Several years ago, a friend of mine wanted to adopt a specific breed. She reached out to a number of breed-specific rescues who all told her the same thing: Sorry, you don’t have a fenced-in yard.
So, what did she do? She contacted a reputable breeder in her state and purchased a pup.
Did I mention she’s a vet tech? And she can bring her dog to work? She’s single, owns her own townhouse that, no, doesn’t have a backyard, but in literally every regard would’ve been the perfect person to rescue any pup.
Thank goodness every rescue doesn’t have that policy. We adopted both Emmett and Lucas while living in a condo that, yes, we owned but had no direct access outdoors.
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In another instance, very recently, I was somehow added to a threaded discussion on Facebook about electric fences. The original poster was an adoption coordinator or counselor for a foster-based rescue I think. She asked whether or not rescues allowed dogs to be adopted into a home with an electric fence. The answer, of course, was a resounding no way. There were probably close to 50 comments before I left the thread, all stating that an electric fence precludes someone in every case because they’re dangerous, they let wild animals in, they rely on shock, etc., etc., etc.
Now, I’m not a fan myself for a host of reasons, but. I know many incredible pet parents who have electric fences for a variety of reasons. In one case, a vet who took phenomenal care of Emmett in his aging years has one in addition to a fence because her dog was an escape artist and she needed a second line of defense. And, at least here in the Midwest, HOAs stipulate all kinds of crazy things, including whether or not you can have a fence and what it looks like. If someone’s only option is an electric fence, and no shelter or rescue will adopt to them, it’s not stopping them from getting a dog! They can, like a cousin did, get a pup from a rehome situation posted on cragislist, or from a dog printed in the newspaper, or, like my friend did, from a breeder.
Anyone who wants a dog will get a dog.
So, why do rescues make it so hard to adopt a pet?
I’m talking specifically about barriers to adoption, which speaks to a much, much larger issue I touch on in a minute. I realize that, sure, rescues and shelters have to create criteria for adoptions. They need to conduct some research into the person wanting to adopt to make sure that their animals are going into a good home… but who defines good?
In my time volunteering in all sorts of rescues in a number of states, I’ve seen criteria that included:
- must have a fenced-in yard
- out-of-state adoptions can’t already have a pet in the home (from a breed-specific rescue that does transport)
- no electric fences
- must own your own home or provide a letter from you landlord stating you can have a pet
- submit to a home visit
- submit references
- be home during the day
I’ve read news stories about fantastic potential adopters being denied for all sorts of reasons, like:
- being over a certain age
- having a pool (in our new home, that would preclude us from adopting a buddy for Cooper, something on our “someday” dream list)
- no puppies to first-time dog owners
- not being home during the day
That list could go on, but the bottom line for each point is that they’re making assumptions about the kind of person you are based on subjective criteria, which prevents some good people from adopting animals. And, as I said, that doesn’t prevent them from getting animals because, let’s be honest, you can get a dog or cat from just about anywhere at anytime. We found fosters Molly and Petey dumped in the bayou. We found Newt, essentially, in a parking lot. We found Ripley through friends who had a pregnant cat give birth in their barn.
The other thing about that list is that those are barriers that apply to only a certain percentage of the population.
I’m going to insert a big pause here and jump topics to animal shelter volunteers.
Bear with me because it all comes full circle…
There’s been a ton of research into volunteerism across all kinds of industries, but there have been several recent publications surrounding volunteerism in animal shelters. One of the main questions, of course, is how to retain volunteers for the long haul. However, for the purposes of our discussion, I want to take a look at demographic data that seems consistent:
A national sample of 426 animal welfare volunteers was given modified versions of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2007) annual “Volunteering in the United States” survey and of the VFI [Volunteer Functions Inventory]. Results suggest that the typical animal welfare volunteer is female, White, pet-owning, heterosexual, employed, childless, married or partnered, Democrat-leaning, between the ages of 40 and 59, has an income between $50,000 and $99,999, and is Protestant. (source)
OK.
