The Animal Shelters Are Full...

[D60]

I've had several adopted dogs over the years but the last 5 years the applications for adoption are unrealistically invasive privacy wise anymore so I quit. A lot are 10 pages of info they want. Then you don't hear back from them. What do they do with the info? It's almost like a child adoption background check.....

Thus far here the shelters are not that way, but "private" rescue organizations can be. In some areas the, say, golden retriever rescue will scour the shelters and scoop up all the Goldens, then they are nearly impossible to adopt from.

There's a balance and many places get carried away. Nothing wrong with leaving a pet all day so long as they have shelter, water and hopefully a place to relieve themselves.

Most people still gotta work but a lot of the do-gooders are retirees or wealthy and they don't fully understand that. You can still work 40+ per week and be a great pack leader!

 

[D60]

Regarding the rise in medical care costs, I couldn’t agree more. I, for the first time with any of our dogs over the years, obtained pet medical insurance for our current boy, Gus. Thankfully haven’t had to use it up to this point but after having one of our dogs in the past go through cancer treatment with it’s associated costs, we decided to get it.

Curious if you asked your vet how they feel about it? If they're like auto repair insurance, I feel sorry for vets and would not blame them for declining to accept it.

 

[Inked]

My insurance gives me the option of direct pay or to pay me so, aside from the supporting documentation from my vet, I can leave them (the practice) out of it.

 

[jeepman3071]

I've had several adopted dogs over the years but the last 5 years the applications for adoption are unrealistically invasive privacy wise anymore so I quit. A lot are 10 pages of info they want. Then you don't hear back from them. What do they do with the info? It's almost like a child adoption background check.....

I agree. I have had several cats and dogs over the years, one dog from a puppy until he died recently at 17. I currently have a golden retriever, two cats, and 14 chickens. One of the cats I adopted about 3 months ago. The entire process was a nightmare. If I didn't see the cat in person, hold him, and see how friendly he was, I'm not sure I would've gone through with it.

I get that the adoption staff want to find a good home for the animal, but they wanted vet records from 20 years ago, a Zoom call with me walking through my home showing if it was suitable, references, and of course the 10 page adoption form. Not to mention they were very rude and poor with communication. It was clear to me that the adoption agency staff I worked with would rather keep all their animals than see them go to other homes.

 

[subyski]

It's also part of the post-Christmas "dump". I don't even want to think how many animals are given as gifts during Christmas and families realize that they can't handle it, so they dump them. We saw it during Covid and post-Covid. It's all too sad.
I have had two rescue dogs and they were the best and spoiled. Eventually I will get another rescue when the time is right for me.

 

[wpod]

My present cats were adopted from a shelter as a "bonded pair", meaning they grew up and lived together in a household and both had to be given up at the same time. It is clear that they are the best of companions, and their adjustment to their new home (my home) was near instantaneous and they are confident alone and when visitors they have never seen before come to visit.

Consider a bonded pair when you seek to adopt.

All cats need is staff to serve their needs and whims. I have had cats and dogs all my 71 years of life, My mom had dogs and cats.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Yes they are the most unwanted. I watched many shows about them as I really didn't know much about them prior.
Most make great pets.

Until they don't. Every Pit Bull story starts with, "he was always so nice..."

 

[Hermann]

10 Days ago I adopted a rescue. Unfortunately I have to return her to Wayside Waifs. Sweet dog but with one major flaw. She is a chewer, a destructive chewer, loves carpet. Already has destroyed several hundred dollars of stuff. On her 5th day here she rushed in from a potty break and ran between my legs and tripped me. Plus she kept pulling and pulled me to the ground, plus i almost landed on her. I have bruises on my back, shoulder, elbow and palm on the left side. Really hate to do this but her safety and my safety are more important IMO.

 

[KrisZ]

Must be all the “dog lovers” dumping these dogs into shelters.

 

[JGmazda]

10 Days ago I adopted a rescue. Unfortunately I have to return her to Wayside Waifs. Sweet dog but with one major flaw. She is a chewer, a destructive chewer, loves carpet. Already has destroyed several hundred dollars of stuff. On her 5th day here she rushed in from a potty break and ran between my legs and tripped me. Plus she kept pulling and pulled me to the ground, plus i almost landed on her. I have bruises on my back, shoulder, elbow and palm on the left side. Really hate to do this but her safety and my safety are more important IMO.

Well... Dogs do chew! They often do these kinds of things as part of their every day routine. Have you thought about giving them some suitable chew toys or bones (Made for chewing)? Our dog love his nylon (Many flavors) Y-Bone and often chews on this when he's happy. It's what they do.

 

[tbm5690]

I'm not opposed to going through a shelter but I own a Standard Poodle and I doubt I would ever be able to find one at a shelter next time I am looking for a dog. I'm not open to any breed and have specific desires, even as a family pet (she is not a show dog or anything).

As far as vet bills, this year I decided to not pay the stupid $250ish exam fee for heartworm test and instead bought the prescription from Australia at about 40% of the cost that I would have paid here.

 

[Hermann]

She had 3 toys for chewing. Would not even get involved with them. There are a couple of issues is that she has a short memory. Like 2 seconds. Last night she went to chewing a small rug that is in front of my nicer new sofa. Instructed her to stop which she did, but as soon a I turned my head she started chomping again. I think she had a rough/traumatizing first two years of life. At age 69.5 I don't want to die laying on the floor after she pulls me down again. In my experience with another lab mix, this dog is not as smart/trainable as my previous. She is going back in the morning. This is not a decision I made lightly, I am $500 into this, and I hate wasting money.

 

[JGmazda]

She had 3 toys for chewing. Would not even get involved with them. There are a couple of issues is that she has a short memory. Like 2 seconds. Last night she went to chewing a small rug that is in front of my nicer new sofa. Instructed her to stop which she did, but as soon a I turned my head she started chomping again. I think she had a rough/traumatizing first two years of life. At age 69.5 I don't want to die laying on the floor after she pulls me down again. In my experience with another lab mix, this dog is not as smart/trainable as my previous. She is going back in the morning. This is not a decision I made lightly, I am $500 into this, and I hate wasting money.

Sorry to hear this. Yes, I understand and yes, it could get a bit dangerous as time goes on. Having said that though... Learned behaviors can be modified. It takes tons of time though... Most people don't have the patience. Perhaps an older/calmer dog....

 

[Zee09]

This puts me in kill mode...

 

[JGmazda]

This puts me in kill mode...

Amazes me the depths of which a human can sink to. These people should given the maximum and then some. Horrible.

 

[Zee09]

Amazes me the depths of which a human can sink to. These people should given the maximum and then some. Horrible.

Disgusting...
Scumbags

 

[andrewg]

Amazes me the depths of which a human can sink to. These people should given the maximum and then some. Horrible.

It SICKENS me the way some people treat dogs. Human beings can be so kind on one hand....then so horribly cruel on the other.

 

[Kira]

A lot are 10 pages of info they want.

Just had this conversation today. A family which loves Boxers skipped all the formalities because she (wife) was a volunteer at a shelter.
The amount of questions and details the shelters asked us were absurd.

 

[walterjay]

Some shelters require way too much for adoption. Some dogs euthanized because of it.
A few years ago a military family was denied adoption by my county shelter. They told the family that they had an unstable situation being military. When the shelter had a public hearing asking for more money, the family showed up and let loose on the facility in front of the county council. I don't think it made any difference. These are some of the obstacles adopters face.

 

[Zee09]

The last dog I adopted, they actually came out and did a home inspection with literally a one page document.
A walk in the park...
That I prefer.