Dog adoption application denied. Seriously?

I work with the Australian Cattle Dog Rescue Association. We have a few parameters but mostly we're concerned with folks who will exercise the dog, treat it right, vet it, etc. Just be good dog owners. I have no idea what turned off the other rescue. It honestly could've been anything. Some folks are just way too particular.

If you're interested in ACD's come on by. www.acdra.org. We've got a TON of dogs right now.

We had an Australian Shepard/blue healer mix. Best. Dog. Ever. Taught my brother to walk. Bro would grab onto Max's hair. He'd get up, hoist Casey along with him and walk him around the house.

Had no tail. Naturally. He'd get excited and you'd see a half dollar sized section of hair rotate back an forth. We'd laugh.

One question... Shedding?

We did a private deal. Owner had a stroke and was not expected to be able to care for the dog. The daughter of the owner was thrilled that we were prepared to give the dog a loving home.

A beautiful, well-trained, 2 year old Labrador Retriever for the cost of gas to go pick her up. My 8 and 6 year old boys just love her to death.

Yeah, I'd agree and say that it just isn't meant to be. Some shelters are run by hoarders, too. My wife used to volunteer at a Rabbit Rescue, and eventually had to leave as it became more restrictive in adoption policies, and more loose in what animals it would take in. When they took in 500 feral rabbits from over 1000 miles away (seriously), that was a big eye-opener.

Some of these people truly love animals but really don't see the forest for the trees. They concentrate on finding the absolute perfect placement for one dog for a week, while 10 new dogs arrive daily. And so they charge outrageous adoption fees, to cover the bills of keeping, feeding, and caring for all the animals they refuse to place.

A close friend was just turned down for adopting a cat. She happens to be a veterinarian.

Last time I went to a shelter, I was in and out in an hour, background was looking up our previous rescue pets and confirming they had a vet and shots, ect. $60 out the door.

As far as cats, some one dropped one off near me a year and a half ago, and I took her in. Unfortunately I never had the money to get her fixed and now I have her and her 4 kittens, and our older cat.

My sister just went through the same ordeal. Phone interviews, 2 house visits, application, reference checks...just to adopt a dog. Took 2 months, and she just got "Harry" right before Christmas.

Unnecessarily stupid program.

foxtrapper wrote: I can actually make a pretty good guess as to why you got turned down. You're out of state. ROR and our the local animal shelter both (they work hand in hand) delight in taking back animals and pressing false abuse charges against the owners. Harder to do when the adoptee is out of state. And, btw, no fence, no dog, no exceptions. That's with both ROR and the shelter.

Which is why I asked, before filling out the application, if it would be a problem. I was told "We have people in your area to do the home inspection" and "The fence isn't a requirement and shouldn't be a problem since you're experienced dog owners".

So either they are liars, idiots, or both.

I feel like sending them a carefully worded but unfriendly email telling them they have their heads up their butts. I know it won't do any good, but it may make me feel better.

A friend of mine who just completed a tour as the 2nd in command of a nuclear powered submarine applied for an adoption from a rescue group. I was a reference. A guy called and started asking my wife character questions to which she eventually just told the guy that he was more than a bit overboard that this guy (who along with his wife, are long time pet owners) has been deemed responsible enough by the US Navy to supervise the operation and maintenance of a nuclear reactor is certainly qualified to adopt a dog that someone else didn't want. The guy calling then claimed to be a retired assistant secretary of the Navy and he knows all about that stuff, but had to ask the questions because that's how the rescue group is set up. He volunteered with them.

It all sounded so dumb.

Most organized pet organizations quickly become full of themselves and think these unreasonable demands make them important. When in fact it only brings them down in the long run.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: One question... Shedding?

No, shorkies don't shed. Get you one. They are the E36 M3zu.

Grtechguy wrote:

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: I like mutts...generally calmer animals

And smarter, and healthier. There is a great deal to be said for hybrid vigor. We went through the same deal with cats. It was bloody ridiculous. These people moan and complain about so many unwanted cats, and then make it impossible to get one.

I went through all this with a bird rescue place recently. The reason they turned me down.. I think.. is because I rent instead of own.

Like may posters above.. I have had plenty of birds, they have all lived LONG and happy lives, and generally when I am home, are out of their cages.

Even with a record of vet care (how many bird people take their fine feathered friends to the vet on a regular basis) I was still told they could not place a bird with me.

