Why continue to ask for applications if a dog already has several?

[Anonymous]

A local rescue posted several videos on Facebook featuring a dog for adoption with a link to the application. A man posted in the comments that he had applied to adopt this dog the previous week and was waiting to hear back. The rescue responded saying they have 18 applications for this particular dog and will start going through them soon. Why continue to post videos of this dog daily saying “apply today!” if 18 applications have already been submitted?

[Anonymous]

For a few reasons:

- Rescues are usually operated by a team of volunteers, and there isn't always great or quick communication.

- They are building engagement. Even if you don't get your application accepted for *this* puppy, they may be able to help place another dog or puppy with you - or get you to foster.

- They are building social media engagement. If they see that lots of people are liking and sharing one puppy's vids and pics, they have incentives to keep putting up pics and vids.

- Not following best practices. Again, rescue groups are usually volunteer run. And often the folks running them don't have training in best practices - they are animal lovers doing their best, but sometimes they don't realize that this sort of practice will make people angry (and turn to buying animals instead of adopting them).

- Sometimes the rescues are super picky about who is going to adopt, and they might decide none of the 18 applicants is good enough. I hate when rescues do this, even though I understand it, because I think it leads to folks deciding to buy dogs instead of adopting and it also doesn't help save more shelter pets from euthanasia. But, having worked a long time in this field, I recognize it's a stubbornly held onto practice.

In any case - thank you for trying to adopt. I hope you get a great puppy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For a few reasons:

- Rescues are usually operated by a team of volunteers, and there isn't always great or quick communication.

- They are building engagement. Even if you don't get your application accepted for *this* puppy, they may be able to help place another dog or puppy with you - or get you to foster.

- They are building social media engagement. If they see that lots of people are liking and sharing one puppy's vids and pics, they have incentives to keep putting up pics and vids.

- Not following best practices. Again, rescue groups are usually volunteer run. And often the folks running them don't have training in best practices - they are animal lovers doing their best, but sometimes they don't realize that this sort of practice will make people angry (and turn to buying animals instead of adopting them).

- Sometimes the rescues are super picky about who is going to adopt, and they might decide none of the 18 applicants is good enough. I hate when rescues do this, even though I understand it, because I think it leads to folks deciding to buy dogs instead of adopting and it also doesn't help save more shelter pets from euthanasia. But, having worked a long time in this field, I recognize it's a stubbornly held onto practice.

In any case - thank you for trying to adopt. I hope you get a great puppy.

I think this is a big part of it - when they get a particularly cute/engaging puppy they market the heck out of it and then try to rope in all the people who missed out on that dog to volunteering, donating, or adopting other dogs that have been sitting in foster for a long time. I understand the reasoning but it's easy to see why it would push people away as well. In the OP's case, I really think the rescue could have just told the person in the comments "thank you for your interest we're reviewing all applications next week" instead of saying that there were 18 applications already and avoided a PR mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a few reasons:

- Rescues are usually operated by a team of volunteers, and there isn't always great or quick communication.

- They are building engagement. Even if you don't get your application accepted for *this* puppy, they may be able to help place another dog or puppy with you - or get you to foster.

- They are building social media engagement. If they see that lots of people are liking and sharing one puppy's vids and pics, they have incentives to keep putting up pics and vids.

- Not following best practices. Again, rescue groups are usually volunteer run. And often the folks running them don't have training in best practices - they are animal lovers doing their best, but sometimes they don't realize that this sort of practice will make people angry (and turn to buying animals instead of adopting them).

- Sometimes the rescues are super picky about who is going to adopt, and they might decide none of the 18 applicants is good enough. I hate when rescues do this, even though I understand it, because I think it leads to folks deciding to buy dogs instead of adopting and it also doesn't help save more shelter pets from euthanasia. But, having worked a long time in this field, I recognize it's a stubbornly held onto practice.

In any case - thank you for trying to adopt. I hope you get a great puppy.

I think this is a big part of it - when they get a particularly cute/engaging puppy they market the heck out of it and then try to rope in all the people who missed out on that dog to volunteering, donating, or adopting other dogs that have been sitting in foster for a long time. I understand the reasoning but it's easy to see why it would push people away as well. In the OP's case, I really think the rescue could have just told the person in the comments "thank you for your interest we're reviewing all applications next week" instead of saying that there were 18 applications already and avoided a PR mess.

