by Christina Kilby

Thankfully, more and more people are turning to animal shelters and rescue organizations instead of breeders or pet stores when looking for their next pet. With the overwhelming companion animal overpopulation, rescuing an animal in need helps everyone. Contemporary animal rescue organizations may run a bit differently than you are used to. Let’s go over what you can expect when heading out to adopt.

In the past (and in most City and County shelters it is still the case) you could walk in, pick out your animal, pay and leave. With behavioral issues being the number one reason for animals being relinquished, organizations are beginning to take steps to ensure that the animal is placed in the right home the first time.

What to Expect

1) Interview - In order to make the best animal-human match possible, the shelter is going to ask you for some information: details about your home and the people living in it, details about the other animals in the home, and information about the type of pet you are looking for. Yes, we all know you are going to fall in love with the Maltese mix that just came in yesterday. Little do you know he loves to bite children! What about the energetic Weimeraner mix? She can jump your 6-foot fence in one bound! Trust me, the staff at the shelter isn’t asking you all of these questions because they are nosey. They want your home to be the last home this animal ever has to be in, so they want to make sure the animal is placed properly. Often, you will be asked questions or be asked to fill out an interview form before you have even seen an animal. This is so the adoption counselor can direct you to the animals that would best fit your situation. Wouldn’t you hate it if your 5-year old daughter fell in love with that biting Maltese and had a crying fit all the way home in the car after you found out he wasn’t the right choice??

2) Home Check - The group may also ask you to allow them to enter your home for a home check. This is not to make sure your house meets their decorating standards. They don’t even particularly care if your house is neat! Their trained eye will be able to spot areas that pets can find trouble or potentially hurt themselves. I can’t tell you how many times I have done a home check and pointed out something to an adopter that they had overlooked. Or perhaps your current home isn’t conducive to the type of pet you are looking for. I was doing a home check for a gentleman that was interested in adopting a kitten. His application couldn’t have been more perfect, and the home check was being done as a technicality. However, I was astonished when I arrived at his home and discovered that this perfect pet owner was a packrat. His entire apartment was filled with stacks of books, papers, and boxes. If you can name it, it was hidden somewhere in this apartment. Being a packrat didn’t make him a bad pet owner, but it did make it unwise for us to place a kitten with him. The 8-week old kitten he wanted could very easily get hurt or lost in such a room. Once I explained this to him, and that we would be happy to place an adult cat with him that could navigate the obstacles, he understood and chose another cat. Our decision was nothing personal. It was simply in the best interest of the animal.

3) Veterinarian Referral and/or Proof of Health – Many rescue organization placing animals will want some guarantee that the animal is being placed in a disease-free home. In order to do this, they may wish to see proof that your dog or cat is current on his vaccinations or proof that you cat is negative for Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDS. They may wish to speak with your veterinarian’s office to confirm that you bring your animal in for regular checkups. Again, please do not take offense. For example, if your cat turned out to be Feline Leukemia positive, it would be irresponsible of the organization to place a Feline Leukemia negative cat in the home and expose him to the disease.

4) Proof that Current Pets are Spayed or Neutered – The new pet you are bringing home will undoubtedly be “fixed”, so what does it matter if your current pets aren’t? From a purely biological standpoint, you’re right it doesn’t matter. But from a philosophical standpoint, it most certainly does. Rescuers and shelter workers spend every day dealing with animal overpopulation issues. The main reason there is a surplus of companion animals is not the professional breeder, it is the accidental pregnancies and backyard breeders. Many rescue organizations will not adopt to owners with unaltered pets based on principal. It is not a personal judgment of you. From the shelter’s standpoint, it would be hypocritical to promote the spaying and neutering of all pets, yet adopt to a family with an unaltered Rottweiler. You may not plan on breeding your dog, but the odds that there will be an “accident” resulting in an unwanted litter is quite high.

5) Landlord – Yes, even rescuers have tried to pull the wool over their landlord’s eyes. I had 3 “illegal” cats in my first apartment. Luckily I was never caught. Having now worked in rescue for many years and having heard numerous, and I mean numerous, stories of owners having to give up their pet because their landlord caught them in this very lie, has made me understand why organizations confirm landlord approval. They are not trying to be intrusive. They are trying to make sure that the animal doesn’t come back in a month or a year because your landlord busted you! Having to give up your pet is hard on you and the animal.

I am aware that there are many organizations and individual’s that approach the interview process in a, let’s say, less than professional manner. OK, let’s face it. They can be down right obnoxious. But don’t let a few bad apples ruin it for the rest of the dedicated, kind rescuers out there. If you come across an organization or individual you don’t get along with, please visit another group. There are rude people in every field. Please don’t hold it against all rescuers!

Check back for upcoming articles on the questions to ask about the animal you are interested in adopting and things to look for. Thank you for rescuing an animal in need!!

Photo Credit: Hemera