Adopting a dog

[iceberg]

i have been setting up to adopt an akita and now a doberman has entered the mix. both are good breeds for me and would both be a good match. i've had an akita and dobermans also seem to be what i would do well with. i fillled out an app at a doberman place and went to go to the akita rescue place and the application itself was pretty invasive.

where do you work? how long? if less than 2 years where did you work before?
when will the dog be alone? (yea, i can just tell you when i'm not home, i trust you)
how long have you lived in your house? if less than 2 years, where were you before?
do you plan to move soon? if so, where?

and there are several more questions that just seem overly personal to me. i've been on the akita facebook page for months and i see poor animals all the time screaming out for a good home and cries to HELP NOW OR HE'LL BE PUT TO SLEEP!!!

yet, all this must be done and i suddenly have to matter to this org before i'll be "worthy" of an animal months away from being put to sleep.

i'd never consider hurting an animal and i'm doing my homework all around to ensure i get a breed that fits my own temperament so we'll get along well. any questions about care of the animal or my study to understand the breed i feel are fair game and *should* be asked.

filling out a borderline security application seems excessive and i simply won't do it.

so just wondering, would anyone fill out such questions to someone you've never met to adopt a dog?

 

[BigStar]

My sister recently adopted a lab mix and went through the same invasive procedures. We all thought it was a bit extensive considering what the results would have been if the dogs was not adopted; being put to sleep, etc. They do hit you with a little bit of a bait and switch there. Has to be a middle ground somewhere that doesn't half punish prospective owners.

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

I don't mean to sound rude but put aside your ego and paranoia and do what you have to in order to save the dogs.

 

[Bill Wooten]

We have adopted a couple of Bull Terriers and had to go through the same thing. They also came to the house to see the living arrangements, meet the family and other pets. A lot of that is due them understanding the quirks of that breed and is meant to protect the dogs and the prospective owners from a bad fit.

 

[BringBackThatOleTimeBoys]

If you have worked in dog rescue, the screening is a necessary evil. The number of pets dumped after six months is high. Saturday morning I'd get a call: "Do you have puppies?" Before I had a chance to say "No, but we have..." they hang up.

There are lots of irresponsible people that let pets go, worst of all not fixed so the strays continue to be with us and overpopulate, miserable.

Think about you are saving a life - you are.

 

[iceberg]

sure i am. and i have thought about it. i filled out an app for a doberman rescue team and had no issue with their questions and follow up questions. all about the dog and making sure it's a good match.

but to ask me when no one is home.
current employer
past employer
where i've lived for the past 2 years...

why is it necessary for me to fill out on paper when no one is home and trust them, yet there is no trust to me?

i totally get wanting to protect the dog. i do. it's why i've done my homework on breeds. it's why i'm setting up to have everything in place for when i find the one i really want. but for the love of god you tell me how is asking these questions going to guarantee i'm NOT lying to you?

i just think this particular app went overboard and i said fine, i'll look elsewhere.

everyone i've had look at the app have all said the same thing - one compared it to a mini security clearance.

and no, i won't be made to feel guilty about it either. not saying that's what's done in here, but i can see people already telling me i'm heartless and don't care about dogs simply because i feel this process is too invasive.

 

[iceberg]

I don't mean to sound rude but put aside your ego and paranoia and do what you have to in order to save the dogs.

so fine. you tell me when you're not home and when no one is home and where you live and we'll go from there.

 

[iceberg]

My sister recently adopted a lab mix and went through the same invasive procedures. We all thought it was a bit extensive considering what the results would have been if the dogs was not adopted; being put to sleep, etc. They do hit you with a little bit of a bait and switch there. Has to be a middle ground somewhere that doesn't half punish prospective owners.

100% agree. ask me about the breed. ask me why i want that breed. ask me about past pet history. all that is fair. asking me questions about my private life they simply cannot verify is invasive and in the end not really helping the animal if as you say, the alternative is around the corner.

i don't want to be heartless but like you - give me a fair middle ground and i'm in. treat me like a criminal before i even say "my god what a good looking dog!" then yea, i have issues.

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

so fine. you tell me when you're not home and when no one is home and where you live and we'll go from there.

It's their rules. Either go along with them or not, I really don't care. Complaining here is going to do no good.

 

[iceberg]

It's their rules. Either go along with them or not, I really don't care. Complaining here is going to do no good.

then i hope to god i never see you *****ing about the cowboys issues.

or anything else for that matter.

 

[Rack]

Do they know WHAT TIMES you're away, or how often you're away (ie how long will the dog be alone)?

