# Most of these adoption rescue places are out of their mind.



## dredges (May 18, 2012)

When my girlfriend "now fiance'" and I were looking to adopt a pup we tried to adopt a few dogs we found on petfinder and every time it was just ridiculous.
Fist off I understand you have costs, and food and shots etc... all cost money but some of these places around the Detroit Metro area were asking upwards of $200-$500 to adopt a pet.
Then came the requests to fill out an application before even discussing the dog your interested in.
Next came the denied applications due to not having a fenced in yard.

Mind you I was inquiring about toy-small sized dogs. 
I think requiring a fence is absolutely absurd. Fences are a bonus but not everyone has that option and these dogs need homes right? Just because I don't have a fenced in yard doesn't mean I won't walk the dog or bring him to dog parks to get exercise, etc.... 

So I started leaving that part off or lying about it, just to get a chance.
Then I found a dog that sounded perfect, contacted the rescue who put me through to the foster house etc,, turns out she wanted to come over and inspect my house first, mind you my address is in a nice city, no where near the ghetto. 

So I agreed and set up an appointment for her to bring the dog over, which she broke 3 times at the last minute. Then while emailing I found out that the dog had Parvo as a young pup and was still recovering and something was mentioned about not leaving the house for more than 3 or 4 hours max or it would be considered cruel.

I ended up saying forget this whole thing and we went out and bought a puppy from a local woman that breeds 3 or 4 different dogs at her house, they're all pets and I saw her house and all the dogs, met our dogs parents, saw their papers etc... 

I admit it wasn't the ideal situation, I'm a big believer in adopting, but nothing interested us at the shelters and the rescues were all nuts.
Our dog's breeder seemed competent and the vet spoke highly of her but now our 18 month old Brussels Griffon has bad knees and I can't help wondering if it was from sloppy breeding or something? She made us sign a contract not to breed our dog because we didn't want to pay extra for papers, which we were fine with because we're not ever going to breed him etc.. 
After we get Married next May we will want to get another dog and I'll be faced with the same dilemma again.

Last time I spoke to our Pups breeder she said she ended up selling my dog's parents, so were they really pets to her?, seems fishy but from looking at her last 18 months of ads it seems like she owns a pair of 3 breeds which she pairs off or does designer popular cross breeds.

Ugh, maybe we will do better at adoption events


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

Anyone who is breeding multiple dogs is not breeding for the right reasons. If I ever go a dog from a breeder I would like to at least see they did the proper health testing of the parents!

As for needing a yard, from what I understand about your area (we have a long time member from there)...is that dogs being left out as land ornaments is a HUGE issue. So in that case I can understand why a fence is required. Is it a little strict, sure! But these rules and restrictions are put into place to ensure the dog they have spent time and money and energy on gets the best home they can find and is not just going to be homeless again in 2 months. 

So even though no, you were not going to just tie your dog outside and leave it there, there are plenty of people that would. Thats the problem with the US in general, one person does something undesirable then the rest of us get punished for it.

I know a lot of people on here do not like rescues/shelters for this reason. They have tons of restrictions and requirements. For example if you have an unaltered dog you can not adopt another, is usually their rule. I personally do not have issue with any of these requirements, even though I cannot currently adopt a dog because of them.


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## FBarnes (Feb 17, 2013)

I agree that some rescues cut off their own nose to spite their face. A puppy is always going to cost more than an older dog but when they charge $400-$500 you have to wonder how people don't do just as you did, buy from a BYB - and if their goal is to save dogs that's not accomplishing anything.

I adopted two dogs from rescues - neither was that difficult. One was via their website and the first time I met the dog or the rescue people was when I drove six hours to pick him up. The other was pretty much simple as pie - I went to the pet store where they were holding an adoption event and met everyone, met the dog - they got to know me and pretty much knew before the home visit if I didn't have 60 cats in my basement they would let me have the dog I wanted. If I were to adopt again that's what I would do - go to meet the dog. No forms to fill out, personal interaction etc. No cold website where they have to decide based on a form.


