trying not to be frustrated...doggy adoptions - a long vent.

[PrincessMommy]

but I'm so frustrated by this process.

 

We've been trying to adopt a doggy.  We found some via a rescue, got approved for adoption, but by the time that was done the doggies were adopted out.  Others have been waiting to be transported from long distance shelters for well over a month.  I've asked repeatedly about them, but there's no change in their status.

 

Then we found a couple of doggies at another rescue and submitted an application to start the ball rolling.  They never called me back.  I reached out again, and the adoption coordinator and foster were very friendly.  We met with the dog but decided that particular one wasn't right but I contacted the coordinator to say we still wanted to proceed with approval because there were a couple of other doggies we were interested in.   Nothing back.  That was about 3-4 weeks ago.

 

Last week I found a doggy on our local county shelter's website and called them to inquire.  They couldn't tell me anything over the phone except that the dog had been retured 2x (red flag).  I'd have to come in to meet them before they'd tell me any more.  So I went... waited nearly an hour to see someone. The doggy was returned for biting children.  They couldn't have told me that on the phone or posted online that it would be better in a house with no children?

 

In the meantime I've continued looking at the original rescue, but the doggies are not the types we're looking for. 

 

So I found a 3rd rescue with 3 dogs we thought might be good matches.   I started the application process up again, met one of the doggies  but had a bad experience (dog got into a big fight with a foster's doggy).  I emailed them to say that while that dog would probably not work for us, we still had a few we'd be interested in and we scheduled a home visit to finalize our adoption process.  She said it was not a problem.

 

Had a home visit with a very nice, single college student.  She went through the house looking for "danger areas" and if there were possible poisons out - all up because of Grandkids.  She was concerned about my loom because of the strings.  She was concerned about grandkids toys in our main room, she didn't like my son's room - lots of legos all over the floor.  My pantry had big bottles of oil and vinegar on the floor because they're too big to fit on a shelf.   If I'd known she was going to inspect every room I would have been more meticulous.  :(    When we were finished my husband said, "Wow, Now I know how it must be for people who want to adoption children."  Our previous home visits were more like a meet-and-greet.  See the family and get a feel for the house/yard size.  No one went through the entire house looking at every room.  It was very unexpected.    

 

When she left she told me she'd finish the paperwork that night and I should hear something by the next day.   That was last Thurs.  They didn't have any adoption events over the weekend so I thought I'd wait it out.  But yesterday I reached out to the adoption coordinator again asking if there was an update.

 

My application has been denied because we failed our home visit.

 

She then told me that there were some things we could fix if we wanted to be considered... but... no one had bothered to contact me in the first place to even tell me this.  What things?   Well, she'd have to get back to me about what they were specifically - perhaps later this week.  Really? 

 

Sigh.  This is why people buy puppies. 

 

 

 

 

[mamaraby]

Sigh. This is why people buy puppies.

Yup. It's why we bought our puppy. The Humane Society never had a dog they'd adopt to a family with children and for fairly breed typical, small-ish, trainable reasons like a lab who jumps up. The wait time at the breed specific rescue far exceeded the number of dogs available to adopt by at least two years. Our experience with the breed specific rescue that we worked with was much better than yours, though. Yours sounds beyond frustrating.

 

I'll adopt cats any day from the Humane Society. They're cheap and the Humane Society usually has more cats than they know what to do with. I'll never try to adopt a dog around here again.

[Serenade]

Sigh.  This is why people buy puppies.

This is exactly why I wouldn't even consider adopting a shelter dog.

 

I know people who were approved to adopt human children but were denied pet adoptions.

[RKWAcademy]

How frustrating!  That home study sounds ridiculous!  Our legos are confined to my son's room, a room our old dog and any new dog would not be allowed in anyway.  It sounds like the rescue workers are hoping to weed out all families with kids?  I hope this isn't the norm around here.  It's been two years since our dog died and we are ready (finally) to have another dog.  We were just about to start the process with a breed specific rescue.  Going through some online listings locally has been depressing because none look like a fit with my small children.  

[goldberry]

Wow.  That sounds ridiculous.  I know they want to make good placements, but they are keeping doggies from good homes.

[plansrme]

I personally know of a dog adoption that was denied because the potential adopter was opposed to same-sex marriage.  And I know this from the rescue, not from a bitter potential adopter, lest you all be sure I only have half of the story.  I adopted a human child and had no fears that I would be denied; I did not even bother with a rescue and bought my pup from a breeder.

