Pet Adoption
I made this thread on a message board I post on. Please read. This is so fucking frustrating.
For years I have wanted to adopt a Japanese Chin. Living circumstances had prevented me from doing so. I recently moved out of my apartment into a bigger one specifically to accommodate a small dog.
I am extremely anti breeding in all of its forms so adoption was the only option in my mind. I used www.petfinder.com to look at some dogs online. I found one I liked, after weeks of exchanging emails they turned me down because when I sent them pictures of my bedroom, they saw a power strip, and said that the dog could chew on it. I told them I could move it but still failed to be able to adopt that dog.
Don't worry...this gets worse.
I have been talking with an agency now for literally two months. Two months of her and I talking, making sure I was "suitable" to adopt a dog. Which the standards are pretty damn high. This woman at the agency I was speaking to insisted she meet all my roommates, come to my house personally, meet my BOYFRIEND, who does not even live with me, work references, I'm surprised they aren't doing a complete background check on me.
I accommodated because they are the only agency that handles the breed of dog I want. I told her I specifically got this apartment to adopt a dog and that I have been waiting for the right time to get a dog for at least two years.
This weekend my boyfriend and I drove an hour to her house to meet her dogs available for adoption. She took the dogs out she wanted me to see. The one she thought would be best for me specifically was very territorial and growling at other dogs when they went near him. I ended up picking a younger pup who was happy, active and wagged his tail the entire time he was sitting on my lap. The woman from the agency said her and her husband would come do the required house visit on Tuesday and bring the puppy I picked. If all went well the dog would be mine.
I sent her an email asking what items I should get for the dog, contract signing, any other advice or details she can give me. Her response email was trying to discourage me from getting a puppy, telling me I'll have to stay home more often to take care of it, etc.
This was my response:
I was trying not to pick a puppy at first because I know it would have been slightly easier with an adult. The other ones just seemed so shy except the male one sitting on the ottoman but he was growling at the other dogs. I just picked the one that seemed the happiest and active.
I stay home 90% of the week anyway, honestly. As much as I used to try to fight it I am definitely a home-body. Staying home for him won't be a problem.
I've been looking more into veterinarian care. I think I've settled on this place:
http://www.northavevet.com/ This one is 1.5 miles away from my place and has a 4 out of 5 star rating on Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/north-avenue-animal-hospital-chicago
There seems to be a lot of shady veterinarian places in Chicago. I remember one of my tenants at work recommended North Ave Animal Hospital, on top of all the reviews online I think that one is a pretty safe bet.
What kind of medical treatments has this dog had so far? Should I take him in for an initial visit as soon as I get him? Does he have any medical documents for me to take in to my new vet?
I'm going to call or go into the vet place tomorrow just to make sure I like it, but I'm about 90% sure this is the best option.
In response to that e-mail I get this:
I have been trying to get you to understand the importance of putting a lot of thought into this adoption. I am not getting a comfortable feeling with your responses. I really thought that Sarge the larger, young male would have been a good match with you. You are not focusing on the important qualities of this breed. Our job is to match the right dog to the right people. We tried to explain that the dogs we showed you were in an all new situation with a lot of changes over a short period of time. Sarge was growly, because he was stressed. He had not been like that previously. We know this breed very well and are able to determine their personality very quickly. Now Sarge is in NY, and I don't have any other adults that would be a good match for you.
I think it would be best to put this on hold for now. I know you are anxious to get a dog, but you just aren't "into" this breed, like you need to be. They are cute, but they are not for everyone. With as many as we have here, I thought you would have been really excited to see so many, but it just wasn't there....
I will keep your application on file and if I get a better one for you, I will be in contact.
Two months of exchanging e-mails, phone calls, and going to their house to pick a dog and NOW I'm unqualified to adopt this breed???
Are all adoption agencies insane??? I have never been so frustrated in my life.
