Adoption refused because of smoking

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Originally Posted by wolf_Q

I don't think that is a valid reason to refuse adoption. However, I don't think kids/pets/other members of the household should have to be subjected to cigarette smoke. My personal opinion is that if you want to smoke, thats fine, but smoke outside/away from other people/pets. Many of the people I've worked with smoke, and I don't care one bit, as long as they do it outside, the smell of cigarette smoke makes me ill, literally...honestly I wouldn't want my dogs to have to breathe it in either. I would not refuse to adopt out a dog if the people smoked though.

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My thoughts exactly.

After years and years of choking over cigarette smoke, I finally got my parents to smoke outside. They rarely smoke in vehicles anymore when I'm with them too.

About the dog's coat smelling... YUCK. I can't stand getting near my dogs if my parents just hugged them/petted them. They could have smoked a cigarette 10 minutes prior to touching the dogs and they dogs STILL reek afterwards. I don't enjoy the smell at all, which is why I don't smoke. It's just gross.

This isnt a question of whether or not you as a person like/dislike smoking. It is a question of whether or not people should be turned down to adopt a dog just because they smoke!

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Originally Posted by critter crazy

This isnt a question of whether or not you as a person like/dislike smoking. It is a question of whether or not people should be turned down to adopt a dog just because they smoke!

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Then that should rely on cold hard facts. The cold hard fact is that smoking tobacco (especially sidestream smoke which is the smoke that comes off the tip) contains a high amount of proven carcinogens. I'm sorry, after having a family friend die of secondhand smoke, I don't approve of smoking in any way shape or form. I can understand why adoption groups won't adopt out animals to smoking homes, and, to be honest, I swing to the agreement of their decisions. However, I suppose if the family is simply extraordinary, I would include in the contract that the person should make an attempt to smoke outside of the dog's vicinity. If one wouldn't subject a child to secondhand smoke, I don't see how it's okay to subject an animal to it :/ My two cents.

In all honesty... that is insane.

Would they even be willing to compromise with a no smoking in the house clause? I know that most smokers never smoke in the house. I mean, I doubt that the dog will be in close quarters with some one smoking, anyway.

I think smokers are stigmatized waay, way too much... like they're evil, reckless and trying to inflict cancer on everyone/thing around them. I'm not a smoker, but I know plenty of smokers, and they never smoke in a car with me or right next to me.

I also know many smokers and they don't seem to give a damn who they blow their smoke all over. Yes, there are the more considerate ones but many of them aren't and I have witnessed them with my own eyes.

One of my former managers had the inside of his car set alight when a driver in front tossed a lit cig butt out of his window and it flew back and got sucked into my managers partly open window and ended up on his back seat.
My current manager who does smoke has been fined twice after being caught throwing cig butts on the ground instead of putting them in a bin. I told him it served himself right.... :D I'm very much against throwing litter generally.
Even though smoking is prohibited on buses, there were no amount of times when the driver had to tell a passenger at the back to put out their cig because they were trying to puff away in secret...and making the whole bus smell of their crap at the same time.
I also had no amount of people blowing their smoke all over me when I was waiting at bus stops or in the bus station. I'd be there first and they'd come and sit next to me, light up and the smoke would drift my way and all in my face and I'd end up having to get up and go stand somewhere else which was NOT fair.
I drive now so I don't have to put up with buses anymore.
One of my other colleagues regularly smokes in the work building even though she knows it's not allowed. She is also the one whos' GSD died of lung cancer.

In the paper yesterday, there was a piece about a guy who died after setting himself alight whilst having a secret cig in the hospital where it wasn't allowed anyway. He had been smothered in a flammable cream for a skin problem and had been warned that it was flammable and also had been warned not to smoke anymore cigs whilst he was in hospital. Not being able to stop himself and showing total disregard for what he had been told by docs and nurses, he sneaked off to have a smoke, he lit the cig and turned into a ball of fire. I couldn't help but feel it served himself right.

Yes, there are plenty of smokers who do not seem to give a damn about whether other people want to breathe in their crap or not and many people I speak to agree with me on that one. A lot of the time, it is the other people who complain first before I tell them I agree so I know this is a generally growing attitude towards smoking.

Like us, dog may hate the smell of smoke but they can hardly say so can they? It may make their eyes feel dry and tired and their lungs feel sore like it does me when I've been somewhere where there is a lot of smoke. I try to avoid these situations at all costs because of this but dogs living in smoking homes can't.

I know that smokers aren't deliberately trying to inflict cancer and everything else on those around them but they do often seem to value their habit over the health and safety of others like in the number of incidents I mentioned above.

What has this to do with adotping dogs you might say? Well, if these smokers show disregard where other people, children and such are concerned, why wouldn't they show this same disregard with pets?
Some smokers might save it for outside but many wouldn't and I think this is what shelters worry about.

I agree with what Gisele said about maybe encouraging them to smoke outside the house if they adopt a dog but this can't be enforced on a daily basis can it? I wouldn't want to subject any creature to it personally.

In the course of finding an adoptive home, we look at a lot of things, would I refuse a smoker soley based on the smoking? No. However if I have a bird that has 2 equally qualified apodters, and one house is a non smoking house and the other house is a heavy smoking house, I would probably choose the non-smoking house. Since most birds do not get outdoor excercise or fresh air as window drafts are can be deadly. Same scenario with a dog or cat? it probably wouldn't factor into my decision. Double standard? Not really, just difference in the way that different animals are cared for.