[UCF612]

Wow. We adopted our dog as a puppy from a breed specific rescue (humorously they tried to tell us she was a pure bred lab, she's very obviously a mixed breed golden retriever and black lab which we prefer). It wasn't nearly as involved a process. We picked her at an adoption day event (that we went to with friends to find THEM a dog with no intention of adopting ourselves!). Our home visit just involved them seeing we had a yard or place to walk her. We lived in a condo at the time with a small backyard, no children yet. Your experience sounds like a huge pain! We wouldn't qualify now if Legos on the floor are a red flag!

[PrincessMommy]

Thanks everyone.  I'm feel very discouraged right now. 

 

Some of the local breed specific adoptions look even more rigorous (usually involving no children under 8 or some such), so I've stayed away from them.

 

We're in the process of getting a fence put in for our potential dog, but I feel like hanging the whole thing up.  I don't want to spend money on a fence when we can't even get a dog. KWIM? 

 

 

[PrincessMommy]

I personally know of a dog adoption that was denied because the potential adopter was opposed to same-sex marriage.  And I know this from the rescue, not from a bitter potential adopter, lest you all be sure I only have half of the story.  I adopted a human child and had no fears that I would be denied; I did not even bother with a rescue and bought my pup from a breeder.

 

Wow.  Now I guess I should add my icon prayer corner to the list of "what did we do wrong?" scenarios that have been running through my head. 

[Pink and Green Mom]

I have worked with three rescues in Northern VA and have done home inspections.  I have never, ever heard of a home inspection like the one you were subjected to.  I am so sorry you have to deal with that.  That sounds really, really frustrating.  I have also been involved with transporting dogs cross country.  Trust me, it is a logistical nightmare when you are relying on several people to do one leg of a several hundred mile journey.   I wish rescues wouldn't even "advertise" dogs that they don't have in their physical possession.

 

Not that this excuses anything, not in the least. But I know some rescues will slow down the process to weed out people who are making a "snap judgment" on adopting a dog.  They figure if you hang through the process you are committed and it wasn't some spur of the moment decision.

 

Trust me I am not suggesting you are not serious or excusing any behavior on the part of the rescue.  Just trying to explain their (oftentimes baffling) mindset.  It is really sad to me that so many people have had problems with rescues.  I can see why people would be so frustrated and move on.

[Guest]

I know of an awesome rescue that is bursting at the seams because they rescue from death row at the local animal control. They are more than happy to adopt to willing families. But they are in the middle of nowhere in FL.

[Ottakee]

This is exactly why I wouldn't even consider adopting a shelter dog.

 

I know people who were approved to adopt human children but were denied pet adoptions.

YEP.....that is us.  We have adopted 3 kids through foster care, have fostered over 100 others.............but can't get a dog from the local shelter as we don't meet their approval.

 

We ended with a private rescue that wanted a farm home for the dog.  6 years later she is sleeping on my living room couch. She loves the farm life but also loves being in the house.

 

You might check with local vets.  Sometimes they have clients that can't keep their dog and the vet will help find the dog a new home.  I was just asked today to take in a barn cat through a friend that works at a vet's office.

[vonfirmath]

You are not the first I've heard this complaint from -- or the first family that decided to go and get a puppy because of the runaround they were going through trying to get a pound/rescue dog.

 

[chocolatechip]

We just went through this earlier this year. We had several Craigslist dogs that we had arranged to meet only to have the owners give them to someone else before we came. All the shelters around wanted us to sign paperwork that we'd feed the dog premium food and provide for any and all vet care necessary. We love or doggies, but we can't afford premium food or major surgery. 

 

So, we just bought a lovely little puppy who is very sweet. 

 

I hope you can find a doggy, OP.

[Mimm]

Yep. I'll never go through a dog rescue. I want small dogs and no one in my area will place a small dog with a family with children under 12 or 14. I had a chihuahua that I bought when my kids were like 2 and 3 who was never harmed by my children (though, I, the adult, tripped over him several times). So... whatever.

[Pawz4me]

I'm sorry you're having so many problems!

 

That home visit/inspection sounds ridiculous.  I've done many of them, and I promise what I'm looking for is the basic stuff -- if someone says on an application they have a fenced back yard then I verify that.  I kind of eyeball the house -- are things relatively neat and well kept?  By no means am I looking for spotless, it's just that (in general) someone who isn't taking reasonable care of their house probably isn't going to take reasonable care of a pet.  I chat with the person a bit to make sure they've got a general idea of what it's like to own a dog, the costs, etc.

