He has my sympathies. It's really annoying to be treated that way.

I hope they can find a good rescue, or maybe visit a shelter or pound?

 

They're planning to have kids in a couple years, so they really want a dog who is in a foster home with kids, rather than a shelter. That definitely limits their options, but they've been so open. Their only qualifications are 1-5 years old and good with kids and other dogs. Otherwise, they've looked at everything from bully breeds to labs to collie mixes. I didn't think they'd have such a tough time.

 

Huh, you wouldn't say. :/ Are there many rescues in their area?

 

I think there are a decent number, but I'm not sure how many do foster vs shelter programs and also how many will adopt to someone without a fenced yard. I know some will bend that rule and others are firm.

 

Has he tried any breed specific rescues? Often they will have mixes of their breeds as well (or mixes that come in with the other dogs).

These types are usually run out of club members homes, and are often fostered in other people's homes if the coordinator can't handle all of them.

 

That's a good idea! I don't think he has a breed in mind, but I'm sure he can start a search with some of the medium sized types that he's liked so far.

 

Well Like I said most take in mixes of their breeds. So if he picks a certain breed, and rolls with that he is likely to find something, even if it is not purebred.

Like here is listings for one Lab rescue in New York City

http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?shelter_id=NY599

 

Also don't know which rescues he's looked at but, I just inputted some of the specifications and came up with these dogs

http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search...Ntt=Dog|pet|A&distance=0&lat=42.6525&location=Albany,+NY&lon=-73.7567&pet_breed

Didn't specify breed though.

 

Are you sure the local shelter doesn't foster? Mine has a shelter with kennels and a network of fosters, too. It might be worth asking.

Plus, you kinda gotta get assertive with rescues sometimes. I had to call numerous times to get attention. I did get a dog out of it.

I also don't agree dogs shouldn't be at home visits. A lot of rescues and fosters are on the outskirts of areas where the rules about dogs aren't so strict. The rescue had to drive 1.5 hours round trip to deliver kabota, I don't think they should have to do that twice for what is often a formality (assuming you were honest.)

 

I don't know, I live about an hour away from him now, so I'm not personally familiar with the rescue and shelter situation up there or who he's contacted outside of the two he almost got dogs from. He did badger them quite a bit, so I'm not sure what else he could've done in this particular situation, but I have been advising him to call more than he wanted to.

I would agree with a dog coming to the home visit if it was far away if course, but this rescue is out of the same city, so it would be no more than a 20min drive to anywhere. It just seems strange to me that they won't tell you that you have the dog, or even if it's in hold for you, yet they expect you to stock up on supplies. At least they should have had the dog on hold for him pending the home visit. They weren't upfront that they were considering other people and he might not get the dog at all.

I guess I find the not calling part the most unacceptable part. At least if they had communicated he would've wanted to work with them and maybe get the next dog that comes along, but now he doesn't want to deal with them and is back to square one.

 

My sister had a similar problem - she traveled 2 hours for 2 different dogs/rescues and they were pulled from her - so she went to a pet store and bought a dog - probably happens more often than not.

13 years ago I went to adopt a dog at a local Petsmart and there were none there. We were all excited about adopting a dog and felt let down that neither dogs nor rescues were there but the folks at Petsmart gave us the numbers of some of the rescues that usually go to them. I called one, got a woman on the phone and asked what type of dogs/puppies are available - she had no clue. OK, could she find out as I don't want certain breeds - no, but when I come I have to bring 3 personal references. I tell her I don't want to adopt a child I want to adopt a dog and I will not give out the name of friends to do so. We hung up. I make arrangements with another rescue on a Sunday morning and this woman calls me up early Sunday morning and wants to know if I'm coming by and she badmouths the other rescue ... I let her have it. We adopted Maggie from the other rescue and it was a great experience.

I adopted Zoey a few month ago at a municipal shelter and it was so easy.

 

Rescues are becoming extremely popular in our area. About 10 years ago our local shelter teamed up to build a new building with the county animal control facility filling out the other half of the building. Sounded great at the time. The strays would spend their first 5 days in Animal Control pens waiting to be claimed, then moved to the Humane Society Shelter across the hall for adoption. At the same time the Humane Society chose to become a no-kill shelter. I wuit volunteering when 9-% of the dogs in the shelter were poorly bred and unadoptable pit bulls. Nothing against the breed, but it was clearly a sinking ship. So that began the formation of non-profit rescue groups here. They would relieve the overcrowded kennels at the Humane Society and turn around to charge $200-300 per dog if you want to adopt from them. And they scour the shelter and strays on a daily basis for the most adoptable dogs.

