Spencer I have a question for you :D

[HowieDawn]

Since you (Spencer) are the one that usually helps me the most, I wanted to ask (bring up) a question. The homeless Himilayan made me think of this.

I went with a family member to our local Animal Shelter a week or so ago. This family member lives on a 500 acre farm. She started the screening to "adopt" the dog. He is an Aussie around 3 or so years old. Amongst the questions was: "what kind of land do you live on" of course, she wrote in 500 acre farm land. The next question was, "do you have a fenced in yard?" She answered, "no." The only fenced in yard is the one that the horses use for grazing.

Well, the shelter would not let her take home the dog. They told her that she had to have a fenced in yard before she was allowed to adopt him.

That burns me up and makes me so mad. That poor dog. Why on earth would they not let her adopt him? I don't get it

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"Of all God's creatures there is only one that cannot be made the slave of the leash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with a cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat." - Mark Twain

[Troy]

...what is an "Aussie" dog? A cattle dog (Blue/Red Heeler)?

[auggie]

Originally posted by Troy:

...what is an "Aussie" dog? A cattle dog (Blue/Red Heeler)?

troy,
Aussie" is the Australian Shepherd, wich is actually an american breed. i believe you're talking about the Australian Cattle Dog
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/abc.htm

[HowieDawn]

I don't know why I put this in the cat general section. I should have put it in the rescue.

Anyway thanks for the reply. I guess that they do want what's best for the dog.

But the sad thing about this situation is that this is not a foster group or a "rescue group." This is the county pound. A place where they put dogs down if they are not adopted out very fast. She wanted to get an older dog because they aren't tiny and cute and cudley. I would completely understand why they would screen you for the "fostered animals," but i don't see why they made such a fuss.

I just hope that someone adopted him. He looked so sad

[HowieDawn]

Troy, I found a dog that looks similar to the Aussie we found. http://dogoftheday.com/archive/2000/October/01.html

[This message has been edited by HowieDawn (edited January 14, 2001).]

[HowieDawn]

I feel rude in saying this, but you lost me on that one. On the point you were making. Please try to explain again.

[Troy]

HowieDawn & Auggie - yes the Aussie looks very similar to a Border Collie in shape although the colouring looks different.

[4 feline house]

Are you sure it was a county shelter? It's usually the cities that run the shelters, because it's the cities that have the animal control problems and animal control laws. Of course, things may be different in your corner of the world. Also, alot of people get confused and think "Podunk City Animal Control" is the same thing as "Podunk City Animal Shelter" even though one is public and one is private, they just happen to be in the same city. I'm not trying to insinuate you don't know what you're talking about, HowieDawn, I'm mainly stressing this for other less enlightened readers of this thread.

Some cities (and maybe county, if that's what is in your area) are taking a cue from the private shelters by screening the adopters more carefully, realizing that their own workloads decrease the more they ensure the animal won't be surrendered or returned. And an unfenced dog, no matter what the neighborhood or acreage, is ripe for return. Also, some cities require adopters to comply with local ordinances. In other words, if there is a leash law, the dog won't go to an unfenced yard. Cats won't go to homes where they will not be indoor only cats. I adopted a cat from Euless Animal Control and had to answer yes to and agree in writing to have the cat neutered and vaccinated within six months, vaccinate and tag the cat annually, confine indoors, in a fenced yard and/or on a leash at all times, and not give the animal to anyone else in its lifetime. And they are serious - warrants are issued in cases of non-compliance. It works - I can certainly not say that there are no feral cats in Euless, but the population is very small, and there are no problems associated with roaming cats, like in other cities I've lived in. And, except for spring breeding season, the Euless shelter most of the time adopts or reunites its healthy adoptable animals. The screening works, which is why almost all private shelters do it, and increasingly more public shelters, too. And, like Spencer alluded to, there are so many homeless animals and so many sources, anyone who wants and animal will can get one.