Adopting From A Pound

[Staffyluv]

I think if you are dog savvy and know the breed/type of dog that you are wanting to adopt, then you could be OK getting a dog from a pound.

I think if you are wanting to save a life, then rescue is probably a better option for the general,public. The dog will have been temperament tested, desexed, wormed, vaccinated, microchipped and even probably some training to help with any issues the dog may have..

I took my last foster girl along to Zig's training club and she did so well, she came first in her group..

Getting a dog through rescue, gives the rescue a chance to get another one out of the pound..

To me the only other option is a reputable breeder...

[_PL_]

When adopting direct, be aware that temperament notes taken by volunteers are a guide only and sometimes coloured by the volunteer desperately wanting to see a dog they have an attachment to, be rescued or adopted.

If it's full of flowery language with no actual relevant info, and has a 'save me or I die' angle then be careful.

Also be aware, if you own a pet who is immune suppressed or elderly, that pounds can be a source of contagious disease. Not necessarily the major ones especially if the staff C3 vaccinate upon arrival but there's still a risk to dogs that can't fight things as simple as kennel cough without veterinary help.

[BlackJaq]

We have two dogs directly from the pound but I know the pound staff so I had a good general idea of what we were getting.

Personally I would also not recommend less experienced people go for direct pound adoptions, especially if they have kids or special requirements.

Our two pound dogs ended up being good to train and easy to live with, but one is a hermaphrodite with visible mixed up parts, so I'm wondering if maybe she was ditched because of that. The other dog was house trained and could do basic commands like come and sit and shake hands. I suspect she was not collected because of impound fees (lack of chip, entire female etc).

However, that same pound gets fence jumpers and similar issues. The dogs go out to foster care in preparation of travelling to rescue and at the soonest, this is where those issues become apparent. Your average Joe Bloe adopter will not be able to cope with that kind of dog directly from the pound, and sometimes these things cannot be trained out of a dog. If Joe Bloe adopts a dog they cannot cope with, this is a drama in the making and the dog was not helped at all.

[Plan B]

However, that same pound gets fence jumpers and similar issues. The dogs go out to foster care in preparation of travelling to rescue and at the soonest, this is where those issues become apparent. Your average Joe Bloe adopter will not be able to cope with that kind of dog directly from the pound, and sometimes these things cannot be trained out of a dog. If Joe Bloe adopts a dog they cannot cope with, this is a drama in the making and the dog was not helped at all.

But it would have been given a chance. Without that chance, you'd be relying on a Rescue to take on a dog with issues - something a lot shy away from - and if they don't, the dog will die because of a cautionary tale.

It just seems odd to me that hundreds of thousands of people can adopt direct from Pounds each year, worldwide, without issue but somehow it's not advisable? We all know the majority of dogs in Pounds are happy, healthy, normal dogs and most are suited to less experienced people.

Rescues and reputable breeders may be a better overall option but Pounds are a brilliant option for a lot of people, including first time owners. All they need to do is go, explore their options, and assess each dog as an individual.

[BlackJaq]

"My" pound has only been euthanizing dogs for behavioural (aggression etc) or health reasons since they have started working with rescue, so every time somebody adopts a dog from one of the rescues who work with "my" pound, they make room for another one of our poundies.

If a dog is adopted directly and does not work out in that home, that dog misses out on the chance of getting a place in rescue, unless it returns to the pound once again..

I would rather people adopt from a reputable rescue who will assess the dog and match it to the new owner, giving everyone the best chance at success, rather than get any dog in any home, regardless of fit.

[Plan B]

Unfortunately, that's not true for most pounds.

And it's simply not about getting any dog into any home. It's about giving pounds the opportunity to adopt out dogs without the need of relying massively on outside help.

Rescues are bloody awesome but if people aren't encouraged to go and meet dogs in the pounds and have the opportunity to make compatible matches, many very normal, happy dogs will lose their lives.

Is it really so wrong to tell people they should go to Rescues, reputable Breeders, and Pounds to meet dogs and see whether they find the perfect match?

