Geraldo got returned today, bullshit reason if you ask me but whatever. He's now Blue and will have to work his way back up the color ladder so he can be in a pod where people get to see him. Tiny from last page returned today as well. We had a pool party for Christopher, all his favorite people showed up to say goodbye. He was put down at 5:30 PST. Rest in Peace little buddy, sorry we failed you.
Most rescues and shelters switched to an open adoption model years back. They found that under the prior system where potential adopters were vetted more thoroughly, dogs sat in shelters longer and ultimately higher euthanasia rates. So now basically anyone can walk into a shelter and leave the same day with a dog. Has resulted in more animals being homed but downside is, without vetting adopters, more people who aren’t ready for or are incapable of caring for a dog get one and realize a few days/weeks later that they have to return the dog. Two of our pups were returned. Both for stupid shit. It takes a dog about 3 months to feel fully comfortable in a new environment. One of our dogs was returned after one day because she pee’d on a rug. Fucking ridiculous.
My first heeler, Pancho, I adopted from the local humane society. He was rowdy as fuck and someone returned him at about 4 months old. My SIL, who had an amazing heeler I adored and started my heeler path, was working there and knew immediately this was the perfect dog for me. I was also living in a smaller duplex at the time and she knew they wouldn’t approve me. I faked my address and made up a whole bunch of shit and registered him at my parents place because the humane society was gonna be dicks about the minutiae, not about the dog. He caught frisbees, bit cows, ran his ass off with his friends, invited himself into neighborhood homes and cars and almost made it to 15. I hate that there are returns and also so many still there, but I’ve also got an issue that I had to lie to take one of the rowdiest ones they had off their hands.
It's shockingly common at our local shelter. As a largely impoverished area, we're kinda only as good as our clientele. It would be great to have more rigorous screening, but we don't have that luxury. All we can do is flag them in our system after 2 returns.
So Governor Newsom earmarked $50M in this year’s budget to help shelters recover, treat and adopt out stray animals. My wife’s org tried to access some of it to provide a bonus for the lone vet at a rural municipal shelter only to have the application denied due to bullshit red tape. Without this bonus, it’s likely this vet moves on. Fucking infuriating. Even in places where there’s a will to fix the problem, there’s too much bureaucracy to actually get anything done.
I have posted a few of my dogs in this thread. I lost the last 3 I posted as they were all older, but did get a White GSD in November. HE is 10 months now and up to 90 pounds.
Unless I’m missing something all these assholes returning these good bois and gurls is really pissing me off. What background checks do you all do that keeps missing assholes. What kind of shithead adopts a pup an returns them. What kind of animal does that bullshit.
Lots. Pretty sure SFSPCA doesn’t do any background checks other than to track if someone has returned an animal previously.
Might have to do this for my dogs. This guy turned his garage into an indoor pool room so his dog could keep swimming in the winter. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuTZf4ALvsD/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
Sadly, a shelter or rescue could do every background check in the book, talk to a person for hours, and until they have that dog in the house, no one in the world including the adopter knows if that shit is going to work. People have a self-image that doesn't always intersect with reality. You can think you are ready for a dog, or that you are over your past dog and ready for a new one, but some people legit aren't what they tell people they are even if it isn't for devious reasons. There are plenty of fucked up people who don't give a shit, but there's also plenty of good-hearted people who want to do the right thing and still can't fucking handle it. Can't tell you how many dogs I've watched get adopted that went to what I thought was the perfect home and they are back hours or days later. When you're dealing with people, sometimes you just can't fucking know.
On the flip side of that a few years ago right before we got our current pup my wife and I got pretty far down the line to adopt from a corgi rescue and then at the very end were rejected because we lived on the fourth floor of an apartment building. A dog that had been recently placed by them had jumped from an apartment balcony. We had been very upfront about where we lived throughout the process so it wasn't a secret. It was a frustrating experience to say the least since it seemed like we were being punished for someone else's neglectful behavior or just an accident.
Some dogs come with certain requirements like a 6' fence, work from home, no kids, etc. A lot of returns happen due to other animals in the house and spats over food or toys. The longer we have a dog and the more times we can get them fostered in a home outside of the shelter the more we learn about them and what they need. We rely heavily on feedback from fosters. I don't yet know why Tiny was returned. Geraldo was returned for being a good boy. Wife did the adoption took him home and got him settled in. Husband comes home later that night and when he enters the front door unexpectedly Geraldo growled at him. Sounds to me like he needed a treat for good behavior not returned.
I get what you’re saying and you’re the ones working in this and obviously know more than. Just sitting here I think it’s heartbreaking.
