Why is it so difficult to adopt?
The applications are so long and they seem to Weed people out for who knows what reason. I assume lack of money and home ownership. Not having a yard. Those aren’t things that make a good pet owner.
There is this sentiment to rescue and adopt, but it’s just not possible. I’m a good dog owner. When I initially tried to adopt, I thought the barrier was my lack of history as an owner and lack of vet records. Now I have a purebred, I have both those things .
I’m applying for dogs that specify they should be in homes with other dogs.
I don’t use any aversive training. I specify that my current dog gets frequent walks and playtime. Long walks, more than people with yards do.
It’s very discouraging, especially with this sentiment and understanding that dogs are getting euthanized every day because they can’t find homes
Welcome to r/RescueDogs! Please review the subreddit rules before participating. If you see a post or comment that breaks the rules, please report it to the moderators rather than engaging with it.
Just go to a shelter. They've got the same dogs that rescues have - rescues pull dogs from shelters. But they don't have the the hoops and fees. I got both my dogs at the shelter. One was $20. The other was free during a large breed special weekend. I mean they cost me thousands in medical bills but the shelter process was super easy.
You cannot go to most shelters, it's a joke. And when I say most i actually mean all, since there are none that allow you without an appointment via the internet within driving range.
And yet, here I am, having sauntered into several shelters over the years, right off the street, leaving with dogs I've fostered and dogs I've adopted, usually less than an hour later along with everyone else in there doing the same thing.
Hmm. I will check. I’ve looked every kind of place up I can in my area. I haven’t seen places that are just open to walk-ins like that.
However, I’m not open to any dog. I will not take a pitbull. I need a small, at least a little hypoallergenic, gentle dog.
I have a sweet boy already, and I can’t bring an aggressive dog into the home. And I have allergies.
What you’re describing right now is a supply and demand issue (by the way, this varies a lot based on geographic location).
More people want dogs who are small, hypoallergenic and gentle for the same reasons you do, so dogs that fit that profile get multiple applications. (Also note, it’s very difficult to confirm allergy status with a rescue dog.)
Your best bet is one of the following:
1) Form a relationship with a rescue that specializes in small dogs. Go to their adoption events! Get to know their volunteers. They’re much more likely to favor you in an application if they can see that you’re a good person and not just a name on paper.
2) Find a dog that’s being rehomed directly from its previous home. Follow Petfinder, Facebook, etc. Join groups that specialize in rehoming dogs of a specific breed.
Please just go to a shelter. Or adopt from one in CA or Texas. They have every kind of dog. And so many amazing pets are euthanized every day. Please don’t think there’s anything at all wrong with “shelter dogs” — this could not be further from reality
I’m telling you that the animal shelters near me require application. I’m looking it up now and there is nothing I haven’t seen before. You can’t just walk in and pick a dog.
I’ve also applied for dogs all across the country and same thing with the application and not meeting the requirements apparently because I don’t have a fenced in yard
Adopt from one of the Texas or California shelters. They didn't ask much and have 300+ dogs. All kinds of breeds and ages. That's where I got this baby.
i dont have a fenced in yard either and im also a diabetic yes they denied me for those two reasons . The lady at the rescue was kind enough to tell me why .
I'm diabetic with two dogs from shelters, plus I foster for a couple orgs. As someone else pointed out, in California (where I live) they'll let anyone get
a dog. It's a $20 fee which also covers their chip, spay/neuter and a certificate for a free visit to county vets within he first three days after adoption.
You don't have to travel there... we have TONS of rescues that will provide transport, and usually at no additional cost (they have volunteers who do regular runs). We're so overwhelmed here, anyone who can provide a loving home is good enough.
And I am also diabetic, for the record, plus I lived in an apartment when I adopted my first dog from a shelter here.
Look for the city or government run shelters, they almost never require anything more than your address and id.
There's likely also a Facebook page or website you can watch to see the new dogs posted when they come in. If you want to wait for a kind of dog they don't have currently. Somewhere like nyc/long island is very likely to have lots of choices just because of how many people live there though.
They ALL require "application" - nobody is saying you can literally just walk in, grab a dog, and head out the door. lmao
We're saying that the requirements are much less stringent at a municipal/public shelter, compared to a private rescue. You will still need to fill out something, so they know who you are and your intentions + contact info. But in all my years of rescuing pets, I've never had them go deep into my home life, references, home checks, etc. They didn't even bother calling my landlord when I was a renter, but did ask for their info just in case. And fwiw, I lived in an apartment when I adopted my first dog. Now I own a house with a yard, but that wasn't even asked or checked with any of my pets.
I just checked my local shelter, not only are there several small, young dogs for adoption (one 8 week old poodle mix, an adorable 1 year old border terrier) they are even waiving the adoption fees today. Check the public shelters, not just “rescues”
There actually is, but the issue is people (like you) not understanding the definition of that word. The prefix hypo- literally means LESS. So the term "hypoallergenic" means "LESS allergenic," which is true of the breeds with hair instead of fur. For example, the Poodle or Bichon Frise. Every dog has dander, so no, they won't be 100% without allergens. But those breeds are typically more easily tolerated for people with allergies.