 

We had one adopter who wanted to adopt a dog and said it would be kept inside, like his previous dog.  Our volunteer got there to do the inspection and noted there was a dog house in the backyard with a very well worn area all around it.  Obviously that person had had a dog chained up for a long time.

 

That's the kind of stuff the groups I've volunteered with look for.

 

I agree that some rescue groups have gotten ridiculous.

 

Shelters are tougher, because often the person answering the phone is a volunteer whose sole duty is just answering the phone.  They don't know a thing about the animals up for adoption.  But an online listing should absolutely contain ALL vital information about a pet, which would certainly include that it can't go to a home with young kids.

 

Good luck in your search.  I hope you find the perfect dog!

[zoobie]

We've had more bad than good experiences with rescue organizations. There's only one I will adopt from again, and I would be more tempted to support a reputable breeder instead. The Legos and loom issues sound...um...what sort of dogs do they have that will gorge on Legos? The fence is a deal breaker for several groups here, but they've never looked at the inside of my house other than sitting in the family room to chat. I'd have been shocked if they investigated each room!

[Laurie4b]

but I'm so frustrated by this process.

 

We've been trying to adopt a doggy.  We found some via a rescue, got approved for adoption, but by the time that was done the doggies were adopted out.  Others have been waiting to be transported from long distance shelters for well over a month.  I've asked repeatedly about them, but there's no change in their status.

 

Then we found a couple of doggies at another rescue and submitted an application to start the ball rolling.  They never called me back.  I reached out again, and the adoption coordinator and foster were very friendly.  We met with the dog but decided that particular one wasn't right but I contacted the coordinator to say we still wanted to proceed with approval because there were a couple of other doggies we were interested in.   Nothing back.  That was about 3-4 weeks ago.

 

Last week I found a doggy on our local county shelter's website and called them to inquire.  They couldn't tell me anything over the phone except that the dog had been retured 2x (red flag).  I'd have to come in to meet them before they'd tell me any more.  So I went... waited nearly an hour to see someone. The doggy was returned for biting children.  They couldn't have told me that on the phone or posted online that it would be better in a house with no children?

 

In the meantime I've continued looking at the original rescue, but the doggies are not the types we're looking for. 

 

So I found a 3rd rescue with 3 dogs we thought might be good matches.   I started the application process up again, met one of the doggies  but had a bad experience (dog got into a big fight with a foster's doggy).  I emailed them to say that while that dog would probably not work for us, we still had a few we'd be interested in and we scheduled a home visit to finalize our adoption process.  She said it was not a problem.

 

Had a home visit with a very nice, single college student.  She went through the house looking for "danger areas" and if there were possible poisons out - all up because of Grandkids.  She was concerned about my loom because of the strings.  She was concerned about grandkids toys in our main room, she didn't like my son's room - lots of legos all over the floor.  My pantry had big bottles of oil and vinegar on the floor because they're too big to fit on a shelf.   If I'd known she was going to inspect every room I would have been more meticulous.  :(    When we were finished my husband said, "Wow, Now I know how it must be for people who want to adoption children."  Our previous home visits were more like a meet-and-greet.  See the family and get a feel for the house/yard size.  No one went through the entire house looking at every room.  It was very unexpected.    

 

When she left she told me she'd finish the paperwork that night and I should hear something by the next day.   That was last Thurs.  They didn't have any adoption events over the weekend so I thought I'd wait it out.  But yesterday I reached out to the adoption coordinator again asking if there was an update.

 

My application has been denied because we failed our home visit.

 

She then told me that there were some things we could fix if we wanted to be considered... but... no one had bothered to contact me in the first place to even tell me this.  What things?   Well, she'd have to get back to me about what they were specifically - perhaps later this week.  Really? 

 

Sigh.  This is why people buy puppies. 

 

They are not that meticulous for foster families. And the worker tells you ahead of time about stuff that usually catches people like having dog food in the kitchen because you're not supposed to feed an animal in the kitchen (even though the worker doesn't care if you actually do.) 

[Sandragood1]

We have had rediculous experiences with dog and cat rescue associations. I won't go there again.

 

We have had luck at the County animal shelter that is an hour south (that's 2 counties). They are a kill shelter and more than happy to adopt out an animal with just a vet reference from our current vet.