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## dredges (May 18, 2012)

I know what your referring to, yes Detroit is bad news with the pitts being tied up outside, but I'm no where near that area. I live where Mitt Romney grew up, if that tells you anything about the area ;-)
We live in a 4 bedroom brick ranch built in the 50's, not a mansion, but no one around here ties there dog out for any period of time, but that remeinds me of another example.

I befriended this one local rescue group on facebook and they posted a snide remark about how during a home inspection for a potential adopter's application they found a "tie out" in the back yard and immediately shunned the couple and denied them.

As the drama unfolded it turned out the tie out belonged to the couples sister who was visiting with her little Yorkie and she tied him out to go potty every morning so he wouldn't slip out from under the fence and run away.

The rescue made total asses out of themselves by repeatedly saying that tie outs were cruel and barbaric and they would never adopt to anyone that would allow them on their property. etc...

It was handled so poorly, the people ended up seeing the post and were on there freaking out about how dare you air our dirty laundry and slander us as unfit dog owners etc...

haha 

Anyways back to your point about seeing test results we didn't do that because we met with her local vet and they just raved about how great the dogs parents were and how good she was with bringing all the pups in regularly etc..


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I do rescue, yes we make everyone fill out an adoption application with references, and we check them. Adoption fees are based on how old the dog is and has nothing to do with how much money was spent on said dog (spay/neutering, shots, blood work, heart worm test, fecal testing, dentals, etc) On top of that we do a home check which is necessary as people lie all the time. Fenced yard is necessary for a varied amount of reasons, 1. being these dogs love to escape out the door, they think its a game. 2. knowing that the dog can have some area to potty without being kept on a leash. People are never encouraged to leave their dog out in the yard unattended. The other reason people lie is when you ask if they have other pets and they say no until you actually do a home check. Rescues aren't in it for the money I can tell you that, most of us spend thousands out of our pocket for dogs entrusted to them for fostering while waiting for their furever home.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Are there any animal shelters in your area? Usually they aren't so pricey and particular


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

I agree that some rescues and even "good" breeder sometimes seem to almost push people into getting a pup from less "ideal" areas. Some reasons I was denied before I went the less ideal way: I had a large dog (hello, 14 yr old golden with a history of living with small dogs), no vet background (uh, when you see a vet maybe twice a year, they don't exactly remember you), I had young children (umm, 10 and 13 aren't exactly little and they had grown up with dogs), and the final straw: I worked (yeah, and had a puppysitter all lined up).
On the bad knees, my one pup who's parents tested clear is the one with a bad knee.


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

If you can't adopt through a rescue you will likely have less luck with a reputable breeder. You can decide which way you want to go and form some relationships, if people know you, know you are trustworthy and a decent owner they are more likely to work with you. Restrictions are in place to weed out the idiots and the high likelihood of return. So you will walk the dog, but a lot of people won't and pretty soon the dog without a fenced yard is back in the system. It's just easier not to risk it for most rescues. If you go through smaller local humane societies and shelters, not rescues you can probably find one that will give a pet to anyone who seems nice. My parents got a mini schnauzer, fixed, chipped, for $0 while on vacation, in an rv, with a cat from some crazy shelter a few years ago. And yes you bought from a byb, sound like about a damn puppy mill, multiple breeders, multiple litters all the time? A reputable breeder will health test, which you can see the results online yourself, will show or work their dogs in some manner and possibly temperament testing. Not breeding pets, or withholding papers, chances are they don't exist anyways because papers don't "cost more" and the breeder can choose limited or full registration.


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## dredges (May 18, 2012)

So am I hearing this right, a person must have a fenced in yard to be a responsible dog owner?

I think whiteleo and goingpostal just proved my point about rescues being out of their minds.
If these guys had their way only people living in wilderness sanctuaries would be able to keep a pet ;-) 



Everyone that rents, lives in a condo or subdivision or lives in an apartment, please surrender your abused dogs immediately!