So, here’s the thing: Animal rescue across the board is a middle class white lady thing. Statistically, of course, which doesn’t matter at the individual level where I know lots of animal welfare advocates and volunteers who are not middle class nor white nor ladies. But, by and large, that’s the demographic nationwide.
{{If you haven’t yet read Bronwen Dickey’s Pit Bull, please do. It covers this issue in greater depth than I can here with a lot of the nuance and history accounted for and analyzed. Plus, it’s just a fantastic book.}}
When you take a look at the list of pet adoption barriers, well, the reality is that generally speaking lots of them wouldn’t apply to middle class white families. That’s not to say I think animal welfare intentionally excludes people based on race or the demographic factors related to race (for which I highly, highly recommend digging into in this book. So good and informative, even though she doesn’t tackle animal welfare head-on). Of course it’s not the case for every single person and family in America, but it is statistically the case for many people and families in America.
As I said, I don’t think this is a purposeful problem but rather a set of arbitrary exclusions enacted by many rescues over time that then precluded animal adoptions from being a democratic process.
And, as I also said, those barriers to adoption will never prevent a person from acquiring an animal. They’ll just prevent more shelter animals from finding their way into loving homes that, sure, might not have a fence or might not have a food or vet budget determined by the rescue.
I’ve encountered versions of this discussion around two other topics: the cost of adoptions and the cost of pet care. I have a post on the cost of pet care coming soon, but in my post on the cost of adoptions and the corresponding discussion on Facebook, it was clear that many people do believe there should be an income requirement for pet adoptions. That’s galling to me because it’s basically saying that poor people shouldn’t adopt pets. Ugh. Same goes for those pet food discussions. If someone can’t afford to feed XYZ premium food, then can they truly afford to take care of the pet? so the argument goes. Double ugh.
Matching pets with a suitable home and family is vitally important.
Every shelter, rescue, foster, whatever must have guidelines, of course. A more flexible approach doesn’t mean no barriers whatsoever; it simply means taking into account more types of people and lives.
By the way, whether or not the reasons for denial are just, rescues are privately held organizations that can adopt to whomever they deem fit. However, I’ve recently left two Facebook groups centered around animal adoptions because the threads were so disheartening–not just the electric fence question, but the question about dog food, and the question about apartment dwellers, and the question about reference checks all ended with resounding cries of “exclude them!”
All I can think, though, is this:
A good home, even an imperfect one, is a better home than a shelter.
I’d love to know what you think. I know many of you work or volunteer in animal welfare in some capacity. I have a million tabs saved in my Chrome with anecdotes, policies, research, and so on, but I’d love to hear from those of you with boots on the ground, so to speak. Have you encountered any of these barriers to pet adoption? Do you have experience being prevented from adopting? Or does your volunteer experience track with this? Please share your experience in the comments so we can all learn more about this crazy important topic together!
ADDITIONAL READING:
- Should pet adoptions be free?
- Best Friends’ open-adoption policy
- The ASPCA’s conversation-based approach
- Millions of dogs need homes. Why is it sometimes hard to adopt one? (Incidentally, one of the shelters featured in this WaPo article is where we adopted Lucas!)
- Overcoming Adoption Barriers Research presentation from Best Friends (Note that this file opens a PDF.)
- Million Cat Challenge: Removing Barriers to Adoption (This one includes the newest thinking around the pets as gifts question.)
I could probably (and sometimes do) talk for hours on this subject. I am, in my after work life, the adoption coordinator for a breed specific, foster based rescue. I’ve been on the board since 2015 and the a.c. since fall of that year. We have placed about 700 animals in that time, so not a lot compared to some but for a 7 person board…it’s significant.
We try to follow the most progressive of sheltering policies and use our critical thinking and common sense skills as much as possible and I’ve had heated discussions with people in other rescues regarding their 8 page applications. (Side note-it was just such a lengthy application that inspired me to volunteer many moons ago. I felt if those who ran the rescue saw how awesome I was, they would adopt to me regardless of having one of those nasty 8-5 jobs.)
So, number one, we don’t require a fence and we will adopt to someone with an electric fence. We require common sense. I hate e-fences and always caution that they don’t keep anyone or anything out and I nearly broke my knees once tackling a large golden retriever who decided the reward of playing with the 3 dogs (one reactive) that we were introducing was worth the burn of busting through.