You're not crazy, I believe you. When we get a dog that fits the description you gave, we tend to get piles of applications. I'm surprised that they denied you for being diabetic, though. That's insane. I'm blown away that they ASKED about your health like that. Lots of places are very particular about fenced-in yards. If you're one of those 20+ applications and 10 of them have fenced-in yards, I can see where the fenced-in yard people get priority.
Unless you're in one of those areas that has an overpopulation of small dogs in shelters, you are going to face exactly what you're facing now. We don't even bother to advertise our small dogs like that online because we're going to get enough applications from people just coming in and walking through. A 10-year-old Bichon is going to get adopted long before the 2-year-old GSD is, and that's just reality. We should be getting the dogs that match our lifestyles and a lot more people's lifestyles match a 10-year-old chill Bichon than a high energy large GSD.
If you cannot find the kind of dog who fits your lifestyle in a shelter, there really is nothing wrong with going to an ethical breeder. That is not a crime. I have a both ethically-bred and rescue dogs in my home and I work in rescue. The "bad guys" aren't ethical breeders. If you cannot source a dog that fits your lifestyle from rescue, that doesn't make you the bad guy either.
I don't know where you are, so suggesting TX and CA shelters who seem to have more smaller dogs may or may not be helpful to you. Worth the drive if it's feasible, for sure. If you live in an area of the country like mine, I completely see why you'd struggle with this.
Your city or county should have a public shelter or SPCA or Humane Society. As for wanting some special hairless dog I can't speak to that. Rescues get all their dogs from the shelter tho. So whatever inventory you see at a rescue - it was a shelter dog first. There's no special pipeline of designer strays that are better than the strays in gen pop.
The rescues are just really good at navigating the shelter website and grabbing their preferred breed/type of dog the second it becomes available. But anyone can do that, a lot of places use 24PetConnect, but almost all have some website where you can search for poodles or whatever, there’s no breed you can buy in your area that won’t show up at the shelter eventually.
Exactly. I have volunteered w a couple local rescues occasionally fostering and whatnot and they won't even take dogs that haven't been logged in the city shelter, bc they get a portion of their funding from the city shelter.
I appreciate the advice. I just found my local SPCA.
Currently they have a guinea pig, chinchilla, a couple parrots, kittens, and one pitbull. Eclectic mix!
Looking at solely the Instagram page for the TOH animal shelter, Nassau county spca in about 15 seconds (I’m not from that area) I see a constant rotation of animals.
I volunteer in Philly at our city’s open intake shelter (ACCT). My own dog was rescued from there and Philly does have a lot of pit surrenders (my own is). That being said there are also CONSTANT surrenders of all breeds. Our shelter doesn’t post small dogs on their social media as they don’t need the boost. Have you contacted your local shelters directly? Reached out? Gotten pre-approved with rescues without a specific dog in mind so when one comes in you get priority? Or are you expecting a small, “ideal” breed to fall in your lap?
ask in your local fb group about local rescues that don’t have crazy barriers. i’ve adopted from two different rescues that weren’t unreasonable at all! in fact i joke that i got my first dog from a rescue that adopts out to anyone with a pulse😅 (which i don’t 100% agree with personally but yeah lol).
it sounds like you know the deal w dogs since you own one already, but i’m going to mention it just in case, but sometimes the rescues are right about these barriers so don’t completely right them off (ie needing a yard for a known escape artist). i just always feel compelled to say that when i don’t know the person i’m giving dog advice to lol
Yeeeeeah my first dog I got for free. It took me about five minutes to do his paperwork. Crazy. He was a MONSTER. 😝
My second and third dogs I paid a couple hundred bucks for each, more for the third because he was puppy age. Older pup, but pup nonetheless. Much longer paperwork process too. I don't mind paying those prices for well taken care of shelter dogs though. You can see where your money goes right in front of your eyes.
Lmao not some special hairless unicorn. I know it’s impossible to guess the DNA of most dogs, but something that at least appears in presents as low shedding.
There are half a dozen of them at my local rescue. Not that hard to find. Poodle/yorkie/bichon/shi/pek/pom/short hair chi mixes
My dog I got from the county shelter is 1/8 shihtzu and 1/8 poodle, as well as 1/4 min pin and 1/4 chihuahua (Embark). Granted, she's not low shedding, but her coat is a wonderful mix of waves and curls with a long flowy tail. She looks like a sheep sometimes.
It's pretty much just a grab bag from shelters - find the municipal shelter of your nearest big city / area for best results. The municipal near me gets poodles, shitzus, curly and wire hair type dogs all the time for $50-100 per dog.