When my dog wants out he goes to the door and rings the bell tied to the knob, then I tell him to "sit" and "wait" till I'm out the door and on to the porch, then I say "yes through" and he comes out, then I tell him to "sit" and "wait" again while I attach the evil tie out cable to his collar. Then I say "yes through" again for him to go down the stoop and into the yard, from the porch I say "good boy, do your business!" and leave him unattended in the yard while I go back inside. About 3 -5 minutes later I'll hear a scratch at the door where I'll make him sit, wait and yes through all over again to get back inside, then I'll give praise and sometimes a treat. You people are nuts, I suspect fenced yard people probably leave their dogs unattended in the back yard to dig holes under the fence and escape.

If my dog didn't come to the door within 5-10 minutes I would know something was wrong where someone with a fence might not figure that out for a lot longer amount of time.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I think it depends on the dog whether or not it needs a fenced yard and Yes, the breed of dog that I do rescue for requires a fenced yard. There are many reputable rescues out there that require a fenced yard, but if everything checked out in your application besides having a fenced yard then they should still contact you. Yes, I look at how often the dog goes to the vet as we check references, and a vet will keep your records so if you say that they didn't it either means you didn't have a personal vet and just went to whoever was available, I personally would look down on that type of vet care.


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## FBarnes (Feb 17, 2013)

I went lots of years without regular vet care - healthy dogs, we never vaccinated except for rabies. These days the vets not only know me by name, they send me thank you cards for their swimming pools and trips to Europe.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

FBarnes said:


> I went lots of years without regular vet care - healthy dogs, we never vaccinated except for rabies. These days the vets not only know me by name, they send me thank you cards for their swimming pools and trips to Europe.


I may not vaccinate my dogs anymore but they do get rabies every 3 yrs. they still go in for their yearly checkup and blood work as I may miss something like heart issues etc.


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

when you seldomly go to the vet, the most that they'll have to really say is that you bring your pup in for vaccinations and physicals. If it's a large practice with a lot of "passing through" patients, it is unlikely they'll remember you and will tell them that they need to look you up in the system which the rescue can decide is a negative thing


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

I'm sorry but your arguement doesn't stand up well when you call rescue ppl nuts


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## dredges (May 18, 2012)

what do you mean by that?

My argument was confirmed by 2 rescue people here, not that they're literally "nuts" but about them requiring fenced yards at least


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

To the OP: you didn't research the breeder, now have a dog with bad knees; what did you expect?


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

after bubba, we called our pug rescue in our city....we were told we would not be approved for a pug because:

a. our fence in our rambler retirement home was not enclosed, even though we have baby gates to close it off....and pugs should never be left outside to begin with..

and

b. we rent. we rent because we don't wish to own, as if it is anyone's business...that we rent. 

so i agree that rescues can and do shoot themselves in the foot sometimes...

i realise people are crappy for the most part.....i do...but a whole population of great dog owners are eliminated because we are being punished for the ones who do not do right.

because of this, i will never get a rescue again. i simply do not need the stress.....so, in truth, i am one more person who rescued for the past thirty years who is no longer available for rescue.

i get the rules . i do not get that rescue groups do not use their common sense and instincts.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

I rescued a Blue Heeler mix in May this year. I truly thought I would be turned down because we don't have a fence either. But, I emphasised on the application form that I already own a Blue Heeler mix, that I'm aware of their energy and exercise requirements and that I am an exception to the rule because I ensure my current dog gets 5miles plus a day plus all the other swimming, and dogpark each day. Even though we do not have a fence. And, whats more, if I'm out in the garden working, then yes, my dog is on a tie-out with me, not stuck inside by themselves. The rescue organisation did call my vet, who admittedly does know me and my dogs well, and I was approved within a day.
There are exceptions to the rule, you just have to give them what they want, if you know the breed and are let them know you understand what that breeds particular needs are and that you are prepared to meet them and how you are prepared to meet them.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