Two- we have a 150 mile barrier which can be lenghthened with an awesome application or tightened with a mediocre one. We take our dogs back and twice have had to travel outside the boundaries for exceptions. Furthermore, there are over a thousand dogs in shelters between me and the 150 mile barrier. Start there.
Once we receive an application I do a criminal background check. Felony for domestic battery? It’s a no. There are other reasons to decline but the focus is getting dogs in good homes.
We do a homeownership check using Property tax records or we personally call the landlord.
We do a vet check. Our contract stipulates you will keep our dog up to date on vaccines and prevention. If your current pets have never seen a vet, that’s an issue. It isn’t a “no,” it is a reason for a conversation. I had a conversation with a potential adopter who though that because they lived in the country their dog didn’t need prevention. Not only was I able to educate them, I also convinced them to have their dog neutered.
Finally I call the potential adopter and we discuss any questions they have and any questions I have. We talk about what they are looking for and who we have that matches that and then set up a meet and greet. Since this is usually in their home that serves as a proforma home visit, but if not, google earth and tax records suffice.
Our return rate is extremely low (less than a percent, I believe) and our success rate is great. We are basically a part of our dogs and our adopters’ lives for the long haul and I believe that is part of what makes us a success.
This open, conversational approach sounds so perfect. Understanding more about a person than the boxes they check on a form seems to make a world of difference as evident by your return rate!! Plus, as I researched this post, I saw a startling and disturbing number of articles about “how to ace your adoption application” or “what to put so you get the dog” kinds of things, and I suspect it’s related to what others have commented: the fear of being judged. Your method sounds like it balances the best for the pet and for the person!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this, especially before your lunch! 😉
I’m trying to adopt a dog and they want my whole life story. So, I just went out and bought a puppy with no questions asked. That is exactly what you’re trying to prevent, but with your policies you’re leaving people no choice. it should not be so hard to adopt a dog from a shelter. I would rather adopt then buy a puppy, but your policies are preventing me from adopting. Who is coming up with these rules? And what are they thinking? I have a superb track record of dealing with animals going back over 30 years. But, your policies are too intrusive and they’re just ridiculous.
I completely agree B. I’ve had pets my whole life. My parents are responsible pet owners, as am I. All but 1 of our pets was a stray that needed a home. I desperately want to adopt a dachshund or miniature dachshund but I’m gonna just have to buy one from a breeder. Anytime I find one that would suit our family well, they count me out because I don’t have a fence or are too far away. It’s a very discouraging process.
I’ve been trying to adopt a dog from a number of shelters, fosters through petfinder. I’ve filled out over 15 applications. With no contact back.
I’m starting to think its because I’m single and live alone. I work 40 hours a week.
I own my home have a fenced in yard and have owned a pet in the past. She lived 14 years until her passing in 2010. So this wouldn’t be my first time owning a dog.
It is so frustrating. When you are trying to save a dog instead of supporting puppy mills
I agree by so much of this article. Some years ago, I wanted to adopt a Siamese cat. There was a $20 fee just to submit an application! When I was telephoned after submitting my application I was asked how many times my current pets visited their vet? I honestly told them, that I had owned dogs and cats for most of my life, and was well educated as to what happened when they got sick. I gave my own yearly shots including rabies (which was legal at the time) and that I had a “3 DAY RULE” if I noticed my cat acting strangely, if it persisted to the 3rd day, that would require a visit to the vet. I was told I was not a suitable pet parent as “I did not take my pets to the vet TWICE yearly for general check ups!” So guess what happened, I found a kitten I wanted at my local shelter, paid my adoption fee and showed them proof of neutering. When they tried to refund me some of the adoption fee because I had shown proof that my animal was neutered as was their policy, I told them to keep it. That kitten is sitting on the arm of my chair now and is 16 years old. She has been to the vet exactly 4 times in my life, the last 3 times recently. The vet couldn’t believe she was as old as she is and did an entire blood panel on her and said she was very healthy.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Diane. I think your story highlights what a lot of people are mentioning, that the “rules” might better serve the animals and the potential adopters if there’s a nonjudgmental, open conversation. In your case, though, I’d say it worked out perfectly for you and your kitten! Happy sweet 16 to her!