I am the PP - and absolutely, it would be better if they responded to comments on the FB page like that. Or even just called or emailed everyone who'd applied to let them know where in the process they were. Just, again, often these are volunteers with full time jobs and families. They don't always respond as quickly - or as helpfully - as you'd want.

Look, my advice always is: go adopt at a shelter, or go to a pet adoption fair. You can adopt on the spot then. It's not going to take you forever. It won't be as "bespoke" a situation, to put it crudely, but if you aren't as patient as you might have to be with a rescue group - it's the better option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a few reasons:

- Rescues are usually operated by a team of volunteers, and there isn't always great or quick communication.

- They are building engagement. Even if you don't get your application accepted for *this* puppy, they may be able to help place another dog or puppy with you - or get you to foster.

- They are building social media engagement. If they see that lots of people are liking and sharing one puppy's vids and pics, they have incentives to keep putting up pics and vids.

- Not following best practices. Again, rescue groups are usually volunteer run. And often the folks running them don't have training in best practices - they are animal lovers doing their best, but sometimes they don't realize that this sort of practice will make people angry (and turn to buying animals instead of adopting them).

- Sometimes the rescues are super picky about who is going to adopt, and they might decide none of the 18 applicants is good enough. I hate when rescues do this, even though I understand it, because I think it leads to folks deciding to buy dogs instead of adopting and it also doesn't help save more shelter pets from euthanasia. But, having worked a long time in this field, I recognize it's a stubbornly held onto practice.

In any case - thank you for trying to adopt. I hope you get a great puppy.

I think this is a big part of it - when they get a particularly cute/engaging puppy they market the heck out of it and then try to rope in all the people who missed out on that dog to volunteering, donating, or adopting other dogs that have been sitting in foster for a long time. I understand the reasoning but it's easy to see why it would push people away as well. In the OP's case, I really think the rescue could have just told the person in the comments "thank you for your interest we're reviewing all applications next week" instead of saying that there were 18 applications already and avoided a PR mess.

I am the PP - and absolutely, it would be better if they responded to comments on the FB page like that. Or even just called or emailed everyone who'd applied to let them know where in the process they were. Just, again, often these are volunteers with full time jobs and families. They don't always respond as quickly - or as helpfully - as you'd want.

Look, my advice always is: go adopt at a shelter, or go to a pet adoption fair. You can adopt on the spot then. It's not going to take you forever. It won't be as "bespoke" a situation, to put it crudely, but if you aren't as patient as you might have to be with a rescue group - it's the better option.

Shelters and pet adoption fairs are currently closed down for COVID in most areas.

[Anonymous]

Agreed. We had a rescue dog for 14 years who was the four legged light of our lives and grew up with our kids. When she passed, it took a lot to feel ready to adopt another dog. We applied with great hope to Kyras rescue for a golden retriever brought over from a Turkey. Went through a home inspection, paid a fee, let them know we were flexible about which dog we got, and still we were rejected. One reason might have been that we live on a busy street, with a fence a puppy could slip through. Well we told them we would add netting to the fence to prevent that. Maybe they were scared off by our kids, who love dogs and know every dog in the neighborhood. Well, we ended up going to a breeder reluctantly and got our dog. The breeder was very reputable our dog was bred from orizewinners. But after we got her home, we realized she had a urine leaking problem. Turned out to be congenital birth defect.!We ended up paying nearly $5k got surgery to get the problem resolved (and the breeder offered to fully refund her fee). Point of the story is, we saved this figs life. We’re a loving and compassionate dog family, but the rescue org passed us over. If you desperately want a dog and feel manipulated by rescues, you should go to one of the on the spot adoption events, a shelter, or find a reputable breeder.

[Anonymous]

Figs= dog’s.

[Anonymous]

I’d rather the rescue just ask for donations directly. I’ve donated in the past when rescues say they need supplies, vet care, etc. I’d much prefer that than the rescue trying to get my contact info by having my family apply for a dog that there’s very little chance of adopting.

[Anonymous]

People can be flaky. I used to volunteer for a rescue and sometimes adoptions would fall through for seemingly no reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People can be flaky. I used to volunteer for a rescue and sometimes adoptions would fall through for seemingly no reason.

This, definitely. I volunteer with a well-known rescue in the area and would help out at adoption events. People would flake out in person alllll the time, I can't even imagine what they do if they are behind a screen. I once was handling a dog at an adoption event and this woman brought her dog to test it with the dog I was handling, had the person come to her house to do a quick home visit, came back, then just vanished and didn't adopt the dog with no more contact