This was my response to her email:
I have been putting thought into getting this dog for years. What did I say in my email that would make you think I'm not qualified to adopt this dog? If you had any objections to me picking out Troy why did you show him to me in the first place? And after I decided that dog and I bonded the best you and your husband didn't seem to object. Why would you tell me you were going to bring him over to my house for a house visit and now all of a sudden I'm not qualified?
I feel so blind sided. I don't understand why I'm getting this email now, when you are responding to my email that was simply explaining why Sarge left a bad impression on me and why I feel good about adopting Troy and questions regarding veterinary care for him. I realize some dogs need time to adjust but the bottom line is we did not bond how I did with Troy. I appreciate all the work you have been doing so far but I'm not going to take a dog I don't feel comfortable with. In the end this is going to be my dog and my responsibility so I want a dog I have a good feeling about. If you could be a little more specific as to why I'm not "into" this breed like I should be please let me know so I know what you think I'm doing wrong here.
All I have been doing through this whole time speaking with you is listening to what you were telling me and taking all the advice that you gave me. I told you I'm willing to stay home for the dog, I'm picking out a good vet near me, I'm willing to train him, feed him, pick up his poop, pay for whatever medical treatments he needs. What more can I do?
What I REALLY should have told her is how disgusting it is that she is disguising her pet rescuing as something noble when all she is really doing is trying to obtain a higher authority over people. And that all this hassle and grief she is giving me would force me to resort from buying from a breeder or pet store.
This sadly seems like a common occurrence at adoption agencies. I know a couple that couldn't adopt a dog because they both had jobs.
I also found this blurb on the subject
http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Laws_Order_draft/laws_order_ch_13.htm
Rationing Surplus Kittens: A Feline Digression
Some time back, my children decided that they wanted kittens, so we took a trip to the local Humane Society. It was an interesting experience. We ended up spending several hours waiting in line to receive one of a small number of permissions to "adopt" a pet, filling out forms, and then being interviewed by a Humane Society employee to make sure we were suitable adopters.
What was puzzling about the experience is that kittens are a good in excess supply. The Humane Society has more of them (and of cats, puppies, and dogs) than it can find homes for and, although it does not like to say so, routinely kills surplus animals. Rationing goods in excess supply is not usually a problem. Yet the Humane Society was deliberately making it costly, in time and effort, to adopt a kitten, and trying to select which lucky people got to do so, despite their knowledge that the alternative to being adopted was not another adoption but death. Why?
Part of the answer was that they gave out only seven adoption permits at each two hour interval because that was as many as they could process, given a limited staff and the requirement that each adopter be suitably checked and instructed. But that raises a second question. Since they did not have enough staff to process everyone who came, why insist on extensive interviews? Better owners are no doubt superior, from the standpoint of a cat, to worse owners, but almost any owner is better than being killed, which was the alternative.
So far as I could tell, the only real function of the process was to make the employees feel important and powerful, handing out instructions and boons to humble petitioners. That suspicion was reinforced when the woman interviewing us insisted very strongly that cats should never be permitted outdoors, stopping just short of implying that if we would not promise to keep our new pets indoors she would not let us have them. On further questioning, it turned out that she did not apply that policy to her own cat.
We left the Center petless, obtained two kittens from a friend (and very fine cats they have become), and I wrote an unhappy letter to the local newspaper with a copy to the Humane Society. The result was a long phone conversation with one of the women running the shelter. She explained that there were two models for such shelters: one in which animals were given out on a more or less no questions asked basis and one involving the sort of "adoption procedures" I had observed. When pressed on the fact that the real effect of her shelter's policy was to discourage adoptions and thus kill animals that might otherwise have lived, she responded that if they followed the alternative policy nobody would be willing to work for the shelter, since employees would feel they were treating the animals irresponsibly. That struck me as a kinder version of the explanation I had already come up with.
When the decision of what baby goes to what parent is made by an adoption agency, there is no good reason to expect the people making it to prefer the baby's welfare to their own. When the equivalent decisions are made for pets, there is no good reason to expect the people making them to put the animal's welfare or life above their own feelings.
Has anyone here gone through what I'm going through here??? I really just feel like giving up at this point. I have never been so fucking frustrated with something.