I have worked at and volunteered with a number of shelters in the MD/DC area and in WI where I live now and have definitely witnessed strict/generalized stipulations get in the way of an organization’s mission- to save animals. One of the situations that haunts me to this day is being an adoption counselor for a local musician whose band was becoming very popular nationwide and having to deny him an adoption.The shelter required adopters to live in state (which he technically did), but it was determined by my supervisor that because his band would be touring, it would not be a suitable home for the dog. The judgement was made based on his appearance, profession, and what the shelter manager deemed the “right” life for the animal would be.There was no further discussion with him to ask questions and learn more about his plans, just a decision based on an assumption.(This shelter was also not a no-kill shelter). His band was very successful and he’s now married to Cameron Diaz and they have & have had many rescue dogs over the years. It’s pretty clear that it was something he was/is passionate about and not a whim and that the pup would have been very well taken care of. Leadership has changed there since then; I hear things are continually getting much better and much more progressive.
At the shelter I’ve been volunteering at for the past 6 years, our informal staff/volunteer guiding motto is “Don’t let perfect get in the way of good enough”. We can do more good and serve more animals by operating this way. Also who are we to define what is “perfect” for each animal? I really loved your comment about a good but imperfect home being better than the shelter— it’s a statement that no one in animal welfare can honestly deny.
Oh, wow. What an experience, Christina. I can see why that stays with you…
I LOVE the motto of your new shelter. Your point of who defines “perfect” is such a good one. It’s so arbitrary. In your example, that pet might’ve had the time of his life on a tour bus or whatever, so you just never know. More reason for the conversational approach that takes into account both the individual animal and the individual human.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your story.
I have been rejected from adopting many times (10 to 12 apps) for silly policy reasons like no fenced yard or for living in an apartment. I have never gotten an animal through a rescue or shelter because they either don’t respond at all to my application or rejected it for the fence/apartment issue. I have a hard time even getting approved to foster unless I lie on the app.
Instead, I adopted my cat from a friend, my dog Ace directly from his previous owner and I bought my dog Remy from a breeder. All were positive experienes with open discussions and none required a home visit or references. That’s the key, having a real conversation. The breeder asked a lot of questions, like, are you truly a real runner? Yes! I train for marathons. And Ace’s first owner also talked with me in depth. We both had a lot of questions for each other. Ace could not have been more perfect for me.
There is an extremely high demand for rescued pets in some areas, so many rescues can afford to be picky. A rescue in San Diego I volunteered with charged $500 adoption fees for rescued mixed breeds and people paid this without batting an eye. Rescued purebreds are even more if they’re young enough. I can’t blame the rescues, the demand is there and they of course need the money.
I feel pretty frustrated and helpless sometimes because there are still high kill shelters in the U.S. and around the world with huge intake numbers. I feel so strongly that rescues should ease up at least a little on their standards so they can take on more of the animals from the South, Indian reservations, Mexico, etc. When someone like me can’t get approved I think we have a serious problem. I’m a professional dog blogger, dog walker and part owner of a dog products company.
Holy moly, Lindsay. A dog who landed in your home would be a lucky dog indeed. It’s wild that those arbitrary policies have prevented you from adopting.
I think per your point re: the high demand for rescues, where we used to live is a perfect example. There were few puppies in DC. Spay/neuter campaigns worked, and people were adoption-savvy, so some of the leading shelters starting pulling dogs from the south. Lucas came from the Carolinas as part of that program! And they adopted him to us in a condo with another dog without a home visit! Luckily for us!!
Breed misidentification is another barrier. How many dogs are labeled “pit bulls” because the volunteer can’t identify breeds correctly.
You may have seen some of this already, but there’s actually a push to get rid of breed IDs at some shelters. I did a quick Google for some links for you:
https://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/florida-shelter-removes-breed-identification-labels/
https://www.animalsheltering.org/magazine/articles/no-more-guessing-games
Seems like a step in the right direction!
