ADOPTION FOREVER means just that, no matter what?

[ArkRescue]

I want to bring up a topic that I know is going to cause some controversy, however our rescue group thinks it is important to discuss this with current/potential adopters.

If you adopt a pet, should you essentially be STUCK with it? Or do you feel there should be some initial room for an exchange/return from the rescue?

There are people that are apprehensive about adopting a critter because they feel they will be stuck with it, even if it doesn't fit their family situation well. Like .... a very active cat or dog vs. one that is a couch potato and just lays around. Or say the family realizes that a full time pet is way more than they realized, and they want to return it.

So far we have only ever had 2 returns out of over 100 adoptions, so that's not too bad. Although, there could have been more mis-matches that just didn't consult us after the fact?

How long of a trial period should we give? Up to what point should people be refunded their adoption fee?

In my opinion it does absolutely no good for a pet to remain in a home in which they are not wanted. Not being liked/loved can cause the care of the pet to be less of a priority, and the pet suffers. Or maybe the pet ends up at the shelter. Please comment so we can get an understanding of what would help people feel more comfortable with the adoption process.

 

[kwillia]

If you adopt a pet, should you essentially be STUCK with it? Or do you feel there should be some initial room for an exchange/return from the rescue?

Keep in mind by "you" I mean whatever rescue:

I believe there should be a exchange/return policy effective for however long your contract says you have the right to take the animal back if you see fit. If your contract doesn't stake claim to post placement home inspections and such then the adopter "owns" the adopted animal at the time of signing and taking home and if it doesn't work out they have to find it a home, find a place for it in a rescue or take it to the pound like any other owner of a pet would. On the other hand, if you contract stakes any sort of claim to being part owner of the dog by way of inspections or being able to waltz in and take it for whatever reason than you are always a partial owner and should assist in taking the animal back when the adopter can no longer care for the animal.

 

[desertrat]

I want to bring up a topic that I know is going to cause some controversy, however our rescue group thinks it is important to discuss this with current/potential adopters.

If you adopt a pet, should you essentially be STUCK with it? Or do you feel there should be some initial room for an exchange/return from the rescue?

There are people that are apprehensive about adopting a critter because they feel they will be stuck with it, even if it doesn't fit their family situation well. Like .... a very active cat or dog vs. one that is a couch potato and just lays around. Or say the family realizes that a full time pet is way more than they realized, and they want to return it.

So far we have only ever had 2 returns out of over 100 adoptions, so that's not too bad. Although, there could have been more mis-matches that just didn't consult us after the fact?

How long of a trial period should we give? Up to what point should people be refunded their adoption fee?

In my opinion it does absolutely no good for a pet to remain in a home in which they are not wanted. Not being liked/loved can cause the care of the pet to be less of a priority, and the pet suffers. Or maybe the pet ends up at the shelter. Please comment so we can get an understanding of what would help people feel more comfortable with the adoption process.

Sure, I'd say maybe even up to a month. May take that long for the animal to adapt and decide it will be ok to start certain behaviors that the family can't handle.

 

[ArkRescue]

Keep in mind by "you" I mean whatever rescue:

I believe there should be a exchange/return policy effective for however long your contract says you have the right to take the animal back if you see fit. If your contract doesn't stake claim to post placement home inspections and such then the adopter "owns" the adopted animal at the time of signing and taking home and if it doesn't work out they have to find it a home, find a place for it in a rescue or take it to the pound like any other owner of a pet would. On the other hand, if you contract stakes any sort of claim to being part owner of the dog by way of inspections or being able to waltz in and take it for whatever reason than you are always a partial owner and should assist in taking the animal back when the adopter can no longer care for the animal.

I agree with you, and your comment has brought up some interesting points. One is "being able to waltz in and take it for whatever reason" and I have seen that in contracts, and something similar may be in ours, however now reading your comments, I think that is a deal breaker type of comment, so we need to remove that from our contract. If the conditions are so bad in the pet's home, calling in animal control would result in the removal of the critter right?, and we would get it back that way. Sort of takes away the personal discretion/opinion of a rescuer, you know? This was a 'light bulb' moment for me.

We used several other adoption applications to come up with the terms we are currently using, which does state we require the adopter to return the pet to US, if they no longer can care for it (or want to). The main goal here is to keep the critter OUT of the shelter system. So we want the adopter to feel comfortable returning the critter to us at ANY time for ANY reason, we will not judge the adopter. People have a right to change things in their life, and if a pet is a burden, it can always come back to us. However if they want to give the pet to another person, I don't think we should be trying to do adoption apps on everyone down the line - it's a bit too much? People will do what they want to do despite the contract usually anyway. We just want people to know the door is open, but it's hard to enforce making it a requirement that the pet be returned to the rescue.

 

[ArkRescue]

Sure, I'd say maybe even up to a month. May take that long for the animal to adapt and decide it will be ok to start certain behaviors that the family can't handle.

I usually tell people give it at least 30 days, but in some cases of frightened critters, it may take several months for them to settle in.

 

[b23hqb]

"ADOPTION FOREVER means just that, no matter what?"