I say this cuz I have dogs, and they get incredibly lonely when they're left alone (my wife works and I'm in Afghanistan so they're alone often). Some dogs get destructive when left alone for long periods of time or too often. They ask you those questions because if the dogs will be alone too often and/or for too long, and they destroy your house you could very well bring the dog back (or worse).

I have security cameras at my house...

That's all they do, the whole time they're alone. They stay there by the front door waiting.

Don't be paranoid, they just want to make sure the dog won't be left alone for too long at a time.

 

[iceberg]

Do they know WHAT TIMES you're away, or how often you're away (ie how long will the dog be alone)?

I say this cuz I have dogs, and they get incredibly lonely when they're left alone (my wife works and I'm in Afghanistan so they're alone often). Some dogs get destructive when left alone for long periods of time or too often. They ask you those questions because if the dogs will be alone too often and/or for too long, and they destroy your house you could very well bring the dog back (or worse).

I have security cameras at my house...

That's all they do, the whole time they're alone. They stay there by the front door waiting.

Don't be paranoid, they just want to make sure the dog won't be left alone for too long at a time.

that would be up for me to determine and how to properly care for the animal when i'm not around or gone for long periods of time. but if they start off not trusting i've done my homework then i see no reason to tell an org i don't know, or how well they protect their records, when no one is home.

i don't go on facebook and tell everyone i'm on vacation for 2 weeks with no one home, i won't tell people i don't know that either.

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

I filled out all the same questions when we adopted my lab from a lab rescue in San Antonio. Yes it was invasive, but you won't care about that after you get your pup. I've adopted two dogs over the last 3 years. 1 full lab from a rescue and 1 doberman mix from the pound. Both dogs ended up with parvo within days of taking them home and we nearly lost both. My two free rescue dogs ended up costing me near $5000.00 in vet bills. It left such a bad taste in my mouth that I don't know that I'll adopt again.

 

[iceberg]

I filled out all the same questions when we adopted my lab from a lab rescue in San Antonio. Yes it was invasive, but you won't care about that after you get your pup. I've adopted two dogs over the last 3 years. 1 full lab from a rescue and 1 doberman mix from the pound. Both dogs ended up with parvo within days of taking them home and we nearly lost both. My two free rescue dogs ended up costing me near $5000.00 in vet bills. It left such a bad taste in my mouth that I don't know that I'll adopt again.

well if all rescue agencies are like this, i'll just likely go back to a breeder and not rescue a dog. i know that sounds heartless and i know people are going to instantly side with a fictitious animal they've never seen or met to tell me how evil i am for not helping it, but is the rescue org really helping it if they chase away valid owners who simply feel information such as my 2+ years employment history is valid? i've only been employed for the last 8 months and was unemployed for awhile before that.

is that now subject to their approval and questions?

not gonna do it.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

well if all rescue agencies are like this, i'll just likely go back to a breeder and not rescue a dog. i know that sounds heartless and i know people are going to instantly side with a fictitious animal they've never seen or met to tell me how evil i am for not helping it, but is the rescue org really helping it if they chase away valid owners who simply feel information such as my 2+ years employment history is valid? i've only been employed for the last 8 months and was unemployed for awhile before that.

is that now subject to their approval and questions?

not gonna do it.

Its not heartless - its sensible. You go buy a dog you want and get a puppy and raise it. You adopt a grown dog and you most likely get a problem dog with issues. There is a reason why all these dogs are "available." People dont just get rid of good dogs. We've adopted several dogs from individuals and there is a reason why the dog is being "rehomed." I would never take somebody else's reject dog again.

If I want a dog, I want it for my own personal enjoyment and to be beneficial in my life. Dealing with a R E T A R D or problem dog is a waste of precious time. A human is worth making a sacrifice to help. An animal is not IMO. Its just an animal and has no where near the value that a human does. I am not anti dog BTW.

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

then i hope to god i never see you *****ing about the cowboys issues.

or anything else for that matter.

It seems to me their process works because if you anger this easily you probably would not make the best owner for those dogs.

 

[iceberg]

It seems to me their process works because if you anger this easily you probably would not make the best owner for those dogs.

Yea. You can judge me so well. A lady who has 2 akitas I just found out refused to go through the rescue also because of the app. Said it turns a LOT of people away.but hey, get your shot in.

 

[JBS]

Why don't you just lie on the darn application then?

 

[iceberg]

Why don't you just lie on the darn application then?

i guess that's a lot of my point. i can lie, they can't tell, so what's the purpose of being so invasive?

and again, also hear about people going through all this some rescues will pull the dog at the last minute, even if someone is on their way to pick them up from a long distance. just pull for no reason.

so sure. vet the hell out of them, ok them, then take the dog away at the last minute.

 

[JBS]

It's really not this serious...

Lie if you absolutely refuse to be honest ...fill the app out and see what the heck happens