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Dog Adoption — Brooklynian

Dog Adoption

cythren
cythren
edited November -1 in Brooklyn Pets
I've been looking for a second dog to adopt to be a buddy for my first dog (and me).

Some of the organizations on Petfinder have quite off-putting methods for screening people who are looking to adopt a pet, such as home visits (!), extremely long and intrusive questionnaires and adoption fees of several hundred dollars for neutered adult dogs who are already up to date on vaccinations.

Is it right to pass along most of the shelter's operating costs to those people offering a home to a pet? Aren't those people adopting the animals helping to advance the goals of the shelter? Can't the shelter organization find funding through grants or other donations?

Could this be some kind of moneymaking scheme? For example, a New York organization uses Petfinder to list dogs from other countries. For $250. to $300., they will ship the homeless foreign dog to you in NYC. It seems so extreme - and not a very practical way to solve the problem of stray dogs in foreign countries.

I'm confident that I would be approved for adoption, but the process has really turned me off. Maybe someone can change this perception. At this point, I'm thinking that buying a dog from a breeder who has been referred by a reliable organization might be a better way to go.

Comments

  • laura b
    laura b
    I can't speak for the dog organizations you mention, but I do work with a cat organization that lists with petfinder.

    Our screening process involves an application, 2 reference checks, a $75 fee, and, yes, a home check. It's not meant to be intrusive, but to ensure that the pet finds a safe and lasting home.

    Why charge a fee? There are people, known as bunchers, who take animals offered as "free to good home," and sell them to labs. See http://www.petrescue.com/library/free-pet.htm Charging money obviously prevents the profit motive.

    The other reason we charge a fee is to recoup some of the vetting and caretaking costs, although our fee is a fraction of the actual cost. Have you seen the price of vets lately? I once spent over $1000 of my own money on a kitten that came down with pneumonia and had to spend several nights at the animal hospital.

    And finally, if a person is not willing or able to shell out something for an animal, it's perhaps an indication of their future capability of being a responsible "pet parent." You'd be amazed at how many people have no clue what they're getting into financially and time-wise.

    At the house check, we talk with the adopter about pet care, trouble-shoot about potential behavior problems, and answer any questions they may have. The home visit and the application form are meant to help get an idea whether the pet and adopter are a good match in terms of issues like temperament and time commitment. We really want to avoid the pet being returned or otherwise given up! These methods are as much for the prospective owner's sake as for the pet and for our peace of mind.

    As for grants or other sources of funding, these are very hard to come by. In short, you'd have to be out of your mind to think you could make a profit off of animal rescues!
  • pitu
    pitu
    I've adopted two dogs through rescue organizations on Petfinder and totally respect the work they do, and know that people that do rescue end up putting way more of their own money in than the $ they ask as a donation.
    Or you can go to the city pound - NYC Animal Care and Control - or look at their dogs online. If you have a vet to give as a reference (since you have a dog already) it should be particularly easy.
    You can register on the NYCACC site if there's a particular kind of dog you're looking for -- gender, breed, weight, age -- and they send you an email if they get one of those.

    you might want a female for an easier adjustment with your male dog, btw -- that's what the breeders say anyway
  • cythren
    cythren

    Subject: bad expereince with small rescue groups

    "Posh Pets" was an unpleasant experience. Very unprofessional and not good about responding. Apparently they decided I was not "right" for this particular dog I wanted to adopt, but didn't bother to tell me, so I was just waiting around all week hoping to hear back from them. Left me with a bad feeling about the whole adoption thing, unfortunately.
    :?

    I may try CACC, but I have a hard time getting out there without a car. I've been there on the bus, but then you have to stand around waiting at a bus stop to get home in an unfamiliar, desolate and kind of sketchy neighborhood. If not CACC, I will buy a second dog from an AKC recommended breeder.

    Date: Oct 25, 2006 9:45 PM
    Subject: Re: (no subject)

    Hi ____. Thanks for giving me additional information. _____ however seemed to feel you didn't really spend much time with Charlotte. She is a very scared dog and needs a lot of patience to come around. Maybe you would like to call _____ and revisit in the next couple of days so I could also meet you. Thanks _____

    P.S. _____'s number is XXX XXX XXXX

    -------------------------------------------------------------

    Date: Oct 25, 2006 8:59 PM
    Subject: Re: (no subject)

    -----,

    Well, I'm not sure what you mean exactly, because while I was there Charlotte was hiding in the bedroom most of the time. I didn't feel it would be appropriate to go into a stranger's bedroom. Perhaps this means I may not be the right person to adopt Charlotte.

    I will go ahead and find a second dog through another method.

    Thanks,
    -----

    ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Date: Oct 25, 2006 9:05 PM
    Subject: RE: (no subject)

    Doesn’t sound like she wants her at all, and as I said….I didn’t see much interest there. Charlotte needs time, or needs someone who will nurture her and be patient when she hides all day. She still screams when I pick her up, or if she’s on the sofa and I move….she’s really terrified, and unless she comes down from the bedroom herself you can’t get her…she just runs under the bed. This ----- doesn’t sound like someone who’d fit with her.

    -------------------------------------------------------------
    Date: Oct 25, 2006 9:10 PM
    Subject: Re: (no subject)

    No need to 'cc me on these emails, thanks. I'd appreciate not being contacted again by ---- ----.

    Thank you.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------
  • caaahyoko
    caaahyoko
    I also had good experiences with two separate rescue groups on Petfinder. I got my first dog, Foxy from Patti who runs New Yorkers for Companion Animals:

    http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/5418/nycaadoptions.html


    And I got Panda from Zulma at Loving Touch:

    http://lovingtouch.rescuegroups.org/

    Good Luck!!
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