What are the requirements for adopting a pet from your local animal shelter?
I would like to compare them with the rules/regulations in place at the local shelter here. I think something is not quite legitimate about it. I know four people who have applied for different dogs recently; all were turned down for various reasons. None have any history of animal abuse/neglect, all are (as far as I know) responsible, loving pet owners. All had references, a vet., etc. I would like to compare other known rules/regulations regarding adoption with other animal shelters. This shelter just reopened recently. It was closed for awhile for unknown reasons. One friend was told the puppy she applied for had been transfered to another shelter, then they told her the puppy was adopted. By this time we became suspicious, so we checked on the web, only to find out that the puppy was now at another “no-kill” shelter which rescues dogs before they are euthanized. This has raised a lot of questions.
In Georgia the basic rules are as follows(to my knowledge) : you pay $65 for shots and for having the dog spayed or nuetered. And then you can take the dog home with you.
The shelter I work at requires proof of residence,income,vet reference,and personal refferences.
We can turn down an adoptor for any reason. Sometimes you just do not like the answers you are getting, or things sound “fishy”. Sometimes the kids in the family are too “much” and we reject. Many people choose the wrong pet for the situation and lifestyle they have. If we think the placement is not good for the animal, we will not approve the adoption.
It is not a “right” to adopt the animal. Many of us have worked hard on most of these animals and want the best home we can get for them.
That is more than a little odd. Maybe they have a parvo problem that they don’t want to admit and are turning all prospective adopters until they get it cleaned up. That could take six months. I don’t think I’d go there again looking for a dog.
Some shelters have no requirements at all, except that you pay the fee. Others want to do a credit check (which I think is an invasion of privacy) and want to inspect the home to be sure the yard is safe and fenced (good idea). Most want to know if your last few dogs died unexpectedly or ran away, and if you have a good history with your vet for getting your dogs proper care.
Around my area, some places you have to fill out an application and talk to someone from the shelter. Alot will actually come to your house and inspect it for any dangers and will come back if you get an animal from them and see you are taking care of it!!
My local City Shelter though, you can walk in a pick up any animal for like $30-$40 and walk out!! They don’t do anything to see if you will take care of it or what… So it just depends on the place.
I went to this one Cat Shelter about 5 hours from where I live and got turned down after one hour of talking becuase I smoke in my house!! The lady interviewing me got real upset that I smoke and that I wanted to bring one of her cats into my house!!
So they are ALL different!
I just bought a cat from a shelter, and all i had to do was sign some papers and agree to some things. There wasn’t anything major that seemed like you wouldn’t be able to adopt.
MANY shelters are like that. I even know of a woman who was turned down because she wasn’t home enough. She writes a pet care column and works OUT OF HER HOME. Some shelters think you should be home 24/7 to adopt a homeless dog, as well as other ridiculous specifications.
I don’t think some shelters really want to place the dogs, they just want to euth them. Sure fits in with the animal rights agenda, doesn’t it?
Just so you know, ‘no-kill’ shelters often just send the unadopted dogs to the kill shelters. No kill just means THEY don’t do it THERE.