It’s a tricky thing. I agree some of these requirements are insane. There is a cat shelter I know of who used to require that adopted cats get filtered or bottled water. Tap water was a no no. I think they have since changed this policy, but yes, crazy.
I think some of the barriers to adoption come from good intentions gone wrong and burn out. Shelter volunteers and staff see some pretty horrible stuff and it is hard to stay grounded. Compassion fatigue is similar to PTSD and impacts judgement and sometimes leads to general distrust of adopters in general. When I first started doing adoptions I kind of assumed everyone was great and loved animals. After being burned and lied to by several adopters, I definitely changed and became much less trusting – and maybe even (if I’m honest) a little judgmental at times. I took a break from volunteering for about five years because I was so burned out by all this stuff.
Of course the most important thing is to get more animals adopted and if you are so burned out that you distrust everyone you should probably take a break from volunteering! I guess I can see both sides of this issue.
We had a home visit with Ruby. The rescue required it because of her history. Truthfully, I was glad they required it because it allowed me to test her with Lulu. We needed a dog with basically no prey drive with a rabbit. Ruby passed the test with Lulu and I guess we passed the rescue’s test.
Also, I am proud to say that Chicago Animal Care & Control has a pretty diverse volunteer base – probably still more women, but diverse in terms of age, ethnicity, and economics. In terms of other rescues and shelters in the Chicago area, I would say the cat shelters are still mostly white women, but the dog rescues are younger and more diverse, male/female, etc.
Lots to think about in this post! I’m going to share and pin.
I totally sympathize with that. Compassion fatigue is real, and it’s serious. I don’t know the answer, but your comment sparked a question: Do you think if adoption requirements were less judgmental, more conversation-based, people might be less likely to lie? I’m not sure… just thinking out loud…
We had a home visit for Emmett, too. The rescue we adopted him from required the home visit and then had a 5-day waiting period. But, thankfully, they didn’t require a yard or any of that other stuff… I can’t even begin to fathom how different my life would be today if we hadn’t been approved to adopt Emmett!!!
Thank you for sharing your experience and for sharing this post. I appreciate it (and you!) so much!
To be fair, I think they’re just trying to avoid putting the dog back in a home like the one they got it from. Typically speaking a rescue had a home once, and it was given back.
As a dog groomer, I often get to see what these rescue homes are like. I have brought back their dog’s teeth in a cup because they pawed them out on my work table. I have refused to groom a dog because it’s nails were growing through the paw pad, up out of the top of the foot, and back around into the pad again.
I have had dogs walk in with joints facing the wrong direction, maggots crawling in infected wounds, and peeled 2-3 inches of poop covering matting off the dogs. They all had one thing in common. They were all rescues.
They’d been “rescued” 5 years ago, but the new owners are still using it as an excuse for their dog to be in unspeakable condition!
This isn’t uncommon either. About 20% of the dogs I see have some kind of extremely severe neglect. The kind you call animal control for. And yes, I do think these dogs would be better off in a shelter. At least there a broken leg would be dealt with. Probably.
It does sound like these rescuers are missing out on great homes, but I think a better conversation would be, what’s a better way to screen a complete stranger? How would you replace the questions?
My wife and I are so frustrated trying to adopt a dog. We lost Jasmine, our Lab/ Shepherd mix last August to cancer after having her as part of our family for 12 years. She was from a sh,ever but I had a fence back then. After about 3 months we felt ready to adopt again, but no opportunity because we are not home all day everyday, (I do work from home 3 days a week) and especially because of our electric fence. Many applications, but still no opportunity to adopt. Many of the sites even say no electric fences or require one us to be home daily.
So as mentioned in other posts, the alternative route is purchasing from a breeder, hopefully that isn’t a puppy mill, Craigslist, etc. We are really not necessarily interested in a puppy and know there are so many dogs that need adopted yet don’t get the opportunity. There are dogs in kill shelters that don’t get saved because shelters are full, yet wonderful potential homes are being denied which would otherwise free up pace in a no kill shelter. Does refusing these potential good homes encourage puppy mills due to supply and demand? There are people who get free dogs on Craigslist and resell for a profit. Seriously, how horrible Is that, yet there are wonderful potential homes who resort to Craigslist for these dogs.
