I know I’m commenting on my own post, but whatever…
In answer to your question, rescues (not shelters, but rescues) tend to know a fair amount about the dogs they take in. Many are owner surrenders. So in many cases, they can tell you if a dog was already living with cats.
I adopted three of my senior dogs from the same municipal shelter in my town (at different times).
When I asked if my pick was ok with cats, each time the staff grabbed the office cat and brought us all into the feed room where the cat was placed on the floor. The dogs were kept leashed at first, but the cat (a huge gray longhair) was like “Whatever” .
When the dogs showed no interest, they were let off the leash, where they still ignored the cat.
To be fair, all of them were small dogs and not terriers or bully breeds, but I felt bad for Crash Test Dummy kitty. Although he didn’t seem worried at all being put in that situation, so I’m guessing he never had any close calls.
CM, thank you for that. I feel for the dogs and so many I see around here no comment about cats. I have wondered if there were any like that around so they could be ‘tested’. But the shelters are WAY more strict about contactbetween me and potential rescue, and said dog and my dog. I just may ask again to the big shelter here. Thanks
It’s a shame they’re so restrictive! Not only is my local shelter happy to accommodate almost any request from an approved adopter, they’ve also put my chosen dog on temporary hold so I could bring my current dogs in for a meet-and-greet.
Of course, this is a small underfunded shelter who needs every available cage, but their user-friendly approach is wonderful! Conversely, there’s a no-kill rescue here that won’t even accept an application if you don’t have a fenced yard and agree to random home visits with no advance scheduling. I feel sorry for their dogs, many of whom have been there for years.
This kind of restrictiveness is an interesting quality in a rescue. Whatever requirements they have, if they are inconsistent with getting rescue pets into good homes, it means that the rescue does tend to become a long-term home. Not allowing reasonable adoptions can be a red flag as to what is really going on.
A rescue can’t rescue if it doesn’t have a space for a new animal. So not moving the current group to new homes means a limit on being able to help more animals.
At some point a very restrictive rescue becomes a sanctuary - basically, a permanent home - for many - or most - or all - of their rescue animals.
If the rescue insists on continuing to take in new animals while not re-homing their existing group, a crowding situation can develop quickly.
When there is a reluctance to re-home rescue animals and an insistence on continuing to bring in new animals, there is a fine line between rescue and hoarding. Some rescues have gone over this line. It is a red flag to look for when volunteering for or vetting a rescue. Unfortunately there are rescues that have ended up with a sheriff’s seizure of severely neglected ‘rescue’ animals. Just something to be aware of.
I couldn’t agree more! I was really put off by their Holier-than-Thou attitude.
Then I called them twice when stray dogs showed up here, just to find out if anyone had reported them missing. I never received a call back either time.
This group is the main reason I will never go through a dog rescue. There are at least 10 city/county shelters within 45 minutes of me, and they are the groups I support.
@chestnutmarebeware @OverandOnward- Yeah those aren’t rescues. Those are hoarders who hung out a shingle (or where a hoarder climbed the ranks to management) and make a really bad name for all of the rescues willing to make tough choices for the greater good.
Sooo many people with hoarding tendencies working in animal rescue.
A senior, black dog in an open admission shelter is harder to find a home for. That would be my choice if I wanted to adopt and make the biggest impact for a single dog.
Sheilah
I work at a shelter too. Over the years I have had 14 various hospice care dogs to enjoy their remaining days on the farmette.
To round this out a bit, just having the label 501(c ) or ‘non-profit’ does not mean that a rescue is doing well at rescue. It could even be a scam rescue, as some people have figured out that they can solicit for thousands in donations with little accountability, if they keep a tame Board of Directors. Plus there are the hoarders, and even the people who mean well but just aren’t good managers of resources. Very sad but more common than the rescue community wants to admit.
I think this particular group has the mindset that if an adopter doesn’t have the absolutely perfect situation they’re picturing for their dogs, then “No dog for you!” I don’t know why they’d rather see dogs kept in runs with them rather than living with their own family, even if that means being walked on a leash.
It’s a perfect example of perfect being the enemy of good.
Whereas the shelters here run a limited background check to make sure you haven’t been charged with animal abuse in the past, sit down with you for a short interview/discussion about your home and other pets, and then trust their gut impression.Oh, and they ask who your vet is. Then, it’s “Congrats! Here’s your dog!”
I’ve also found that with all of the older dogs I adopted, the shelter tried to waive the adoption fees because they were so happy to see the dogs get a new home. I ended up giving them cash donations each time to support the organization.
