Legal question: Dog ownership

I can tell you that $450 isn't an insane amount of money for an adoption. Not everyone wants to pay that, and the humane society is a great option for those folks. Unfortunately you'll usually end up paying close to that over the first few months in vet bills, and such... especially if it's a puppy. I ended up about $400 deep with my rescue beagle pup when I got her, but it was over the course of a few months. Which, at the time (college) was more acceptable.

The home checks aren't usually an issue for folks. I'm doing one tomorrow, and the people are usually very understanding on why we're careful about who gets a dog from us. But trust me... I want it to fit into my schedule as much as you do.

Not true. We charge upwards of $500 for an adoption in some cases, and we're a true rescue org. Vets, care, and treatments cost $.

If you're worried about a few hundred dollars when getting an animal, we don't want you to adopt one of ours anyway... and you probably shouldn't have an animal.

All that to say this... if you're adopting in any fashion I'm in support of it. From finding a dog on the side of the road, to paying for a $500 adoption from an org that does home checks.

 

We adopted from the Humane Society and our vetting costs were no more than what they would have been had we adopted from a rescue org. Our dog was 12 weeks when we got her and had already been spayed.

As far as worrying about a few hundred dollars for adoption and you wouldn't want me to adopt anyway, that would be your loss. Why should I pay an extra $350 for one of your dogs with more hassle to get than the $100 I paid for a perfectly good dog that was also rescued.

 

The HS is a great option. I've adopted from them, and it went well. The costs weren't much cheaper for my dog than my rescue that I adopted, but it varies by every dogs condition, age, history, etc.

The point about a few hundred dollars being a make or break was to say that dogs cost $, and if someone is freaking out over a few hundred dollars up front then it's probably not a good sign that they are ready to pay for future expenses.

As far as it being my loss if someone is deterred because of that, not really. Our dogs get adopted, and until they do they stay in loving homes with people like me.

They all have great homes... temporarily until perm. :up:

 

My family is starting the dog adoption process, and frankly, it's a pain in the ass. What I mean by that is, the organizations or the individuals that are putting the dogs up for adoption are simply adding unnecessary hurdles that frankly deter adoption -- in my opinion.

It's been mentioned in this thread, but these adoption folks seem like "know-it-alls" that want to demonstrate to you they know more about animals than you do. But the reality is, many people in the market looking to adopt pets have grown up with dogs and have just as much knowledge as the individual or group putting the dog up for adoption. No need to be so grueling in the interview process.

One of the applications that I'm completing asks:

1. Who lives in your home;
2. Who visits your home;
3. How long will the dog be alone during the day;
4. Provide contact information for your vet;
5. Provide references;
6. If the dog requires long-term medical treatment are you willing to pay for it.
7. Why do you want this dog (my favorite question)

On the surface these seem like routine questions you would ask a person that wants to adopt -- a kid! I'm just looking to get a pet for the family. I will play the game, but the process is annoying and intrusive. The money doesn't bother me because the dogs are usually spayed or neutered, and they've received the first round of vaccinations, and they've been checked out by a vet.

I see pet rescue/adoption as a win-win situation, there are so many pets that need homes and there is an entire community willing to adopt the pets, so why is there this underlying tension between the two groups? My friends that recently adopted said the same thing about the process -- too much for the adoption of a pet. Adoption folks/foster homes are making the process a bit tedious and condescending. They can ease up just a bit without putting the dog in harms way.

 

Good on you Ron!

The questions and applications seem a bit insane, and I can't even tell you how bad the interview process was to be a foster/volunteer for an org that's required to insure you/your home. Thanks lawyers

Some of those questions seem crazy, but it helps orgs place a dog.

For example. The last dog I had was terrified of loud noises, or anything that moved too fast. Even lowering the dishwasher door sent her into the next room. She wouldn't be a fit for someone with young kids, or a super active lifestyle. An adopter wouldn't know that, and would more than likely give the dog back, or abandon the dog since she wasn't a fit. It's an emotional drain on everyone involved when that happens. People see a cute, young dog from a good breed, and assume it's a fit.

A lot of what's not seen from the adopter's side is the usefulness of these pain in the ass applications help the foster's find a good fit for the dog and the family.