Hopefully more shelters will use the common sense approach and talk to me and others rather than our applications. If they did, they would see that we truly treat our dogs as family members, That my pets are always up to date on vaccinations and preventive medicines. That while I have an electric fence, it is wrapped around five of my six acres that we walk with our pets daily. That our pets are seldom outside without us unless for a quick potty break and we stand out the door waiting for them. That our previous house was built as a ranch because our dog had displacia and we wanted to eliminate steps where ever possible and put in a dog bath at floor level to make it easier for her. No place for this on applications.
Hope to find a new furry family member soon and hope we don’t cave in for the alternative options when so many dogs need rescued.
I volunteer as a foster home for dogs, I perform home visits with the rescue and I volunteer for my local humane society. It does frustrate me when I hear stories about people being denied because of fences or lack of breed experience.
The rescue I volunteer for does have a lengthly adoption process with application fees, background checks, and home visits. But I feel the approval rate is pretty high because we do not have any of these crazy rejection issues.
On the other side, as someone looking to adopt a pure breed dog from a breed specific rescue, I am running into the fact they want us to have past experience with this breed, which we don’t. But have done extensive research on this breed and obviously have a ton of experience with rescue dogs. I have been researching breeders because of the lack of response from the rescues. I really didn’t want to get a puppy, but the rescues aren’t leaving us much choice.
I’m so sorry you’re having that experience, Debi. You’re an educated, responsible dog owner. I can’t believe you’re being denied for no past experience with the breed… we all need to start somewhere, after all, and you’d think they would want to encourage folks to start with rescue!! Sending you so many good wishes for the right dog to find your family.
Greetings:)
I liked reading your post very much as it gives me hope! My husband and I have been trying to adopt a new puppy for several months through, essentially any rescue in our state. As of today, I’ve been denied 14 times! Yes, 14. We own our home, have a hobby farm, have tons of experience with puppies, have 2 well socialized dogs, are active outdoors, Very flexible work schedules, a dog walker, and have a vet clinic and equine vet who could attest to all of our animals up to date on vaccines and cares. We don’t want a purebred, just a fun super mutt?
It’s absolutely disheartening! I’m 100% in agreement with the adage “don’t shop, please adopt”. But because we don’t have a fence and our older dog is unaltered, we’ve been denied every time. Not once have our references or vet been contacted! No one will even do a home visit to see our farm and how spoiled our dogs are! I’ve given up at this point.
I haven’t personally tried to adopt a pet, but will when we can get a pet again. We acquired our pets from people who didn’t want them and were ready to bring them to a shelter. With the exception of one dog who was dumped off during the night at the vet I was working at.
I’m all for adopting a pet, but I’ve heard horror stories from people who tried to adopt pets. They ended up like you said buying their pet. I had a neighbor who had two homes, one up north and one in Florida, where we live. They certainly had the funds for a pet, but their home in Florida wasn’t fenced. I’ll stay off my soap box about this.
They were good pet owners and walked their dog twice daily, so it had plenty of exercise. A dog is no safer if it is walked out in the yard to pottie instead of letting it out in a fenced yard. There are dangers to a dog being left alone in a fenced in yard, if the owner doesn’t go with the dog (snakes, poisonous frogs in Florida). Letting a dog out in a fenced yard for exercise is a poor substitute for a daily walk.