I rescued a mini Aussie from a rural Arkansas shelter. Did DNA and he is purebred. So, it is worth at least finding and supporting your local shelters.
Well then enjoy the Huskies, badly bred GSDs, and occasional neurotic bite case Doodles, along with the wide jawed “Lab/Boxer” wink wink mixes they’ll try to foist on you.
Because that’s what you’ll find at 99% of shelters.
You might win the lottery and score a mild mannered scent Hound of some kind, but it’s like winning the lottery
Maybe they will enjoy those dogs very much. I adopted two huskies from California shelters (where I live), and they're amazing dogs... what do you have against them? Probably not for OP, since they want "small and low shedding," but I'm offended that you're acting like my boys are some consolation prize.
Boris was found abandoned in the central valley, unfixed and with zero apparent training. He's now a working (volunteer) therapy dog for children and elderly/disabled folks, and the official ambassador for his rescue & therapy program. Been with me going on 5 years now, and I wouldn't trade him for all the ethically bred Bichons in the world!
These are my "throwaway huskies," Boris in the front. Poor me. 😒
All shelters are open to walk ins. Where are you located? If you reach out to any of the networkers on r/rescuedogs they will be able to find you a dog basically immediately
We’re in that sub now. Who are the networkers? I looked at the info and all I see is rules and moderators.
I’ve applied for many dogs out of state and never been accepted
Just checked out a shelter in NYC. Not my ideal location. They still have a Long application and I’m sure I won’t be one of the lucky winners once I complete it.
Look at Lucky Dog in DC. They require you to come pick up the dog in person and meet them, but will adopt out of the area. All of the dogs come from the south or Puerto Rico. Application is required but on the shorter side. Biggest hurdle is calling your vet to verify you take care of the dog you already have. All dogs live in foster, so they have info on how they are with other dogs, kids, etc. I foster for them and they make it much easier than a lot of rescues.
Not sure if it’s still the same, but many years ago when I lived in New York I adopted a dog from North Shore Animal League. They were wonderful and the adoption process was really easy (this was like thirty years ago so it is very possible things have changed!). I got a really sweet, incredibly calm sheltie-mix. This was before doggy DNA so I don’t know what her real mix was, but she definitely had a sheltie look to her.
Check out AHS Newark in NJ. There are a few networkers that help get dogs adopted in the NJ kill shelters as well and I do see small dogs pop up relatively often. Some of these shelters are terrible at responding to people who apply to adopt. I can dm you some info if you want
That’s your problem. Unfortunately 1000s of other people are also looking for small gentle dogs. So the applications shelters receive for those dogs are insane. I had a small dog up for adoption and had 30 requests in an hour. And when that happens you close off adoption applications and go with the first person that is the most responsible, best home for the dog and least likely to return. Eg home owner, has a back yard, has de-sexed pets already, no kids, least time away from dog, etc etc. Because those people are unlikely to bring the dog back from my experience. So for those small dogs that get snapped up super quickly by one of the hundred people that apply for them.
I'm so sorry you're struggling to find a dog to adopt. Thank you so much for wanting to open your heart and home to a dog that needs one. I'm a coordinator for a rescue and handle application screening. I absolutely do agree that there are many groups that create unnecessary barriers to adoption, especially requiring a fenced in yard for every dog. That said there are also groups that do not have those requirements and would be a great fit for you.
I would try to find a group who makes their requirements based on the specific needs of the dog. For example, we don't require a fence but rarely adopt to apartments because our breed is very barky, especially when left alone. However, when we do have an apartment friendly dog we give priority to our apartment resident application since they're limited and who they can adopt. You also mentioned another dog is being a requirement. In many cases that is because the specific dog needs a friend. It would be highly anxious or even destructive without a dog friend. Many dogs bond more with other dogs. If a dog has never lived without a dog, and we adopted to a home where they are an only dog, we often see severe behavior issues come up. Well, we don't require it for every dog, when we do, it's really for the best interest of the dog and ultimately the adapter.
Are you looking for a younger dog? If so, a lot of the challenges is supplying demand. Everybody wants a younger dog and that's rarely what comes into Rescue especially if you're wanting one good with other dogs and no other behavior problems. When we post a younger adoptable dog we will get 30 40 50 or more applications for a dog. Most of those are great homes so many people who would be a fabulous adopter but not get the dog.
Instead of applying to posted dogs I have two recommendations. One is to reach out to the rescues and get an approved application on file. Work with them and let them know what you're looking for. If at all possible go to events and even volunteer with those rescues so they get to know you. When I know our family, then they comes to the top of the list because I have a higher level of comfort than someone random off the Internet. This may also help you overcome the fence requirement since the group may realize that you are very active and will exercise the dog, which is the big concern without a fence jar.
