Home Visits

[TxDog]

Before adopting a dog from a shelter we are trynig to go through they do a home inspection. Is this fairly common? I don't have a problem with at all but never heard of it.

[DiggityDogs]

It's mostly common with rescue groups- foster groups to be more specific. Other groups do it as well, but typically the 'pound' does not.

[seraphicia]

It is becoming more and more common, particularly with foster-based rescue groups, but ever increasing amoung humane societies and lower euth rate shelters too. It's great that you're comfortable with it, as some people think it's absurd and don't undertsnad the premise. Some people unjustly think its a judgement on the owner, but really its just to get a better idea of how willing the family is to commit to their new member. But really when it comes down to it, if the rescue group/shelter is really interested in having each dog they place go to a caring permanent home, the quickest way to find out if thats a possibility is to have a home visit with the dog or even without, to see the living quarters, and talk more indepth in person with the prospective family. Its also a great way for the prospective owner to get to know the situation that the dogs coming from and possibly if the dog is brought on the visit, see how everything initially fits together between the family and the new arrival.I think they can be very valuable from both aspects.

[Stark]

TxDog,
I'm glad you're comfortable with the home visit as I wouldn't be. You can't tell from a home visit how a new owner is going to be, it's just a power trip for fanatics. If I were you I would want references and wualifications from the people or person wanting to come and inspect your home.
What references:
How many dogs have they owned?
How many have they trained?
What type and where did they receive their training?
Hve they successfully competed in any dog sport?
What organization certified their qualifications?

Why do I feel this way, let me explain.
I used to be good friends with one of the top Amstaff breeders in the country (USA), she had the nastiest apartment above her kennel, the dogs were in cramped quarters, rarely got enough exercise, and unsnitary as hell. Guess what, she bred some of the best dogs of her time. To look at her you would think she was some old freak on the street, so much for looks huh. She had a fence connected to her kennel but not her yard. Her personal dogs were the only ones allowed inside, somuch for the keep them inside only BS. I think you get my point.
Another experience,
On occassions I go to the local pound which just so happens to be connected to the local Humane Society (Front for the PETA freaks, more on that later) and play with the dogs that are waiting to be euthanized at some point. One day I was visiting and played with a beautiful Pitbull female around 10 months old. When I returned her to her kennel I stopped outside to talk with those hanging around and one of the animal control (volunteers).
I asked her what was required for those wanting to adopt one of the dogs. She said you had to fill out the application and provide references especially for the Pitbull. They had to know if you had enough experience to deal with this type of dog. Yes I was pissed off to no end. I was training and handling pitbulls when this girl was still sh**ing in her diapers. So you see this is why we need to educate the public about these so called rescuers (fanatics) and where their donations go. By the way research where your local humane society donates their funds to, I would bet it's one of PETA's backdoor groups. Educate yourselves to these issues, do the research and you'll be suprised at what you'll learn.
So you see TxDog ask them for their qualifications. You know perhaps I should volunteer and rescue a dog so I can beg for money and have my dogs and supplies given to me for free.


Note to all: As I said, don't get mad just do the research.

Good Luck

[seraphicia]

As a companion animal lover, I'd recognize a breeder who keeps her dogs outside as someone in it for the money. Your opionion of this person as one of the top amstaff breeders is obviously undeserved. Great dogs are not born from blood lines alone but from behavior and temperment and training. I'd think someone ith your stated experience would have realised that. And dogs from a breeder are not well socialized and well tempered by living outside. You see someone who not only lives in filth, but also doesn't properly care for their dogs as a good breeder? Obviously your view of this person is askewed.

And as for your experience with the pound, bravo for them. It is their job to ensure dogs find loving forever homes. In placing pit bulls myself I do a home visit with the dog after an application process and talking with them to see how they fit in. I also stay in contact with them to be of any help I can to ensure a lifelong home. I would entirely expect a shelter to be cautious in placing a pit bull, and your supposed extensive knowledge and handling of the breed doesn't out right mean you are right for that specific dog, nor would the shelter have any way of knowing your experience unless you TELL them. Your holier than thou attitude doesn't put you above a basic assessment. Dogs deserve a home with a family that fills their specific individual needs, and if you can fill out an application for a job you can fill one out to see if you have the knowledge to do the job of caring for a pet, or if you need some education.

You are so confused about the diffesrentiation between shelters, rescues, and PETA. You're warped. Why can't you see the good that most rescuers do...for pit bulls even if you love the breed enough to handle and train them?