 

Closer county shelters won't. I guess they have few enough animals and more no-kill rescuers willing to take animals in. The rural county shelter has a much better understanding IMO that these are animals and not children. They are just looking for homes with food, shelter, and care.

 

We were once asked if we had consulted with a doggy psychiatrist for a previous dog that hadn't worked out!

[Laurie4b]

I got a great dog off Craigslist. I guess she would have eventually become a rescue. The owner was great. Let us have her for a trial week, then he came to our house to check it out before it was final. And by check it out, I mean he was happy that we have a good-sized fenced in yard and liked the rural neighborhood. I see many dogs on Craigslist that are Pre-rescue. 

 

I've heard all kinds of bizarre stories from really good pet owners who were denied adoptions by rescues. One of my friends has a huge fenced in back yard and had had goldens all her life. She was denied by a golden rescue AND they wouldn't say why. She wondered if it was because her fence was only 4 ft. high.... They are active and exercise daily.

 

 A lab rescue did allow them to adopt a dog.  

[JustEm]

Is a rescued puppy an option or would you prefer a dog. Delaware Puppy Rescue was pretty hassle free for us. They even have adult dogs sometimes, usually the mother of the pups they get if she was found abandoned while pregnant. It is a hike from you but they adopt to people in your state.

[Jenny in Florida]

Sigh.  This is why people buy puppies. 

 

I remember saying the same thing when I was in the process of looking for a puppy to adopt. I was so dog crazy and so desperate to bring home a puppy, but I had several criteria that made it challenging.

 

We already had two cats in the house. So, I felt strongly that I wanted a puppy in order to maximize the chances that the dog would adapt to living with cats. I strongly preferred a female. Because of restrictions with our lease, I had to have a dog that would be no more than about 15 pounds when fully grown. And my purely personal preference was for someone fluffy, rather than a short-haired dog.

 

I was determined to adopt rather than buy, but it took me a few months to find the right dog, and it was extremely frustrating at times. I had a lot of the same experiences you did, with rescues not calling me back or losing interest in me when I wasn't the right match for a specific dog they were trying to find a home for.

 

One day, while waiting for one of my kids to come out of an activity, I wandered into one of those puppy stores in a strip mall -- the kind of place I would never think of actually patronizing -- just to get a "fix" of being around some dogs. They had enclosures full of little, fluffy, adorable puppies, and I got really angry thinking about the fact that, if I were so inclined, I could just write a check and take home one of those little guys that day, but because I was trying to do what I viewed as the socially responsible thing and take in a dog who needed a home, I was having to wait and stress. It really didn't seem fair.

 

For what it's worth, I kept at it and did eventually find what turned out to be the perfect dog for me. Using Petfinder, I made contact with a small rescue group who had been fostering a dog who came to them pregnant and very sick. The foster family wasn't local to me; however, it turned out that they were not far off the path I normally took to drive my daughter to and from her college. They had stopped transporting dogs for adoption after some negative experiences, but I agreed to go collect the dog from their location. They contacted our local vet, who gave us a good reference, and we were approved. I e-mailed back and forth with the foster mom for a few weeks while waiting for the puppies to be ready to go to their new homes. She would send me photos of my puppy every week or so, and I had a chance to get to know the foster mom a bit, too. 

 

As it's turned out, I can't imagine having any other dog. I kind of feel like Matilda was fated to be my puppy, and I'm extremely glad I hung in there until I found her and brought her home.

[Bluegoat]

We have been looking for a new dog recently, and have ended up going to a breeder.  I am not a fan of the purebred dog system, and was really pushing for a cross-breed, which here means online ad or the shelter or rescue.

 

But it seems like almost every dog at the shelter is not suitable for kids under 12 - and the reasons seem really stupid, normal dog behaviors.  The rescue organizations all have contracts my husband has issues with, they can just come and take the dog any time, if there is a legal issue you pay all the fees even if they really were at fault.  I think these things are basically CYA and would not be issues, but I understand why dh isn't willing to agree to that stuff.

 

This dog is also meant to be a gun dog, and many of them don't seem to think that is an ok life for a dog - it's much better apparently if they just ay around the house and get fat.  It's similar for cats - an indolent indoor life is what they want fore rescues, not an actual working, or even fairly natural, cat life.

[Kathryn]

Are you on Facebook? My local sale group on Facebook always has people looking to rehome dogs.

