses to become housebroken,constantly starts fights w/the other dogs and is in general,a difficult,obnoxious dog!

Answer 5

Somewhere else on this site there is an owner considering giving up a boxer dog because they can't afford medical care for it. My Shepherd has a skin problem that uses up almost a quarter of my annual income. It is very important that people understand that there is no such thing as a "free pet." I budget about $2000 a year for my pet's meds, and it usually isn't enough.
SOME shelters need to use common sense and adapt the requirements to the animal. If old Rex is blind and has hip dysplasia requiring the owners to have a gfenced yard might be less iportant than being sure that they can carry an 80 lb shepherd up and down the stairs.. different animals have different needs., Cats don't give a darn if you are home or not, but some shelters don't want homes where nobody is home during the day.
Eventually most shelters have to balence their theories on euthenasia with their desire to find a "perfect home" for every animal. there is no perfect answer, but the requirements should be consistent and logical.

Answer 6

I do not think they should run a credit check...that is going too far.
But as far as deciding about which dogs to offer...that is what we are here for. We try to match the dog with the home. We can look past the color of the dog or the way it barks. We work very hard to place the dog in the right home the first time. There is nothing worse than to have the dog returned because it didn't work out. Most people like the way a dog looks and that is the one they want. They have a cat and the dog isn't good with cats but that doesn't matter....that is the dog they want. It is part of our job to be able to place the dog in the best home that fits. I know that is hard for some people to understand but it is much more emotionally hard on an animal to be returned for reasons it cannot understand.

Answer 7

Sometimes. I volunteer in a no-kill shelter and some people are utterly clueless about even the most basic pet care. When I adopted my dog from the shelter, I noticed that they do not adopt to renters, unless you had a copy of the lease showing where you were allowed to have pets, or a letter from the landlord. Nowadays they aren't adopting to renters at all because of the "I'm moving to a new apartment and can't take my dog" drop-offs. However, when it comes to matching you to a pet, that's a little ridiculous. What they do is try to get rid of the hard to adopt dogs to people they think can handle it. I think a credit check is a little intrusive. I don't have great credit and I'm not rich, but I'm capable of taking care of a dog financially. Besides, just because a person has the financial resources to spend on a vet bills doesn't mean that they actually will so that's not a good indicator of the care the dog will receive.

Answer 8

Some rescues go too far, but I fully support checking finances. A responsible pet owner should be able to afford the best possible care for an animal. How is it a step up from shelter life to be adopted out to an inner-city hovel being fed whatever scraps of food the family leaves behind, or if he's really lucky, some grocery-store crappy excuse for dog food, being tied in the backyard and ignored, never being groomed or vetted, and so forth? If you're around this forum long enough, you'll see a disturbing number of questions along the lines of "My dog/cat is sick and I can't pay for a vet, what do I do?" If you own a pet, you sure as heck better be able to pay for anything and everything it might need, to include emergency vet care! I don't think you should have to be a millionaire to adopt, but I think a reasonably comfortable financial situation is a must for adopters.

I also agree that the shelter workers SHOULD pick out a few dogs that would best suit your lifestyle. Maybe not just one, but at least a smaller group that you can then choose from. Too many people just want a cute face and refuse to realize that this dog might not be a good match for their home, family, lifestyle, etc. The reason so many dogs are IN shelters is because of this; people just don't THINK and do research before buying/adopting a dog sometimes.

In the end, the shelter should do everything it can to assure each dog goes to the best possible home- but sometimes they do need to spend more time making sure they're LEAVING the shelter to good homes, as opposed to nit-picking reasons to refuse each potential home. I can see how each side has a good point, it's just a matter of reaching a good compromise between finding good homes and actually letting the dogs go to those homes.

Answer 9

Frankly I am shocked that any rescue group would ask for someone's social security number, as that is illegal. If your friend gave it to them, she really needs to be more careful!

As far as deciding which dog is right for a family, I think the rescue group has exactly the right idea there. Many new dog owners have no idea what they are getting into, and if we just let them all choose what dog they wanted, there would be tons of returns ( if the owners don't just dump the animal at a shelter out of embarrassment ). There have been many instances where families with small children have wanted a certain dog who was absolutely the wrong dog for children. Would you rather they placed unsuitable animals in homes with children? That is just one good reason why the choice is not always left up to the adopter.

A rescue group that keeps their animals in foster care is very capable of judging that dogs suitability for a home. That is one of the jobs of the foster parent-to get the dog trained and assessed so that it goes to the right home the first time.

Rescue groups don't like to take returns-it traumatizes the dog, and sometimes rehabilitation has to be done all over again. Money that was spent on the animal the first time often then needs to be spent again, causing an additional drain on rescue funds that are desperately needed elsewhere.

There are all kinds of good reasons for the rescue groups having control of the adoptions-some that few people even think about.

The alternative of adopting from a shelter can be a good experience, but the adopter must be wary of what they are getting. I myself have adopted two dogs from a shelter environment that did not turn out the way I expected. One had heartworm, although they said she had tested negative. I had and loved her for 10 months and then she died. The other one was supposedly temperament tested at the shelter, but is a child aggressive fear biter, who has cost me lots of money in training. If either of these dogs had been adopted elsewhere, who knows where they would have ended up or what their fates would have been.

Are there bad rescue groups out there? I am sure there are. Are there bad car dealerships? Bad breeders? Bad doctors? You bet. It is up to us to make an informed choice of who we are going to do business with. We don't not buy a car because one dealership is full of crooks. We find a better dealership.

My advice is to do the research, ask questions, and walk away if anyone asks you for your social security number. If you find an impressive and caring rescue group, I suggest you rely on their advice when it comes to selecting a dog from them. They know what they are doing.

Edit: Hi Minpin Lover! Welcome!

Answer 10

You have to remember that the dogs are in the rescue for a reason in the first place, and usually it is due to people adopting or buying the wrong dog the first time. Different breeds need different excerise requirements, mental stimulation etc. When a rescue guides you to which dog would be best from your home after meeting you, your family and your existing pets, they are doing this to insure the dog is going to the right family.
Many people first chose a dog by the way they look.. I can tell you I love how Border Collies look, but I could never own one... they have way too much energy and need a job which I cannot provide.
Please understand why the rescue does such a thorough check.. we want the dogs to live in that home forever, and not come back due to lack of judgement.

Answer 11

Some places yes. I actually went to PetsMart and fell in love with a kitten that they were adopting out. It wasn't the normal adoption, but a scheduled adoption day with cats and dogs brought in. Well, there was a lady who brought her kittens in, and stayed to see if they would be adopted. We talked and got along, and she had hoped I would adopt a kitten of hers, which I wanted to. Then the lady in charge refused to allow me to, saying I was too young (20 at the time.) She didn't even care that I owned my own place, worked with animals and would be able to bring my kitten to work everday. Then there was also a young couple with a little boy who wanted a dog, well, she refused them even though they had been waiting for about an hour, saying they were still too new in their relationship to add a dog to their family. She booted them and let the person behind them have the dog. There was also a Persian cat who she acted as if it was holy, and complained about how the poeple who finally were able to adopt it, didn't want to get it's tag until they picked a name, she said, in these words with just an ugly look on her face, "God, you'd think spending an extra $10 for a tag wouldn't be a big deal, when they're getting a thousand dollar cat for under a hundred." She just had a crappy attitude, and you'd think it would be easier to adopt these pets since most probably ended up killed because no homes could be found! Some rescues also make it hard because they are paid by the county as a rescue organization, and need a certian amount of animals to still be funded. By making in near impossible, they just get to line their pockets more. Now this isn't everyone, but I've known a few who have been busted for this.