Hi Maggie! This post was so thought-provoking that even though I read it when you published it almost 2 years ago, it’s been coming to mind regularly given my increasingly frustrating attempt to adopt a dog. My partner and I bought a house last year in part so we could welcome a dog into our lives. Since June, we’ve been actively applying and have run into many of the issues you and other commenters mention. As committed as I’ve been to adoption (especially since we don’t necessarily want a puppy), I’m getting close to giving up and looking for a dog elsewhere, which is a sad thing. Unfortunately our search coincides with a LOT of people getting dogs because of the pandemic, but even so…
Rescue org apps are almost all absurdly long and invasive, and even though at first I didn’t mind answering what I felt were overly invasive questions, after spending 30-45 minutes apiece only to be rejected (sometimes for a blanket requirement they didn’t state on their website) or find out the dog was already pending and they didn’t update their listings, it’s such a frustrating waste of time for me and the reviewers. It’s also really disheartening to get judgmental replies. I mean, maybe the volunteers are just burned out and cynical, but we’re more prepared than many to be good dog parents and it’s upsetting to be told we’re not good enough. (And that’s if we even bothered to apply! We do everyone a favor by reading the dog’s description and the org’s requirements carefully and don’t apply unless we think we can meet them.)
The single most common no-no we’re running into is the electric fence issue. I’ll add this example to the growing list of perfectly valid (in my opinion) reasons someone might have an electric fence or no fence: our house/detached garage/yard layout is such that a physical fence would create a very small space for the dog unless we put a fence across the driveway, whereas an electric fence provides 3x as much space to explore. Besides, we plan to walk our dog 2-3x/day, so even if we had no fence, it will get more exercise than many dogs with fenced yards.
We’ve also seen rescues require another dog in the household to adopt a puppy, which seems arbitrary. Some puppies would want playmates, some would prefer to be the only dog, so unless it’s an older dog with defined preferences and needs, I think this is an absurd restriction.
It disturbs me that many of the requirements I’ve seen sure do seem based on a narrow view of who makes a good pet owner. Thanks for connecting the dots between the statistically most common demographic involved in dog rescue and the lack of inclusion it seems to be generating. I could go on about why we’ll be great dog parents, as could many other potential adopters. Anyway, just wanted to thank you for the thoughtful post with a refreshing take!
Post hits the nail on the head. Single, man living in a condo in the city, away for a job from 8am to 5 pm, but have the ability to hire dogwalkers, have great vets in the area, not a felon, have no condo restrictions on dog breed, but universally rejected because I don’t have a ‘fenced in yard,’ or a large house, or some such silly requirement by adoption agencies who don’t seem to understand the basics: if the person is able to provide for the dog and ensures the dog will be safe and healthy and exercised–that’s all any dog needs! And with a dog trainer, even a rambunctious untrained pet can be trained effectively to follow rules. The goal is to ensure the longevity and safety of the dog. Period. Beyond that you may want to buy your pet a palatial mansion, drape them in satin and silk and feed them caviar—but that’s not what they need. A dog is a dog is a dog and as long as it is loved and cared for, everything else is extraneous.
I’ve been looking online at dozens of adoption agencies in the local area for a family dog. Just like you said in this article, nobody will adopt to a home without a 4′ fence which seems to be a standard for anybody listing anything on Petfinder.com. What a load of garbage. We had a German Shepherd/Akita? mix (mutts are my favorite) as a family dog for 10 years and after he finally figured it out, the invisible fence worked great. He was an 80lb rescue when we got him and beefed up to a healthy 120lbs! We also moved 5 states in that time (Army) and many of the places we lived didn’t have fences. Solution – indoor dog and always leashed with somebody when outside.
I get it, some breeds like the Great Pyrenees don’t work with invisible fences and some breeds like Border Collies cannot remain indoors easily. However, I actually was looking at a potential pup whom they listed “could jump a 4′ fence with ease” yet still put “sorry, cannot adopt to a home without a 4′ fence.” WTH???
The lengthy stipulations demanded by these adoption agencies seem to be written by the same people who get power happy as a HOA presidents. Like you said, they certainly seem to have forgotten the principle purpose of the shelter – to adopt to a good home.
Besides, do you know how much it costs to put in a 4′ fence on the average 1/2 acre lot??? Even if you don’t have to deal with an HOA, fences can also lower the value of your property in certain areas. None of my neighbors have them for that very reason, except around their pools.
Screw it, I’m just going to go buy a puppy and leave these volunteers to live their HOA fantasies.
I love this article!
I tried to adopt a dog but failed and ended up buying a puppy. I lived in the Northeast at the time (the bar for pet adoption is super high), would be a first-time dog owner together with my husband, lived on a third-floor condo, and worked 8-5. All these were big no-no’s to all shelters we visited.