[hepatica]

I would seriously look at purchasing a dog from a long time, well-respected breeder. A good breeder should take back any dog that does not work out. Supporting responsible breeding is just as much a moral good as rescue.

 

Rescue seems to have become an ideology these days. And, some rescue groups are downright insane with their expectations (I have fostered dogs for a rescue group, so it's not like I am ignorant of the plight of so many abandoned dogs). Seems rescue groups are themselves turning people away from rescue. 

 

We once had a cat rescue tell us they couldn't let us adopt a 12 week old kitten because the kittens were not used to being around children???? Really? They're 12 weeks old. They're not used to anything yet. 

[Miss Tick]

I used to work in a cubicle near a woman who volunteered for a dog rescue. It seemed to cross a line when she would ask the applicant's vet if they paid their bills on time. Ick, didn't see why that is their business.

[Supertechmom]

Yep, this is why I scoured craigslist and finally got a perfectly good free puppy from a "oh crap my dog came home preggers" situation. Great dog that we are training for agility. Same breed the breed rescue refused to adopt out to us because we have children and wouldn't be able to give him the appropriate time and resources for his mental and physical health. plus, we were getting him as a christmas present and oh my the horrors! No repsonible sane capable person gets a pet for christmas. Whatever....if we had not found the craigs

list puppy, I was going to our local shelter who practically pays you to take a dog and a buddy or two. Hubby refuses to support a rescue at all as he says if it takes more to adopt a dog than a kid there is something really wrong.

[kristi26]

I personally know of a dog adoption that was denied because the potential adopter was opposed to same-sex marriage.  And I know this from the rescue, not from a bitter potential adopter, lest you all be sure I only have half of the story.  I adopted a human child and had no fears that I would be denied; I did not even bother with a rescue and bought my pup from a breeder.

 

What?? Were they afraid the DOG would be swayed?! :glare: Ridiculous...

 

OP, we have been looking at adopting and/or buying a puppy/young dog for a little while now as well. I haven't actually applied anywhere yet but in looking at the applications, I got the feeling that it would be easier to adopt a human child than to adopt a dog.

[Spryte]

Wow. That sounds stressful. We've had two home studies (for adoptions and fostering), and would never expect a dog home study to be as intense. I think the college student was overzealous.

 

We adopted both of our dogs from shelters. One we found on petfinder.com and drove 4 hours to pick up, the other was our local shelter. Both experiences were hassle free.

 

I hope you find your doggy soon!

[PrincessMommy]

Is a rescued puppy an option or would you prefer a dog. Delaware Puppy Rescue was pretty hassle free for us. They even have adult dogs sometimes, usually the mother of the pups they get if she was found abandoned while pregnant. It is a hike from you but they adopt to people in your state.

 

 

Yes, we really want a dog that is an adult.  Puppies are cute, but they're a lot of work

 

Are you on Facebook? My local sale group on Facebook always has people looking to rehome dogs.

 

Yes, I'll PM you.  But, I'm in the DC Metro area...

[zoobie]

Yes, we really want a dog that is an adult. Puppies are cute, but they're a lot of work

 

 

Yes, I'll PM you. But, I'm in the DC Metro area...

Breeders will adopt out retired dogs. You can get a very well-trained, well-bred dog that way.

[PrincessMommy]

Yep, this is why I scoured craigslist and finally got a perfectly good free puppy from a "oh crap my dog came home preggers" situation. Great dog that we are training for agility. Same breed the breed rescue refused to adopt out to us because we have children and wouldn't be able to give him the appropriate time and resources for his mental and physical health. plus, we were getting him as a christmas present and oh my the horrors! No repsonible sane capable person gets a pet for christmas. Whatever....if we had not found the craigs

list puppy, I was going to our local shelter who practically pays you to take a dog and a buddy or two. Hubby refuses to support a rescue at all as he says if it takes more to adopt a dog than a kid there is something really wrong.

 

I've been looking at Craigslist but worried people might lie about how good their doggy is with kids or other dogs.   It's nice to see some people have had positive experiences on there.

 

Our shelter is okay...but 80%  of the dogs are pits.  I do not want a pit... esp. a rescue pit with no background.  I know they check to make sure they're good with kids, etc., but there's just too many bad stories out there.  

