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| Author | Topic: Animal Adoption Policies |
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 Sister Rose
Registered User
Registered:
5/4/2004
From:
NYC | posted: 10/17/2007 at 8:50:15 AM ET
I forgot to mention that all of my pets, since I was a child, have always been by informal adoption. I got them through friends or they were strays who adopted me. My two most beloved pets died just in the last few years. Oreo was born in Austin, Texas in 1991. He was a black & white kitten who was dropped at an Austin pet store by somebody who just didn't want to drop him at a shelter. I just happened to be shopping in the same center as the pet shop hen I saw him and scooped him up. Together, we lived in 7 different apartments, a house, 3 cities and 2 states. He drove with me from San Antonio to New York in the big truck and adjusted to his city life with no trouble. He succumbed to cancer three years ago. I miss him all the time. I adopted his "brother" Little Bit, also an Austinite and a Pomeranian/Spitz mix dog, in 1996. He was a darling. He was four and had already been through finishing school but was not wanted by his young owner because her social life was too busy. He was my first dog. I agreed to keep him for the weekend to see if we could all get along and by Monday morning I (and Oreo) knew that he was meant for us. When I decided to move, I feared that Little Bit was too old to adjust to New York City apartment life from a house with a yard situation, so my Mom adopted him. They loved each other very much and kept each other great company. Little Bit died last July from old age and he is very much missed.
My point is that you don't have to go through an agency to get a pet - keep your ears and eyes open because surely you will be saving a life if you take in any unwanted animal.
http://sarahbsadventures.blogspot.com/
| jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 10/17/2007 at 10:23:19 AM ET
Good morning, ladies....
I'm concerned that some may be feeling very defensive about not dealing with rescue organizations, shelters, etc. I apologize for that. That was not my intention. I've adopted from shelters (not rescue organizations), and I did not run into the situations that have been described. You're not the first to tell the tale, so I know (that's why I think it's important to make a distinction between rescue organizations and shelters).
Informal adoptions absolutely save lives. If your elderly neighbor has to go into a care center which doesn’t allow pets, of course you are saving the dog’s life if you take the dog in. There was an article in the New Orleans Time Picayune about Jefferson Parish’s animal shelters several months ago. The shelters have a 70% euthanasia rate. If the elderly neighbor’s dog goes to a family instead of the shelter, it has a better chance of surviving.
That wasn’t the situation with Ellen. When you decide to work with these rescue organizations, you’re not dealing with your average adoption situation.
| Scottie
Registered User
Registered:
3/6/2006
From:
Edinburgh, Scotland | posted: 10/17/2007 at 10:25:31 AM ET
Such a sad story for all concerned, especially the little fellah who is now back in the shelter. I can't help but feel that Ellen just did what most of us would do - pass the animal on to someone close that we trust. I would've done the same thing rather than send the little dog back to the shelter. But it's much the same story here, the major rescue organisations make home visits to ensure a good placing for the animal and follow that with random check-ups. I'm sure they do it for the best of reasons.
I lost my beloved Westie just a few months back and am still thinking of her every day. After all, nearly 16 years of pure joy and love is pretty hard to forget! It turned out that she had come from a Welsh "puppy farm". She had been bought (as a "surprise" for me)from a pet shop by my ex-partner. When this little 3 month old puppy was handed to me she hadn't even had her vitally important "puppy" shots (saved the pet shop owner money I suppose). She had dreadful ear mites and was already showing the first signs of the painful Colitis which would stay with her all her life. When I phoned the shop to ask him why he hadn't taken her to a vet for her shots and treatment for her ear mites etc. he just told me to bring her back and get "a refund". I am happy to say, by law, pet shops are no longer allowed to sell cats and dogs in the UK.
I never thught I could have another pet around, but, as some of you know, a little abused creature unexpectedly came into my life on July 14th, and here she is, Sally, the now not-so-fearful cat Her Majesty reclining
"There’s a lot in the world for us to turn our attention to — helping people, helping animals, and helping animals help people." ... Bernadette Peters, August, 2007
| Karen
Registered User
Registered:
5/3/2002 | posted: 10/17/2007 at 11:05:15 AM ET
One thing that I find amusing is how much attention this story is getting. Yesterday morning I didn't realize it was going to turn into such a big deal. If you go to other websites and read the comments that people are making you notice right away this groundswell of resentment against animal shelter policies. It's like it's always been there but no one really mentioned it that much before because it wasn't considered tactful or p.c. But now this story has suddenly made it okay for people to start complaining about them. And some of the people complaining are legitimate but some of them are obviously just nuts themselves. So you (I) end up feeling stupid because you see that you're (I'm) expressing the same uninformed sentiments as the ignorant masses. And that's where defensiveness starts.
| jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 10/17/2007 at 11:23:29 AM ET
I'm bowing out, because I'll just repeat myself. However, just to reiterate, rescue organizations and shelters are not the same thing, Ellen adopted from an organization and not a shelter, and you are dealing with more stringent requirements if you adopt from a rescue organization (as Ellen did and was apparently fine with all the requirements that it entailed) rather than a shelter/pound (as Ellen did not). Shelters/pounds don't have the luxury of time (and waiting lists from which to chose adopters) to do the paperwork that rescue organizations do, who are dealing with a much, much smaller number of dogs.
