Adopting Difficulty adopting.

[pinky]

I agree the application can be a pain. I've adopted several animals from shelters and each one's process is a little different. The problem I have is they ask all these questions but I have NEVER had anyone follow up, to me it seems pointless that way because I could easily lie and they would never know. I think those questionnaires are just to cover them if anything happens to the animal they can't be held responsible because the people filling out the application lied.

No, that's not the reason for the questionnaire. It's to weed out those who aren't suitable to adopt for one reason or another. The other reason might be that the rescue has to follow certain state requirements, like completing applications and contracts, if they're licensed.

 

[Inle_Rabbit]

The only thing I have had anyone check up on was the pet policy in our lease and once someone called to check on the vaccine records and for our dog.

 

[ThePigSlave]

I could give you VERY good reasons for every question listed. If those questions are all that offended you, I do not entirely understand WHY you skipped out on the form. Here's why.
-List all of the animals that you have owned or lived with... Then they proceed to ask me for that animals breed/name/age/sex/spayed or neutered/where are they housed/ where did I get them/ how long did I have them/ do I still own them.

I didn't think that any of those questions were any of their business. How is it their business what animas I have lived with or how I got them?

It is exactly their business considering the fact that you are adopting an animal FROM THEM. In the event that you owned a hunting dog or something of that extent, the animal shelter has every right to know so that they can ensure those other animals will not EAT the pig, and that they will not be in direct contact with the pig. Asking the number of pets already in the household is a standard question among animal shelters, and there is no fault in it. I do not see how that would be a violation of privacy. It is not like they can steal your credit card just by knowing that you happen to own two cats.

- What vet/vet hospital examines and vaccinated your pets?

Again, none of their business. The company that I rent from requires that they be vaccinated. I can give their number to confirm that they are vaccinated. I'm surprised they didn't ask for our family doctor.

Please, the family doctor has no ties to that question, and mentioning that you are surprised they didn't ask for your family doctor is completely unwarranted. Have you considered that the reason they would like to know what vet you use is so that they can verify all current animals in the household are receiving veterinary care, and that hopefully the newly adopted animal will as well? The reason they did NOT ask for the family doctor is that that would be a violation of privacy. What vet you use, is not.

-How many adults live in your house?

How many adults are required to care for a guinea pig? And I would never tell them if I lived by myself.

Again, this is just another standard application question. Such information is useful in many instances pertaining to the aftermath of the adoption. This is another one of those safety precautions. Your neighbors know the number of adults living in your house (most likely). If that question seems like a violation of privacy then you should be just as wary of your neighbors as well. It is not like your animal shelter is planning to rob your house.

- Do you anticipate any major changes to your lifestyle in the next year, such as moving, having children, acquiring other pets?

You really want me to tell you whether my husband and I are going to be trying for children?

Moving: The traveling and transport of guinea pigs and any other animal for that matter is highly stressful on the animal. Such things should be known as well in the event that your shelter would need to contact you later.
Having Children: Curiosity killed the...guinea pig. A curious guinea pig wandering unsupervised into meaty toddler hands is a recipe for disaster. Such things should highly be taken into account.
Acquiring Other Pets: This one is obvious. What if you spied a cute little shepherd puppy at the farmers market the other day?
The animal shelter deserves to know the answers to these questions. They went through all of the trouble to rescue these animals, they do not want them landing in the same or worse situation.

I found all of the above questions too personal for my taste. I understand if others don't.
I would also like to add that animal shelters are just like a business. Such paperwork can be highly necessary later on down the road. These shelters are also founded for the well-being of the animals. All questions pertain to the health of the animals. If you felt the application too personal, I congratulate you for not filling it out. You did what you thought was right. However, I would like to set the record straight for other passersby to this thread as to why these questions are asked.

 

[mamattorney]

I don't disagree with you OP. I have issues with how involved some adoption applications can be as well. You can rationalize almost any question, with the concept of "we're just trying to protect the animals" but some of them are just very invasive and overreaching and really make you feel judged if you aren't a physically active retired couple. Kids? Black mark. Work outside the house? Black mark. No fenced yard? Black mark. Apartment? Practically the kiss of death. I remember trying to adopt my cats when I was single in an apartment with my future husband. We were perfect - in graduate school, so someone was home practically all day long. No kids - the were like our babies for a long time. But it felt like the Spanish Inquisition and until the very end, I wasn't certain that they were going to let us adopt them. They were concerned because we lived in an apartment; they were concerned that we weren't married, they were concerned that we didn't have full time jobs, that when we finished school our jobs would keep us out of the house too long, they were concerned that we might have kids, that we would move, that we would be too busy to spend time with them. We had those cats 14 years and yes, in that time - we got married, moved three times, changed jobs, changed vets and had three kids. But those cats had a great life; one died at home after a scary "out of nowhere" seizure and the other died three months later - of grief, I'm convinced. No one's household situation is perfect, but that girl at the anti-cruelty society 17 years ago sure made it sound like it had to be.