[amsunshine]

Oh my goodness, what you are going through sounds like a nightmare.  When we adopted our current dog, we had a couple of home visits from rescues and neither of them sound like yours.  Sorry you are going through this.  Are there any private shelters around you? We were finally able to adopt from a private shelter, which had many nice dogs to adopt (including puppies) and did not require home visits.   This private shelter had much nicer dogs than the public shelters.   However, it was a rigorous interview process before they would agree to adopt her out to us.  They did not want a family with small children, so it was a plus that my girls were both over age 9.  I think the fact we homeschool was also a plus -- they didn't want the puppy to be alone for too much of the day, so when we told them we'd be with her all day, that was favorable.  We had also owned a dog before that had recently passed away at age 17, so they had an idea that we knew what we were doing.  We knew what food we would feed her, what vet we would take her to, etc.  Those are the kinds of questions we got. 

 

I really believe adopting from shelters/rescues is the right thing to do, but you can't help it if they are making it so ridiculously difficult!

[BrookValley.]

Yes, we really want a dog that is an adult.  Puppies are cute, but they're a lot of work

 

 

Yes, I'll PM you.  But, I'm in the DC Metro area...

 

I'm also in the DC Metro area (which of course doesn't mean we are anywhere near each other  :laugh: ) and our local shelter is very much not picky about who they send animals home with. Sounds like you may be looking for a specific breed, but if not it could be an option. I know they are at full capacity right now, and it's a kill shelter. 

 

We took a cat home about a month ago and it was ridiculously easy. I gave them my basic info, name and number of our vet, and filled out a brief questionnaire. We played with the cats for a half hour, chose one, they microchipped her and off we went. She had been spayed, given flea/tick control, and had all vaccinations just a few days before. $20. No home visit. Like I said, very easy. I don't think dogs are any different except for the fees. 

 

ETA: All our dogs were adopted from different local rescues (three different ones in all). It was definitely more involved than the shelter--more in-depth questionnaire, they called our vet and checked that our current animals were up to date on vaccinations, etc. All had us meet the potential new dog with our current dog(s) outside the home. One came to the house for a home visit, which consisted of her meeting our other animals, checking out the yard, and then chatting with us for a little while. I feel that kind of process is reasonable for adopting a dog. I know it's in everyone's best interest to try to the find best match, so I appreciate that. But what you are describing sounds really over the top. There has got to be a balance between finding decent homes and being unreasonable--you know these rescues don't have the resources to keep that many animals. They need homes. Sheesh. 

[PrincessMommy]

Breeders will adopt out retired dogs. You can get a very well-trained, well-bred dog that way.

 

I have looked into this a bit.   Spoke with one breeder, but the only dog she had that she was preparing to adopt out was one that she was giving up because of excessive barking.  

 

I've put the word out a bit, but I've been told it could be a long long wait. 

[PrincessMommy]

I'm also in the DC Metro area (which of course doesn't mean we are anywhere near each other  :laugh: ) and our local shelter is very much not picky about who they send animals home with. Sounds like you may be looking for a specific breed, but if not it could be an option. I know they are at full capacity right now, and it's a kill shelter. 

 

We took a cat home about a month ago and it was ridiculously easy. I gave them my basic info, name and number of our vet, and filled out a brief questionnaire. We played with the cats for a half hour, chose one, they microchipped her and off we went. She had been spayed, given flea/tick control, and had all vaccinations just a few days before. $20. No home visit. Like I said, very easy. I don't think dogs are any different except for the fees. 

 

We're not looking for a specific breed.  There are breeds I'm not interested in though... like Pits, and most of the tiny purse dogs... and the big ones like Mastiffs or Newfoundlands.

 

I actually would prefer a mixed breed.

[Reefgazer]

What a miserable experience.  I think shelters do have to be careful, but some take it to the point of ridiculous.  Honestly, if I were in the market for a dog, there are all sorts of pets being sold or given away for free everyday - postings on bulletin boards and in vet's offices, Craigslist, the newspaper, word of mouth, etc...  I would not even bother with a shelter because I wouldn't put up with the nonsense you experienced.  Find one another way; there are ways that are not puppy mills/breeders.

[BrookValley.]

We're not looking for a specific breed.  There are breeds I'm not interested in though... like Pits, and most of the tiny purse dogs... and the big ones like Mastiffs or Newfoundlands.

 

I actually would prefer a mixed breed.