MollyWoppy said:


> I rescued a Blue Heeler mix in May this year. I truly thought I would be turned down because we don't have a fence either. But, I emphasised on the application form that I already own a Blue Heeler mix, that I'm aware of their energy and exercise requirements and that I am an exception to the rule because I ensure my current dog gets 5miles plus a day plus all the other swimming, and dogpark each day. Even though we do not have a fence. And, whats more, if I'm out in the garden working, then yes, my dog is on a tie-out with me, not stuck inside by themselves. The rescue organisation did call my vet, who admittedly does know me and my dogs well, and I was approved within a day.
> There are exceptions to the rule, you just have to give them what they want, if you know the breed and are let them know you understand what that breeds particular needs are and that you are prepared to meet them and how you are prepared to meet them.


we told the pug rescue the same. we offered to let them come and visit. we said we had owned dogs for a long time and would do whatever it took.

they were firm in their rules. i realise not every one is so firm that they cannot see the forest for the trees.

if i'm going to pay adoption fees and pay them i would, gladly, then i expect to be treated with courtesy and respect and i would like the caseworker to NOT lump me in with others, even if it takes two to three visits...

if i'm going to pay the same money for someone who only sees the rules and not the person, i will be more than happy to protest with my money and go to a reputable breeder......


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## FBarnes (Feb 17, 2013)

Although I think Penny's adoption is an example of a rescue with some common sense. They aren't all going down the checklist, no, no, no, yes. They took her situation into consideration when deciding to bend the rules and adopt to her.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

Magicre I can understand where your coming from and that you have a bad taste in your mouth because of a bad experience. 

But I can see the other side of things as well. I know some die hard rescue ppl that continually put their heart and soul into the dogs they rescue. Then end up having them returned in 6 months, after believing they found the perfect home. The rescue I volunteer with does not require a fence but they also don't want to see dogs a lawn ornaments. I think the rescue I volunteer with is willing to compromise in certain cases and very reasonable. 

I did a HV (Home Visit) a couple of months ago. The family was fantastic but they were in the middle of basically gutting their house and they wanted a puppy. I'm sorry but get a puppy once your renovations are complete not while you have debris, tools, nails and wires everywhere. So in that case they were not approved for adoption.

I will always support rescue even though my first rescue experience turned out to be a borderline dog hoarder (well the owner was not the volunteers)--I will not give up though, I need to believe good people exist in this world.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

As specific breed rescues go, we have lists of names of people NOT to adopt to, they get passed from state to state.


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## dredges (May 18, 2012)

InkedMarie said:


> To the OP: you didn't research the breeder, now have a dog with bad knees; what did you expect?


Didn't I say I spoke to her vet?
Should I have hired a private investigator? 

I went to her vets office, the girls behind the counter knew her by name and were all envious that I was getting a "breeder's name" pup.
Met with her vet, he said that she has been a customer for over 20 years, has an awesome reputation, always goes above and beyond. etc...
said my dog's parents had never had pups before but both dogs were healthy and loved. He even said he owned one of the breeders puppies as his own pet.

Now my regular vet doesn't know if my dogs bad knees are genetic, a result of an injury or from a development issue. So what ev's


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

InkedMarie said:


> To the OP: you didn't research the breeder, now have a dog with bad knees; what did you expect?


Sadly, even with extensive research, you can end up with a "bad" pup. I know of one breeder who's line tested clear and had a couple of litters from a set of parents with no issues. The third litter ended up with a pup with bad knees which the breeder paid to get fixed for her puppy's owners. A great breeder with "cleared", "proven" parents and oops, out of the blue, a "faulty" puppy. Having a good breeder with health tested parents doesn't guarantee a pup with no issues, just improves the odds.