For years I have wanted to adopt a Japanese Chin. Living circumstances had prevented me from doing so. I recently moved out of my apartment into a bigger one specifically to accommodate a small dog.
I am extremely anti breeding in all of its forms so adoption was the only option in my mind. I used www.petfinder.com to look at some dogs online. I found one I liked, after weeks of exchanging emails they turned me down because when I sent them pictures of my bedroom, they saw a power strip, and said that the dog could chew on it. I told them I could move it but still failed to be able to adopt that dog.
Don't worry...this gets worse.
I have been talking with an agency now for literally two months. Two months of her and I talking, making sure I was "suitable" to adopt a dog. Which the standards are pretty damn high. This woman at the agency I was speaking to insisted she meet all my roommates, come to my house personally, meet my BOYFRIEND, who does not even live with me, work references, I'm surprised they aren't doing a complete background check on me.
I accommodated because they are the only agency that handles the breed of dog I want. I told her I specifically got this apartment to adopt a dog and that I have been waiting for the right time to get a dog for at least two years.
This weekend my boyfriend and I drove an hour to her house to meet her dogs available for adoption. She took the dogs out she wanted me to see. The one she thought would be best for me specifically was very territorial and growling at other dogs when they went near him. I ended up picking a younger pup who was happy, active and wagged his tail the entire time he was sitting on my lap. The woman from the agency said her and her husband would come do the required house visit on Tuesday and bring the puppy I picked. If all went well the dog would be mine.
I sent her an email asking what items I should get for the dog, contract signing, any other advice or details she can give me. Her response email was trying to discourage me from getting a puppy, telling me I'll have to stay home more often to take care of it, etc.
This was my response:
I was trying not to pick a puppy at first because I know it would have been slightly easier with an adult. The other ones just seemed so shy except the male one sitting on the ottoman but he was growling at the other dogs. I just picked the one that seemed the happiest and active.
I stay home 90% of the week anyway, honestly. As much as I used to try to fight it I am definitely a home-body. Staying home for him won't be a problem.
I've been looking more into veterinarian care. I think I've settled on this place:
http://www.northavevet.com/ This one is 1.5 miles away from my place and has a 4 out of 5 star rating on Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/north-avenue-animal-hospital-chicago
There seems to be a lot of shady veterinarian places in Chicago. I remember one of my tenants at work recommended North Ave Animal Hospital, on top of all the reviews online I think that one is a pretty safe bet.
What kind of medical treatments has this dog had so far? Should I take him in for an initial visit as soon as I get him? Does he have any medical documents for me to take in to my new vet?
I'm going to call or go into the vet place tomorrow just to make sure I like it, but I'm about 90% sure this is the best option.
In response to that e-mail I get this:
I have been trying to get you to understand the importance of putting a lot of thought into this adoption. I am not getting a comfortable feeling with your responses. I really thought that Sarge the larger, young male would have been a good match with you. You are not focusing on the important qualities of this breed. Our job is to match the right dog to the right people. We tried to explain that the dogs we showed you were in an all new situation with a lot of changes over a short period of time. Sarge was growly, because he was stressed. He had not been like that previously. We know this breed very well and are able to determine their personality very quickly. Now Sarge is in NY, and I don't have any other adults that would be a good match for you.
I think it would be best to put this on hold for now. I know you are anxious to get a dog, but you just aren't "into" this breed, like you need to be. They are cute, but they are not for everyone. With as many as we have here, I thought you would have been really excited to see so many, but it just wasn't there....
I will keep your application on file and if I get a better one for you, I will be in contact.
Two months of exchanging e-mails, phone calls, and going to their house to pick a dog and NOW I'm unqualified to adopt this breed???
Are all adoption agencies insane??? I have never been so frustrated in my life.
This was my response to her email:
I have been putting thought into getting this dog for years. What did I say in my email that would make you think I'm not qualified to adopt this dog? If you had any objections to me picking out Troy why did you show him to me in the first place? And after I decided that dog and I bonded the best you and your husband didn't seem to object. Why would you tell me you were going to bring him over to my house for a house visit and now all of a sudden I'm not qualified?