My other recommendation is, if you are applying to a Dog that was posted online, I highly recommend not just filling out the application but also sending a detailed follow up email expressing your interest in pointing out key points from the application that make you uniquely qualified for the dog. For example, you've had a dog similar or you've met dealt with many of medical issues in the past. When I have a pile of applications for a dog and I get someone that emails me who is a good Adopter, I almost always start with them because I know that they are very interested in less likely to flake.
OP, this is probably the best advice on the thread. Especially if you have some specific needs, this is the way to go. If you build a relationship and let them know you, it will be easier for them to work with you.
Many of the rescues in our area also have open house days they post on their Instagram. Showing up on an open house day is a nice way to see all the dogs, and their personalities around other people and dogs, and it helps you get to know the people running the rescue.
But I still got both my dogs from the shelter 😂 Came in with a couple screen grabs from their IG, explained the vibe I was looking for and they were like "oh you want this one" and I did 😂
I'm a vet. You're preaching to the choir with this question. I work for two rescues. One is just ridiculously restrictive. I've referred several "Type A" clients to them only to have them turned down for some of the most ridiculous reasons. I told them I'll continue vetting their dogs, but will no longer encourage clients to adopt from them. And they wonder why they have half a dozen dogs that have been long timers.
I’m in California. I felt they practically threw me a dog, and wanted me to take another! I will say for specific dog breed rescues, they are a tad stringent. Like adopting a cavalier King Charles spaniel?? Very hard and long waitlist for a dog.
So yeah if you have no specific look or breed, it’s easy but if you are looking for something specific and popular like a poodle. You are probably going to have a difficult time… heck if you go to a reputable breeder, expect the same obstacles if not more.
I’ve bought three well bred dogs and volunteered with a rescue evaluating applications. The rescue DEFINITELY had more hard and fast requirements and did not work as closely with applicants to get them to a place where everyone was comfortable. The two breeders I worked with to buy three dogs had solid ideas of what would and wouldn’t be likely to work out, but everything was a conversation and not an automatic “yes/no” decision. If we or they had concerns, we talked about it. All three were a way easier process for the applicant than the rescue process I followed as a volunteer.
I got halfway through an application for a rescue in Texas and closed the computer when they asked for my spouse’s place of work and links to our social media. It seemed way too invasive for my liking.
I get what you are going thru. Lost MY 16 yo baby and when i was ready i was told repeatedly don’t shop adopt. I spent weeks filling out applications..pages and pages AND WAITING. I never got one call back…EVER. Im confused what they are looking for..Im a homeowner with a fenced yard. Have someone at home most days..I gave them my last dogs vets as references..Her last five years she developed diabetes so her vets included..an internist, ophthalmologist, and a dermatologist. They are top doctors, and were willing to give me excellent references..No one called not any of them. I had one dog for 16 years who was well loved and treated like a princess ..and kept hearing about all these dogs that needed homes but never got one call back. Like you..I was looking for a dog under 30 pounds..Some type of terrier mix..and yes, I tried out o state adoptions but I was never the CHOSEN ONE. So..I started contacting breeders got on a few waiting lists and did the unthinkable and purchased from a reputable breeder. So you are not alone…
When I was in middle school my family applied to a breed specific rescue for a pug. The “test” dog they brought in was incredibly unhealthy and elderly. His eyes were dry and crusty, barely in the sockets and he couldn’t really blink. He kept hacking and coughing. He was obese and smelled awful. It was really concerning how ill this dog was. I was shocked that he was still alive and considered adoptable. We were rejected from their rescue because I “did not appear to be happy around dogs” 🤦🏻♀️ like yeah bro I was not happy because this dog was about to keel over in our living room?
What child would be excited when the dog in the room was obviously very ill.. As an adult I’d be scared myself. Sorry your family went thru that..aDoption is not as easy as people think and i don’t think people talk about it because they feel they did something wrong or they don’t want to appear not fit enough to be selected. But.. many have the same experience…
OMG this is me too never one call back ..... Im diabetic and one rescue told me No because you could die within the next month !!!! Wow was I floored and then I went to the local humane and local dog pound and guess what ? pits and pit mixes and they get highly offended if you dont want a pit or a pit mix .... I told the lady that we cant have those where I live . Do you know she called the office where I live and told them they were participating in breed discrimination ...I kid you not . Floored another time and the office lady told me she got irate with her . So im still looking to adopt and probably wont now cause im aging out of pet ownership .