 

[3GPigsplus1more]

Sorry, going to switch the topic to Craiglist and Kijiji. With a shelter these animals have been checked for illnesses and quarantined. With Craiglist and kijiji, many are given away because they do not want them any more or because they are ill and they will not pay the vet bill. Not to say it is not possible for an animal to get ill coming from a shelter or rescue, but it is less likely. Shelters have a more general questionnaire that geared more towards cats and dogs. So some of the questions are odd. Have you tried a guinea pig rescue? They will work with you to ensure the pigs get along.

 

[SioCat]

I could give you VERY good reasons for every question listed. If those questions are all that offended you, I do not entirely understand WHY you skipped out on the form. Here's why.
-List all of the animals that you have owned or lived with... Then they proceed to ask me for that animals breed/name/age/sex/spayed or neutered/where are they housed/ where did I get them/ how long did I have them/ do I still own them.

I didn't think that any of those questions were any of their business. How is it their business what animas I have lived with or how I got them?

It is exactly their business considering the fact that you are adopting an animal FROM THEM. In the event that you owned a hunting dog or something of that extent, the animal shelter has every right to know so that they can ensure those other animals will not EAT the pig, and that they will not be in direct contact with the pig. Asking the number of pets already in the household is a standard question among animal shelters, and there is no fault in it. I do not see how that would be a violation of privacy. It is not like they can steal your credit card just by knowing that you happen to own two cats.

Knowing the age/sex/ and how I got them doesnt ensure anything. If I have a 15yr old female cat that I found in an alley is that better or worse then having a 5 yr old chihuahua mix that was given to me? I have also never said anything about them stealing my credit card.

- What vet/vet hospital examines and vaccinated your pets?

Again, none of their business. The company that I rent from requires that they be vaccinated. I can give their number to confirm that they are vaccinated. I'm surprised they didn't ask for our family doctor.

Please, the family doctor has no ties to that question, and mentioning that you are surprised they didn't ask for your family doctor is completely unwarranted. Have you considered that the reason they would like to know what vet you use is so that they can verify all current animals in the household are receiving veterinary care, and that hopefully the newly adopted animal will as well? The reason they did NOT ask for the family doctor is that that would be a violation of privacy. What vet you use, is not.

How is the solution I offered not sufficient? The office can confirm vaccinations.
-How many adults live in your house?

How many adults are required to care for a guinea pig? And I would never tell them if I lived by myself.

Again, this is just another standard application question. Such information is useful in many instances pertaining to the aftermath of the adoption. This is another one of those safety precautions. Your neighbors know the number of adults living in your house (most likely). If that question seems like a violation of privacy then you should be just as wary of your neighbors as well. It is not like your animal shelter is planning to rob your house.

You haven't really explained the purpose of this question, though. Are applicants with two adults in the house better than one? What about three? Is five too much? Please explain the safety aspect to me.

- Do you anticipate any major changes to your lifestyle in the next year, such as moving, having children, acquiring other pets?

You really want me to tell you whether my husband and I are going to be trying for children?

Moving: The traveling and transport of guinea pigs and any other animal for that matter is highly stressful on the animal. Such things should be known as well in the event that your shelter would need to contact you later.
Having Children: Curiosity killed the...guinea pig. A curious guinea pig wandering unsupervised into meaty toddler hands is a recipe for disaster. Such things should highly be taken into account.
Acquiring Other Pets: This one is obvious. What if you spied a cute little shepherd puppy at the farmers market the other day?
The animal shelter deserves to know the answers to these questions. They went through all of the trouble to rescue these animals, they do not want them landing in the same or worse situation.

I absolutely don't think they deserve the answers to those questions. Either I'm fit to adopt and care for a pig or I'm not. I'm not going to lose all traces of my common sense if I have a baby or adopt another pet.

I found all of the above questions too personal for my taste. I understand if others don't.
I would also like to add that animal shelters are just like a business. Such paperwork can be highly necessary later on down the road. These shelters are also founded for the well-being of the animals. All questions pertain to the health of the animals. If you felt the application too personal, I congratulate you for not filling it out. You did what you thought was right. However, I would like to set the record straight for other passersby to this thread as to why these questions are asked.