 

 

Yes, and of course a good number of the dogs at our local shelter are bully breeds. They will not adopt those out unless you go through a rescue, though (for the past 20 years all our dogs have been pit bulls--it's why our dogs all came through the rescue groups). Last time I looked there were a couple mixed breeds, a few beagles, a lab or two, and I think some huskies. I try not to look to frequently, though, lest I take them all home and become the crazy dog lady...  :crying:

[No More Perfect]

We were approved to adopt a child a few years ago when we only had five kids. We ended up not adopting for a few reasons, however, our home visit went very, very well. However, adopting a dog? nope, not going to happen. As soon as we mention on the phone we have kids, they shut down the conversation and get a "No." So, we are well equipped to adopt children, but not to adopt a dog.  :confused1:

[Paige]

 

 

Our shelter is okay...but 80%  of the dogs are pits.  I do not want a pit... esp. a rescue pit with no background.  I know they check to make sure they're good with kids, etc., but there's just too many bad stories out there.  

 

Some shelters have programs where if you tell them what you are looking for and get preapproved, then they'll call you when the type of dog you wants first comes into the shelter. These dogs never make it onto petfinder or into the adoption room.

 

If you find a rescue you like, it's worth applying first and then waiting for a puppy you want. I've started helping a shelter and I was amazed to see how many pups are adopted within the group's contact lists without being advertised to the public. I think with younger pups it's probably well over 50%. 

[lauranc]

We've had similar experiences when trying to bring a dog into our family.  We were just rejected by one rescue group because our 11 yr old cat had been declawed as a kitten.  They told us in an email that they wouldn't adopt out a dog to anyone who would treat their cat that way.

 

It was a little odd we thought.  We've been on our way to meet a dog (different rescue) and had someone call us as we were driving to say that they foster parents had decided to keep the dog.  Was a rough ride home with three very disappointed small kids (all much younger than they are now).

 

It's an extremely frustrating process-- I agree. 

[Spryte]

We're in the DC Metro area, too (well, we've just moved farther out)... Do you want me to pm you the shelter we used?  It's probably a drive, considering how large the area is, but might give you more options.  We had such a great experience, with both our pet adoptions.  Hoping the same for you.

 

ETA:  after posting this, I checked out our old spca site and, oops, now I want to bring home another doggy.  There are some cuties.  Love that you want an adult - that's the way to go, I think.  :)

[Katy]

I have a friend who "fosters dogs" for a rescue that's sort of like that.  The reality is she has one dog that is hers and has had another "foster" for more than two years.  The dog has had recurrent cancer and the rescue & a nearby university split the cost of the cancer treatments.  I doubt they'd adopt out a dog even to me, and I've known one of the people involved since we were kids.  Sometimes the goal isn't really to get dogs into forever homes.  Sometimes it seems like the goal is to save and keep individual dogs. 

 

In this area (Oklahoma) the ASPCAs frequently arrange with stores like PetCo and PetSmart to have adoption weekends.  They take a trailer full of dogs and frequently adopt out all of them in one day, without a home visit.  Have you checked to see if there is anything like that in your area?

 

Honestly I don't see a problem with using a reputable breeder either.   We haven't had good luck with craigslist.

[NorthwestMom]

I have heard this kind of story SO many times. It's such a disappointment.

 

Do you have local Facebook group for your town or neighborhood? Ours has regular postings for animals that need to be re-homed due to moving, new allergies, etc. 

[Abeille]

We ran into similar issues when we first moved here and were looking for a dog. We did get approved through the local no-kill shelter, and waited a couple of months to find the right dog. We were very open to mixed-breeds, adult dogs, etc. but also had to be picky about behavior issues because one of our sons is autistic and his body language seems to put some dogs off. Anyways, we ended up stopping at a Petco adoption event on a whim, and found our Luna. She came from a small rescue group that picks up dogs from kill shelters in the southern states and brings them up north to adopt out. I was actually kind of surprised at how easy it was to adopt her - we filled out some forms, chatted with the rescue workers for about half an hour as we visited with the dog, paid the fee, and then she was ours. As it happens, they were less-than-honest with us. When we met Luna, she was still dopey from being spayed the day before and she seemed really mellow. The rescue had named her "Easy" and talked up how gentle and easy-going she was. She actually has severe separation anxiety, terror of anyone not in her pack, and it's clear she had been physically abused before she came to us. We love her and she has a home with us for the rest of her life, but she could easily have ended up at a shelter again with another family (and I wouldn't judge them for it). We went through a reputable breeder for our second dog (aka, Molly the Bloodhound, the most patient dog in the universe), and will do so again if we need another dog.

 

I'll always support shelters and rescue groups financially (and with my time, when I can) but don't know that we'd try going that route again for adopting a dog.