AWWWWWWWWWW! It's like he's in a little shoe boat.

ddavidv wrote: So either they are liars, idiots, or both.

I'll got with both.

Fwiw, I do feel your pain. While we don't have a dog, we did try to do the rescue bit with some livestock and cats. Ended up giving up from the same frustration as you. Went with the livestock auctions and the crazy cat lady instead. Much cheaper and much easier.

I just want to lob out my appreciation for everyone doing rescues instead of buying from breeders.

My pack is composed entirely of rescues: My lab was given to me by a neighbor with a "if you don't want him we're taking him to the pound", my pugrador was from Noah's Bark, and my Border Collie/Aussie Shep/??? mix was a stray from the neighborhood (rural neighborhood, she survived on her own for at least a couple weeks hunting the fields, possibly longer).

My wife and I work (in MD) with an English Pointer rescue, if we can be a help to anyone.

We have friends that were turned down for both dogs and cats at the rescue places. One buddy couldn't get a cat because he had a job and so wasn't home all day. Got our mutt from the pound. In and out in about an hour for $65 - that included a leash, food, micro chip, return visit to get him fixed, shots and license.

monark, that dawg rocks.

The problem is that anybody who can pick a name, file paperwork with the government and set up a bank account can start a rescue group. Rescue groups range from large organizations with shelters and boards of directors consisting of respected people in the community to fronts for crazy dog and cat hoarders who are trying to skirt local animal control laws. Some groups have written rules regarding who can adopt that they will give you and will tell you exactly why your application was rejected. Other groups will deny your application because they don't like your looks. Some rescue groups won't give you a dog unless you crate them. Others won't give you a dog if you do crate them...and so on. I founded two dog rescue groups and have done dog rescue for over 12 years and there are other dog rescue groups in my town who would not give me a dog.

My group has the most denials over fences (huskies are escape artists) and for vet checks that show that an applicant's previous dogs did not get monthly heartworm preventative. There are also obvious reasons for not giving somebody a dog. One woman called asking for a husky for her son after he saw the movie, Snowdogs. When asking about her previous dog, the woman said that she gave her son a Chihuahua after the Taco Bell commercials came out and after he tired of the dog, she sent the dog to the pound.

Regarding adoption fees. Pulling a healthy dog from the pound and getting all shots, worm checks and a general checkup from a vet can cost a rescue group over $100 and if the checkup reveals heartworm, parvo or any other serious medical condition, that vet bill can more than quadruple. Sometimes the dog you get for a $300 adoption fee could have actually cost the group over $1,000 in vet bills. Larger groups can average it out over a larger number of dogs and add money contributed by individuals or organizations like the Petco Foundation, but no group I know of makes money adopting out dogs and most fosters are out of pocket on things like dog food, leashes, collars and dog toys.

I did go to a seminar recently put on by the Petco Foundation where some of the speakers addressed this exact problem, that some rescue groups are inconsistent and often way too picky about who gets their dogs. They pointed out that there are way too many dogs dying out there and that sometimes a rescue group has to put away it's prejudices and look very hard at their adoption policies. That being said, working in animal adoption can rip your heart out. Somtimes I go into a pound to pull a dog and I have to chose between four or more wagging tails wanting to go with me, knowing that I only have space for one and the other three will be put to sleep tomorrow.

monark192 wrote: We have friends that were turned down for both dogs and cats at the rescue places. One buddy couldn't get a cat because he had a job and so wasn't home all day. Guess they wanted him to sit at home all day and be the male equivilant of a "cat lady"?

I had a very similar experience. I have been owned by 2 St. Bernards, a komondor and a puli. I currently live with a 10 yo female mastiff (a rescue). At my daughters urging, I contacted a Saint rescue who claimed they never got my online application on their own site. The woman then refused to place a female with us because of our mastiff (whom was raised with our previous Saint). I was really put off also but came to the realization that this woman was a nut case. I will eventually find the right fit.

To ddavidv,

check out lebanonhumane.org. They have a female black coonhound mix that may be what your looking for. They are located about 30 miles north of Lancaster, PA.

Saw that; may check her out. I test drove two dogs there last week but neither one was 'right'.

After visiting my parents with their pekichoo (sp?), and grand-in-laws with their bischon... What in the E36 M3zu would anyone want with a dog?