Some adoption places are crazy!

[wrs]

As some of you may know I am on the look for kittens. Ive been to many web sites, a nd went to a few cat "shows" as they call them, and I have noticed that some places are just crazy.

The place I went to today made you fill out an adoption form, and be interviewed before you were even able to look at the cats. They wanted to know your divers liscence number, and other odd things.

Some places even require a home visit to YOUR home before they will let you have a cat. I'm sorry, but that is way out of line. I understand that if you are adopting a child you would have that happen, but you shouldnt have nosey people coming over and snooping aroiund your home just so you can get a kitten. I mean I love cats, but i would never do that to give someone a cat. I think a vet referance is plenty, and not all of this other crazy stuff is needed.

I still have some kittens to go see later this week, hopefully the lady isnt so crazy like some other places.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Whats wrong with that? When we adopted our rabbit, we had a form to fill in with working hours etc., a home visit.... A kitten is a lot of work and responsibility, not everyone can cope with their behaviour who think they can.

 

[xxSarahxx]

The adoption places have to be responsible and ensure that the animals are going to good homes.
Home visits and background informatin is important to ensure the animal will be happy in their new environment they may take other information to ensure you have never been convicted of a crime against animals and so on.
If you're serious about having a cat then you will let them do these checks.
Home visits are important to see if the animal will have the right space and so on. It may be your home but if you are about to consider sharing it with a live animal. They are just trying to be responsible.
Good luck with it all. I hope you find the right cat for you.

 

[Elisabeth83]

I agree with what OohFeeshy and Sarah have said. It might feel like they are being nosy but just think if they didn't do all of the checks and what not how many weirdos could just go in and adopt a cat, dog, rabbit whenever they wanted. I think it's very responsible of shelters and animal adoption places to do checks on everyone. To me it shows if your serious or not about adopting the animal and showing that you'll do everything necessary to be able to adopt the animal. Like others have said adopting a kitten or puppy is a big responsibilty. So many times people get cats or dogs like they are a pack of gum and when they are tired of them they just get rid of them.

edit: I've been looking into abuying/adopting a Cavalier King Charles puppy from a breeder and we've sent e-mails back and forth discussing everything. She informed me that we would have to meet and talk about things to see if my boyfriend and I are the right family for her puppy to go to. Sure it's stressful and you feel like you have to impress these people but to me it just goes to show how serious you are about adopting this new pet into your life. Unfortunately for us once we were told the price the puppy would be we had to let the breeder know that at this time we wouldn't be able to get the puppy from her. It was just too expensive and we have more important things that need to be paid. Unless of course we want to live on the street in a box I was crushed because I was looking forward to my new baby but hey I guess there is another little puppy waiting for me sometime in the next year or so.

 

[wrs]

I just think it's a little over the top.

 

[mattbeau]

that sounds way over the top

I picked up Ally from a customer of my brother in law and I picked up Tales as a little starving stray looking for a new home.

if you look in the local paper there are plenty of free kittens that the owners want to get rid of I doubt many of them would make you jump through hoops as the adoption agencies have.

I can understand running your drivers license to make sure your not some cat killing maniac, but having people walk through your home is way too much

 

[MegTheFish]

I think having to fill out an adoption form before you even LOOK at the cats is weird, because what if you don't even find a cat you want? But the home visit I think is great, it ensures that the cat is (hopefully) going to a good home.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

what we are looking at here is the great divide between European and American standards for animal welfare. wrs, the checks you mentioned are standard procedure over in England etc. American standard procedure for adopting a kitten from the local humane society is $40 and signing a pledge to get it neutered.

cultures are different all the world over...

 

[MegTheFish]

Cats are only $40 over there? At our humane society they are $150, but that includes getting fixed, getting a microchip and getting their first shots.

 

[Auratus]

It just shows they care, if you don't want to go through all that get a cat from a swap meet or a kitten out of the paper of someone who didn't care enough to spay their cat in the first place. But all that does is encourage a spur of the moment unplanned adoption, which is not good and is exactly why there are cat rescues in the first place.

These cats came from bad homes... they are just trying to make sure they don't go to another one.

When we applied for a great dane we had to fill out a 4 page application and someone was going to come to our house and measure the fence and make sure the dog would be indoors only. They just want to make sure the animal isn't going to end up back at the shelter.

if you look in the local paper there are plenty of free kittens that the owners want to get rid of I doubt many of them would make you jump through hoops as the adoption agencies have.