I found someone in my neighborhood who started one of these rescues. Since I knew an elderly couple who were ready to have a dog afer the death of their last one, I asked the rescue gal if I could come over to see whatshe might have. The house and barn were drop-dead gorgeous! Being that her tract home in suburbia was built 35 years ago like mine, I was surprised at the total upgrade literally within a year. She explained that as a non-profit rescue she just couldn't have potential adopters seeing her house and furniture the way "it used to be", the kitchen needed a complete upgrade to allow her to prepare meals for special needs dogs, the old barn just wouldn't do for kennels so she had a new one built, etc. And it was apparant that her family was living at a much higher station in life by the personal objects in the home.

She had the cream of the crop of adoptable dogs, all from the shelter (where they are vaccinated and speutered when they are turned over from Animal Control, so no cost for health care on the rescue's part), the kennels were acceptably clean but there was no fenced pasture for the dogs to run free on her multi-acre property...and the cheapest dog was $300! "All to cover the expenses of my non-profit rescue...otherwise they would still be in that overcrowded shelter, noooooooo."

So the shelter has the most un-adoptable dogs available for $25-75, the breeders charge $750 and up for a well-bred dog (and are definitely not making any profit on puppies), and the rescues are charging $300 for the desirable breeds. The local pet store has puppy mill bred pups for around $100. It would seem like a good compromise to the consumer who jsut wants a companion without all the baggage of a shelter dog.

 

Sorry to hear about that... Getting a dog from a rescue can be really tough, especially in areas that don't have big overpopulation problems (like Toronto and I suppose NY too). The good thing is you just have to go through this once and then you get the dog for many, many years.

I think what your friend is going through is actually pretty standard. I applied for about 6 dogs before I got Pete which was really, really frustrating - you would settle on one get your hopes up and then be turned down. It honestly started to feel like I wasn't even looking for the right dog, just a dog I would get approved for. It can be disheartening when you move farther and farther down your list of choices.

The first rescue just never responded to my application... at all. The next took 2 weeks to tell me the foster family was keeping him. The next one adopted him to another applicant (who applied minutes before me) and despite my very polite and solicitous emails got really catty with me. Another decided (for no clear reason) that we 'weren't a good fit'. A fifth denied us because we didn't use a crate and the last one because we wouldn't allow our dogs up on the furniture.

As rescue becomes more and more popular the private rescues can and do get picky with adopters. I think for the most part they are doing their best to match the right home with the right dog but Ill admit that sometimes it all seems a little arbitrary. I don't have much advice since it sounds like the most responsible choice for your friend is to go through a rescue with a foster system. I sympathize.... If its any consolation soon they will have a great dog and can forget about frustrating rescue people and just enjoy the dog. Good luck and tell them thanks for rescuing.

 

That's really rough. My parents have had mostly rescued dogs (with the exception of a Kuvas and our lab in nearly 30 years of dog ownership) and my mom used to work with great dane rescue and places can be so particular!

I know in 2 years or so, if my boyfriend and I decide for a second dog, our options will be limited. I would really like to rescue (since our dog now is from a breeder), but I know that we will have a hell of a time of it because Lincoln will not be neutered. So, that pretty much leaves animal control MAYBE. (Well, we also want our second dog to be "hypoallergenic" and be okay with cats, so that limits it further).

I can't imagine what your friend is going through. I would be beyond upset if dogs kept being taken away from me. I know a lot of rescues are particular about fencing, but will allow dogs to go to homes that have "deer fencing." I'm not sure what it's actually called, but it's metal stakes in the ground with a plastic mesh "fence" tacked on. Depending on your friends situation, they might be able to put on up inexpensively and have a wider selection of dogs.

Has he looked at CL? There are usually many adult dogs there for a variety of reasons. As long as they ask a lot of questions (some ads are not honest) it might be an option.

 

Yes I was also turned away because my vets records weren't "complete" enough, like they didn have enough history on my dogs, because all I ever went in for was shots & HW meds (thank The Lord) I think that would pin me as a GOOD dog owner ... That I DIDN'T have my dogs at the vet all the time ... But I guess not.

