Hi Everyone,

We currently have 2 rescue Westies and need to find a new home for our little Buddy. Would love if he could stay in the area.

See ad:
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=11726866

Buddy is a true terrier and has a fiesty, but sweet nature. He is territorial and can snap if provoked - we believe that he was abused when he was a puppy . He will be a great pet in the right home (no children). With a new baby in the house, I can't risk him snapping. We are extremely sad to have to find a new home for him (he has been with us for 3 years) - let me know if you are or know anyone with interest. My email is listed in the ad. Thank you.

What a cutie! Hope you find a wonderful home very soon.

Are you serious? $200.00 adoption fee for a 5 year old dog that is already fixed?

Wow! let me know if you get it! I can make a small fortune here!

The adoption fee goes to help rescue organizations. There are a lot of dogs out there that need some TLC.

And it's tax deductible...

Joseph Phelps is soooo 2003.

But seriously Buddy is a really sweet boy and the $200 makes people think twice about doing anything untoward.

At least I would hope.

You are right, David. Adoption fees are quite high now a days. You want people who are serious about wanting the dog and unfortunately the fee tend to give the dog "value" and makes people think first before adopting. The rescue fee for the breed of dog I have was up to $1000 but the club has wisely reduced the max fee to $500.

oh, he is so cute! I hope you find him a great forever home.

Re adoption fees - the lowest fee from a reputable shelter I've seen is about $75 for a 'senior' cat or dog. Yes, the idea is to (a) make people think for a moment before they take on the responsibility of a living creature and (b) keep 'bad' people away, such as those who'll troll Craigs list looking for free to good home ads so they can use the animals in, let's say, training fighting dogs. I honestly wish they'd stop running ads like that.

The fee structure at Mrs. GEM D.V.M.'s shelter is as follows:

Pure Breed dog with up to date shots, heart worm test, spay/neuter, Avid chip, collar and leash $100.00

Mixed Breed dog with up to date shots, heart worm test, spay/neuter, Avid chip, collar and leash $ 50.00

The idea is to get the dogs into homes, but only homes where the to be owners pass all of the screening, including an in home visit.

If you are charging a higher fee, yet have fewer adoptions, then the shelter will experience higher overhead caring for those animals that "hang around" longer due to the higher fees which may discourage some well qualified families from adopting these "older" animals.

Case in point, it appears The Westies adopted this dog. (As he believes it was abused in its prior home)

Yet this dog is up for adoption again looking for a third home, because someone didn't match this breed with the family or take into account this family may introduce children during the life of this pet, nor did anyone take into consideration the disposition of this animal/breed when placing it in the Westie family. (and the possibility of children) The fees are important to support a shelter, but with improper screening of the animals and owners in conjunction with the higher fees will increase this animals chances of being euthanized over being adopted . . . .again.

Wow GEM,

That would be an extremely rigorous screening process - trying to determine where an adoptive family might be in 3+ years. There are so many variables. I think that would make it difficult to EVER find an appropriate home for a dog.

I'm researching the idea of adopting a dog and $200-$300 (mixed, pure, old and young) seems to be the going rate for adoption fees at no kill shelters. You're wife's rate is the lowest I've seen.

When I adopted my cats in 1996, the adoption fee at the Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society (which does euthanize) was $50 for one Heinz 57 variety cat and $75 for two - and that was 12 years ago.

Rigorous? Not really.

Every breed has a "personality" anyone who deals with dogs on a daily basis knows this.

Some breeds are great for families with small children (Most of the bird/water dogs) other aren't. You can even get an idea of the individual animals personality by just interacting with it for 10 to 15 minutes. Some dogs insist they are Alpha and may not be a good choice for one family, but an excellent choice for another.

Unfortunately a lot of shelters are short on funds, so they let the dog go even if the screening process isn't complete. A simple "Are you planning on having children in the future? Westies have a reputation for nipping, let me show you some other dogs we have that may be more suitable to your situation. . . . .