Now if the choice was a forever home with a qualified adopter, and no other adopter in the picture, would I deny them because they smoked? No, but I would discuss the option of keeping the bird room smoke free. Will that mean they will? Maybe not, but I certainly won't deny an animal a lifetime of love and happiness based on a vice of the owner. There are too many other things that are in the forefront in deciding, such as vet care, and willingness to train and excercise, the animals safety in the yard, the amount of time willing to be spent. Non Smokers don't automatically love their adopted animals more and Smokers don't automaticall love them less. They simply have differences in their personal vices or lack there of :)

Just my thoughts

I would be very reluctant to place a foster of mine in a smoking home, and I would probably refuse as well.

I don't buy the "settle for a less than perfect home because there are lots of homeless animals" argument. If I were responsible for placing an animal, I would be responsible for finding it the very best.

So the conclusion is, People like me who smoke, are considered not acceptable as fosters because we smoke?? well, then what about people who drink or do drugs? you gonna do a piss test on all of your applicants??? a smoker will come right out and tell you they smoke, what is there to hide? but you could be placing an animal in the hands of a drunk or Drug addict without knowing it! Makes no sense to me! And dont tell me that alcohol and drugs will not affect the animals life! cause that is bull crap, and we all know it.
This whole thing is just rediculous! So what if I smoke! I dont bother anyone, I dont harm my kids or my dogs, I am a responsible person. I dont drink or do drugs, but yet I am still a "bad" Person, cause I have a bad habit!
Whats next, i cant own a dog, cause i eat fast foods? or dont drive the right car?

Not everyone admits that they smoke.

Still, this is not the argument because, if any of us did adopt out and we knew the applicants had a drink or drugs problem, we certainly would not adopt out to them. Not knowing they have a problem with drink or drugs doesn't make us hypocrits, it makes us unaware that they have a problem with drink or drugs. Those on drugs are often noticeable because drugs do have an affect on people that others can notice such as gaunt face, dirty appearance, not much in the way of wit or intellect because half their brain cells have been destroyed by the crap they take...they often shake and walk funny too.

The problem with drink and drugs is that they can make the user less able to take proper care of the animal or even cause the user to cause harm to the animal themselves. With smoking, the animals are breathing in the smoke which can harm them....even if their owner otherwise takes good care of them, if they smoke indoors and the dog breathes it in, every breath is causing potential damage whether that smoking owner likes it or not.

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Originally Posted by critter crazy

So the conclusion is, People like me who smoke, are considered not acceptable as fosters because we smoke?? well, then what about people who drink or do drugs? you gonna do a piss test on all of your applicants??? a smoker will come right out and tell you they smoke, what is there to hide? but you could be placing an animal in the hands of a drunk or Drug addict without knowing it! Makes no sense to me! And dont tell me that alcohol and drugs will not affect the animals life! cause that is bull crap, and we all know it.
This whole thing is just rediculous! So what if I smoke! I dont bother anyone, I dont harm my kids or my dogs, I am a responsible person. I dont drink or do drugs, but yet I am still a "bad" Person, cause I have a bad habit!
Whats next, i cant own a dog, cause i eat fast foods? or dont drive the right car?

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I agree on this one and I'm not a smoker. And only have this to say.
I think way too many individuals in this world have their "cheeks" clenched way too tight on certain issues and carry them to extremes.

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Not everyone admits that they smoke

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That shouldn't be a problem to any rescuer who is prejudiced against smokers as the majority swear that smokers stink so bad they can tell they're a smoker from 20 feet away! ;)

It should always be the rescuers choice whether or not to place a homeless animal in any home. But the overall welfare of the pet must come first. If every what-if were taken into consideration, no adopter would ever be acceptable!

What-if a fence should blow down, collapse or catch fire, someone would leave a door open, the dog should choke on a rawhide? Those are real and immediate life threatening concerns. Yet no adopters are turned down because of those maybe's. It doesn't make any sense to turn down a good home because of something that might happen in the far distant future.

In addition just as every breeder must face the fact that by producing a litter they are in some way contributing to the pet overpopulation problem; a rescuer who choses not to place a homeless pet in an otherwise loving smokers home must face the fact that other helpless pets may be paying the price for their prejudice.

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Originally Posted by critter crazy

This isnt a question of whether or not you as a person like/dislike smoking. It is a question of whether or not people should be turned down to adopt a dog just because they smoke!

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I don't think anybody is listening. :D The thread has morphed.Too bad
really. In a perfect world, nobody would smoke and all dogs would have
loving homes. We are far from perfect. It's a fact that every time a person
is born in America, so are 15 dogs and 45 cats. That's far to many for the
number of available homes. Humane societies should use any and all chances
to help place dogs who will love & care for them.

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That shouldn't be a problem to any rescuer who is prejudiced against smokers as the majority swear that smokers stink so bad they can tell they're a smoker from 20 feet away!

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I'm anti smoking but there are a lot of people I know who smoke but you can't smell it on them...unless they just had one.
One colleague who used to work at our place and smoked quite a lot informed me one day that her husband didn't know she was a smoker. I was quite surprised that he didn't know and that it was secret although I must admit she didn't smell of smoke. She knew he'd go mad if he found out. She chewed sugar free gum all the time to prevent the smokey breath and he obviously never smelt it on her clothes.
I read up not long back too some article where loads of people smoke and hide it successfully from their partners....!!! :confused:

I'm sorry if I got "off subject" on not liking smoking. Being that it is something that has effected my breathing my whole life, whether I choose to or not, it's sort of something I rant about on occasion. Although, I don't see why there is any issue with people expressing their feelings on smoking.

Maybe it's because those that do smoke think we are personally against them because they smoke.

It isn't with me. I might dislike smoke and smoking but I have never written a person off because they smoked...I just avoid the smoke. It's not that I hate the person....unless they are a problem in some other way. Yes, I said some smokers don't give a damn how their smoke might affect others but thats a problem with their attitude, not their smoking.