It's absolutely heartbreaking and it makes me angry every time, both that the people can't give these dogs more of a chance, and at myself for not seeing that it wasn't the right fit, even if that isn't realistic. So many people want the perfect connection to work instantly and it just be all roses and sparkles, but that's not how it works. Whoever mentioned that it takes 3 months for a dog to really feel safe is absolutely right, its the rule of 3's: 3 days for them to even feel safe enough to come out of the corner/crate. 3 weeks for their personality to start showing, and 3 months for them to truly feel safe and at home. Seeing people not even let them get to three days is infuriating.
I’m sure it’s been covered in here at some point (so I apologize for not searching more for it), but does anyone use Farmer’s Dog or another one of those fresh food services? Thinking about switching to that and just curious if anyone has any feedback. TIA.
Was meant for the guy fieri thread. No clue how it ended up in here. But while I’m in here, I can speak on farmer’s dog. Been using it for about two years for our two dogs. Great customer service and quality product. My gf who is obsessed with dog nutrition won’t use anything else now. We primarily stick with the turkey recipe. Previously fed them Open Farm.
Good boy Echo was adopted yesterday. Saturday will be the two week mark and we've got 5 in new homes, 6 left to re-home. These guys aren't front page news anymore, plenty more dogs have come into the shelter since so it only gets harder from here.
Correction - Forgot Penny was recently returned, 4 adopted and 7 left to re-home. Speaking of recently returned... Tiny, a favorite around the shelter, will have a goodbye party this weekend.
Ugh, just got the email Milo will be put down tomorrow. Another Shepherd, Indiana, is on bite quarantine and I worry about him. He and I are best buds.
So many good dogs being put down. Our Georgia lead told the board the other night that GA shelters are putting down puppies now. No fosters, no adopters, no support, it's horrible everywhere for rescues and shelters.
If we start putting puppies down I'll lose my mind. Milo was adopted a month ago but came back after having two bite incidents on the 4th of July due to fireworks then a third incident when a loud argument occurred in the home.
damn RIP lil-T my daughters just rescued another dang kitten. I no longer live in a condo I live in an animal rescue
Our GSP boy Seltzer, previously adopted and returned, will be euthanized 7/20/2023. Little Penny was re-adopted yesterday.
So sad. My gf and I do all we can by fostering dogs when we’re able to. She volunteers with an adoption agency who rescues dogs, many from Mexico, from kill shelters. By fostering, we’re able to help the adoption agency get more dogs out of kill shelters.
I wish so deeply that we could allocate even 10% of our municipal and county budgets for police to our local animal shelters. At our last board meeting, not only were they unsympathetic, they were openly hostile to us. They're not willing to help us at all until we hit an unreasonable fundraising/grant goal. Fuck them sideways.
I didn't want to bombard you guys with too many posts in here so I was going to wait a week and post a pack update. Green: Friendliest of dogs, any volunteers can work with the green dogs. Yellow: This is where you'll find your pullers and excitable dogs. Red: Reds are where the problems start. Really rambunctious hard to handle dogs, or shy and fearful which is where you'll be at your greatest risk of being bit. A dogs body language is really important here. Blue: These dogs are very high stressed, reactive, aggressive or fearful. It's important they get to know who is handling them so only a few dozen people with the right training work with blue dogs. Name: Echo Color: Yellow Status: Adopted Name: Cookie Color: Yellow Status: Adopted Name: Geraldo Color: Red Status: Available Name: Milk Color: Blue Status: Available Name: Mango Color: Red Status: Available Name: Georgie Color: Yellow Status: Adopted Name: Leif Color: Yellow Status: Adopted Name: Gumball Color: Red Status: Adopted Name: Penny Color: Green Status: Adopted Name: Seltzer Color: Yellow Status: Euthanized Name: Bear Color: Blue Status: Adopted So we've got 7 adopted out, 3 still available and one no longer with us. Good boy Geraldo is no longer $550.00, he's now FREE!
If puppies are your thing we've got the best one ever available. Little Ezra here is 4 months old and is the most polite puppy you'll come across. German Shepherd/Terrier mix. She'll behave so well until you get to an off leash area where she'll immediately go into zoomies mode. While zoomying she's aware of her surroundings and will be careful not to run into you or others. Unlike all other puppies I've encountered she's super cautious with her razor sharp puppy teeth. This little girl's adoption fee is $600.00 and with how well she shows I don't think she lasts long.
We’re headed to 15yo soon, and we can’t hear a damn thing now. He sleeps so good though. I can get up and go about my morning and just let him get up whenever he wants. He’s starting to whither away on his backend now though. He literally never sits down unless it’s for a treat, he’s either up into something or laying down completely. Had several friends convinced he never sat or laid down ever. Has kept him super active but probably will make this stretch a little harder. He will just stand and stare at you in your eyes, right into your soul. My brother got a chocolate lab about a year after I got him, and he has to put him down next week. The end is going to wreck me.