Anonymous wrote:I’ve got two dogs from lucky dog rescue. They did a home visit and left the dog with me that day each time. They’re not all the same. Breeders however are all the same because they’re in it for the money.

Rescues/shelters are not all bad! I volunteer with the AWLA (Alexandria) and it is very easy to adopt through them. I also have gotten two cats through Lost Dog (via Petsmart) and was able to take the cats home the same day.

I've got the parakeet story...

Want to adopt a parakeet. I grew up with one, managed a bird store, over the years have rescued an amazon, a conure, and an umbrella cockatoo. Have had a cockatiel for 20+ years; also another parakeet (who died after 10 years); both happy with their cage doors open all day. Have hatched a ducks and quail.

I can't adopt because I have to attend their class, and they are far away (I'd have to spend the night if I was going to a class). Also, they won't adopt out just one parakeet; I have to take two.

I ended up going to Petco but have done nothing yet.

I do get what these places are trying to accomplish, but I think for the benefit of these poor animals, the rules should be the default and subject to case-by-case exceptions. Especially because if they are so strict, they run out of room, and then can't take other animals.

I’ve got two dogs from lucky dog rescue. They did a home visit and left the dog with me that day each time. They’re not all the same. Breeders however are all the same because they’re in it for the money.

There are plenty of reptiles in need of rescue that aren't with rescue organizations. Try the 'free' postings on your site of choice. You'll see some that are in a pretty sorry state and some that aren't so bad, since you haven't got any other reptiles, you can take a risk, just have a vet lined up. Also, try the county shelters, they sometimes get reptiles in and are more than happy to move them on. It is pretty easy to research care these days, so, 'experience' isn't really necessary.

I adopted from a cat rescue out of state and they were SO intense about all these supposed requirements up front. Even told me they’d take my cat back if I didn’t send the weekly newsletter of her adjustment.

Well, I got super into that newsletter. And no one ever responded! I started showing up to the rescue with hard copies.

Anonymous wrote:Animal rescue people aren’t in it for the animals, they’re in it to fulfill their own disfunction

This is the truth. I am dreading getting back in the process. My dog passed away and I think I might be ready. I just don't want to fall in love with one and then get turned down for something stupid. It happened once before because my husband was active military. It was 1 year before his retirement , we had another dog and were not moving. They are disgraceful.

Animal rescue people aren’t in it for the animals, they’re in it to fulfill their own disfunction

Buy one, give it a good life, and then next time you’ll have experience and you can get a rescue one. But I don’t see how it matters since the rescue ones surely come from pet stores as well?

Anonymous wrote:The best is that they'll turn you down, but then give an animal to the friend of a volunteer who doesn't meet any of their requirements.

I quit working with a breed-specific rescue after six months because people I did home visits for would get rejected despite my glowing reports, but friends of the chair people would get pets with no home visit at all. Only 2 of my visits resulted in adoptions. It was such bs.

Ally Cat Allies?

The best is that they'll turn you down, but then give an animal to the friend of a volunteer who doesn't meet any of their requirements.

I quit working with a breed-specific rescue after six months because people I did home visits for would get rejected despite my glowing reports, but friends of the chair people would get pets with no home visit at all. Only 2 of my visits resulted in adoptions. It was such bs.

Anonymous wrote:Ridiculous. Bearded dragons are so easy and social. Go buy one at PetSmart.

And send them a pic of you emerging from Petsmart with your pet and tell them that their extreme policies contradict their stated mission of finding loving homes for their animals.

I foster at LDCRF in VA, which has a good track record of reasonable adoption policies, but I really think some other rescues are just a ploy to get financial donations, and have a small group of people get subsidized pets as "fosters", that they can hand over to another person in the group when they go on vacation... and these pets can never get adopted unless the potential adopter is absolutely perfect, since the rescue people don't actually have much incentive to get them adopted. See what I mean? The world of rescues is pretty murky.

Corollary to this: become a foster yourself!

Anonymous wrote:Ridiculous. Bearded dragons are so easy and social. Go buy one at PetSmart.

Ugh. I should. But as a responsible pet owner of other species, I hate contributing to a trade that disgusts me.

Ridiculous. Bearded dragons are so easy and social. Go buy one at PetSmart.

Wow. It's not as if bearded dragons or rat or corn snakes are hard to care for, either! You should tell them they're pushing people to buy instead of adopt.

I've had three turn us down for a bearded dragon/snake adoption now because we've brand new to reptiles. It's like they're trying to chase people to breeders.