I understand that the shelter has to do what they have to do. But it does turn off very qualified applicants.

 

[pinky]

If I didn't care for a particular rescue, I just wouldn't get a pet from them. If a rescue is overstepping their bounds, chances are no one will want to adopt from them and they won't be placing any animals. I'd rather a rescue err on the side of caution, though, instead of freely adopting out to anyone.

 

[chas25]

Sorry, going to switch the topic to Craiglist and Kijiji. With a shelter these animals have been checked for illnesses and quarantined. With Craiglist and kijiji, many are given away because they do not want them any more or because they are ill and they will not pay the vet bill. Not to say it is not possible for an animal to get ill coming from a shelter or rescue, but it is less likely. Shelters have a more general questionnaire that geared more towards cats and dogs. So some of the questions are odd. Have you tried a guinea pig rescue? They will work with you to ensure the pigs get along.

Can't say I agree with that. The last two dogs I got from a shelter had problems...one had mange and the other got parvo within a week of me taking her home (spent over 350 in the two weeks that followed)

 

[rhogan]

Another great reason for these types of questions (and it may have been mentioned) is to deter those that are unqualified to adopt an animal. People wanting a "quick" or "instant gratification" pet often don't want to fill out a lengthy adoption application, so that helps the Rescue, ASPCA, or Animal Shelter/Control weed out those types of people.

I volunteer for a Rescue and our adoption application is just as if not more lengthy than the standard ones at the Shelters/ASPCAs. Yes it is a lot of personal information but they try to ensure that animal isn't going to come back to them, passed off on someone else, or worse.

We and many others have had so many people say "I can't keep them now because _________ (new baby, moving, divorce, getting married, kids got bored, takes up too much time, too many pets, food is too expensive, vet care, allergies, etc.)" After hearing that for so long and having so many animals returned or finding people listing them on CL (when all applications I have seen state the animal be brought back to the Rescue/Shelter) everyone starting learning that the more questions you ask the more likely you will get a good forever adopter.

 

[Inle_Rabbit]

Craig's List is an option if you do not want to answer the questions and deal with rescues but with a CL adoption you run different risks.

When it comes to guinea pigs it seems like most of the CL guinea pigs come with some sort of problem usually directly related to neglect of some sort. My pig Ben came to me with bumble foot, Tony was underfed and bit when near food for months until he figured out food comes regularly everyday at this home, Eddy Pig was picked on my his cage mates and had an abscess under his chin and Bacon was completely fine. I like older pigs because they are usually calmer and set in their personalities and all of my guinea pigs came from teenage girls that lost interest in their pets.

I do see a fair number of younger pigs on my area's CL as well. Usually accidental pregnancies but you have to be on the look out for breeders trying to lie so they will not get flagged on CL.

 

[Agrimony]

I prefer a rescue ask a lot of questions to know that they care about and for their animals. I have encountered all of those questions on apps for my guinea pigs and it did not bother me in the slightest- I think they make a lot of sense to ask and I would ask all of those myself if it was me adopting out.

On the other hand though if it bothers you Craigslist is a great option! There are plenty of pets on there who really need a home! They don't all have problems, and some shelter pets have problems too. I got my Pickle from a rescue as a baby and he has had many medical problems, some things cannot be predicted.

Good luck on your search!

 

[SioCat]

Update!

After many nights of tossing this around in my head, I decided to go forward with the application.

They asked me to bring my girl when I dropped off the application. We did that earlier today. They didn't even really review my application. We got started talking and watching the girls trying to play together. She said she thought it was a match and when can I bring her home. I'm picking her up in a few hours.

Thanks everyone!

So, I am very excited. They really seemed to like each other. Any new advice now?

 

[RubyRain]

I'm glad it worked out for you and the piggies!

As far as the applications, I agree with you and would not hesitate to leave the questions I did not feel relevant, blank. If they wanted to ask me about them, they could. Then, I could decide if I wanted to add any info or not.
I also acknowledge that they can ask anything they want, and I can refuse, understanding that they may not adopt to me.

 

[mufasa]

Congratulations on your new piggy! I had to fill out a similar application when I adopted Borat from a shelter, but I think they just used the same one that they do for cats and dogs, as they didn't read it there either. However, when I recently adopted a dog, the animal control shelter (different place) did indeed get proof from my vet that my cats were vaccinated.