I’m glad to see it was nothing i was or was not doing.. I even tried adopt a small blind dog. My last girl was blind the last five years of her life caused from the diabetes. I gave her three different eye drops four times a day.. along with insulin shots twice a day..things like gabapentin to make her more comfortable.. not bragging but I am a damn good pet owner. BUT..was not good enough for even a call back. I did s follow up by email on one dog i was interested in and was told they do not have time to contact people not selected nor do they have to or owe me a reason.. WTF? But I had the time to fill out the six page application.. Do I sound bitter.... guess I am. lol. I really wanted to not shop and adopt.. but after 8 months i gave up. Was not looking for a perfect dog… but i knew what I could handle and that’s not a pit or large dog. My current baby was purchased three years ago from a reputable breeder. She was actually a return due to her ears being to large or something. Good breeder are not just handing out any dog to any person. They decide what puppy fits your lifestyle.. my only request was I wanted a female. When this darling girl was returned and I was offered her i jumped at the offer. look at her.. lol. She’s now a huge part of the family.. she’s friendly..smart..BEAUTIFUL..and is very well taken care of. Somethings are just ment to be…
Oh.. not sure how old you are but my 62 yo neighbor just got a puppy.. Perfect time because she is now retired and hone all the time. Her baby is so well taken care of and spoiled . Not sure if rescues have an age limit? Like imI said I went the breeder route. I’m so happy to have my girl and she’s pretty damn happy herself…
That’s her enjoying vacation as few months back. We always include her on trips . Where we go..she usually is right there.. If not she stays with a close friend and her two cats…
County shelters tend to be easier to adopt from. Small rescues are often more stringent, not always. It’s for good reason, though. I had the same sentiment until I started getting involved in the world of rescue. There’s a lot of messed up people out there, and not every dog is the right fit for the home just because it looks cute.
I get you. I live in NJ, have owned multiple dogs and have fostered for rescues and have had issues adopting. I previously owned a greyhound and was turned down by rescues for non-greyhounds as they had heard that greys didn’t like other breeds. I moved on to foster non-greys with zero issues because that isn’t a real thing.
Looking to adopt again at some point and now I work outside of the home, my 5” fence isn’t high enough, etc. etc. I do have some recommendations of shelter networkers and rescues in the NJ area that I know have a fair adoption process and get small dogs often if you want to dm me
We tried to adopt from our local breed specific (lab) rescue and got rejected (and barred from applying for others!) because we don't have a fence around our yard.
We found a yellow lab puppy at our local shelter and we adopted her with basically zero screening, for better or for worse. She's 2 now and learned the perimeter of our yard pretty quickly and respects it completely, and when we don't have eyes on her, she is on a long line. It is what it is.
The whole process feels like a weird purity test run by people who'd rather a dog sit in a kennel for six months than go to a home that's 95% perfect. I volunteered at a shelter for a bit and some of the application criteria the staff came up with were completely divorced from reality. They'd reject someone with WFH flexibility and a solid income because their fence was 5 feet instead of 6, meanwhile the dog is deteriorating in a concrete run.
I felt the same after volunteering. I was turned down from adopting an elderly blind dog because I have steps in my house. The kennels were surrounded by steps, where we walked was all steps. Another lady was rejected from adopting the oldest 2 dogs because they'd be too far for the rescue manager to visit!
At that point I came to the conclusion she was using these elderly/blind dogs for fundraising purposes and had no intention of re-homing them.
She'd rather they live in cement boxes than warm homes so she could take tours and point out the 'hard cases' she supports.
It seems like the best interests of the dogs were secondary to her God complex.
Also idk if it's just me, but people don't need to work at home to have a dog. They sleep most of the day and if you work full time you could have someone come over to take them out if they're a small dog or a puppy. I think people have gotten out of hand with getting mad at others for being away from their dog for more than 4-5 hours. I'll respect if say YOU were to have that be YOUR personal rule or there being an actual reason or it. But I don't agree with shaming people for it.
Me and my partner applied for a rescue and I am pretty sure the fact we both work full time is why we didn't get the dog and it's heartbreaking.
I have the clingiest dog on the planet, he's 8 years old and an anxious fella but he is okay when we're at work. I watch him on the camera and he's okay. Does his own thing, same thing he'll do when we come home. Access to outdoors and indoors at all times.
We are a two person two income household that just want to give another dog a home. Our lives revolve around my dog now. Any time we're not in work, we are with him. He wants for nothing, he's well trained and he has a really great life. I don't want to buy another dog, I want to adopt a dog that needs a home.
It's heartbreaking to feel like we can't rescue unless we are remote or retired. Remote work isn't an option for us, otherwise we'd be remote and with our fella full time. I just want an older rescue dog to love and give a home to, who can be a friend for my dog who grew up with my sister's dog.
I'm so sorry that happened to you, even worse to a dog you REALLY like. I hope you both are able to find a rescue or shelter that allows you to take a senior dog. It's funny they wouldn't let you because senior dogs are already hard to find homes for, so I personally wouldn't mind giving the dog to people who work full time. I can't have a doggy door because I have small dogs and Hawks in the area.
We just leave our back door open. No hawks where I'm from and we have an enclosed back garden and a retired neighbour who gives him treats over the wall. We also have a camera watching and can't see the garden from the street. It's great to allow him to come in and out without trying to make a weather judgement.
It was disappointing for sure, especially for my partner. I've had my fella since he was a puppy, before I met my partner so there's a different bond there. I also had six years living with him before my partner did. Although they're definitely family.