Also-check out the organization. Not all organizations are kosher.
Read what you sign.
That's a handsome cat, Scottie.
Jenn
| Karen
Registered User
Registered:
5/3/2002 | posted: 10/17/2007 at 11:29:39 AM ET
Agreed!
| jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 10/17/2007 at 11:30:22 AM ET
Yay!
(I really gotta get out of here now. Nothing against you fine folks-I have to get back to work.)
Jenn
|  moljul
Registered User
Registered:
4/2/2001
From:
New York
Fav. BP CD: I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Fav. BP Song: Dublin Lady
| posted: 10/17/2007 at 11:36:18 AM ET
Scottie, That is so terrific to see Sally ON your bed instead of under it. Congratulations to you both! She is adorable and extremely lucky to have found you.
I too am sorry so many of you have had such terrible experiences with certain organizations. Some do seem to be a bit overzealous. So yes, try to stick to the true shelters who have certain basic requirements (ASPCA requires proof of employment or income, two references who we call while you are there (no forms for them to fill out) and the signing of the contract which has some requirements like bringing the animal back if you can no longer take care of it). There should be no reason why you couldn't go home with a dog or cat the same day if we are able to verify all information - and generally we are. Those who want to adopt a dog are looked at a bit more carefully because most people want to adopt a dog by looks when it is the matching of personality and temperment that are vital. Everyone thinks a pit bull puppy is cute and wants to take him home but 6 months later, they can often come back to the shelter because the adopter didn't realize what the puppy was going to grow into. I'm not saying anything negative about pit bulls. I think they are a great breed but they need to be adopted by people who understand them. Understand they need exercise and mental stimulation (they are very smart) because otherwise, if left to their own devices they can develop behavior problems - chewing through things, jumping up on people constantly, etc. Each breed is a different commitment. A busy family is best with a golden retriever. An all adult household or at least one with adults who have time to really spend with the dog are more suited to the more active, higher maintenance breed. So many people come in and ask for small dogs because they live in an apartment. Most small dogs are EXTREMELY high strung and if not supervised a majority of the time would tear a small apartment to pieces. Where as a larger dog (I mean Great Danes, Greyhounds, etc) are ideal for apartment living (even small Manhattan apartments) because they are very laid back, will mostly just lounge around on the sofa or floor all day and will just need 3 nice walks a day. But try convincing someone they should take a Great Dane back to their studio apartment when the little dog looks more appealing to them. But these are the types of things all shelters have to keep in mind. We are making long term, life long matches, not ones that last 6 months.
Just to tie this all back to Bernadette (since that is why we are all on this site). Look at the examples of Stella and Kramer. Kramer, from what I have heard and observed, would be described as an extremely hyper active dog. If I remember correctly, he got this way because he spent the first couple years of his life going in and out of the shelter system because he was adopted to inappropriate people who couldn't handle his temperment and didn't have the time and patience to help him learn to calm down a bit. I'm sure each new stay in the shelter made his problem worse and worse which made him less and less adoptable. He was lucky to find Bernadette and Michael. A home with no small children - he would have knocked a toddler down, I'm sure, who had two people who really understood dogs, had the time and money to be patient and work with this dog. I don't presume to know Bernadette's schedule but I would guess she can be home a lot during the day if she is not heavily involved in a project. Or she is able to afford a dog walker who can take the dogs for a walk as often as needed to burn the appropriate amount of energy to maintain a relatively calm dog. This sort of care and commitment was probably very important to Kramer's well being in the beginning. It helped him find a outlet for all his energy and allowed him to focus on better manners. Now you hear Bernadette talk about how sensitive he can be. His true personality probably came out when the hyper activity was kept to a minimum. Kramer, much like Sally with Scottie, was lucky to find the right home environment who didn't hold his past or current behavior against him and saw a living creature who hadn't been given a good shot in life and just needed someone with a lot of patience to get through to the true great dog beneath all his issues.
And Stella, well a pit pull who had been abused to the point of having her throat cut would be a hard, if not impossible sell to almost anyone. She never would have gone home to a house with any kind of children because at that point, I'm sure they didn't know how she would have handled her experience with abuse. Was she going to lash out at humans for what her owner had done to her (and who could have blamed her) or with the right person who showed her love and patience, would her faith in humans be restored? Well we all know how that one turned out. But I think I can pretty safely say, Stella was probably just days if not hours away from being put down if Michael and Bernadette had not come along to give her another chance.