So I went with Texas cattle dog rescue again ... Oh well, it was the other rescues loss, cuz I am a good doggie home

 

I heard from my friend last night and the rescue finally called him back to say that they gave the dog to someone else on Monday. The strangest part is that he talked to the lady on Monday around noon and she said they were still on for Tuesday. Why lie? She must have known that there was another potential home visit and she could've told my friend that.

Oh well. He's going to try with the first rescue again and see if they get another dog in that he likes.

 

Honestly, I'm a big supporter of rescues, but with the crap most of them are pulling all the time, I completely understand why a lot of people would rather go spend $1500 at the pet store for a "Maltipoo" or whatever.

Before I got Mo, I was looking into a lot of breed rescues. Most of them were charging $700+ for elderly dogs they couldn't even confirm were actually purebred. All the ones who were reasonably priced wouldn't even consider shipping a dog to Newfoundland (even though no doubt the breeders in their breed club have no problems shipping an 8-week-old puppy to Germany.) I got to talking to the lady at the Papillon parent club's rescue, that one I actually thought was going to work out. I told her all about my house and my training and all the sports I do, and she was over the moon and telling me all about how they had a few dogs she thought would be perfect for me. I even met one of the rescue's representatives at a show, and we were talking pretty much the whole day. And then suddenly I just wasn't getting any e-mails back. No "I don't think you're right for us," no anything. Just got totally ignored.

So yes. I COMPLETELY understand why pet stores and puppy mills are able to sell so many overpriced dogs. If I was less educated than I am, I probably would have, too. Most rescues seem to spend more time going out of their way just to jerk people around than they do actually helping dogs.

I ultimately ended up getting my puppy from the SPCA, and I think that's the closest I'm ever going to come to trying to get a dog from a rescue again.

 

Ugh, this is what gives rescue a bad name. There was an interesting article about the same sort of thing on Slate last year. I think most of these people have their hearts in the right place (although some of these groups seem to be really just glorified animal hoarding), but the implementation is just really lacking sometimes.

That said, there are great groups out there. I will add that with the rescue group we got Biscuit from (which is extremely active here in DC, they adopt out 30-50 dogs a week), they do insist on a home visit, and we ended up applying and getting "pre-approved" and THEN picking out dog. That put us at the head of the line, so to speak. If your friend can do something like that, maybe things will go more smoothly next time.

I think it's weird that they wanted to see all the dog supplies at the home visit. At our home visit, it was more like "do you have dangling electrical wires or other obvious hazards," not "are you perfectly prepared and is your home immaculate." They won't let you take the dog home without a collar and ID tag, but aside from that it's your problem. Couldn't your friend have gone to the pet store after the dog was home?

 

Ugh, I have a friend who is starting to look at dogs. She is looking for an adult that has been fostered and good with kids. I am not looking forward to the drama that goes along with rescues.

elrohwen we are in the same location as you (Hudson Valley) so hopefully the rescues aren't so ridiculous here.

 

To be honest, I don't think I'd ever consent to a home check. That's just too much. Someone else put it pretty well... I'm adopting a dog, not a child. I'm not spending ten grand to get a kid shipped over from Russia or something.

I can't even think of any breeders I know who do home checks. And if I wouldn't do it for a breeder, I sure as heck wouldn't do it for a rescue.

 

A home check is literally nothing more than seeing that you live exactly where you claim to live. We don't come over and go through your garbage and inspect every room.

 

On a similar note: I posted on FB in my ACD group that I was starting my search for a puppy (this time from a breeder I mean come on, only TWO of my dogs EVER have been from breeders, all the others were either taken in or from shelters/rescues ... I think I have paid my dues :/ I still donate food/money when I can) & some of them actually have me a GUILT TRIP for wanting a pup from a breeder!

Ugh

 

I had a talk with my Vet when my sister had the issues she told me she was turned down along with one of her Vet Techs at a rescue ... that's some high standards, LOL!!!

I said it before - I have a lot of respect for the people who donate their time and lives to help these animal but I think some of these rescues take it to the extreme. There is a rescue not too far from me that asks for $25 up front when you put in an application and I asked why. The person responding to my email was insulted and snippy that I asked. My response to her was that a lot of rescues decline people all the time and I believe that it a way of making money on unsuspecting people ... $25 x 100 people a month = $2500 extra; she came back not as snippy and explained that it stops people from just putting in an application; I know it did for me. We also tried to adopt a dog from another rescue - at no time was it brought up that it was a surrender that was still living with the owners - well the owners decided to keep the dog ... I'm OK with that but it should have been disclosed. Even at the municipal shelter I found some things not 100% right but we did get Zoey so all is good.