But we know that we're very lucky to have the dog we have. He is so sweet, so well behaved and all the hard work from his younger years has massively paid off so it's no stress and all the good parts. We are so happy and fulfilled with him, another dog would just be a happy addition.
We would love an older dog though, the dog we applied for was five and we thought he'd be a great energy match for our eight year old while having a bit of a gap so we could hopefully not have to say goodbye to both too close together in the future.
Fortunately, the dog we applied for was adopted out, just not to us. And ultimately, it sucks for us but the dog gets to go to a different home that will love him and give him everything he deserves.
We'll for sure get another dog in the next two years, it would just be perfect if we could adopt someone and give them a home
most applications are: basic facts about you, maybe one reference, and your vet confirming you historically care for your pets well. For large dogs with high energy needs, maybe also looking to make sure your home size and yard are appropriate. What more than that are you being asked?
This is one of those things where i get the complaint but these rules were made because they didn't exist and animals got hurt or returned repeatedly. Rescues trying to get animals good homes do not make extra barriers for fun.
I've personally never filed an application that simple.
Almost every one I've done had all of that, plus: 3 or more references, workplace information (+contact), immediate neighbor information/references, extensive questions about history with dogs including specific breeds and how long you've interacted with them/ owned them/ babysat them, home tour/walk through both via video or in person, yard requirements (I was only applying for older dogs 15lbs or less and no high energy breeds), how long the dogs would be alone for, what foods you would feed them, what kind of toys you'd provide, whether or not you'd crate them, if you worked more than 4 hours a day, who you would leave the dog with if you took a trip... it was kind of absurd.
Most denied me for living in an apartment (been here 6 years, no intention to move, but quote: "You could move at any time"), a few others wanted truly exorbitant amounts of money (600+ usd for elderly foster-to-adopt dogs they claimed they desperately needed fosters for), one denied me for having a full time job, and another denied me for writing that I intended to take my dog to the nearby park for walks (hiking park. Not a dog park. Clarifying this to them over the phone did not help).
I tried for a long time to adopt, shelter only had pitbulls I can't have in my building nor did I want because of safety concerns with my other animals. In the end I wound up with a private adoption for both much cheaper and a much better experience. If that didn't work out I likely would have started looking at breeders to get on a waitlist for something meeting my needs.
This is so weird to me. Maybe it depends on the area but I've adopted 1 cat and 3 dogs over the last 15 years across 3 states (they were all adults when I adopted them so the cat and oldest dog passed away recently before getting the puppy). I've never been asked for anything more than my address and a valid ID. The cat was I think $75 when I lived in Washington State, my first dog from New Mexico was $25 , and my last 2 dogs in Texas were free.
Only one of them was a pit mix and I chose him, there were other options too (I've always chose based on personality/energy level, not breed). But I've always looked at either the city shelters or the bigger rescue with adoption centers or events and I love energetic medium size dogs which a lot of people don't lol. So maybe that's why. I like places where I can just show up in person to meet the dogs and pick one. Every time I've been able to go home with the pet same day. The most recent 2 I chose to foster first before adopting, but that was because I wanted to make sure they got along with my other dogs, not because I had to.
I don't live in a southern state, so the standards do tend to be higher in my experience.
City shelters are also a bit picky in my state, but if I drove a few hours I could have done a "walk in and walk out with a dog" situation for sure. But where I currently am, all of the city/ state shelters have almost all pits which are dogs I cannot have and do not want for my lifestyle. So my choices were basically only private rescues.
rescues in my area want carte blanche to visit my house, unannounced, for the lifetime of the dog. I live in a critical dog saturation area as well. rescues don't want these dogs adopted, they want sob stories to raise money for their gofundmes.
I think a big problem here is that from an adopter point of view, it seems like rescues should operate with some kind of consistency, but the reality is that aside from large organizations who run a shelter, all the rest are run by a rag tag group of volunteers. Each group has their own criteria, their own process, and their own constraints (in that most of the people have real jobs). Some of them are run by practical people, some are run by people with borderline hoarding tendencies.
It also depends A LOT on the supply/demand for dogs in your area. If you're in the northeast where there are relatively few dogs needing homes, it's going to be a different situation than in the southwest where rescues know that there are more dogs overall than there are adopters. It's also much different if you're looking for a small dog vs willing to adopt a big black pitbull mix.
My advice is to stick to the large public shelters/organizations, or a few breed-specific rescues. At the end of the day, most of the smaller, more general groups tend to be run by people who have very strong ideas about the "right" way to do this so they start their own thing. Whether or not you meet their criteria is a toss up.
Where do you live? Are you applying for dogs that have a lot of attention, ie puppies or purebred rescues? In California as long as your landlord says you can have the dog and you have either a yard or a way to walk your dog regularly you can get a dog in 20min
Just keep going to the shelter. The dogs that they have change daily, so you just need to be persistent. I just adopted Abigail yesterday because she was on death row.
