# Questions to Ask Interested Adopters



## gwtwmum2 (Sep 14, 2008)

I was wondering - will the dogs be fixed going to their new homes? I also would not mention the dog is free. I would put there is an adoption fee and then if you felt the family was a good one, you can wave the fee immediately. If the dog is not fixed. I would meet the people and tell them that the fee for the dog is to pay for the neuter/spay. They can arrange to pick the dog up from the vet once the surgery is complete and pay for it at that time.
I wouldn't let a dog go for free and unfixed. People these days are scary AND so many are really good at lying. This would at least protect the dog from being in with a byb.


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## PonkiPoodles (Feb 25, 2009)

> *Why do you want a pet?* It's amazing how many people fail to ask themselves this simple question before they get a pet. Adopting a pet just because it's "the thing to do" or because the kids have been pining for a puppy usually ends up being a big mistake. Don't forget that pets may be with you 10, 15, even 20 years.
> 
> *Do you have time for a pet? *Dogs, cats, and other animal companions cannot be ignored just because you're tired or busy. They require food, water, exercise, care, and companionship every day of every year. Many animals in the shelter are there because their owners didn't realize how much time it took to care for them.
> 
> ...


 _Quoted from HSUS website_

I think it's especially important to ask about their living situation... a lot of landlords do not want pets, whether they rent a house or appartment. A lot of pets are dropped off at shelters just because the landlord do not want pets around.

Also, how much time are they going to spend with the pet... I don't think it's in the best interest of a dog to be adopted out to a family that has it crated 20 hours a day out of 24. 

I would ask were the dog is going to sleep... you don't want people dogs out in the cold, rain, heat... especially not were it gets to be 100 degrees in the summer or below zero in the winter.


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## mercymoon (Aug 29, 2008)

Well I think I may have already found her a home, a lady is coming all the way from Shreveport, LA for an interview and meet Scamper. As for your question, the city of warren is responsible for the dog pound and us the volunteers are not responsible for the spaying and neutering of animals taken off the street, but encourage the adopter to do so, we can't afford it...our funds (donations) go to building a better shelter and emergency vet care.

The lady interested has no other pets and said she is willing to have her vetted and fixed. Nothing is permanent just yet, going to see how the interview goes.

Thanks for the question ideas!


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## Emily-By (Jul 17, 2009)

...Why are you adopting animals out that are not spay/neutered. This is just contributing to the over population problem that we already have. you should have her spayed then charge an adoption fee to cover those costs...


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## mercymoon (Aug 29, 2008)

Emily-By said:


> ...Why are you adopting animals out that are not spay/neutered. This is just contributing to the over population problem that we already have. you should have her spayed then charge an adoption fee to cover those costs...


Well if it was up to me I would, but it's not and personally I cannot pay out of my own pocket for every dog to be desexed, but I understand what you mean. The only thing I can do is do my part and adopt these dogs out after screening owners. We do offer a low cost spay/neutering program for the elderly, disabled,or low income. I personally dislike the city I live in, people care about adopting the dogs out of the shelter rather than have them euthanized, we have to be careful who we adopt dogs out to. That is the reason I asked for what questions should be asked.

Buuuuttt like I said, the Shelter (the little **** hole cages with a tin roof located at the City dump) is in charge of my city, not us the volunteers. If we asked an adoption fee chances are no one would adopt the mutts taken off the street, leading to more euthanizing (no one would go for that) and our bank account for the shelter is already very very low on cash. I could bring this up at a meeting but chances are they would brush this idea off, trust me I've already thought about it.

I just want you to understand I have no control over this and I'm just offering a helping hand, I am not the president, the vice,the secretary, or even one of the directors...just a volunteer doing a lot of hard work.

Also I want you to know *I DO AGREE WITH YOU.* I will mention something at the meeting.


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## Emily-By (Jul 17, 2009)

Then you need to set something up where the adopter picks the dog up from the vet after you drop it off for desexing and they pay for it, rather than going by someone's word. If you do not have the funds to s/n then you do not have the funds to protect the dogs through a contact-enforcing the contact-. There is no excuse for not spaying and neutering animals, if you cannot do it properly dont do it at all. I foster for two different rescues one for avians and one for dogs, and I would NEVER let a dog out of my care without s/n/vax, or a bird without a full blood pannel work up, this would come out of my own pocket if the rescue organization was short of fund, Then I would find a different rescue to help out. If the rescue cannot afford to s/n then what else are you skipping corners on?


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## mercymoon (Aug 29, 2008)

Emily-By said:


> Then you need to set something up where the adopter picks the dog up from the vet after you drop it off for desexing and they pay for it, rather than going by someone's word. If you do not have the funds to s/n then you do not have the funds to protect the dogs through a contact-enforcing the contact-. There is no excuse for not spaying and neutering animals, if you cannot do it properly dont do it at all. I foster for two different rescues one for avians and one for dogs, and I would NEVER let a dog out of my care without s/n/vax, or a bird without a full blood pannel work up, this would come out of my own pocket if the rescue organization was short of fund, Then I would find a different rescue to help out. If the rescue cannot afford to s/n then what else are you skipping corners on?


I told you I do agree with you, I don't know what more you want me to say, this is out of my hands! I will bring up this at the meeting, that's all I can do, I'm sorry! Like I said I am a volunteer, not my place. The idea for the adoption fee to cover desexing is a good idea imo, but that's my opinion and will need to be discussed with the rest of the board on Thursday night.

Honestly there isn't even really a shelter right now, it's a couple of cages with dogs packed together with a tin roof over it, these dogs are free to the community or if space runs out they are eutahnized. Just so ya know.

Thanks for your opinion and ideas on the matter.


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## mercymoon (Aug 29, 2008)

I just left the President a voicemail on this issue for her to get back to me on.

Now, lets not argue or change the topic.


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## MammaofTwo (Jul 20, 2009)

Another thing you can do for future animals (noticed you found a home for this puppy) is make a contract stating that the animal will be fixed within so many days. I understand what you are doing and how you can't pay out of pocket for every animal that comes through your door to get fixed. I do rescue/foster work out of my own home (saving up for my 501c3, it's not cheap lol) and lord knows I can't do that. After paying for their shots and other things such as food, ect I'm pretty much broke. Anywho, this is just a suggestion and if they sign it and don't follow through you can take legal action (if you find out they are breeding him/her).

But like I said, I understand what you are going through and that some times your hands are tied. hwell:


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## Harley_chik (Nov 7, 2008)

Sorry if I'm misunderstanding but do you come up w/ the ad or does the shelter. If it's up to you, I wouldn't mention "free" or "no breeders". People will take a dog just b/c they think it's free, even though they can't/won't care for it. The "no breeder" part just gives greeders a chance to work on their lies, IMO. Why not catch them off guard? 

I know it's not up to you, but the shelter is making a huge mistake by not spay/neutering before the animal leaves, especially if it's out of state. I find it shocking that so many people let rescue dogs have "accidental" litters or even breed them on purpose. When I adopted Bailey, there was litter of Cocker Spaniel mixes that had come from someone who promised to spay the female they'd adopted. Here, the adoption fee covers spay/neuter and all shots, except rabies (only $15 and that covers the city license too). Not only did the idiot not take advantage of the free spay, but he dropped the pups at the shelter as soon as they were weaned. I don't why they didn't go seize the mom from him too. I left a Shih Tzu forum, in part b/c two different members wanted to breed their rescue dogs. It made me sick to my stomach, but the other members were too willing to let it slide.


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