[PrincessMommy]

We've gone to several adoption events over several weekends.  I think what may have happened is that we see a dog and then the next day or day after I contact the rescue to say we're interested in that dog - only to find it's been adopted already over the weekend.  Next time we just need to jump on it as soon as we think we've found one.

[texasmama]

I never knew this until I volunteered at the Humane Society, but some parts of the country have fewer adoptable animals than the demand for them, so programs exist to transport adoptable animals to those areas.  My area is overflowing in adoptable animals.  The northeast was listed as one place with a shortage of adoptable animals.  In my time as an HS volunteer, I watched many animals adopted to families with kids.  I don't know where you are located, but if you drive down to visit me, I will hook you up with more dogs than you know what to do with!

[Pawz4me]

We were approved to adopt a child a few years ago when we only had five kids. We ended up not adopting for a few reasons, however, our home visit went very, very well. However, adopting a dog? nope, not going to happen. As soon as we mention on the phone we have kids, they shut down the conversation and get a "No." So, we are well equipped to adopt children, but not to adopt a dog.  :confused1:

 

 

I never knew this until I volunteered at the Humane Society, but some parts of the country have fewer adoptable animals than the demand for them, so programs exist to transport adoptable animals to those areas.  My area is overflowing in adoptable animals.  The northeast was listed as one place with a shortage of adoptable animals.  In my time as an HS volunteer, I watched many animals adopted to families with kids.  I don't know where you are located, but if you drive down to visit me, I will hook you up with more dogs than you know what to do with!

 

I think there are several reasons that rescues in general don't like to adopt dogs to homes with young kids.

 

Some of it is the potential liability issue if the dog scratches/nips/bites a kid.  Statistically children are much more likely to be bitten by a dog than an adult is.  Boys between the ages of 5 and 9 are five times more likely to be bitten by a dog than are girls or any other age group.  Between 60 and 70 percent of all dog bites involve children.  So the rescue puts a dog in a home with a young kid, especially a boy, and they're opening themselves up for potential liability and a greater chance the dog will be euthanized.  Because in almost all instances the dog will be blamed no matter what the circumstances were.  Although most bites are very likely preventable with more parent supervision, the rescues usually get blamed for adopting out "bad," untrained or aggressive dogs.

 

Some of it is probably related to supply and demand.  In my totally anecdotal experience as a rescue volunteer, puppies and dogs adopted to homes with small children are much more likely to wind up right back in the shelter in a few weeks/months than animals who are adopted into homes with no young children.  So if the supply is short . . .  yeah, throw tomatoes at me if you want, but from the standpoint of choosing what's likely to be the best fit/best chance of a forever home for the dog . . . I'm going to send the dog to the home w/o young kids.

 

And part of it is simply safety reasons.  Although it may never have happened to you (generic) and you (generic) may not be able to imagine it happening, it's really quite common for tiny dogs to get injured in homes with small children.  And often due to vet costs that results in the dog being euthanized.

[Happy]

Good grief. Our homestudy for our first SON was not that detailed. Believe me, I prepped for it (practically moved out and back in again, it was that clean) and the case worker didn't even ask to see the room where the baby would sleep.

 

I get why rescues are so protective, but I think they are pushing good people away. I've had dogs (horses, cats, and cattle) my entire adult life. I have had a good enough relationship with vets to be able to call for advice. The only time I used to take a dog in was for a rabies shot or to get stitches. If I rescue called a vet, I guess I'd get a good review, but you know, only if they asked the right questions.  

 

Frankly, some dog people are wackadoodles...

 

I love going to a rescue for a cats, but we almost always go a different route for dogs--simply because messing with the application process is insulting--especially when I've adopted two humans.

[texasmama]

When we were volunteers, my little dd was a "kid tester" with dogs.  The HS wanted to see how dogs reacted to kids of different ages.  Another employee had a boy about six years old so between the two of them, they got a good idea of how the dogs were with kids.  I was always with her when she was kid testing a dog.  There were some dogs that did not react well to kids and this was noted.  Sometimes animals came to the satellite location we volunteered at from the main branch labeled "no kids" at intake because they were released by owner due to snapping at a toddler who tail-pulled or such.  They were not really not safe for kids but rather were pushed beyond what an animal should endure and reacted.  It was interesting to participate in the testing of the dogs with other dogs (of different sizes and genders), kids, and cats.  I learned a lot.