[The Bears]

When adopting direct, be aware that temperament notes taken by volunteers are a guide only and sometimes coloured by the volunteer desperately wanting to see a dog they have an attachment to, be rescued or adopted.

If it's full of flowery language with no actual relevant info, and has a 'save me or I die' angle then be careful.

OI!

[koalathebear]

Is it really so wrong to tell people they should go to Rescues, reputable Breeders, and Pounds to meet dogs and see whether they find the perfect match?

Most pounds are incredibly short-staffed. Some of the rural pounds only have one ranger who is barely keeping things afloat. I hear what you're saying and you're clearly dog savvy enough that you know what you're looking for so can adopt directly from a pound. Not everyone is like that.

The reason I'm suggesting people go to a breeder/rescue is that I'm not going to be there to help out if things go wrong and if I'm going to recommend something to someone, I'd like to recommend them to pursue a course of option that's going to give them a support network or some support if things go wrong.

You act like going to rescue means that a pound dog dies. It really doesn't. The more people source from the rescue, the more pound dogs rescue can save. The rescue I'm with gives priority to the pound dogs and surrenders come second. They work with the pounds and there are rangers who are very happy to work with rescue because they're able to rehome all over the country and give the dogs a chance to access homes they might not otherwise be able to have.

If someone feels comfortable adopting directly from the pound, then go for it - I'm all for it. If they want some support, then rescue/good breeder is the way to go.

[_PL_]

When adopting direct, be aware that temperament notes taken by volunteers are a guide only and sometimes coloured by the volunteer desperately wanting to see a dog they have an attachment to, be rescued or adopted.

If it's full of flowery language with no actual relevant info, and has a 'save me or I die' angle then be careful.

OI!

you know I love your notes Missy! I was thinking more along the lines of …well you know in particular. ;-) Lots of faff, lots of leaving out the important bits. Or just making it up from one photo, never meeting the dog at all.

[Plan B]

Most pounds are incredibly short-staffed. Some of the rural pounds only have one ranger who is barely keeping things afloat. I hear what you're saying and you're clearly dog savvy enough that you know what you're looking for so can adopt directly from a pound. Not everyone is like that.

My issue is that not everyone needs to be because the majority of dogs in pounds are normal, happy dogs.

You act like going to rescue means that a pound dog dies. It really doesn't. The more people source from the rescue, the more pound dogs rescue can save.

I run a rescue so no, not entirely what I'm saying. However, Rescues do not move quick enough in order for all rehomeable dogs to be rehomed. With so many high-kill pounds, it's a constant battle. That's not me saying anything bad about rescues because proper measures do take time but for those dogs who are normal, happy dogs - there's no reason why they can't be rehomed direct from pounds. And if we're not recommending people at least go and see if there's a good match, those dogs' chances of making it out of pounds just got lower.

If someone feels comfortable adopting directly from the pound, then go for it - I'm all for it. If they want some support, then rescue/good breeder is the way to go.

I agree with that and it's a good attitude to have. There are a lot of rescues, groups, trainers etc. who still do support people who adopt direct from pounds too though.

[HugL]

Interesting topic with lots of great posts.

I have been looking at my options for next dog and am shying away from pure-bred papered after incident last year. Also my breed of choice has changed bodyshape and heading to aggression .... but won't go there.

Rescue seems to be a great way to get to know about a dog before jumping in. The problem I am having as an experienced person, is the hoops they want you to jump through. The initial questionnaire focussed more on the living arrangements including sleeping, than what knowledge or experience the potential adoptee may have. As we have had dogs most of our lives including the current one, I find the idea of a stranger with unknown experience turning up and judging my fences and yard very off-putting (provided they can actually find me). Our fence was deliberately built for dogs - if we didn't have him, we probably wouldn't have fenced ourselves in.

I understand rescues have to weed out time-wasters and those that want a dog 'cos it looks soooo cute and the kids are bugging them. But surely they can look at experience, willingness to keep up on-going training, and what activities the dog will be participating in rather than pass judgment on fencing. If the person currently has a dog with no issues why is a check needed?

