Jeri Smith-Ready

Them's bitin' words

Today's New York Times ran an article on dog rescue (you can read it online for free for the next week), entitled "So You Think You Can Just Adopt a Dog?"

The article starts off with the tale of a woman and her two daughters who were turned down by the Humane Society in their efforts to adopt a dog. (Cue crying children.) They later adopted a dog from the county animal shelter, which apparently had less stringent adoption requirements.

Then the article proceeds to list the "hoops" prospective adopters must jump through to adopt a rescue dog: a multipage application (Gasp!), personal and veterinary references (oh my God!), interviews (No!), and a home visit (You want to what?!!). They compare it to the process of adopting a child.

I know people who have adopted children or are trying to, and the process doesn't take days--it takes months or years. The comparison, which I hear all the time, is an insult to those who have gone through this arduous process.

I spent two hours working on our application to adopt Meadow. One of the questions Greyhound Welfare asked was, "What would be the schedule for a typical day in the life of your dog?" Though time-consuming to answer, it forced me to think, "How will I fit this animal into my routine?" Especially for first-time dog owners, these are important questions to consider.

A dog is not a new piece of furniture. He or she is a living creature with physical and emotional needs. It's our job as temporary caretakers to ensure that the new home will be a permanent one. Rescue dogs have already had a difficult past; we want to know that their future will be better.

That being said, I believe rescue volunteers should remember that in any adoption, there are two parts to the equation: the animal and the adopter. Though the animal's welfare is our responsibility, we shouldn't forget the feelings of the people involved.

Most prospective adopters are well-meaning individuals who just want a nice pet, a companion to love and be loved by. They do not share our obsession with all aspects of animal care. They want their dog to be a member of the family, not a part-time job.

As Stuart Smalley would say, "And that's O-K."

With the families who adopt our fosters, I try to show compassion and understanding, and not make harsh judgments. I try to educate without lecturing. Perhaps my attitude is too laid-back, but I remember what it was like to be on the other end of the adoption process, wondering if every word I said was being dissected and analyzed.

That's all I have time for right now before going to work. Those of you who have adopted rescue dogs and/or cats, what are your feelings and experiences?

Labels: foster dogs, pets

• posted by Jeri @ 7:55 AM
• 4 comments