Reply to Why is it so hard to adopt a dog in the DC area?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Having worked for rescues, if you're not willing to fill out some paperwork, then you're not ready to have a dog.  People really bristle about the home visits, but I have done them.  It's mainly to make sure it's not a hoarding, dog bait or anything else that's crazy.  Please don't clean your home for me or get stressed about it.  The only thing that may possibly get checked is the fence, depending on the rescue. So, from my perspective, it's not really a bunch of hoops to jump through given the time commitment.
I'm always surprised people say it's hard to adopt.  I could have brought home 200 animals by now. I have multiple kids and no fence and no issue finding people to adopt to me.  The breed specific rescues are often more stringent. k9 lifesavers, Wolf Trap (mostly puppies), Lost Dog - the ones who bring up dogs from the south and have mutts or various breeds - are usually more relaxed. 
Good luck! Please stick with it.If you are more specific about what breed or size of dog, maybe we can help you. 
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I work in animal welfare - and honestly, that justification gets real old. Putting up barriers to adoption, then telling people they aren't committed enough for not jumping those barriers, is why we still have so many pets dying in shelters. And those barriers by and large do not lead to better outcomes. It really turns people off adoption, too.
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I have 6 kids, 2 dogs, a ton of extracurricular activities and still find time to do the home visits as a volunteer.  The excuses get old, too. If you really can't find a half hour to do a home visit, then a dog isn't right for you. Organizations aren't trying to waste their own time, either. They are trying to look out for the best interest of the animals and prevent them from being shuffled around.  Whether or not you think home visits help is only up to you if you are in charge of a rescue organization.  In the time you've spent on this thread, you probably could have filled out the paperwork required to adopt a dog.  Just sayin. [/quote]

I really do understand what you're saying. This happens to be my field, and I've read all the research - which shows that home visits don't really predict who will be a good pet owner. I'm not going to fight with you about it, though (we fight about this enough in our field, don't we? I'm sure you have opinions about Clear The Shelters, too - and it's probably different from my opinion). Anyway, thank you for volunteering - it makes a big difference.[/quote]
My policy is i don't criticize volunteers unless it's egregious - whether it be animal rescues or youth soccer coaches.  If someone in this area can't adopt a dog, either they aren't trying hard enough or there is a good reason they've been turned down.  If you don't like one rescue's policies, then there are literally hundreds of other options.
Also OP, you probably would not balk at providing your DL # to the vet for payment.  I personally know of one dog who was reunited because they were able to track through the extra info provided.  The microchip that was implanted never got changed from the rescue organization, dog got lost, scanned the microchip and the rescue was contacted, address on owner wasn't current as they'd moved and they were able to find the owner through alternate contacts provided.  I'm not sure why it bothers you to provide this info, but most people give it out for lesser reasons. 
Anyways, rescues get bashed on here all the time for being crazy.  Please stick with it - it's for your furry family member.  I've worked with a crappy rescue organization, but the vast majority are good. 
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