Prior to going down the pure-bred path, I did have pound dogs but so much has changed and even the pound I visited appeared to have hoops before adoption. The dogs were labelled with coloured stickers depending on how active they were, good around kids, etc. When enquiring about a particular dog, I mentioned having kids and they told me I wasn't allowed to adopt that one. My experience was of no interest to them, I had kids and that was the end of it. (I walked away with more understanding why people buy from petshops - sad but true)

I am going to continue with the rescue group as they have an amazing range of dogs and, hopefully, the right one will turn up.

To those in rescue, I admire what you do and understand how much you need the dog to find the best home. If I didn't have kids, I would be signing up as a foster carer. Maybe when they've left home....

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Hugl, as a veteran of 100s of homechecks, I can tell you there's a great need for homechecks and the reason is that people seem to forget small things to mention that are actually really important. Sometimes they just don't know, sometimes they forget.

I did a homecheck for a Jack Russell, the form said they had no other pets. Fair enough but Jacks are escape artists so best check the fencing is suitable.

In that case, the Jack would have also really enjoyed the free range pet rabbits they had - they forgot to mention that under the "any other pets in the household' question.

I kid you not! That's just one example, I won't bore you with the rest.

For the most part things are fine but there is quite a big percentage where small adjustments need to be made before it's fine and then there are some that are quite dreadful but that is very few.

Edited November 3, 2013 by dogmad

[koalathebear]

Rescue seems to be a great way to get to know about a dog before jumping in. The problem I am having as an experienced person, is the hoops they want you to jump through. The initial questionnaire focussed more on the living arrangements including sleeping, than what knowledge or experience the potential adoptee may have. As we have had dogs most of our lives including the current one, I find the idea of a stranger with unknown experience turning up and judging my fences and yard very off-putting (provided they can actually find me). Our fence was deliberately built for dogs - if we didn't have him, we probably wouldn't have fenced ourselves in.

I understand rescues have to weed out time-wasters and those that want a dog 'cos it looks soooo cute and the kids are bugging them. But surely they can look at experience, willingness to keep up on-going training, and what activities the dog will be participating in rather than pass judgment on fencing. If the person currently has a dog with no issues why is a check needed?

I can totally understand where you're coming from. We had two dogs of our own when we started fostering and felt a bit weird when the rescue wanted to do a yard check of our house. I would have been quite offended if we had been rejected, I'm sure.

I always feel a bit weird when I do yard checks - I feel like I am being intrusive but I've found that for all of the genuine applicants, they are more than happy to show me around - showing me more than I need to see to be honest :laugh: Happy to answer any questions and also happy to take any suggestions if I tell them that this section of the fence is too low or if I ask them what do they intend to do if the dog decides it wants to landscape their beautiful yard and garden.

I think that they understand that many of the dogs we rehome have had crappy lives previously and we are that dog's only advocate and no one will be looking out for that dog's interests at that time except us. So while I am extremely conscious and sensitive of the owner's experience/pride etc - the dog's welfare is first and foremost because once the dog is out of its trial period, it is out of my hands and I no longer have any way of assisting that dog. The applicant might be experienced and their resident dogs might be fine, but it's possible that the new dog has the ability to make its way out of a yard and the fence height and type of fence is always important to us and the fencing requirements vary depending on the dog.

Prior to going down the pure-bred path, I did have pound dogs but so much has changed and even the pound I visited appeared to have hoops before adoption. The dogs were labelled with coloured stickers depending on how active they were, good around kids, etc. When enquiring about a particular dog, I mentioned having kids and they told me I wasn't allowed to adopt that one. My experience was of no interest to them, I had kids and that was the end of it. (I walked away with more understanding why people buy from petshops - sad but true)

It's sad that you feel that way. I think it's quite responsible of the pound to be labelling the dogs depending on what sorts of dogs they are. For our rescue, for dogs that are child-unfriendly, we would never rehome them to a family with small children. If a dog was dog-unfriendly, we would not rehome to a home with other dogs. Even if the owner was very experienced i.e. had prior dog experience. The only exception would be for someone who was an experienced behaviourist/trainer who was aware of the training challenges and wanted to take them on. Just having owned a lot of dogs previously doesn't meant that someone is necessarily equipped to deal with behavioural issues.