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## Boxers&Pom's Mom (Jan 17, 2011)

I don't have luck either trying to rescue a dog. My dogs are my children and if they only visit my Facebook page they can see how they live, better than some humans. I just got a rescue dog, the others I had to buy from a breeder.


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

dredges said:


> Didn't I say I spoke to her vet?
> Should I have hired a private investigator?
> 
> I went to her vets office, the girls behind the counter knew her by name and were all envious that I was getting a "breeder's name" pup.
> ...


You should be finding out what testing was done on the parents, grandparents and verifying it by checking it online. You spoke to the vet? About what? Unless the vet is the one that did all the requisite testing, he can't tell you about the health.


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

Celt said:


> Sadly, even with extensive research, you can end up with a "bad" pup. I know of one breeder who's line tested clear and had a couple of litters from a set of parents with no issues. The third litter ended up with a pup with bad knees which the breeder paid to get fixed for her puppy's owners. A great breeder with "cleared", "proven" parents and oops, out of the blue, a "faulty" puppy. Having a good breeder with health tested parents doesn't guarantee a pup with no issues, just improves the odds.


You are correct but it doesn't sound like the necessary testing was one. Getting a puppy from a reputable breeder who does the testing is certainly better than buying from one who does not.


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

Dredges, what kind of dog do you have? Is it some sort of brussells griffon mix??




I am one of those people that has a dog from a great breeder, who health tests, lines were clear from patella issues, and Murphy has subluxated patellas. Not always a genetic issue, sometimes, it just happens.


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## dredges (May 18, 2012)

he's a pure bred Brussels Griffon "Griffon Bruxellois", he just needs a grooming in most of these pics


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

Rescues have the welfare of the dog as their main interest. if you don't meet the standards
of the rescue that's not the rescues fault. you can always do what's necessary to meet the
standards of the rescue. lying about your position is far from meeting the standard of the rescue.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

lauren... i don't disagree....i've only adopted rescues for 30 years or more.....there are rescues who are so wonderful, i don't know how they do it. 

it is too bad that some are becoming the way they are.....and the restrictions they place have been beyond my comprehension.

i will always support adoption and rescue.....although i may, no longer, engage in rescue.

that said, my charity, Old Dog Haven, in WA state .....they are filled with saints. i don't know how they do this day by day...but they are angels.......and i'm glad they do the job that i cannot. 

and my one negative experience in no way sours me on the wonderful people who form transport chains to get a dog out of a bad situation and transported to a better place....the out of pocket money spent.....

i just cannot be a part of it any longer....


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

doggiedad said:


> Rescues have the welfare of the dog as their main interest. if you don't meet the standards
> of the rescue that's not the rescues fault. you can always do what's necessary to meet the
> standards of the rescue. lying about your position is far from meeting the standard of the rescue.


if i have to buy a house in order to meet qualifications, then something is wrong.


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## dredges (May 18, 2012)

doggiedad said:


> Rescues have the welfare of the dog as their main interest. if you don't meet the standards
> of the rescue that's not the rescues fault. you can always do what's necessary to meet the
> standards of the rescue. lying about your position is far from meeting the standard of the rescue.


because toy breeds need a fenced in yard and tie outs are cruel and unusual


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## starturtle (Jul 12, 2012)

I am another "crazy" rescue person. I hate when people get denied then bad mouth rescues. There are reasons rescues are like they are and it comes from experience. I agree not every rescue is good and uses common sense, but it doesn't make them crazy.

I can tell you why a toy dog may need a fenced in yard, their history. Many toy dogs in rescue and shelters come from puppy mills where they have spent their whole lives in a cage. I have seen some dogs terrified to move on a leash or the minute you set them down they bolt. In these cases we do require fences. I have also seen a Shepherd mix go to a home with an electric fence which is usually a no but because this dog could jump regular fences and having one didn't do any good we approved the adoption.