Try not to lose faith in the shelter system. Those that are well run are doing the most good for the animals. Yes, you can get that great dog from a puppy store but for every great dog from a store there are 30 that are not so great and those 30 are the ones who are going to be given to a shelter or abandoned because the owner couldn't handle their issues created by their poor breeding. Shelters are working hard to develop guidelines for animal care and adoption procedures. It's something that should be universal but we are many years off from that point. The good shelters are struggling to get the word out on what works best because they are in the shadow of stories such as this one with Ellen.
"Particular mention must be made of Bernadette Peters, who turns up briefly in a sort of sparkly Glinda the Good costume. She's the reluctant muse sent to help Alice with her writing. The muse is dressed like Oz, sounds like Queens and behaves like a bored student adviser." Alice Film Review, The New York Times, December 25, 1990
"I'm one star away from Dolly Parton ... and Raymond Massey is between us. I hope we don't suffocate him." Bernadette Peters receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, April 24, 1987
| jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 10/17/2007 at 6:30:45 PM ET
Well, it seems like the story is changing.
If you have stated rules, you're supposed to follow them. You can't do that and then claim that you are just following rules. People who were sympathetic to their situation may not be if this is true. You're supposed to read what you sign (which Ellen maintains she neglected to do), but you're supposed to follow the rules of your own organization! Otherwise, you can't claim innocence.
ANYONE can have a rescue organization, and they make decent organizations and shelters (not the same!) look bad when they screw up or are ridiculous. If you deal with them, then you will open yourself up to more paperwork, more scrutiny, and the like. If you'd rather not deal with that-city pounds are a city service, and the adoption is much more simple. And mojul clearly explained the ASPCA procedure, which is more careful about matching animals and owners and checking references than quite a few pounds.
As I read on another site, I'm not siding with anyone anymore. Ellen's known for having obsessive fans, and her crying on the show really set them off (arson and murder threats). But as this organization is not 100% kosher, apparently, I'm not as open to their situation anymore. I still think Ellen handled this horribly.
Jenn
| Karen
Registered User
Registered:
5/3/2002 | posted: 10/17/2007 at 6:59:10 PM ET
"I won't let the Ellen Degenereses of the world get away with this!"
That's hilarious. What does she even mean by that?
| Scottie
Registered User
Registered:
3/6/2006
From:
Edinburgh, Scotland | posted: 10/17/2007 at 7:31:18 PM ET
My goodness, is there really such a big issue about this in the US?
Seems like these people don't have much else to occupy their minds ... maybe they should get out more ... like out of the country? And into the world?
Just a thought ... from an outsider.
"There’s a lot in the world for us to turn our attention to — helping people, helping animals, and helping animals help people." ... Bernadette Peters, August, 2007
| jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 10/17/2007 at 7:37:11 PM ET
If this had been handled behind the scenes, no one would have known about it.
And no, this is really only a big deal on the message boards and gossip sites. I'm sure what's discussed in UK gossip columns and message boards isn't what the majority of people in the UK think about in great length and depth. I only read about it on the Internet, and haven't discussed it with friends or coworkers. Most of us are thinking about jobs, the economy, upcoming presidential election, families, etc.
Jenn
| Scottie
Registered User
Registered:
3/6/2006
From:
Edinburgh, Scotland | posted: 10/17/2007 at 7:48:01 PM ET
Jenn, I responded to your post that you seem to have now deleted.
How queer.
"There’s a lot in the world for us to turn our attention to — helping people, helping animals, and helping animals help people." ... Bernadette Peters, August, 2007
| jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 10/17/2007 at 7:55:01 PM ET
"By going after lesbian talk show hosts who got their start in comedy clubs?"
And then imagining how this would have turned out if this had happened to Rosie?
That post? I'm deleting posts that are going off the subject, but I'll recreate it if you want to respond.
Jenn
| Scottie
Registered User
Registered:
3/6/2006
From:
Edinburgh, Scotland | posted: 10/17/2007 at 8:19:20 PM ET
Jenn, the point I was making was that I have already responded to your "deleted" post (the one you've just only partly quoted). Your deletion just makes my previous post look rather silly and empty. That's all.
"There’s a lot in the world for us to turn our attention to — helping people, helping animals, and helping animals help people." ... Bernadette Peters, August, 2007
| jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 10/17/2007 at 8:29:48 PM ET
Scottie, I was brash and flippant, and I apologize. I thought better of it and I deleted it. I do not want to make anyone here, especially one with whom I have had enjoyable conversations, look silly and empty.
Jenn
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