Can you imagine the liability a rescue would attract if they rehomed a child-unfriendly dog to a home with small children even if the owner stated that he/she could handle it? It's just not worth the risk given that there are plenty of other more suitable dogs out there.

I am extremely picky about the homes that my foster dogs go to and don't believe that just a 'good' home is good enough because it's better than the pound/being put to sleep. I put a huge amount of effort into my foster dogs - money, emotion and time. The parvo puppies we had cost us $5,000 out of our own pocket. We crate train them, house-train them, teach them meal time manners, basic obedience, how to chill out at home and also how to do basic tricks. I'm really happy with all of the homes our dogs have gone to and the owners still keep in touch and were totally happy to answer my many questions and satisfy my various demands :laugh:

I hope you find the right dog you're looking for and I hope that you can have a little bit of an understanding about the huge investment that foster carers put into the dogs they foster. It's almost never easy to give up a dog that you've nursed through sickness or trained through its behavioural issues. :)

Edited November 3, 2013 by koalathebear

[Rosetta]

Interesting topic with lots of great posts.

I have been looking at my options for next dog and am shying away from pure-bred papered after incident last year. Also my breed of choice has changed bodyshape and heading to aggression .... but won't go there.

Rescue seems to be a great way to get to know about a dog before jumping in. The problem I am having as an experienced person, is the hoops they want you to jump through. The initial questionnaire focussed more on the living arrangements including sleeping, than what knowledge or experience the potential adoptee may have. As we have had dogs most of our lives including the current one, I find the idea of a stranger with unknown experience turning up and judging my fences and yard very off-putting (provided they can actually find me). Our fence was deliberately built for dogs - if we didn't have him, we probably wouldn't have fenced ourselves in.

I understand rescues have to weed out time-wasters and those that want a dog 'cos it looks soooo cute and the kids are bugging them. But surely they can look at experience, willingness to keep up on-going training, and what activities the dog will be participating in rather than pass judgment on fencing. If the person currently has a dog with no issues why is a check needed?

Prior to going down the pure-bred path, I did have pound dogs but so much has changed and even the pound I visited appeared to have hoops before adoption. The dogs were labelled with coloured stickers depending on how active they were, good around kids, etc. When enquiring about a particular dog, I mentioned having kids and they told me I wasn't allowed to adopt that one. My experience was of no interest to them, I had kids and that was the end of it. (I walked away with more understanding why people buy from petshops - sad but true)

I am going to continue with the rescue group as they have an amazing range of dogs and, hopefully, the right one will turn up.

To those in rescue, I admire what you do and understand how much you need the dog to find the best home. If I didn't have kids, I would be signing up as a foster carer. Maybe when they've left home....

I used to think a lot like you regarding yard checks etc. I guess you have to look at it from the point of view of the rescue organisation. Their role is to find the best possible fit for the dog and to minimise the possibility of the dog "bouncing back" - in other words to find them a real "forever" home. That is their first priority and they develop protocols to meet that criteria.

[_PL_]

Best recent example of a yard check needed:

person stated their yard had boundary fencing which was secure.

Yard check revealed boundary fence was entirely broken palings and 3ft beaten-up chicken wire.

I don't think they deliberately lied because they knew a yard check would be done, they just genuinely didn't think it would be an issue and weren't prepared to make any changes to fix it up.

We don't force ourselves on people, the people who apply are often completely accurate in their descriptions and quite welcoming of a visit because it's part of the application process. We get there and they have tea and cake ready! :) It's part of the way we do things. (We always stress it's nothing like a landlord check!) Adopters are happy to keep in touch, I have my mobile 24/7 for emergencies, we have a lifetime return policy and are always available for questions or a chat. You do meet some lovely lovely people and many times we've been complimented on the well rounded, thorough approach to rehoming the right dog to the right home.