Adoption agencies have more of a right to go to your house and fill out applications rather then some random person trying to get rid of an accidental pregnancy. And I honestly don't think most people care. They just want to get rid of them.

 

[Puffer_freak]

In England, it is standard procedure from animal shelters for a home visit, then if you have any other pets, you have to have them meet the new pet to ensure they'd get along, then you have to go for several meetings with the aniaml to make sure you can cope with it, etc.

I don't see what the problem is, it's just a home check. If you have something to hide, then you don't get an animal. Simple as that.

 

[Elisabeth83]

what we are looking at here is the great divide between European and American standards for animal welfare. wrs, the checks you mentioned are standard procedure over in England etc. American standard procedure for adopting a kitten from the local humane society is $40 and signing a pledge to get it neutered.

cultures are different all the world over...

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pica_nuttalli your exactly right. I was trying to write something similar in my post but gave up because I couldn't word it right. Anyways I'm originally from Michigan and have now been living in Sweden for a little over 2 years and there is a huge difference on how animals are kept, treated and adopted here. My boyfriend and I went to a dog shelter a couple of months ago and inquired about getting a puppy from them. We had to fill out a form and gives names and numbers of family members so if they felt the need they could call them up and talk with them about where the dog would be kept, if we'd make good dog owners etc. She then told us that small puppies rarely come in there and that the more common dogs are german shepherds or german shepherd mixes. We asked her if there were any other big dog shelters in the Stockholm area and were informed that they were the only one she knew of. Stockholm is a huge area and to only have one medium sized dog shelter (not including maybe personal home dog shelters) it just goes to show how good the system here in Sweden is regarding animals.

In America there are dog shelters in almost every county. If you look in the papers here in the dog & cat section you'll be able to find cheap kittens (normal barn type cats/kittens) but they will never be free. It's a common thing here that people getting rid of cats/kittens charge a small fee just so they know the people getting the cat/kitten is serious about the animal. Breeds of cats well they are expensive and breeds of dogs are expensive too but even mix dogs are expensive here. I just looked in the paper and found an 11 month old mix husky/Hamiltonstövare dog for US $325 dollars. Another example Newfoundland/Golden Retriever/Border Collie mix 1 year 9 months old also selling for US $325 dollars.

I think Europe is on to something and I think America is slowly following suite

 

[wrs]

I also think that a home visit for a rabit is crazy.

In the US cats are $75 and up at places.

I understand a home visit with a dog from the human society, with the dog, but I mean if they dont bring the animal, I think it's stupid.

The people at these places are all old cat people, that have picture of their cats, and cat everything, like a cat cult. They would probably be here for hours.

Then they probably wouldnt let us get a cat because my cat peaches doesnt like people, other than us.

Maybe I just don't like people I dont know coming over. I'm not to fond of my mom's cousins coming over either, and I've known them forever.

There is also one thing i dont like as well. This adopting together is great, for OLDER cats, as they have known eachother and spent most of their lives together, but with kittens, it's nice, but they wont remeber those siblings later on in life. There was one cat who was really sweet, and cute, and we would have teken her, but she was an adopt together, and her brother was MEAN! He scratched my mom, hit my dad in the face, and was just plain crazy. That spoils it for the other cat, as she was sweet, and what we were looking for.

I mean when both cats are nice, that's fine, but when one is mean, that cat wont find a home, as I dont think anyone wants a mean cat, and then that other one will have to wait for a long time just like that other cat because they have to go together.

 

[OohFeeshy]

A home visit really isn't crazy. I wonder how many they've had returned because the people didn't realise how much work it was? They also have to make sure the house is secure, like they checked out whether the rabbit could escape, get trapped, whatever. She was a stray to start with, no sense in letting her become one again. Just because you may be used to stores, who don't give a damn anyway, or people who have litters for sale in papers etc, who also don't really care that much, doesn't mean you should expect it from the one group who really care about them.

 

[GSD]

i totally agree with it

they need it to ensure the cat is going to the right home and not some tiny dump,which would be awful if the cat had come from an abusive home or had been neglected in the past.There shouldnt be anything to worry about.They also check your home so they can match the cat to the environment and so they can be sure your going to look after it