I don't agree with generic "must haves" each situation is different. A good rescue should discuss the reasons why they will not adopt a dog to you. What most people don't understand is that while you think/know you are this great dog owner, rescues don't. Rescue's exist because of bad owners and many of those thought they were great too. The point of a rescue is to place the dog in a permanent home that suits it best, not everyone is that home. Although everyone thinks they are. 

Like Doggiedad said the welfare of the dog is what is important. We will not place a dog in a home were it is set up to fail.


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## dredges (May 18, 2012)

many have the fenced yard thing as a requirement on the application, not as a per dog basis like you suggest.

I'll watch what I say from now on I didn't realize people take descriptive verbs like most are "Crazy" as personal attacks.
I'm just having a conversation, didn't mean to upset anyone


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## rescuedogs (Mar 13, 2013)

If a fenced yard was a requirement & stated as such beforehand, why would you bother to apply to that rescue if you didn't have a fence? 

Our rescue doesn't make it a requirement for all dogs, but some dogs really do need a fence for some specific reason & I try to state that near the beginning of any online description I have for them. Just like some dogs would not do well with kids or with cats or with other dogs or maybe with dogs of the same gender. If it is a requirement, then I won't consider applications that don't meet that requirement. We are also a very small rescue, so we have made exceptions - small means we have flexibility, but we don't have a large selection. 

I understand you were looking for a certain type of dog, but maybe the next time you are looking, you should choose a rescue first & then look for a dog. 

Please also try to remember that we aren't a grocery or other retail outlet. We aren't producing for the market, we take what comes our way. Our rescue pulls from a rural shelter - we don't cherry-pick, we pull from the long-timers list - the dogs most in danger of being euthanized. Some rescues pull puppies, some are breed specific. Some rescues value the quantity over the quality of adoptions. All are different & no rescue is going to please every adopter.

I have a few absolutes that disqualify people from adopting from me. I don't adopt animals to be outside pets - either dogs or cats; I don't adopt to people who think an inside dog sleeps in the garage at night; I don't adopt out my cats (I don't foster too many) to anyone who plans to de-claw them. Do my requirements upset some people - absolutely. Have I missed out on good homes? Possibly. But there are some things that I feel very strongly about. 

However, I would NEVER - NOT EVER - post on any Facebook page about an adopter without their permission. And absolutely never post anything about a potential adopter that was denied. That is totally unprofessional & I cringed when I read that part of your post. I don't know which rescue did that, but I know other rescues like that - it demeans all of us.


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## Jan Fred (Jul 23, 2013)

> Anyone who is breeding multiple dogs is not breeding for the right reasons. If I ever go a dog from a breeder I would like to at least see they did the proper health testing of the parents!


 I agree on this, my co-teacher has a Pitbul ( cross breed ) who has a strange behavior. This might be the result of cross breeding.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

rescuedogs said:


> If a fenced yard was a requirement & stated as such beforehand, why would you bother to apply to that rescue if you didn't have a fence?
> 
> Our rescue doesn't make it a requirement for all dogs, but some dogs really do need a fence for some specific reason & I try to state that near the beginning of any online description I have for them. Just like some dogs would not do well with kids or with cats or with other dogs or maybe with dogs of the same gender. If it is a requirement, then I won't consider applications that don't meet that requirement. We are also a very small rescue, so we have made exceptions - small means we have flexibility, but we don't have a large selection.
> 
> ...


in my opinion, there are no absolutes....other than the 'outside dog' mentality.

demeans rescues?

what about the person with the best of intentions who is denied because so many rescues are big fish in little ponds and have the power of yay and nay at their fingertips. 

how do you suppose i feel when i'm told that because i am renting..i cannot have a pug. i have to own a house to have a dog?

i was qualified to rescue prior to selling my house? 

all things being equal, there are rescues who should be outed. there are rescues who should be treated in the same way that so many breeders are treated....lumped into the same category as being byb or puppy mill and doing the world a disservice because oh no!...they breed dogs to improve on the lines. natural rearing breeders lumped in with puppy mills.

there are wonderful rescues out there.....i can think of one off hand called old dog haven where i live. they take in senior throw away dogs....it's heartbreaking.

but i guarantee if ever i wanted to adopt a senior, i'd be approved because they look beyond the rent check, beyond the fence, beyond the 'requirements' and actually see the person who is adopting. 

would that all rescues did that.


