Why is adopting a dog so difficult?

Inexile

Nice link Bannsidhe says it all really.
When I do home checks I dont try to 'sell' the dogs Im trying to home. I give them the warts and all story re greyhounds. I want people to really want them. I reckon that if after having a conversation with me that a grey isnt for them then I have done a good job. Of course I much prefer it when they decide that the can cope with having a big dog living indoors, dont mind that the sofa will never be theirs again, and have no problem sorting out their fencing.

On the fostering side, with most of the hounds that we get in, OH and I do consider keeping about half of them. But one look at the waiting list of hounds wanting to come into rescue puts me off the idea of keeping the fosters. If I adopt another then that ends the fostering for me and I think my home is more valuable as a foster place than a forever home.

You dont say it

borderlinemeath wrote: »

It's the ones that send dogs in their droves, literally every week a van might head stuffed with Irelands unwanted dogs, pulled frantically from pounds all over the country, sent to one rescue in particular, maybe stay for a few days and then get shoved on the van to the UK. While it is probably saving the dogs life, it really is skewing the pound figures.



Very true. But if the epidemic was fully transparent through actual statistics rather than skewed figures then it might warrant proper legislation that has a proper effect on the indiscriminate breeding and the attitude that some people have towards dumping/straying their dogs. To be flippant about it, the quote "you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs" springs to mind. Although the thoughts of it are horrible.

So you best tactic to save their lives is to let them die?
I am amazed as when it comes to dogs rescue there are three major categories of people. Those who do something, those who do nothing and those who do nothing and complain about those who do something. Politicians do little or nothing for people losing their lives for smoke and alcohol abuse and you really believe that they would care for the dogs? Keep dreaming your perfect word young woman, in the meanwhile luckily for the dogs here there are people ready to go not only the extra mile but the extra thousands of miles to give them a life chance.

borderlinemeath

You dont say it wrote: »

So you best tactic to save their lives is to let them die?
I am amazed as when it comes to dogs rescue there are three major categories of people. Those who do something, those who do nothing and those who do nothing and complain about those who do something. Politicians do little or nothing for people losing their lives for smoke and alcohol abuse and you really believe that they would care for the dogs? Keep dreaming your perfect word young woman, in the meanwhile luckily for the dogs here there are people ready to go not only the extra mile but the extra thousands of miles to give them a life chance.

You don't know me at all, so I would love to know what category you would put me in:rolleyes:. And I'm far from a dreamer, I'm very much a realist thank you very much.

Our pound system is far from perfect. I don't think 5 days is anywhere near enough time to claim a dog, or the 1 day that surrenders get. But neither is the way that some rescues drive dogs halfway across the country 5 days after they have been picked up and then ship them off to another country, just exporting the problem?

DBB

You don't say it, might I ask, have you ever visited any of the rescue premises in the uk that the Irish dogs are being shipped out to?
If you have, I'll be interested to compare what your experience was, compared to mine.

fatmammycat

Bannasidhe wrote: »

And it's official

Meet Charlie

He's fab and congratualtions!

boomerang

You dont say it wrote: »

So you best tactic to save their lives is to let them die?

That's a tad reductionist!

I totally disagree with Irish rescues pulling in dogs from here there and everywhere and shipping them all off together to the UK within weeks or days. I don't even know where to begin with explaining why it's wrong. And it's SO wrong.

FawltyTowel

Update:

Progress at last!

Have my first house visit next week. If all goes well, I'll meet the dog then move on to adopting him. The woman on the phone couldn't have been nicer. Had a good talk with her.

Hopefully all goes well

FawltyTowel

Believe it or not I'm still waiting for that house visit. Last week they told me it'll be a couple of days, now we're onto this week and I'm being told now it'll be organised over this weekend.

There was another dog I was looking at too. His owners were moving abroad and he needed rehoming. Three days of calls by me and the rescue, nothing back. That was last week. The rescue thinks they just went as they're still not answering.

Have made zero progress in over a week. Nothing has changed on either front.

I'm tempted to just call it quits. I've been looking to rehome a dog for months now and have made no progress in any front. I can't even get a house visit

If nothing changes this weekend I'm just going to buy a pup

Toulouse

Hang on for the homecheck.

Most rescues are totally voluntary. Have you any idea how hard it is to get volunteers during the summer when the kids are off and people are away on holiday?

And anyway, why don't you just adopt straight from the pound? No homecheck, just show up with your money.

boomerang

I'm sorry, but it's not like you're waiting for a callback from eircom or Sky. It doesn't work like that OP. There's phone calls to be made to arrange one of the volunteers to do it, and it then depends on when that person is free. That person has a job, kids, other pets etc. just like the rest of us and probably has a few more homechecks scheduled to do as well.

To be honest I am tired of listening to you rescue bashing.