You have to remember within ethical groups, dogs that are in foster care and the groups who own them only want the best outcome.

You have to trust their decisions because conversely....it's a huge gesture of trust to give a dog you've rescued, loved and cared for, to a complete stranger.

[mita]

Hugl, as a veteran of 100s of homechecks, I can tell you there's a great need for homechecks and the reason is that people seem to forget small things to mention that are actually really important. Sometimes they just don't know, sometimes they forget.

Dogmad, weren't you the person who once posted that a home-check you did... had an unfenced back of the house, giving onto a sheer cliff? Of course, not all would be as extreme... but that one's stuck in my mind.

You're right, sometimes it's just small things.... that can be sorted. Might even be fine for the dog they already own, but wouldn't be so for the potential adoptee. Like having a big dog... but not being aware of the tiny 'squeeze thro' spots used by small dog. Or the other way round. Not being used to the jumping abilities of a bigger dog.... when having had smaller dogs.

It is awkward.... what seems like a 'stranger' coming in to judge your home. But it'd depend on tact & some good communication skills to help ease the situation. Which is so necessary... to prevent dogs 'bouncing' or suffering nasty fates out on the road.

[Loving my Oldies]

I haven't read the whole thread, but a couple of homechecks standout. People "forgot" to mention:

* Unfenced swimming pool - above ground, but with decking and steps all around.

* Fenced - you bet! But what about those broken sections through which a hippo could walk through.

* Front gate? Check! But hanging off its hinges.

* No idea how the dog is getting out. Umm what about the chewed plastic fencing at the front gate.

* Big hole in back yard? Well it's always been there - don't know what it is for.

Etc Etc Etc.

[animals]

Ive even offered they adopt ME! some home checks make me go home and want to re- arrange everything .Ive picked up some landscaping ideas alnog the way :D

I guess it goes both ways for would be adopters come to my house too. I have nothing to be ashamed of but Im sure not everyone would think my place is the ritz either but the grass is always mowed my gardens look like they should my fences are all colourbond but there are dog toys around teenagers coming and going and of course at any time my neighbours could be out looking or the couple across the road arguing again --

During the course of communcation before adoption we run through the what will happen should everything go to plan so there are no suprises and if people don"t like it they have the right to refuse (I mean that in a nice way)

[Loving my Oldies]

I have nothing to be ashamed of but Im sure not everyone would think my place is the ritz

If people who do homechecks are giving you the idea that your place should be the ritz, then they are at fault. All a homechecker should be looking for are the aspects of physical security and safety for the animal - and this does mean checking landscaping in that some plants are toxic to animals, is there furniture or bins placed whereby the dog can jump up and then over a fence. I've seen this with my own eyes and the people didn't have a clue how the dog was getting out!!

There are lots of things to consider, but only from the point of view of the animal's safety.

I can't see that a dog would be particularly happy shut up inside The Ritz, in any case :D

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Hugl, as a veteran of 100s of homechecks, I can tell you there's a great need for homechecks and the reason is that people seem to forget small things to mention that are actually really important. Sometimes they just don't know, sometimes they forget.

Dogmad, weren't you the person who once posted that a home-check you did... had an unfenced back of the house, giving onto a sheer cliff? Of course, not all would be as extreme... but that one's stuck in my mind.

You're right, sometimes it's just small things.... that can be sorted. Might even be fine for the dog they already own, but wouldn't be so for the potential adoptee. Like having a big dog... but not being aware of the tiny 'squeeze thro' spots used by small dog. Or the other way round. Not being used to the jumping abilities of a bigger dog.... when having had smaller dogs.

It is awkward.... what seems like a 'stranger' coming in to judge your home. But it'd depend on tact & some good communication skills to help ease the situation. Which is so necessary... to prevent dogs 'bouncing' or suffering nasty fates out on the road.

Yes Mita - you've got a good memory, that was me .... I've also seen lovely green yards - full of Wandering Jew .... and many other things!