As far as begging for money, thats crap. Do you honestly think many let alone most rescues and especially shelters are getting rich from the donations they recieve? It goes to the dogs, particularly for non profit rescues, how else do you think they can pay thousands of dollars for special needs dogs they take in from awful situations, then adopt them out for between $100 and $200.

Your paranoid rants about all humane societies, let alone all shelters, which barely get by, having a connection to PETA are just ludicrous. I think you need to do more investigation yourself.

[DiggityDogs]

You guys by now know I'm on the fence about the rescue thing- some are good some are bad.

I agree that seeing someone who lives in filth and keeps her dogs locked up in horrible conditions should never be considered a 'good breeder', although what she may have produced could have been physically good enough to win in the show ring, if anyone had spent the time around her dogs to get a read on them it should be easy enough to tell...

Also about the story at the shelter- were you mad at them for just ASKING if you had the experience or knowlege to care for a pit bull or did they end up turning you down and that's what 'pissed you off to no end'? Would you prefer that they just give a pit bull to anyone who walks through the door and wants one? I'm not sure I understand what about that situation would have pissed you off. I understand that a girl that's much younger than you may not be as experienced, but how do you know that? A)she was probably just doing her job by asking you, and not the one who makes the final say on who adopts, and b)there are young people who are out there who have a lot of experience- me included. I started showing dogs when I was 12, and have worked with them either personally or professionally ever since. I now own my own business training dogs in downtown Dallas and I'm only 25. I do quite well, and I have quite a bit of experience, so your assesment of her experience based on her age alone almost offends me (except that I do not get offended by someone that I do not know :D )
My god daugter won her first best of breed with an afgan hound when she was just 5. She'll have quite a bit of experience by the time she's my age, too.
I would venture to guess that it pissed you off because you got turned down. Honestly- I would probably be turned down to adopt a dog right now. I live in small quarters because I'm never at home, and always at work, I am young and single, and I already have two dogs. Does it piss me off that a group would turn me down? not really. IF i decided to get another dog and I got turned down, I'd just go to the city shelter, or a breeder, or wherever. It's not right to hold it against a rescue for making a judgement call in that case. I see rescues doing screwed up things all the time- a lot of people who work in rescue are fanatical. Many are bleeding hearts. Not all of them though- and even for the ones that are- where would all those dogs be were it not for them?

[Stark]

Diggity,
No, I was not turned down for an adoption. Depending on where you're from you may or may not be an exception to the rule in regards to training and experience. Here in Southwest Virginia you would be the exception, most people here believe a dog belongs on a chain or chasing coons. I have spent a lot of time with these people as I said and I'm quite familiar most of their experience. That's why a lot of lab crosses are posted as Pitbulls and so forth because they don't know the difference. As you well know conformation events do not make a trainer though that is where I got my start. The point I have been trying to make (unsuccessfully I might add) is most of these groups are unrealistic in their expectations of prospective owners and are generally run by individuals who have very little experience with dogs and are trying to fill a void in their life. I have a good friend who is involved with a rescue group 30 miles from where I live, she and her husband both have very little experience with canines.
Seraphicia,
Please tell me you're not so nieve to believe that the top dogs in this country live in the house and hang out on the couch. Yes, even dogs raised in the conditions I posted before can and do turn out to be well balanced dogs. Yes great dogs are born from bloodlines or should I say good genetics. You cannot work with something that doesn't exist. Why do you treat Pitbulls any different than any other dog? Besides this post isn't about Pitbulls specifically, it's about BS home visits.
In regards to shelters, rescues and PETA, it is you who is confused and needs to do more research. I can't see beyond some of the BS rescuers do, especially when they turn people down for not having a fenced yard, or the dog can't stay outside for extended periods during the day or in kennels 24 hours a day as far as that goes. Yes as a whole most of you are begging for money. If you want to rescue, cash your check and have at it. Perhaps I should post a picture of the local humane society and let you tell me where the money came from for this place. Hmmm. I must accept the fact that you haven't researched where the funds go that are donated to so many humane societies and so forth. Check out legislation and find out where most bills originate from and by who. You'll wake up when it hits home. Pitbulls and Bull breeds are just a start, once they control them successfully then others will follow. By the way what is your experience with canines, do tell.

