Fed up with animal rescue practices

[Rydia]

I am a big supporter of animal rescues and people that gives animals a second chance. However, some take their screening way to far.

I volunteer at my SPCA and many people, some very qualified for adopting a dog or cat, come in to adopt an animal after being denied by a rescue. The reasons? Here's a nice list.

1. Working a 40 hour week
2. having children under 5
3. Having children under 10
4. Not having someone at home full time or retired
5. Missing a vaccination even after getting the animal vaccinated shortly after
6. Not providing a number for a vet even though it is someone's first pet
7. Not agreeing to submit a criminal background
8. Still paying mortgage and not being a home owner
9. Being between the years of 21-30 even though the rescue's policy is that anyone over 21 can adopt.
10. The possibly of having kids in the next 5-10 years even if the person has said that the do not plan to have children
11. The possibility of moving to a new place within the next year

and many more

And yeah, I understand that there are some people that you wouldn't want to adopt to. But from my experience, most people going to rescues are well meaning and do intend to keep the animal for the duration of it's life and agree to return the animal to the rescue if it doesn't work out.

There was some guy that came in, he had a full criminal background check ($90 btw), provided the deed to his house, and he was still denied because he worked a 40 hour work week <.<

It worse when you visit one of these rescues and the staff if chatting among themselves, cages are cleaned out every two days instead of every day, dogs are not exercised or walked, cats are not let out of their cages, animals are underweight. And then they have the nerve to tell someone else that they wouldn't be a good cat/dog owner because they work a 40 hour week <.<

I do not agree with all of the SPCA's practices and some of their policies just piss me off, but many times it's better than these "humane" or no kill shelters. How are these places benefiting the animals if they refuse to only adopt to "perfect" people. And think of how many more they could rescue! And they wonder why people go to back yard breeders, pet stores, and puppy mills to get dogs!

And this is not to say that all rescues are bad. Some are very wonderful and have reasonable guidelines. We work close with a woman that rescues German Shepherds and GSD mixes and her policy isn't near as strict as many other rescues. Before anyone sees her dogs, she interviews them about their lifestyle so that she can match the best dog with them before they get attached to another in her shelter. Unfortunantly, her rescue is often full

 

[Ilyena]

I think it's ridiculous to have such strict guidelines for adopting a pet. Some people have to work a 40 hour work week. Not everyone is well off. And yes, there are some animal breeds that aren't good with children but having children should not be a restriction. I used to babysit for a couple that two children under five. They also had two dogs, a black lab and a golden retriever. These dogs were fantastic with the children and never showed any signs of aggression towards them at all.

You can't expect to want to adopt out animals and then deny anyone who has a life or a family.

When I was still living with my mother and siblings, we had two dogs and two cats. All of us worked regular jobs and my little brother was in school all day, five days a week. Our animals never missed a meal, they were bathed regularly, the dogs were walked every day, we took them to the vet regularly and gave them plenty of love and affection. It's very possible to work a job and still have pets.

I understand wanting to make sure the animals go to a good home but people's lives shouldn't have to revolve around their pets.

I think it's sad that animals are being kept in cages for long periods of time at these rescues because they have such strict adoption rules.

 

[Squid]

I am on a mortgage and have 3 pets which I can take care of easily so that rule is the biggest load of crap!!
The others are crazy too!

I couldn't adopt a puppy coz my first one hadn't been vaccinated yet, so we just bought one from the petshop... dear Animal Welfare League... you just stopped a puppy from entering a loving home D:

 

[Ilyena]

8. Still paying mortgage and not being a home owner
This is kinda understandable. If the pet owner has no house how are they to take care of their pets?

If you're paying a mortgage, you actually live in the house. You just don't fully own it yet. It's sort of like when you buy a car and make payments. It's a silly rule since people actually live in apartments and own pets.

 

[Toshiya]

8. Still paying mortgage and not being a home owner
This is kinda understandable. If the pet owner has no house how are they to take care of their pets?