My days of having Shepherds is coming to an end. They are great with my kids, but wouldn't hesitate to bite an outsider (i.e. GEM jr. friends) So rather than give them up, I built a kennel and a run to put them in when we have company. My next dog will not be a Shepherd, probably something more gentle.

Breed club rescue groups do not place dogs in shelters. The dogs are in foster homes while they are waiting for a new home. Shelters are instructed to contact the specific breed rescue group if a purebred dog is brought to them. A good breeder will always have in their contract that a dog should be returned to THEM for any reason and at any age.

Westie

Instead of dumping the dog, why not buy a crate, make a small kennel and just be a bit cautious for the next 2-3 years?

Do you have a small room and a gate where you can keep the dog away from the baby until he accepts it?

Do you have a basement? There are a lot of thing you could do to co-exhist.

Once your little one(s) is/are a bit bigger, they will learn not to pester the dog and will more than likely become best of friends!

I just don't understand why or how some people can give up their pets. Can't return the kids?. . . .Can you?

I love animals and especially dogs but kids come first. You'll find a good home for buddy. I can't imagine how hard this is for you. Dogs have a special way of getting into your heart even with their faults. Good luck.

quote:

it attacked my first born....cat was booted out of the house two days later.

What took you so long I'm with you. You have to keep your kids safe. The end.

quote:

Originally posted by GE Fan:

quote:

Originally posted by GEM:

I just don't understand why or how some people can give up their pets.

Had a cat....it attacked my first born....cat was booted out of the house two days later....never regretted it....in fact, hated that cat from day 1....still hate that cat.....wife may have liked it however....don't think she regrets it...oh well, it's gone and all is good in the world....shelter said it was adopted....poor *******s who adopted that thing.

"You're an idiot."

GEM:

Along the vein of your family with the Shephards, what I'm hearing is that you might not be the ideal family to own Shephards because someone should have asked you if (a) you were going to have children and (b) would these children invite other children to your house? If yes to (b), then perhaps your family would not be a good fit.

Many people are like you (and to a certain extent me) and go out of their way to adapt when circumstances arise where their pets are no longer the perfect companions. I have a cat that hasn't pooped in his litter box in 9 years (he prefers the bathtub; let me tell you, I think I'm the only person in town who scrubs and sanitizes her bathtub on a daily basis). There are a lot of people who would have given my cat away, but I just shrug and deal. Of course pooping and biting are two totally different things . . .

Anyway, I wouldn't give shelters such a hard time. Right now I'm on the receiving end of being a "not good enough" family. Breed rescue groups dismissed my family out of hand left and right because we have a three year old. Not every family has older children, a huge fenced in yard and a human being home all day long. If every single dog could be placed in an ideal home, that would be great. But that doesn't mean that the dog won't be perfectly happy and loved in a not quite perfect home.

No, It is/was in the plan that the shepherds would have been gone by the time kids were having friends over. Problem is Mrs. GEM has a thing for keeping things alive for much longer than the average life span. Thus it was necessary to make additional arrangements for the dogs.

I agree with you, everyone's life doesn't go as planned, but I won't cut that shelter any slack for a mismatch. Selective breeding had a purpose way back when. Dogs did jobs and had purpose other than sleeping and eating. I believe terriers were used to kill rodents in and around farms and live stock, thus the attitude and nipping. Not all adoptions are going to be perfect, but a little common sense (from the shelter) could avoid animals being returned.

As far as the cat thing, Lets just say I'm so glad the kids and I have allergies to felines! Problem solved!

Mrs. Gem recommends changing the brand of litter you are using. Try unscented mixed with sodium bicarbonate. Some cats will avoid scented litter. Oh yeah, and watch where you step!

quote:

Originally posted by Mamattorney:
GEM:


I have a cat that hasn't pooped in his litter box in 9 years (he prefers the bathtub; let me tell you, I think I'm the only person in town who scrubs and sanitizes her bathtub on a daily basis).

Teach your cat this!

quote:

Originally posted by GEM:

I just don't understand why or how some people can give up their pets dogs .