I feel so blind sided. I don't understand why I'm getting this email now, when you are responding to my email that was simply explaining why Sarge left a bad impression on me and why I feel good about adopting Troy and questions regarding veterinary care for him. I realize some dogs need time to adjust but the bottom line is we did not bond how I did with Troy. I appreciate all the work you have been doing so far but I'm not going to take a dog I don't feel comfortable with. In the end this is going to be my dog and my responsibility so I want a dog I have a good feeling about. If you could be a little more specific as to why I'm not "into" this breed like I should be please let me know so I know what you think I'm doing wrong here.
All I have been doing through this whole time speaking with you is listening to what you were telling me and taking all the advice that you gave me. I told you I'm willing to stay home for the dog, I'm picking out a good vet near me, I'm willing to train him, feed him, pick up his poop, pay for whatever medical treatments he needs. What more can I do?
What I REALLY should have told her is how disgusting it is that she is disguising her pet rescuing as something noble when all she is really doing is trying to obtain a higher authority over people. And that all this hassle and grief she is giving me would force me to resort from buying from a breeder or pet store.
This sadly seems like a common occurrence at adoption agencies. I know a couple that couldn't adopt a dog because they both had jobs.
I also found this blurb on the subject
http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Laws_Order_draft/laws_order_ch_13.htm
Rationing Surplus Kittens: A Feline Digression
Some time back, my children decided that they wanted kittens, so we took a trip to the local Humane Society. It was an interesting experience. We ended up spending several hours waiting in line to receive one of a small number of permissions to "adopt" a pet, filling out forms, and then being interviewed by a Humane Society employee to make sure we were suitable adopters.
What was puzzling about the experience is that kittens are a good in excess supply. The Humane Society has more of them (and of cats, puppies, and dogs) than it can find homes for and, although it does not like to say so, routinely kills surplus animals. Rationing goods in excess supply is not usually a problem. Yet the Humane Society was deliberately making it costly, in time and effort, to adopt a kitten, and trying to select which lucky people got to do so, despite their knowledge that the alternative to being adopted was not another adoption but death. Why?
Part of the answer was that they gave out only seven adoption permits at each two hour interval because that was as many as they could process, given a limited staff and the requirement that each adopter be suitably checked and instructed. But that raises a second question. Since they did not have enough staff to process everyone who came, why insist on extensive interviews? Better owners are no doubt superior, from the standpoint of a cat, to worse owners, but almost any owner is better than being killed, which was the alternative.
So far as I could tell, the only real function of the process was to make the employees feel important and powerful, handing out instructions and boons to humble petitioners. That suspicion was reinforced when the woman interviewing us insisted very strongly that cats should never be permitted outdoors, stopping just short of implying that if we would not promise to keep our new pets indoors she would not let us have them. On further questioning, it turned out that she did not apply that policy to her own cat.
We left the Center petless, obtained two kittens from a friend (and very fine cats they have become), and I wrote an unhappy letter to the local newspaper with a copy to the Humane Society. The result was a long phone conversation with one of the women running the shelter. She explained that there were two models for such shelters: one in which animals were given out on a more or less no questions asked basis and one involving the sort of "adoption procedures" I had observed. When pressed on the fact that the real effect of her shelter's policy was to discourage adoptions and thus kill animals that might otherwise have lived, she responded that if they followed the alternative policy nobody would be willing to work for the shelter, since employees would feel they were treating the animals irresponsibly. That struck me as a kinder version of the explanation I had already come up with.
When the decision of what baby goes to what parent is made by an adoption agency, there is no good reason to expect the people making it to prefer the baby's welfare to their own. When the equivalent decisions are made for pets, there is no good reason to expect the people making them to put the animal's welfare or life above their own feelings.
Has anyone here gone through what I'm going through here??? I really just feel like giving up at this point. I have never been so fucking frustrated with something.