Um... we don't own our house, and we've had 2 cats for years. What's the problem?

I hate the guidelines My mum's friend went to adopt a cat and she got told she couldn't because she lives on a main road. I mean, she wasn't even allowed to adopt a kitten with the intention of having it as an indoor cat - she already has one indoor cat and it's perfectly happy
I think they should take some of those off at least, surely being an 'indoor' cat or being with children is better than being stuck in a rescue shelter. The only thing I think they should do is a check to make sure whoever wants to adopt one has no record of animal abuse

 

[Valvalis]

The thing I think is silly is, all these rules are based on huge assumptions about people >.> I'm sure there are plenty of animal abusers out there who live in households where someone's there full time, and just because your mortgage is paid off sure as f*** doesn't mean you're a nice person And I'm between 21-30 and I'm sure as hell capable of taking care of my pets

I mean I can see where they might be thinking along the lines of "neglect" if you don't have someone home for enough time, but if a person works a 40 hr week, that means they'll be gone...what, 8 or 9 hours out of a 24-hour day? For a dog you might need to make special arrangements for it not relieving itself in the house, but a cat can adequately take care of itself for that duration of time. They sleep for a good part of the day, you can leave dry food and water for them in dishes, and they can use a litter box to relieve themselves. So long as you don't leave things laying around that they can hurt themselves on, or choke on, they're very easy to take care of

And as far as the mortgage thing, if they're afraid of people losing the mortgage and moving and abandoning the animal, tons of people lose their houses and move to new places and bring their pets with them. I mean hello, it's not hard. If you literally have cut out every luxury expense out of your life--hair and nail appointments, cable TV, going out to dinner, etc.--and still can't afford to take the animal with you, then at least drop it off at a no-kill shelter or give it to a neighbor. If people in that situation just leave their pets behind in the yard or something, then those individuals are sick in the head, but that's certainly not something that everyone does.

I mean really, are they looking at criminal records for animal abuse/neglect to build these stereotyping rules, or just making them up out of their ass? Either way, the answer is not to deny caring people the chance to own a lonely animal; the real answer is to make the punishment for abuse/neglect far more severe, to the point where people are absolutely terrified to get caught doing it. Make them fear for their lives or something There's nothing worse than hurting an innocent life on purpose, i.e. every animal in the world.

 

[blakstang98]

I know it's a topic based on personal dislike of animal rescue groups, but this thread pans out more to be a debate than a life issues-type thread.

*Thread Moved to The Sleeping Forest*

 

[Rydia]

The background checks are to make sure the person has never committed a felony. Most people do not completely own their homes. They are living in a house but are still paying it off. Yes people are losing their homes, but many are trying their best to keep their animals. Some that absolutely can't have the decency to drop them off at shelters.

These are common reason why people abandon their pets, and some are pretty stupid.
1. Not enough time for the animal.
2. Owner died
3. Owner's divorced and did not know what to do with the animal
4. Dog as a puppy was mouthing
5. The puppy chewed on things
6. Dog is too hyper (Do breed research people!)
7. The dog does not match the furniture (yes this is true!)
8. New baby comes
9. Can't afford the pet
10. People lost their homes and have to move to a pet unfriendly apartment.
11. The dog got to big. (Yeah St. Bernards do in fact get HUGE, I thought most people knew that)

And yes, those guidlines do make too many assumptions about people. The majority of people who rescue intend to keep the animal for the duration of it's life. Those that do eventually abandon the animal typically wanted the cute puppy or kitten. Most animals are given up with in the first two years of it's life.

 

[Ilyena]

The thing is, debt or bills can cause you to lose the house.

Debt or bills can cause you to lose an apartment as well or a rented house. You can't just assume that because this person is paying a mortgage that they will eventually lose the house. Plenty of people rent houses and apartments and own pets. Not owning a house should have nothing to do with whether or not you should be able to own a pet.