How shelters as well as rescues failed when I embraced my very first pet dog

The story of how I embraced my very first pet dog subjects a common flaw in the U.S. shelter/rescue system – a lack of communication.

To get a lot more dogs adopted, one of the most crucial aspects is to swiftly as well as politely respond to adopters’ questions. as well often, those concerns are ignored.

So here’s my story:

I embraced my pet dog Ace in 2007.

I was available to the breed of pet dog I would get, however I understood I wished to embrace a pet dog vs. go to a breeder. It was crucial to me to assist a pet dog in need.

At that time, I had no concept that some shelters will turn down adopters who don’t have a fenced yard. I likewise didn’t understand working full time is sometimes a red flag.

Still, the process of trying to embrace a pet dog was not a unfavorable experience for me. I keep in mind believing the whole process seemed odd, however I provided the adoption organizations the benefit of the doubt.

I was your typical 20-something who worked full time, rented an apartment, had grown up with dogs as well as was lastly prepared to adopt.

I didn’t have an “in” with any type of of the adoption groups like I do today. I was not a volunteer, as well as I was not included in the regional pet dog neighborhood yet since I didn’t have a dog.

Looking for the ideal dog

I was extremely accountable about selecting the ideal dog. I understood precisely what I might as well as might not handle.

I didn’t care about breed, size or gender, however my future pet dog had to be feline friendly, potty trained, kennel trained, quiet, low to medium energy as well as still able to go running.

In buy to discover the ideal pet dog for my lifestyle, I started out by checking out the dogs at my regional humane society (after I had stalked them on the internet for months). This was a little shelter that might hold as much as about 15 dogs.

The worker there enabled me to take a couple of the dogs out of their cages as well as into an outside play area. This was nice, nevertheless she seemed hectic as well as irritated that I was asking questions, as well as she did not understand if the dogs were potty trained or feline friendly.

I was particularly thinking about two six-month-old black lab mixes as well as was told they were most likely not potty trained.

I then asked about a peaceful husky mix however was told huskies can’t go to houses with cats.

OK, no huge deal.

I made a decision none of the dogs at that shelter were a great match. This didn’t bother me, since I understood there were actually countless others out there.

Waiting to hear back

So the next thing I did was phone call a regional rescue group, which seemed to be the only rescue in my area at that time.

Since the rescue did not have an actual shelter (the dogs were in foster homes), I couldn’t go to a facility to satisfy them. I called the number on the web site since there was no email address listed.

I never got a phone call back.

OK. moving on.

Next, I emailed a couple of humane societies from close-by towns. By “nearby,” I indicate one was 100 miles away as well as the other was 200 miles away, however it wouldn’t be a huge offer to drive out to them for the ideal dog. I resided in North Dakota.

The very first shelter never responded.

Thanks to gmail’s archives, I am able to look up the message I sent back in 2007.

In it, I innocently describe that I online 200 miles away as well as would like to get some info about the dogs before making the drive. I told them I resided in an apartment or condo as well as had a cat. I likewise stated I organized to take the pet dog running for an hour every day.

No response.

OK. Onto the next.

This humane society did email me back, as well as when I asked about a specific husky mix, they really provided me the phone number to the dog’s previous owner as well as told me to speak to her if I desired information.

I was uneasy calling this person, however considering that the shelter motivated me to do so, I did. I wished to get as much information about the pet dog before driving 100 miles to the shelter.

I will never fail to remember that heartbreaking experience of this dog’s former owner – a total complete stranger to me – crying on the phone about exactly how her landlord only enabled two dogs as well as she had been required to select which of her three to provide up.

“If you might please discover it in your heart to embrace Hallie …” she said, crying.

The next day, I got a nasty email from the shelter director asking exactly how attempt I phone call the dog’s previous owner?

This shocked me, obviously, however I still didn’t hold it against anyone. I just figured it was a miscommunication, as well as I really even apologized.

Since “Hallie” did not noise like a great in shape for me, I asked the shelter if they might please email me if they occurred to find across a pet dog that may be a much better fit.

Again, I never heard anything back.

And I still did not location judgment on any type of of these groups! This goes to show that adopters are normally quite forgiving as well as understanding, however come on!

How I lastly discovered my dog

The last thing I did was go back to the regional rescue group’s site (the one that never called me back). I browsed with its dogs again. This time, they had what was called a “curtesy” listing.

A black lab mix named Junior was provided as a “curtesy” which indicated his present owner still had him however was trying to re-home him. The rescue was enabling her to promote the pet dog on its site, as well as her personal phone number was provided as a contact.

“Junior’s” description stated he was feline friendly, pet dog friendly, extremely mellow, potty trained, kennel trained, 1 year old as well as neutered.

Perfect!

I really was not as well thinking about a “boring” black lab mix, however whatever. He sounded like a great match.

Thank God I made that phone call since I ended up with the world’s finest dog.

“Junior’s” owner at the time responded to all of my concerns patiently as well as in excellent detail. She was the very first person to truly do so.

I keep in mind I asked if “Junior” would like to go running, as well as she said, “He would like that!”

I asked about everything, whether he was peaceful in his kennel, exactly how he was with other dogs, exactly how much energy he had.

When I jokingly stated all Labs are high energy (just to test her response), she told me, “No, he’s not like that at all.”

So, about two weeks later I made the 60-mile drive to the little farming town of Ada, Minn., as well as satisfied my future dog, now understood as Ace.

A failure to communicate

Looking back, I now recognize all those adoption groups missed the mark.

I did discover the best dog, however my “perfect” pet dog occurred to be from the only person who took the time to response my questions.

Had any type of of the adoption organizations taken the exact same amount of time to assist me, I assurance you I would’ve found my “perfect” pet dog from them as I was plenty excited to get a dog.

I don’t understand what the issue was. perhaps they didn’t like that I resided in an apartment. perhaps all the volunteers were as well hectic to get back to me. perhaps I needed to be a lot more patient, to phone call five or six times instead of one or two.

In my case, it worked out fine as well as I was still able to assist a pet dog in need. however exactly how lots of others would end up going to a breeder, a classified ad or the regional pet shop?

I believe a lot of people genuinely want to embrace a dog, however it needs to be much easier for them to do so.

What do you people think?

If you embraced your dog, did you have a positive experience getting with the adoption process?