What they didn’t know was I did tons of research ahead of time and had a plan in mind.
There was a puppy school nearby that let you drop off your puppies in the morning and pick them up after work. They learn basic manners and socialize with other pups there. There were also additional training classes that were held in the late afternoon and on the weekends that I attended with my puppy. When she grew older, she started attending doggie daycare twice a week. She also went on hikes with a trainer while I was at work. She even tried out beginner agility with the trainer. Although my husband and I both worked full time, we had so many options when it came to finding care for our dog. She was never neglected.
Although we didn’t have direct access to outdoor space, there was a huge dog park and multiple trails five minutes away. We never felt our dog lacked exercise just because we didn’t have a yard.
I never regretted buying my dog instead of adopting one, but I do wonder from time to time what happened to the dog I could have adopted from the shelter…
I have so much to say on this subject…but I have squandered enough of your time today with moderating multiple posts from a newbie to your wonderful blog.
I will leave it at this for now, but genuinely would like to revisit this. Perhaps this post would be a great one to “republish” at a later date to accept new insights.
For now, I will say this…Maddie’s Fund, Maddie’s Fund, Maddie’s Fund. Spectacular, open platform for shelter reform nationwide.
Best to you. I bet you are a terrific person!
You absolutely do not squander time! 🙂 Your comments are all so thoughtful and helpful!
And thank you so much for the kind words. I really appreciate you!
My heart has been broken many times over by being denied over the fence requirement. I have tried to adopt tiny dogs to large dogs, but regardless the fence requirement has shut me out. I recently found the dog I believe would be a perfect fit for us: a lab who is affectionate, calm, friendly, trusting, lovable and trained with both voice commands and hand signals! She has been up for adoption for months and months. I have a 3200 sq ft home with an enclosed lanai with pool, a wonderful neighborhood with walking paths and nearby dog parks. I am retired and my husband works from home. Most days we are home 24 hours at a time. I have raised 2 labs from puppyhood and always take my babies to formal training. I am probably one of the best dog parents in the world. But I have been turned down at every inquiry due to the lack of a fence. I have given up because my heart can’t take it anymore.
I’m so sorry you’ve had your heart broken so many times. This system is massively flawed. I appreciate you sharing your experience, even though I’m sorry you’ve been through so much.
I like this article because its at least reasonable, but it is not getting enough to the core of the issue for me. I have been around animals my entire life, I care for animals and know how to care for them. I will NEVER sign a contract such as the ones I have seen. I understand that the idea is to prevent animal abuse by ensuring an animal isn’t given to some psychopath or 70IQ moron, but there are in fact things more important than animal or even human welfare.
I WILL NOT sign away my bourgeois rights, I am not a feudal serf and the animal rescue is not a feudal lord. You (a general “you”, not the writer) will not come onto my property, you will not “inspect” my home, we (humanity, collectively) fought multiple revolutionary wars over this. Why does this matter, you might ask.
The rescues being private actually makes it worse than if they were state run. The state (in theory) has restrictions on what it is allowed to do, police cannot search your home without a warrant (unless you let them), there are rules of evidence etc. These contracts sign away all of these fundamental human rights. You (again not the writer, a general ‘you’) are asking me to allow you more access to my life than the state itself!
IF the animal is being abused, then the state can go through the legal means to seize it, which include all of the restrictions traditionally imposed upon the state (again, in theory). I am not going to give a private company carte blanche to invade my home. These rescuers do not like that the state is restricted in this way, they wish they could be private police and private militaries, they would have been Pinkertons 100 years ago.
Look at it this way: if police knock on my door and ask “may we search your home?” I would of course say “No” (as everyone should). If they want to search my home they can get a warrant. (In fact, I would encourage you to avoid speaking with police if at all possible). Now, if I deny the state the ability to search my home, even with the restrictions placed upon its conduct, why on Earth would I allow a private group to do so? Looking at it this way makes it clear how insane these people are asking for “home inspections”. Would you let your boss search your home? Your pastor?