For others who might read this, I'll put in a plug for Craigslist if you don't want to go through the shelter questions. Yes, you have a chance of getting a sick animal, but as someone else pointed out, that happens at shelters too (Borat ended up being missexed and had a congenital defect that forced me to put him to sleep within a couple of months...conversely Amy, who came from Craigslist, is a healthy, happy girl).

As for pet store adoption centers, please DO NOT adopt from those who rehome their own pets that were returned and charge a fee. That just takes the problem off their hands. My Quinn was from Petco, but she was dumped there after being bought from a different pet store and the only fee was a donation to the charitable fund.

That's for others in the same boat as you, but I'm so glad it all worked out for you. Now I demand to see pigtures!!

 

[GuineaPigster]

When I adopted Albert and Tofu they asked me: (I filled it out, to give you a general idea of what I answered)
Type of residence: ___-_ House ____ Apt. ____ Condo ____ Mobile Home ____ Military

Do you (check what applies) ? _____ Rent __-___ Own _____ Live with owner of home

Please list landlord or property management company and telephone number:
______________________________________________________________________________________

Please provide your previous address if you have lived at your current address for less than one year:
Previous Address:_____________________I'm not going to give out that info online. ___________________________________________________

Please list the Names and Ages of all of the people residing in your household:
Name Age
_____________-8____________________________________________________
__________-10______________________________________________________
_____________-4___________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

If living with roommates or in part of someone else’s home, do you have the consent of all the adults living in
the household? _____ Yes _____ No

Does anyone in your household have ANY allergies to ANY animal(s)? __-___ Yes _____ No
If yes, please describe:_______________________Horses____________________________________________

What is your plan if someone in your house is allergic to this new pet?____We would move him/her to another room, and let someone else take over as caregiver_____________________

What will happen to this pet if you have to move unexpectedly? ______________Take him/her with us____________________

Who will be the primary caretaker of this small mammal?_____________________Me___________________
Why would you like to adopt this animal?
____________After my other pig died, I've bee longing for another (or 2!)____
Please list any and all animal(s) you’ve owned in the past 5 years, including the ones you own now:
Type/Breed Age Sex “Fixed?” Still Own?
Dog labrodoodle female fixed died of lymphoma last year

Dog labradoodle male fixed still own.

Dog coton de tulear female fixed still own
guinea pig female not fixed died last year_____________________________________________________________________________________

Who is your Veterinarian? ______-______________________ May we call him/her?_______yes__________

Please choose the option(s) that best describes where you will keep your pet. Circle all that apply:
Outdoor hutch Cage in garage or basement Cage or hutch in barn
Loose indoors with access to a litter box Cage in the house Shed
Outdoor hutch with run Other:_________________________________________

Many small mammals and rabbits are surrendered to us by the parents of the children who lost interest in
them. Rabbits can live to be 7 years old or older. If adopting this animal as a child’s pet, what is your plan for
his/her future if the child loses interest?
_____________________________________I know my daughter will never lose interest. if she did, another family member would assume the role or caregiver____________________________________________________
______
Do you have any questions or concerns about adopting a rabbit or small mammal? Is there anything about
small animal care you would like to know more about?
_______________________________no__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________



By signing below, I hereby submit that the information provided by me is true. Any false information may
result in my losing the privilege of adopting a pet. I understand that the - has the right to deny my
request to adopt an animal, and that this application must be completed and approved, by the -, before
an animal adoption may be considered.

Signature: __________-__________________________________ Date: ______August 21 2013_________

 

[SioCat]

 

[SioCat]

 

[SioCat]

Sorry the pictures are so big. I don't really know what I'm doing. I had more, but it's hard to post on this old iPad.

The girls are getting along just fabulously. The new girls name is Peggy. It's the name she came with and it fits.

When we examined her closer, we did notice that she had a nasty stink to her. So, I shaved her butt and gave both girls a bath.

 

[Piggy_]

Aww, very cute! Glad it all worked out.

I just wanted to add, that in the future you could always discuss your privacy concerns with the person at the rescue. You could ask to have the filled out form back if the adoption didn't go through, or ask to give verbal answers only to the questions you had concerns with. I totally understand and would have felt a bit uneasy about filling out those details myself, if I didn't know the reputation of the shelter well. At the rescue I volunteer at there's a similarly length form to go through to adopt a guinea pig, but we have someone who talks to everyone who's serious about adopting before they even get to the form part of things. All the best with your new girl!

 

[GuineaPigster]

She is such a sweet girl!!
Keep us posted!