It’s a common gripe on internet forums, over small talk, and on social media—the process of adopting a dog or cat from a shelter or rescue can be time-consuming and frustrating.
“Years ago, when I lived in western PA, I had great vet references but could not get approved for a senior dog from a shelter or rescue because we did not own our house,” wrote Rachel O’Rourke Williams on Facebook. “We had landlord permission and a yard. Some of the dogs we applied for were still listed on Petfinder as months went by. It was very upsetting.”
“I had applied for numerous dogs over multiple months from various animal shelters,” wrote Blake Ploutz, who lives in an apartment in northern Pennsylvania. “I either never heard back or was rejected because I don’t live in a house or have a fenced in yard. I did eventually get a dog, though it was not through a shelter but rather a private sale.”
Such posts are typical on social media from people who struggled to adopt a rescue pet.
But with shelters overflowing, why?
The Difference Between Shelters and Rescues
The first thing to understand about some of the challenges faced by many people looking to adopt a pet is the type of facility they are looking to adopt from.
Those looking to adopt from overcrowded, open admission or open intake shelters (shelters that accept any and all pets) that are desperate for adoptions may find the process fairly easy. These larger shelter systems, such as Animal Care & Control (ACC) facilities—city or county agencies that are authorized to enforce laws regulating the care, control, and sheltering of animals—often require less paperwork, and sometimes people can take a pet home that same day.
However, smaller, independent shelters and most rescues have extensive applications with pages of questions and references required before a person will even be considered to adopt.
With rescues, compatibility takes precedence
There’s a very good reason for all the red tape, says jme Thomas, Founder and Executive Director of the foster-based Motley Zoo Animal Rescue in Redmond, Washington.
“The thing that we’re looking for at Motley Zoo is compatibility,” she explains. “We want to make sure that this dog is compatible now and forever.”
The thing that we’re looking for is compatibility. We want to make sure that this dog is compatible now and forever.
Thomas says for her rescue, exhaustive applications are necessary to ensure that the dog or cat fits into the lifestyle of the adopter, so the animal doesn’t end up back in the system. She explains that “that [some] shelters have about a 50% return rate because that compatibility doesn’t last once they get home.”
Motley Zoo’s foster-based model allows the rescue to wait until they find a dog’s or cat’s perfect home. “We have the luxury of doing so because the animals are in private homes,” notes Thomas. “They’re not going to die tomorrow because of time or space constraints.”
When organizations don’t follow similar models, Thomas says, pet relinquishment rises.
Tackling the root cause of pet surrenders
“Right now is the worst time in animal welfare that anyone has ever seen,” says Thomas, “and surrenders are rampant. Everyone is giving up their animal.” Thomas believes this is because the pandemic pet adoption boom led to a shortage of adoptable pets that drove prospective adopters to buy puppies from breeders.
While buying a puppy from a breeder is a guaranteed way to bring home a new dog, many are not prepared for a puppy—or that breed—and often those pets end up an animal shelter.
The animals that end up in rescues have been failed before, and we’re trying not to fail them a second or third time.
Thomas says irresponsible and profit-driven breeding practices are to blame. Respectable breeders provide a nurturing environment for their dogs, and rigorously look for the same qualities from families looking to adopt one of their puppies. Responsible breeders have measures in place to keep purebred dogs out of shelters, such as taking the puppy back in the rare case the adoption doesn’t work out.
But this isn’t happening.
“Right now, in Washington state, our shelters are full up with purebred German Shepherds and Huskies,” Thomas reports. “Someone keeps breeding them. People keep buying them. And they keep getting surrendered.”
“This isn’t a transaction, and ultimately that’s the problem,” Thomas says. “Do people want a transaction, or do they want a relationship?
Do people want a transaction, or do they want a relationship?
Rescues, Thomas says, put a lot of time, money, and energy developing a relationship with the pets in their care.
“Fosters have them in their home. We’ve nursed them back from [in cases of abuse or neglect] the brink of death. The last thing we’re going to do is put them back in a risky situation.”