If they are still taking in more dogs then that is quite honestly a red flag for a hoarder situation. That is language common to hoarders - no one else is good enough, only I can do it.
It’s rough because without hard evidence of hoarding and overcrowding that is leading to serious starvation, and/or dangerous situations for animals and people (including sanitation), there is usually very little oversight or anything that can be done about it. Animals must be visibly suffering, per the guidelines of whatever jurisdiction. And the evidence has to be gathered in a legal way for LE to act on it.
If there is a good-ish local Animal Control attached to a county or municipal gov’t, or a law enforcement office, they could go out, take a look and have a chat with whoever is running it.
Or if the IRS can be convinced that the ‘rescue’ is not abiding by it’s own formally adopted bylaws when the 501(c )3 was set up and so are not the rescue charity that they are claiming to be. But it is hard to get there, and the IRS does not have time for low-dollar issues. It’s about tax dollars for them, not animal welfare.
They set up adoptable dogs outside PetSmart for adoption events and to be fair, the dogs seem to be in good weight and health, but they always stop me and ask for a donation.
Every time they do, I reply that I reached out to them twice just to see if they’d been notified of a missing dog that I found, and they couldn’t be bothered to call back. So I couldn’t be bothered to donate to them.
Which is true.
On the other hand, requiring a fenced yard, especially for some breeds, doesn’t seem unreasonable.
That being said all three of my Beagles we’re rescues, and I don’t have a fenced yard, and for my first I had no yard.
That being said, having requirements that you bend in certain cases is probably easier than not having a requirement to point to when a sketchy adopter shows up.
There are no simple, easy answers.
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I’ve seen some require a 6 foot fence. I get it… but have never had a fence and never lost a dog. I would love a fence for the next dog, but may not have one, so probably won’t be a rescue.
I would choose a dog that will fit in best with your current pack and living situation. I know we seem to gravitate to the neediest ones but you want them to be happy and thrive in their new environment, not be fearful, overwhelmed and intimidated.
I am sure you will choose wisely.
One of the most rewarding aspects of my career was my tenure as a shelter veterinarian, mostly serving as Chief of Staff for two separate humane societies and have consulted for dozens more. If you want to make the most impact fostering/volunteering is what I would recommend. There is a huge need which allows you to impact not just individuals but a larger number of dogs at the same time. You help the one in need of fostering and that creates space for the rescue to help at least one more. If you can get your foster adopted whether it’s you as a failed foster (I’ve worn that badge a few times) or to another worthy home not only is it a rewarding experience but your time and efforts do not go unrecognized. I’ve fostered puppies until they were ready for sterilization which go like hotcakes once on the adoption floor (huge, huge help to rescues and often the greatest impact you can make in numbers), seniors (just the relief they get from not being in a shelter environment until they find their furever home gives me peace of mind), hospice case(s) until their time has actually arrived (a true honor in many cases) and others including a few dogs through a program we set up to foster dogs for military that were deployed and battered women in shelters or trying to get on their feet (in other words, dogs who have an owner and often the relief of their mental and emotional anguish in such situations pays thing forward like you wouldn’t believe). I think by fostering you’ll know who will stay and who you’ll get the greatest reward from seeing and assisting getting them into their new home or back home as the case may be. I also will say that by getting involved in a rescue often provides you a network of resources you may not have realized existed that can be of benefit further on down the road. I had to leave shelter medicine and go back to private practice for a myriad of personal reasons (mostly having to take care of my geriatric mother) and I miss it terribly. I never turn down a request for help whether it’s consulting or volunteering if I have the resources to make good on the expectations - the rewards typically know no limits.
This is the most wonderful post. 
Well, that depends; it is possible they have so many potential adopters that do have fenced yards that they can easily move the dogs.
I wouldn’t call them hoarders without knowing more. I think “random home visits” are odd, but it’s also possible that they really aren’t random and really don’t perform them unless they suspect a problem.
I’m not saying I think this is a good business model, but it doesn’t mean they are a hoarder. They may just have found a niche in your community that are happy to work within their limits.
I totally agree with you about restrictive rescues. I’ve been very involved volunteering for one, but they are souring me. A couple years ago, I was fostering a dog that received a lovely adoption application. The family already had a dog who was a little behind on his heartworm meds. They rejected the family on those grounds! FFS. It wasn’t intentional neglect, they just plumb forgot in the chaos of everyday life. I spoke to the director and finally convinced them to move forward. The dog is now happy, loved, and well cared for.
Sometimes I think these rescues just start hating people in general and look for reasons to reject them. There needs to be a shift away from that mindset.
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