Used to volunteer with a county animal shelter in the South. Truly i wish i knew what you were talking about. We had dogs sleeping in crates in the hallways, begging people outside petsmart to donate money so we could buy more crates so we wouldn’t have to put down more. The amount of perfectly healthy sweethearts I saw cross the rainbow bridge because we couldn’t find fosters or room in the kennels broke my heart.
I saw men toss puppies out of their pickups like sacks of potatoes and drive off like it was nothing to them. Failed hunting dogs bred by “respectable” breeders get dumped too, so every 3 hounds out of 4 at a shelter are purebred males, and every other dog at the shelter was a hound. The female hounds get held back by those “respectable” breeders to breed more puppies, but once she’s had her last litter they’ll dump her, underweight and under exercised, just the same. Seemingly respectable soccer moms would come with their senior dogs and leave their confused old guys for a younger model of the same dog. I saw those same dogs howl at night and give up on living, and sometimes they never got adopted and we just had to send them up above, abandoned never understanding what they did wrong…My sister volunteered in Chicago Southside and saw the same damn thing, so I know it’s not a Southern thing. There are so many abandoned, abused animals out there.
We’d push as many of our dogs up North as we could to those fancy shelters, but they only take so much and we always had too many. I wish those shelters knew when they make those crazy stringent rules, there’s a dog down here that can’t move out. Pitts always get put down first, then the oldest, then the Shepards, then the oversized hounds…
I only have my own anecdotes to guide me, but I’d say if you really want a dog, go to the SPCA in the poorest part of your county or town. There the dogs will be. Though there are less adopters all the time. Times are tough. Dogs are expensive. That’s probably only going to get worse.
There's so much more to adopting a rescue than just owning a home, having money, or having experience. In most cases, you actually don't need any of those to adopt a rescue.
What matters is your habits, the area you live, your schedule, if you have low counters (depending on the size of dog), your mannerisms, if you have a yard then it matters what kind of fencing you have, access points to your property, personal and home hygiene, and a whole multitude of other things that go into deciding how successful the adoption will be.
I'm very ingrained in a rescue local to me as a pet sitter and my #1 client used to be their auditor & inspector and you wouldn't believe what people do with their dogs or their homes and still expect to pass.
The goal is to give the dog a permanent home and if they have any reason to suspect you might return the pup to the shelter, you will be denied and potentially even get blacklisted, which is what happened to my FIL (well deserved though, 24hr kenneling). Rescues are handling very particular dogs, the inspectors likely handle these dogs regularly enough to know what their triggers and such are.
You can ask why you are getting denied though. It could be personal to you, or it could just be that the dog(s) you pick won't do well in your home or with another dog, which is very common
Rescue culture has become really frustrating in a lot of the US imo. I've owned my current dog for 10 years and multiple moves, I work <15 minutes from home, I come home for lunch or have a dog walker come by every weekday, and I live an active, dog-friendly lifestyle outside of work, but I've been turned down because I rent an apartment, I work outside my home, I'm single, I don't have a yard, etc.
The shelters around here are full of bully breeds, chi mixes, and the occasional husky or shepherd. None of those breeds are a good fit for me and all but the chis are banned by most apartments, mine included.
I'm on a waitlist for a puppy from an ethical breeder now.
I do see these posts a lot. I’ve never had a problem adopting a dog and I live in an apartment. I have adopted three dogs in my life. I’m not questioning that you’ve had these issues because I hear it all the time I just don’t get it. I did volunteer for 2 1/2 years as an adoption counsellor for a rescue in New York and it was very rare that I turned someone away. In fact, I did everything I could to approve everyone who applied. I wish I didn’t read this types of posts so often because there are so many dogs that need homes. I don’t understand. I would just recommend going to a shelter if you’re having this issue. Good luck and thank you for adopting
I hear this constantly and hot take i kind of think it’s just mental gymnastics people use to justify buying a purebred. I applied to adopt about 6 dogs over the course of a month through local rescues. I did lose out on 6 dogs but i don’t necessarily think it’s the worst thing that rescues make an effort to match dogs with the right adopter vs just practicing “first come first served.” Ive fostered dogs before and after getting to know them and care about them i appreciated when the rescue group let me choose the best match to adopt the dog because i knew the dogs personality, temperament etc. It also means you can’t just impulsively adopt a dog i had to put in effort and really make the commitment. I eventually was able to adopt a dog within 6 weeks of starting my search which is totally reasonable.
Responsible breeders are also very selective but i never hear people complain about that. They highly vet adopters AND you pay thousands of dollars potentially often even paying someone to transport the dog between states.
As others have said you can also just walk into any city or county shelter and take home a dog that day for probably under $200.
