Ugh, animal adoption...

[arlee453]

In my opinion this can be a form of animal hoarding.

A person has good intentions, (I'm assuming here...that this isn't a breeder or resaler posing as a rescue) to rescue animals needing homes. Only problem is they can't find anyone with a home 'good enough' to adopt out to. NO body is able to or is willing to meet the unreasonable demands, background checks, home visits, etc. Then they keep getting more and more rescues until they get way over their heads.

Then what happens?? Usually ASPCA/Animal Control is called in an the animals end up getting euth'd a lot of times.

I was involved with a Guinea Pig forum for a while and saw this all the time. The application to adopt at some rescues was asked for more personal inforamation than a mortgage application. Then they had these unexpected home visits, foster agreements, etc. And then they trashed people who couldn't or wouldn't jump through all those hoops to adopt and just gave up and ended up going to a pet store.

So, by making it SO hard to adopt, they just end up feeding the pet store breeding industry that they are working so hard to squeltch.

There is a happy medium - I've adopted several pets that had reasonable agreements and information gathered. I would personally NEVER adopt from anyone who demanded home visits, etc unless I was adopting a horse or some other animal like that that required unique and unusual housing.

There is no way to guarantee 100% that an animal adopted out is going to be cared for absolutely perfectly BUT having a well worded contract listing expectations of the adopter and adoptee AND a open door return policy is a good middle ground.

 

[d.k]

*Nope!! This is the COUNTY shelter-- as taken over by A.R. goons! Pretty much.

 

[SpottedCrow]

That stinks Chicker...heck, we all know how you are with your pets...

Unless it was a registered show rat, $10 each is WAY too much...

I would love to adopt every animal that I see...but that ain't gonna happen.

Even my aunt who wanted to adopt a cat was like "forget it" because of all the hoops and bells and whistles.

I can see a home visit before you even get the animal.
I can see you interacting with the animal before you even think of adopting it.

I absolutely agree with a take back policy if it's not working out.

 

[lacyloo]

The women thats adopting them out sure is asking way to many questions..

 

[lcountry]

I was in a dog breed specific rescue for quite awhile. On the one hand, you DO get attached and these are dogs that you feel responsible for. Not everyone who wants to adopt a dog is honest about their fences, their previous pets, etc. Making a mistake and a dog ending up in a worse place is heartbreaking.

The folks in our rescue were people who would NEVER give up their own pets and cared for the ones we took in. Most foster pets left amid tears. That said, we didn't go overboard.

My gripe is horse rescue where they require a $25 application fee to get started. THEN the references, interviews start. THEN a home visit BEFORE you can even meet the horse you were interested in. It's just over the top. I ended up buying a starving little guy who was headed to the killer auction. Now he was a real rescue.... Six months later I've spent a bundle in food, wormer, farrier visits, etc. And, I'm glad I did...

My advice - pass on the cage and the "rescuer".

 

[asher]

Quote:
This is exactly what happened at a shelter near here. Thankfully most of them got adopted out near the end and I was lucky enough to be able to adopt to lovely tom cats from there.

A lot of the rescues, IMO, are just too crazy in terms. I know they want what's best for the animal, but not getting them adopted due to ridiculous terms is not it, IMO. I was shocked at how many will not adopt to families with children!!! Or without a fenced in yard. Our animals are indoor animals and when they go out, they go out with us on a leash. No need for a fenced yard with that.

 

[hooligan]

Any animal that is adopted SHOULD have a lengthy application that asks for references and info on previous pets.
Anyone who really wants to bring the pet into their home shouldn't mind filling it out.

 

[Frozen Feathers]

That's a bit much.

When I adopted our GSD from the local shelter they asked our vet name and number, about current animals we had, checked to see that they were spayed/neutered and current on vaccinations. They questioned where the dog would be kept. They asked about pets we had had (dogs and cats) over the past 3 years and what happened to them if we longer had them and what experience if any we had with dogs. They watched how we handled the dog and that was that. No home, credit or criminal checks. Cost was $60, which including neutering before he left

I can see if one were adopting a horse, where you would see home checks to make sure the person has adequate shelter and do vet/farrier references etc.

My parents tried to adopt a dog after theirs passed away at 15. They were denied because she had missed a distemper shot one year. Despite having all the vet records (I don't know to many people who keep records for 15 years) and references the shelter didn't look at the bigger picture.
That just seemed stupid. It was too bad for the dog my parents wanted adopt because she was probably euthinized.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Any animal that is adopted SHOULD have a lengthy application that asks for references and info on previous pets.

Personally, I don't want to give out such personal information. It's not the fact that I don't want to fill out the application at all. I would do it if it were more reasonable.

I don't understand why I would spend so much for a rat though. I'm already shelling out a ton of money for the supplies!​

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
The RESCUERS should have half a brain when evaluating potential adopters though. I filled out 4 pages including all former pets, vet we use etc...
They did vet check and were told that one dog had not been seen in 2 years, was listed as DEAD at 18 years of age, well since I had not continued to bring that dog, but the living one and cat only, I was not a good potential adoptee. I explained the fact the dog was dead, they said if I didnt have it verified dead then I couldnt adopt from them(I know that the dog was dead he wasnt breathing, I dont need to spend $45 to have a vet tell me my dog is dead) I am sorry but when I can go get a PUREBRED puppy(not a older mixed breed) and only have to show up with $$(27 less than the adoption fee) and after talking with breeder and interacting with puppy for little while, get to bring home a puppy. I did have to sign a I will bring back dog if I decide to get rid of it agreement.

P.S. the dead dog still has not been to the vet, so I guess no adoptions for me.