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## Jan Fred (Jul 23, 2013)

> Yolanda Sevogia’s neighbor, Stacey Savige, calls her one morning asking if she could hold an eye on a bewildered terrier she found wandering around the local elementary school. Yolanda says yes to watch the dog, but informed Stacey it would only be for the day. The two gals took photos of the dog and printed off 4,000 FOUND circulars, stuffed them in post boxes and also placed a flyer on Craigslist.
> 
> In the meantime, Yolanda bought some pet supplies in a dollar store, telling her two sons not to be amazed with dogs. During the time Yolanda’s son Asia was 10 years old, and Christian was 21 years old. Christian has Down syndrome and an some other ailments, and had lately undergone kidney and heart surgeries.
> 
> ...


 a heart warming story worth sharing eace:


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## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

I have had bad experiences with rescues from the 3 attempts I made at 3 different rescues (at 3 different stages of my life). 

First one, I was too young (was 19 at the time, they wanted 21). Second one, my kids were under 6 (nevermind they were used to small dogs/guinea pigs and had great animal handling manners). This last one about 8 weeks ago, my kids were STILL too young (now they are requesting over 10!) They all want retired people who are home all day with no kids and no other pets, blah blah blah. 

I did exactly the same as the OP with the first rejection. Went out to a byb and purchased a minpin (who had some awful temperament issues), that we worked with his entire life with all his naughtiness (but, boy, did he teach me all lessons dog!) and he passed away happy and old. 

The second time I ended up finding a breeder who shows/health tests her dogs (for Echo my pwd). The third time, I found another reputable breeder (for my mini poodle). 

The rescues miss out on a lot of great families, IMO. I understand their motivations, but holy cow, some of the requirements and home visits (which I don't mind, I'm always happy to show off my dogs' own room!) and applications, etc are ridiculous. They end up pushing these frustrated, sad and eager to adopt a pet people to pet stores (puppy mill dogs!) and byb's! "Reputable" breeders are a lot of time VERY expensive for the average person, so they are generally avoided. 
I've been in dogs 17 years now ,and I see this type of thing happen over and over. 

Anyway, yeah. I respect the rescues for what they are trying to do but after this last experience of trying to adopt, I will not even consider it anymore. This was for a 2 yr old male mini poodle who "loves everyone" and "loves to play" who sounded perfect for us. Because my youngest is 7 they wouldn't even consider it. I even invited them over to see how she interacts with our 4 lb three legged chihuahua and our 3 lb guinea pigs and bunny and was declined anyway. <shrugs> Very frustrating!


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## zootv (Mar 8, 2014)

My application was recently denied at a particular rescue. I have adopted over 10 dogs over the past 15+ years. Most of them older, ages 2-3. Never was denied before. But their reasoning was I had too many dogs, I had 3 already. Really? If they really read my application, they would see I have always had 4 dogs during the past 10 years. I only have 3 now because my 5 yr old border died from kidney disease.

What irks me is they didn’t even bother to call any of my references or do a home check. They wouldn’t return my phone calls or emails when I asked if we could discuss this further. My wife and I don’t have kids, and we adopt only herding breeds as I do agility and herding competitions. I’ve had rescues ask me to take a dog because a lot of these dogs aren’t good with small children. I had a rescue who normally don’t adopt out of state let me adopt 2 dogs, which I drove to Tennessee from Florida to get them.