 

Well there is a rescue group in my area who's only goal seems to be getting dogs adopted and doesn't screen well, I've even heard from someone else they won't always take the dog back either. This is the opposite extreme and neither is good. My friend who I was trying to talk out of getting a dog knowing she'd resent the time commitment. She went to an adoption event and told them she wasn't ready to go home with a dog yet and still went home with a one year old husky. No home check, no checking vet reference, or anything.

It certainly sucks that these groups aren't being up front with you BIL and frustrates me hearing stories of rescues being so hard to deal with. Though I don't agree with a home check being a hardship. Most rescues I've looked into in my area will let you get per-approved so when you find the dog you like its just a issue of a meet and greet with the family and if you have another dog they meet as well. I know my rescue I work with isn't first come first serve in terms of applications but they don't often get multiple apps on the same dog either. In that case they do pick the family that is the best fit for the dog in question, a fence isn't a make or break factor either. Nice to have but not required.

Best of luck to your BIL I hope it works out for them soon.

 

Hamandeggs, they expected him to have all of the supplies ready to go when they brought the dog for the home visit. In cases like this where the rescue is close by, I think it makes more sense to do a home visit up front and approve the person, then let them pick a dog. I'm not sure if the first rescue (that he's going back to) does it that way or not.

Critterpoor, I don't have experience with the HV rescues, but DAWS in Danbury is awesome. I have friends in the Hudson Valley who got dogs from them and had a great experience. I volunteered there for a couple years and it was a nice organization.


And I'm with those who said a home visit isn't a big deal. He bought his house recently and has a lot of contractors in and out and the rescue said that wouldn't be a problem (I know it was something he was nervous about). No, my breeder didnt do a home visit, but she looked me up on zillow and knew exactly what my house was like (there were lots of pictures still up from when it was listed).

 

Sounds exactly like the shelter I just quit. Adoptions require nothing more than cash. You can even adopt a dog for someone else without them being present. The opposite end of the crap spectrum to the too strict rescues.

 

I'm sorry for all of the negative experiences you have all had with rescues. Rescues vary widely and have different goals and different set ups, from shelter type organizations to networks of foster homes to shoddy one man operations. Some are organized, some are not, and some have crazy restrictions that make them seem like they don't want to let any of the animals go.

I work for an animal rescue organization in Atlanta, though I am on the "cat team" we have both cats and dogs. I had several negative experiences with rescue myself before becoming involved in one and I try to keep those experiences in mind when I am dealing with potential adopters.

The way our process goes, you fill out an app online or at one of our petco events and your app gets recieved by one person who checks for obvious red flags. If there are none, it gets forwarded to the person who checks references and the person fostering the animal you are looking to adopt at the same time (I am a foster and a reference checker/home visitor). From there it sometimes takes a couple of days to get in touch with all the references, sometimes not. As a foster, I like to go ahead and start communicating with the adopter, I tell them we are checking their references, ask if they have questions, tell them a little about the animal. When I get word that the references are checked or have checked them myself, I arrange a home visit. I do my own home visits for my fosters and personally I do bring the animal with me. Since I have been communicating with the adopter already through email or met them at an event, I consider it a formality.

At the home visit I am just looking to see that you live where you said you live (if you said house, it's a house not an apt, etc), that you're not a hoarder (never come accross one yet) and that you are prepared for the animal. I'm not leaving the cat if you don't have a litterbox yet for instance. I don't look around much, usually I come in and am invited to sit down, we take the cat out and let it look around, people usually start playing with the cat and I watch them interact, I say "lets show it where the litter/food is", everything is great, and I collect the money and signed contract and leave.

Whole process takes less than a week, in fact, I had an applicant on a cat yesterday at petco, I checked her app and references last night, and I'm doing a home check/cat drop off in an hour. If there is a waiting list you would be clearly informed and notified what # you are on the list (rarely happens).

To make a long post short b/c I have to go, the lack of communication is not good and the op should find a new rescue but not give up on rescue entirely!

 

Amazing, I really don't know if having a fenced in yard makes one a lazy trainer. (I hope not) I do know that a fenced in yard is a great place after training to release a dog so he may get into some zoomies etc. Kind of a pressure release program.

If a dog's training is started inside a building the next step could/would/should be starting dog work outside and since dogs do not generalize it would indeed be safer to start outside work in a fenced in area.

Even well trained dogs inside can do silly things outside and get injured. My opinion only.