The only dog I adopted that was ever given back was from a family that seemed perfect on paper and in person, but their grandkids visited every other weekend, and this particular pup was terrified of kids due to previous abuse. Which wasn't an issue initially because the couple was retired and didn't have any around... until they did. Then they were mad that the dog wasn't "a fit" for their family. Of course the kids weren't listed on the app as frequent visitors, because they didn't think it mattered.

Point being... people lie, situations change, and most people put little thought into "getting a dog". The apps/fees are meant to make sure that's not the case, and to ensure the dogs are physically and mentally sound.

Also, I don't feel bad for you because you know damn well you had your paralegal fill those forms out.

 

Ha...it was my secretary, not the paralegal!

But you're right, it's for the protection of the pet, so we're going to participate in the process...

 

Glad you guys are rescuing!

 

One of the dogs I have is a pit mix that could have ended up with the wrong kind of adopter. I am happy for them to ask me questions and call my vet and verify that I am capable and willing to take care of a pet. The other one we adopted last year was returned to the rescue organization after a year because they couldn't take the dog to a new living arrangement.

I continue to be grateful for both the interview process that makes sure people are prepared to care for their dogs and the agreements that require the dogs be returned to the rescue organization if the family no longer wants them. It ensures pets end up in the best place for them.

In a city like Houston where there are over 1.2 million homeless animals, charging large fees to adopt does nothing to help place dogs in homes. Most organizations here charge $100 - $150 because anything more could be cost prohibitive for some families who are willing and able to take an animal into their home. Most of the rescues here offer assistance with standard vetting so that even more people can afford to be responsible pet owners.

 

Just wondering, after reading all this, if the adoption rules interfere with adoptions. I know that, in New England, we rescue a lot of dogs from southern states. They bring them up by the truckload because otherwise, they are euthanised due to the number of dogs abandoned or seized.

 

Some of the prices people are posting for adoption fees are nuts. Our local SPCA it's $90 to adopt a dog. That includes them being fixed and all their shots.

 

I don't get the whole who's your vet thing. What if the dog is the first for the owner since they were a child and it's going to be an only pet? It's not like I had a vet on tap in case I chose to adopt.

 

Here too. Spayed/neutered with shots.

 

Of course, there were a handful of duds at them prices....

There was the Rhodesian ridgeback with the weepy eye that would only walk backwards.

We had a cat who all of a sudden one day decided to rip all it's fur off...AND SKIN....in our bed, and just stood there and glistened.

And there was another dog who'd just growl at wood. Like...firewood. Not lit.


Other than that we've had good success for our $90.

 

Same here in Mn. A couple rescues we've dealt with go down south and bring dogs up. Apparently people down south don't adopt dogs like we do up north.

 

FTFY

Pisses me off hearing the slackjaws around here saying, " I just cain't bear to cut poor Spike's nuts off. I wouldn't want no-one cuttin' off mine." Makes me wish someon'd cut off his dad's nuts about a year before he was born.

 

I'm not anti-rescue, but...

I got my Rott from a rescue. Filled out all the (what I consider) intrusive forms. Brought her home and took her to my vet. She was days away from losing her sight because the dumb bitch running the 'rescue' was giving her sulfa based meds, and that is a huge no-no with rotts and doebs. She never even attempted to do the follow up home visit. I alerted her to every home move I made, never came to see if I had the requirements (fenced in yard, etc). Really made me lose faith in the process. I know that's one isolated case, but it left me with a bad taste.

When I get another dog if I'm going for something specific, I'll seek a reputable breeder. If not specific, I'll go to my Humane Society and pick one of the 100+ absolutely depressed looking pitbulls some piece of shit surrendered or more likely had taken from them. I can't stand seeing some innocent animal hating it's life because some fucking sociopath thought it would be fun to have for a while. I'd rather turn a dog's life around than grab a puppy that's had it great from a good breeder. Don't fault those who go that route tho, I'm just a pussy when it comes to dogs.

 

One of the rescues I support here in Houston sends dogs up to MN and WI for adoption. The overpopulation problem here makes it impossible to keep dogs from being euthanized. There are very few unwanted and homeless animals in the north, so they transport about 20-30 up every other month to permanent homes found by a local rescue organization. Its a great way to address the overpopulation issue.

 

I don't think we have anywhere near the feral/abandoned dog population that you do in the south. Different cultures when it comes to dog ownership.