Thomas says that this is why they tend to be extremely careful with their adoptions. “The animals that end up in rescues have been failed before, and we’re trying not to fail them a second or third time.”
Forever Homes Are the #1 Goal
“The ultimate goal of any adoption process is to create a successful match for both the animal and adopter,” says Christa Chadwick, Vice President of Shelter Services at the ASPCA, a national organization that supports small shelters in cities across the nation. At the ASPCA Adoption Center in New York City, Chadwick says the applications are specifically tailored to help match the right pet to the right person.
Typical application questions may include the desired age range and ideal size of pet, experience with caring for a dog or cat, other animals in the house, aspects of the adopter’s neighborhood, as well as, yes, fenced yards (because some dogs are not comfortable walking on a leash). Other questions may include whether an adopter is looking for a confident or a shy dog, a dog who is comfortable being left alone or enjoys children, or an active dog or a couch potato.
The ultimate goal of any adoption process is to create a successful match for both the animal and adopter.
They are all designed to help narrow down the parameters that will hopefully lead to a successful match.
However, just because a prospective adopter doesn’t have a fenced yard or veterinary references, doesn’t mean they won’t be able to adopt. That’s where a dialogue between adopter and shelter can help.
“We have learned that conversation-based adoption practices that remove barriers to adoption allow more pets to find new homes,” reports Chadwick, “rather than practices that add barriers to adoption and include rigorous adoption applications and background checks.”
An open mind about a dog’s look, or breed, is key
Many dog adoption applications do not ask what breed the adopter is looking for because ultimately the breed isn’t going to make or break the compatibility factor.
It’s the same at Motley Zoo.
“Everybody gets attached to a picture, but that’s not necessarily going to be the right fit,” says Thomas. Adopters focused on a specific dog or cat because of their photo on the website may very well miss out on another dog who will be an even better fit.
The application process is to help set expectations. too.
The application process is to help set expectations, too.
At Motley Zoo, the information given at the beginning of an adoption is intended to help people understand that the dog they see in the shelter will likely change once they bring them home.
Thomas tells adopters about the Rule of Three. “It takes three days for a dog to adjust to a new place. It takes three weeks for them to start to feel like they’re at home. It takes three months for them to know that this is their house.”
How to Increase Your Chances of Having Your Pet Adoption Application Approved
In our conversations with experts and other sources such as the ASPCA, regardless of where you are seeking a pet, there are some things you can do to improve the chances of your application being approved. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Research the adoption policies and requirements of a variety of shelters and rescues to help you decide where you want to apply.
- Visit the shelter, talk with representatives, and ask questions. When you apply, if possible, apply in person.
- Have a general idea of the type of pet you think would be a good fit for you, but keep an open mind if the shelter or rescue proposes alternatives.
- If you have children, be ready to demonstrate you understand how to facilitate safe encounters between pets and kids.
- Provide your existing pets’ medical records, making sure they are current with vaccinations and are spayed and/or neutered.
- Provide contact information for your current and past veterinarians, as well as personal references who can speak about your treatment, care, and experience with pets.
- If you’re adopting a cat, commit to keeping them indoors.
- If necessary, provide proof that you are allowed to have pets at your home as well as any restrictions about breed, size, or even the number of pets you’re allowed. This is more relevant to renters, but sometimes an HOA or a condo or co-op board have their own requirements.
- If a home visit is required, ensure that everyone in the household is onboard with the adoption, and decide who will be in charge of feeding, walking, and training.
Best Case Scenario: A Companion for Life
It’s true that many people face hurdles when applying to adopt a pet. But it’s important to remember that the adoption process doesn’t end when you bring your new pet home. In fact, it’s just the first step on what will hopefully be a lifelong journey of love, learning, and nurturing an incredible bond with your pet. Most shelters and rescues are simply trying their best to find the best home for their pets.
If you are committed to adopting a pet, don’t give up. Be realistic about the care you are capable of providing a companion animal. Be flexible about breed and age, and check shelters, rescues, and social media for new pets regularly. Keep applying and go to animal shelters to meet pets—and shelter employees—in person. The process may ultimately lead to you finding the perfect dog or cat for your home and lifestyle.