I know you are a cat person, AR, and I am not, but:

We adopted a puppy from a local animal shelter about 12 years ago, some kind of Lab mix. No sign of any Pit Bull n the mix. OK for about a year. Then the now full grown puppy started taking it out on our other two dogs. We and the vet saw no mix of pit bull at all.

The new dog was fine around the other dogs by themselves. Once any member of our family started showing affection to the two other dogs that had seniority, the new one would get very agitated, and would proceed irritating to the point of attacking the other two dogs. We tried to work through it, but when the new dog got into a fight with our other dog of the same size, I had to beat the newcomer off with a chunk of firewood. Literally had to pound it off our other dog.

The new dog went back to the same place we adopted it from. Thankfully, they took it back, and we received a call from that animal shelter about six months later that Stamp had been taken in by another family with a big yard and no other pets. Seemed to be doing fine.

PS - Stamp also had the tendency to chew through chain link fences. Go figure. The holes are still there.

 

[kwillia]

I agree with you, and your comment has brought up some interesting points. One is "being able to waltz in and take it for whatever reason" and I have seen that in contracts, and something similar may be in ours, however now reading your comments, I think that is a deal breaker type of comment, so we need to remove that from our contract. If the conditions are so bad in the pet's home, calling in animal control would result in the removal of the critter right?, and we would get it back that way. Sort of takes away the personal discretion/opinion of a rescuer, you know? This was a 'light bulb' moment for me.

We used several other adoption applications to come up with the terms we are currently using, which does state we require the adopter to return the pet to US, if they no longer can care for it (or want to). The main goal here is to keep the critter OUT of the shelter system. So we want the adopter to feel comfortable returning the critter to us at ANY time for ANY reason, we will not judge the adopter. People have a right to change things in their life, and if a pet is a burden, it can always come back to us. However if they want to give the pet to another person, I don't think we should be trying to do adoption apps on everyone down the line - it's a bit too much? People will do what they want to do despite the contract usually anyway. We just want people to know the door is open, but it's hard to enforce making it a requirement that the pet be returned to the rescue.

The forever threat that someone from the rescue could "by contract" stop by upset me so that was a major reason I wouldn't adopt from a rescue when I was looking to do so.

As for your 2nd paragraph, you are explicitly stating you want it back if they no longer want it be it 2 days or 10 years from time of adoption.

 

[ArkRescue]

ADOPTION FOREVER means just that, no matter what?

I say there is "a matter what".

We adopted a puppy from a local animal shelter about 12 years ago, some kind of Lab mix. No sign of any Pit Bull n the mix. OK for about a year. Then the now full grown puppy started taking it out on our other two dogs.

The new dog was fine around the other dogs by themselves. Once any member of our family started showing affection to the two other dogs that had seniority, the new one would get very agitated, and would proceed irritating to the point of attacking the other two dogs. We tried to work through it, but when the new dog got into a fight with our other dog of the same size, I had to beat the newcomer off with a chunk of firewood. Literally had to pound it off our other dog.

The new dog went back to the same place we adopted it from. Thankfully, they took it back, and we received a call from that animal shelter about six months later that Stamp had been taken in by another family with a big yard and no other pets. Seemed to be doing fine.

PS - Stamp also had the tendency to chew through chain link fences. Go figure. The holes are still there.

Good example. You do not know what the adult critter will be like. Had we been the rescue in this case we would have taken the dog back also.

 

[ArkRescue]

The forever threat that someone from the rescue could "by contract" stop by upset me so that was a major reason I wouldn't adopt from a rescue when I was looking to do so.

As for your 2nd paragraph, you are explicitly stating you want it back if they no longer want it be it 2 days or 10 years from time of adoption.

I think instead of making this a condition of the adoption, we should say that our goal is for this critter to never end up at the shelter, and to that end, we will accept this critter back at ANY time during its life.

The above paragraph sounds a lot more like we are pretty sure you will care about this pet enough to pass it on to a good home if you can't keep it, and we don't need to screen that home FOR you.

 

[luvmygdaughters]

I dont know if anyone remembers, but, I adopted from CAWL. A pretty little mixed breed female. She was very shy and timid. I worked with her for a few days and it didnt take long for her to warm up to me. My husband on the other hand, she wanted no part of him. She wasnt aggressive but just very shy. Anyway, after about a week, my husband couldnt get close to her and since he was the one who would be home with her the majority of the time, it wasnt going to work. It broke my heart, but I took her back to CAWL. They were very understanding and returned my adoption fee. They contacted me about a month later and said she had been placed in a home and was doing fine. They were great to work with and very understanding.

 

[tuffenuff2]

The "contract" comment brought to mind the Ellen Degeneres situation. Now I don't know all the ins and outs but I seem to remember her adopting a dog, giving it to a little girl and the rescue taking it back because she had "broken" the contract. There was a big hullabaloo about it. I think the little was broken hearted. Anyway, something to consider.

 

[b23hqb]

Ellen Degenerate? All that money? Who cares?

Ohhhh - Hollywood and Oprah. They care. Maybe, if it brings in commercial time.

I'm just being smart, but i mean what I say about Degenerate and the Oprah.