I took the time to fill out an app, they should have at least took the time to call my references and did a home check, or at least call me to discuss without flat out dismissing me. I know everyone is busy, but it is call common courtesy. Granted, not everyone can handle 4 dogs, but if someone has the experience and time (my wife works 100% from home) they shouldn’t be overlooked. 
So I hear ya shamrock, very frustrating indeed.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Yeah, thats pretty rude not to return phone calls or emails. I understand your frustration as you sound like the perfect home for a herding breed.
You are like me actually, I drove to Mississippi from SW FL to get Joe, my little ACD mix. Mississippi was a little bit further away than I realised.


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## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

zootv: I think the rescue group really missed the boat in so easily dismissing your application. Yours sounds like a much better home situation for a herding breed rescue dog compared to where they might end up letting one of their dogs go to: a family with both parents working outside the home to some degree, with a younger child, and without a full grasp of the demands and attributes of herding dogs. We used to have an Aussie which was by far the most intelligent but active dog we've ever had. They're not for everyone.


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

rescues have the interest of the dog in mind. you have to qualify.

dredges: your breeder sounds shady to me. why do have to pay extra
for papers? why would you want another dog from this breeder knowing
your dog has bad knees? i quess you didn't have your dog x-rayed at
6 months and again at 2 years old.


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## LProf (Nov 12, 2013)

Restrictions and requirements imposed by a particular rescue group may seem unreasonable, but they are imposed for a reason. And that reason is usually based upon the past experiences of the rescue group.

Most know what they are doing in terms of their requirements, and you can be sure that they have the best interests of their dogs in mind.

I have worked with Pug rescue, so know the problems these rescue groups have experienced. They do great work for the breeds they rescue, and the fosters and other volunteers put in a great deal of time solely because of their love for the dogs.


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## dredges (May 18, 2012)

"dredges: your breeder sounds shady to me. why do have to pay extra
for papers? why would you want another dog from this breeder knowing
your dog has bad knees? i quess you didn't have your dog x-rayed at
6 months and again at 2 years old."

doggiedad: 
_"your breeder sounds shady to me_".I have already answered these questions but I will try to explain again.
the breeder had/ has an excellent reputation in the local area with lots of people, including the vet that referred her,
papers cost more for her, if I wanted to breed our pet we would have been required to purchase the papers,
she offered the dog without papers because she knew we wanted to neuter him and that we were after a pet and not breeding stock.

_"why would you want another dog from this breeder knowing
your dog has bad knees?"_ I don't remember ever saying I did, but since I wrote this thread close to a year ago I guess it's possible, I'm not going to bother rereading it to find out.
I would assume if I said I would consider getting another pup from her that it would be for the reasons listed above.

_"i quess you didn't have your dog x-rayed at
6 months and again at 2 years old."
_ of course not, why would I routinely get my pet x-rayed? 
I got him x-rayed when he developed knee issues, the vet said he couldn't determine if the problem genetic or an injury, 
or exactly what the problem was, saying it could be 2 things.

Being that the dog was so young we chose not to do any surgeries,
we did a few acupuncture treatments with a holistic vet, but other than that we let his knees heal on their own.

I'm happy to report that our dog is doing much better and isn't in pain. He runs around just fine, but can't jump up on the sofa or our bed, but we help him up.
We feel that this is better than surgery for the dog at this young age, if the condition worsens we will see a specialist.

IF we get another dog, I doubt I would ever consider a rescue for the reasons listed in this thread; ie.. 
high costs/ equal to breeders many of times
dogs with previous medical issues/ that dog I wanted was recovering from Parvo or something
abuse issues/ you never know true history
rescues requiring fenced yards, work from home owners, expect you to never be gone more than a couple hours, think a tie out is cruel and unusual...... etc....

I'm sure some are great, most probably mean well, but in my experience not worth the hassle, disappointment and frustration.


thanks,
ps.
I'm unsubscribing from this thread because I have nothing more to add on the subject and I can see where this is going


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## Dogstar (Jan 1, 2016)

We paid around $350 for our shelter dog. No fence requirements.


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