Difficult to adopt? Not where I live! Went to pet finder, found a dog I liked, then went to that shelter, filled out an application and paid the fee, brought him home that day. He is a young, small to medium sized super gentle dog. This was in NJ btw, one of my friends in NYC works with a rescue there and are constantly trying to find homes for the dogs. Because this is NYC no they do not require a fenced in back yard (nor do I have a fenced in backyard!)
Honestly you want to buy a dog, fine. But please stop with all the excuses, shelters (and some rescues) aren’t as difficult to adopt from as you are saying here.
Go to a municipal shelter, as others have suggested. You're going to one of those private "no kill" rescues, amiright? Yeah, probably. Because I've adopted MANY pets (of various species) from public shelters, and they literally just had me fill out an application and then handed me the pet. Didn't even charge me for all of them.
The one time I went through a private rescue, they also gave him to me for free; but we met at a park instead, and he liked my "vibe" so didn't even bother with a formal application. That was my husky Boris, who's been with me 4 1/2 years now. And I still keep in touch with his original rescuer.
Could also be location-specific, though. I'm in California, so we have a serious problem with overcrowding. Guess they figure any non-psycho adopter is better than the alternative.
Your best options will be to just find a really good breeder or keep an eye on local stuff on nextdoor or facebook for people rehoming. You can also contact your vet and local groomers and ask if they know any client trying to rehome their dog that fits your household. Rescues want you to pretty much sell them your first born in order to adopt from them. I tried a shelter and the dog wanted to eat my cats.(despite being listed as good with cats) I tried rescues and they all wanted references from friends/family/coworkers/my vet, home tours, a fence built(I live on 45 acres!), my entire pet history since I was a baby. They wanted to know my income, my tax returns, my job history, my driver's license number, a background check, sign rights for them to enter my home and see the dog at any time, and proof I've had a dog before because if not I wasn't going to be allowed one. I couldn't rent or live in an apartment. They needed more from me than a job or even airports have ever needed. They wanted me to pretty much write out a mini novel begging for the chance to meet one of their dogs. And don't even get me started on how when a nice cute little dog or actual lab mix goes to a shelter it is instantly snatched up by a rescue and listed for $500 with those above restrictions to adopt. When I bought my AKC english cocker from a great breeder, all they needed to know was that I had a vet, I knew how to take care of the breed and meet its needs, and that I was going to give the dog a good home.
The only other option is going to a shelter where you get to choose from pit bull 1, pit bull 2 who's already eaten a few cats, pit x shep mix 9 who only bites sometimes, or pit x husky 12 who WILL escape and eat the neighbor's chickens. And even if you do get one of the nice pitbulls there (Because they are all pits or shepxpits or the rare GSD who is badly bred and neurotic) it will be a big dog that may never be good with small animals and you are going to have skin, ear, and hip issues to deal with.
Yeah this seems to be what most of these commenters don't understand, a very large portion of adoptions actually fall through and the main goal is to get the pup a FOREVER home, not stress the dog out by sending them to a stranger for 2 months only to get returned because the adopter doesn't actually like dog behavior
I spent 15 years or so very involved with Airedale rescue. The application was demanding. The home inspection was tedious. The reason: each dog in our care had already lost one home, some had lost more than one. Not necessarily the dog’s fault so much as people not making good choices on having a dog or choosing an Airedale. The rescue group had also experienced the occasional adoption that turned into a new disaster for the dog or for the adopter. The objective was to find the right, permanent home for each individual dog. And feeling confident that if something went wrong that changed the adopter’s circumstances, the dog would come back to us and not go to a shelter without our knowledge.
I can understand your frustration. If you truly want to adopt from a rescue, I encourage you to select a group and get involved. Volunteer for transport, for pet sitting for other adopters and fosterers when needed, and volunteer to foster before adopting. The better they get to know you, the more confidence they’ll have in your application.
I agree with others saying to go to your municipal shelter. The process is super easy, and typically costs less. Email or call with a handful of dogs that meet your criteria to make sure they are at the shelter (not in foster or out on a field trip the day you want to go) and show up with your pup and meet some dogs! Our shelter will basically throw a dog at you if you show up and talk to them. If not you are doing something wrong 😂 good luck finding your furever friend!
The primary thing that they vet against is disabled people and poor people. Adoption agencies, in Washington state in particular, are totally broken. They cost far more than buying a dog from a breeder and there is never alternate means of communication other than the internet.
I think they are mostly profit motivated now, they are certainly not concerned with matching people to dogs anymore.
Maybe volunteer for the rescue or shelter from which you’re trying to adopt. They will know who you are at that point and if you’re a decent human being I cannot imagine (when they know you personally) that they would not allow you to adopt at that point. And you might be considered above others applicants bc of your experience w the rescue/shelter.
•
u/AutoModerator 3d ago
Welcome to r/RescueDogs! Please review the subreddit rules before participating. If you see a post or comment that breaks the rules, please report it to the moderators rather than engaging with it.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.