I will share an experience where I was turned down by one of these fanatical groups in my local area. First I'm quite familiar with the president of this group, she owns a Pitbull mix and considers herself an authority on the breed.
I applied to adopt a 11/2 year old male Lab. I live in the country and my property was completely fenced. The woman calls me to conduct an initial interview and asked the following questions:
What I wanted the dog for? Hunting
What experience I had with dogs? Conformation with several breeds, Schutzhund, training of personal protection dogs.
What breeds of dogs I was familiar with? Named the breeds I had trained.
Did I own any other dogs? Yes A German Shepherd I was training for Schutzhund (male), Border Collie (Female) JRT (neutered male)
Why bhadn't I neutered my male? He was being trained for Schutzhund and cost $2000.00, if successful he would possibly be used for stud service to other qualifying working dogs.
Who my vet was and could they contact? Yes
She said she would contact my vet and they would vote on whether or not I could adopt this dog.
Several days later there was a message on my answering machine saying I was denied because I owned an intact male, a Rottweiler, 2 Labs and another Shepherd. With this in mind she never asked for an explanation about the other dogs:
Rottweiler-Fathers dog, just moved to area and had not vet, the dogs records were in my name.
2 labs-Taken to vet to be checked after being taken from pound to rehome, no longer had either dog.
Shepherd same thing taken from a friend to rehome, had the dog vet checked first.
Intact GSD male being Schutzhund trained,$2000.00, hell no I'm not going to neuter the dog because some fanatic has a void to fill in her life.
I know without a doubt I have more experience than this woman and the people in her group. Do you think I should have been pissed at this?
Unrealistic expectations of prospective owners.


I will say the local hospital finally took notice and refused to allow the rescue to solicit donations during their fundraisers. The nurses were raising hell about a basket for dogs being placed throughout the hospital beside baskets designated for the womens shelter which incidently the freak I mentioned earlier is a part of. While working at the hospital she and her supervisor came to our ED to educate us on some of their services provided to abused women, guess what. The supervisor had to call her down and tell her that thet was not the time or place for her to promote her agenda or cause (the rescue that is). Food for thought

[DiggityDogs]

Diggity,
Seraphicia,
Please tell me you're not so nieve to believe that the top dogs in this country live in the house and hang out on the couch. Yes, even dogs raised in the conditions I posted before can and do turn out to be well balanced dogs.

My friend that got me started into dogs and taught me how to care and raise for them has the #1 german pinscher in the US, last year had the #1 Irish wolfhound bitch in the US, and has several times had top 20 dobes. They all hang out on the couch and in the house. She has a kennel building where they sleep at night- that's heated and air conditioned and has beds for the dogs- but each and every dog in that kennel gets to spend time in the house on a daily basis. I do NOT believe you can raised a balanced, well socialized dog without doing so.

[seraphicia]

I am not nieve in thinking so, but I highly regard people who have a good relationship with their dog and good breeders should have that. If I were looking to purchase a purebred from good lines, I certainly wouldn't buy from someone who keeps the dog outside in the elements and hasn't handled the puppies or raised them in the home to start their socialization off right. Certainly not the pit breeder you described, as I couldn't bear to see more pits treated like that from someone who pretends to love the breed and the individual dogs. Living with a dog creates a stronger bond which makes for a happier dog. Most dogs are companions, and most purebreds are pet quality, not show quality. You don't raise a wonderful even tempered companion by not spending time with them inside of the home and leaving them in a kennel day in and out.

I take in pits as I can to rehome them, and have one who's an awesome boy. I work a lot with pit bulls, typically there's two or three at the shelters that have been lucky enough not to be put down at take in. And yes I do whole heartedly treat a pit bull adoption a little different than with other dogs, not to say that I'm lax with other dogs I take in. If you did pit rescue you would understand. The creeps i sometimes get wanting a pit pup bring tears to my eyes. Just the other day I got an application from a woman for my foster, a pit lab mix, who lived in an apartment by herself with no safe yard or park around, who already owned two pits that were brother and sister, who were unfixed at nine months old. They weren't at all obedient trained either. She had no idea of ohio's laws regarding pits(not that they're fair but they are the law), nor were her dogs current on shots, frontline, heartgard, nothing. And you would have me give him over because she has some experience, or without even asking about what she had at home? To top it off she worked twelve hours a day, not suitable for such a young puppy.

You seem to be fishing for information to disqualify my opinion, but I'll continue to give it anyway, as i see many of your mentioned judgements of the rescue communitry as a whole, entirely undeserved and you seem fanatical yourself in emphasizing your extreme opinions. I don't breed or show my dogs, they are all proudly fixed mixed breeds. My dogs are my companions rather than protection or show dogs not that dogs cannot be all three, but I feel you'd get a much better result for any use, if you have a stronger bond brought on by being a companion first. I am involved in the rescue community here in Central Ohio, which I'm sure as all other people you haven't met that have a love and compassion to help dogs, you consider fanatical and looney. Do you propose we do no background check and put no money into the dogs we take in and serve as just cage space? Thats what many rural shelters do and the outcome is gassing or hopefully euthanizing all resident dogs and puppies regardless of registry or breed, weekly, not sterilizing any of them, and giving no vaccinations. That is far bleaker and harsh than rejecting an applicant. Though I must say, I would have asked you about the vet records myself, but the mantime it takes for larger operations adopting out hundreds of dogs, it would be hard to. Perhaps instead of being angry, you should have confronted them about it.