Tranceypoo

FawltyTowel wrote: »

Believe it or not I'm still waiting for that house visit. Last week they told me it'll be a couple of days, now we're onto this week and I'm being told now it'll be organised over this weekend.

There was another dog I was looking at too. His owners were moving abroad and he needed rehoming. Three days of calls by me and the rescue, nothing back. That was last week. The rescue thinks they just went as they're still not answering.

Have made zero progress in over a week. Nothing has changed on either front.

I'm tempted to just call it quits. I've been looking to rehome a dog for months now and have made no progress in any front. I can't even get a house visit

If nothing changes this weekend I'm just going to buy a pup

The only thing I would say, because I do home visits myself, is that sometimes there might not be a volunteer available in your area or to do your area, most of the volunteers work, have kids, families etc so have to fit it in, I'm sure you understand that, I think you've been really patient, understanding and tenacious on your 'journey' to getting a dog so don't give up now. When I do home visits I normally contact the potential adopter within 24 hours and arrange the home visit with them although the actual visit might not be till the following week, as do the other volunteers who help at the same rescue as me, I would contact the rescue lady who you said was very nice and perhaps ask if you can contact the person doing the home visit directly or arrange a definite day and time and try and hurry it along. I think you're nearly there so just a last push (sorry that sounds like you're giving birth), you know what I mean..!!

FawltyTowel

Tranceypoo wrote: »

The only thing I would say, because I do home visits myself, is that sometimes there might not be a volunteer available in your area or to do your area, most of the volunteers work, have kids, families etc so have to fit it in, I'm sure you understand that, I think you've been really patient, understanding and tenacious on your 'journey' to getting a dog so don't give up now. When I do home visits I normally contact the potential adopter within 24 hours and arrange the home visit with them although the actual visit might not be till the following week, as do the other volunteers who help at the same rescue as me, I would contact the rescue lady who you said was very nice and perhaps ask if you can contact the person doing the home visit directly or arrange a definite day and time and try and hurry it along. I think you're nearly there so just a last push (sorry that sounds like you're giving birth), you know what I mean..!!

The lady did give me her number directly and she did contact me to be fair. It's just nothing has happened. I understand and completely respect that they are volunteers and are doing this out of their own time. I admire that.

I'm just feeling frustrated as whilst she did contact me, nothing came of it. Even if she said the visit would be next month that would be grand. Just any day. I know as much as I did before I called them.

Toulouse

So call again. 6 days in rescue is an awful long time with any number of emergencies and unexpected situations cropping up. 6 days in real life - not so long!

I'm not being funny but things in rescue do get missed due to the sheer number of things to be done all while trying to work and have a home life.

Perhaps when you get your adoption sorted you can offer some of your time to the rescue to try make things a little easier.

DBB

You say that the home visit will be organised this weekend op, so why are you saying in your last post that there's nothing organised?
I know you say you appreciate that they are volunteers etc etc, but the reality is that you don't understand. Not really.
You won't be aware of what's going on in the volunteer's life, for example.
You might not be aware that the person doing your home visit does not work or volunteer for said rescue, but was asked by them, just because of where she lives relative to you, to do your home visit.
You might not know that she already runs her own rescue and is up to her oxters trying to do that.
You might not know that she has a full time job too, on top of the rescue work.
You might not know that you texting her, whilst she was in work and during business hours, to pressure her into doing your home visit, only a couple of days after she told you she'd be in touch soon, was just being a bit too pushy.
You might not know that she has a dog who, due to a horrible accident last week, is immobile and needs almost constant care, and repeated visits to the vet because of complications arising from the accident.
You might not know that other commitments I have in life make me a terribly busy woman... I'm the busiest person I know.
I wouldn't expect you to know any of this stuff, but then again I wouldn't have expected that you'd be up here on this forum having a snipe at me either. I'm upset by what you have said, painting me as something I'm not.
I was to do your home check op, and I said I would do it this weekend because I could not do it any sooner. I was going to take time out from my schedule as a favour to the rescue, who I have a lot of time for.
But given that I now know I can't do an impartial home visit after what I've read here, I will contact the rescue and arrange for someone else to do it.
In this case, the irony is that your words here have delayed your home visit. But I hope this post illustrates that you just never know, and it is wrong to come on here and grouse about it.
Good luck with whatever dog you get.

Toulouse

Sorry to hear about your dog DBB

Sk8rchic

I volunteer for an animal charity (not not of the big ones) and when I do home checks it's usually when a person maybe interested in a certain dog we may have in boarding somewhere. I arrange with the prospective new parent a day and time that suits them. It usually only envolves a quick chat and just making sure gardens are secure, not able to run out on roads etc. etc.

Good luck and I hope you find your ideal pooch soon OP!!