I'm also involved in training my own dogs, my foster dogs, and working with shelter dogs for one of the shelters i volunteer for. I don't as some people do, see dogs based on their heritage, but that's not to say I can't appreciate a well bred, socialized, papered dog, and the great breeder where they originated from, if they're truly in it for the love of the breed, as is evident. Myself nor my dogs hold titles nor compete in any AKC events, as they wouldn't allow it but we work on obedience daily and they are good dogs for the most part. I am a dog lover who only wants happy obedient dogs that I care for in love, and help other puppies and dogs(cats and kittens and bunnies too) that need it, and there are so many out there. And you find fault in it without knowing me at all.

How can you judge the all shelters, rescues and humane societies on your own knowledge of your own area, and do you consider your friend a fanatic? You're judging al by a few, I don't do that about breeders or people that train protection dogs, or I'd have an awful outlook on everyone based on a few of the people I've encountered.

And lastly...where do you come up with all of this conspiracy propaganda?

[emjay]

home visits are pretty common with rescues. they want to make sure that your home is the right one for their pooch. it just means that they care.

[JFarrell12]

HI nice to meet you,
A home visit is VERY common. I volunteer for a French Bulldog Rescue and a home visit is required for every person that we are considering to adopt a dog from us.

It is there to ensure that the home environment is safe, that what people put on an application is true (such as if you say you don't have a pool and someone comes over to do the home visit & you do, then it's a problem), sometimes the rescuer will bring the adoptable dog over during the home visit to see how the family interacts with the dog and how others dogs that the family has (if any) react to the possible newcomer.

So really a home visit is a good thing for everyone :) YOu get to talk with the rescuer a little more & gain more knowledge about the dog you want to adopt and they get to see where the dog might live in its new forever home.

As a foster parent myself, it gives a sense of peace knowing where the dogs going & its new family :) Like sending your kid off to college in a way. :) YOu want to know that they are well taken care of.

Good luck on your possible new addition. I am sure you will pass with flying colors! Just be yourself, thats all you can do. Let us know!

[furmom29]

Because Pitbulls have such a bad rap these rescue groups & humane societies need to make sure that this dog is not going to fall in to the wrong hands or with someone who knows nothing about the breed, to do so would be stupidty on their part. "Law suit" comes to mind.
I have met some wonderful pits and pit mixes yet I have also met ones that need to be in specific homes because of their temperments. Any time you are looking at a breed that has the potential for aggression, groups need to be careful. It's the same with GSD's, Rotties, DP's, even little Chihauhau's.
Given the history of these breeds more and more insurance companies are refusing home owners insurance to people who have pit's or pit mixes.

[dogma]

should be a routine part of any adoption. They are essential parts of the equation. Rescuers want the animal to go to a safe place - and stay safe. People's circumstances change and so do their priorities. I took back one dog 9 months after she was placed in a home I had personally inspected and found to be more than adequate. Originally a young couple with a small home in the country, fenced yard, the guy spent a lot of time fishing and both liked hiking. It seemed ideal. Unfortunately it did not last. The couple who had adopted the dog split up and he left the area. She could not afford the rent, so she took the dog and moved in with her mother at a nearby trailer park. The mother did not have a fenced yard so the dog was tied up. The owner could not get her act together and the dog began to suffer. Last winter I went and spoke with the owner because the dogs situation was upsetting me. The dog was tied to the bumper of a pick-up truck. The owner pointed at a nice clean water bowl and a full bowl of dog food as evidence of the care the dog was getting. Unfortunately the chain was tangled and the dog was trapped underneath the vehicle unable to reach either. The owner had not noticed. The dog was very thin and her hair was matted. She emptied the water bowl and then bolted down the food. I shudder to think how long she was like that or what might have happened had I not gone there when I did. Fortunately the owner was willing to relinquish the dog and I brought her home to stay with me permanently. Had she wanted to keep the dog there like that there would have been nothing I could have legally done to help.

Home visits and follow ups should be a routine part of any rescue's placement program.