Trying to adopt a dog - any advice?

Aranyani

Spendless said:

In Jan last year we started trying to adopt a dog. We had the same experience you're describing. Not matched to dogs, didn't hear back. Dogs available we didn't meet the criteria for. Re-homing centres said they didn't ring anyone up if any new dogs came in. I once saw 3 suitable new dogs go on-line at one of the centres. By the time I'd driven  there, they'd all been reserved. We ended up  with a puppy, that definately had not been my intention. I've felt guilty at times that we didn't adopt. Recently I had lunch with a friend of mine. She's a vet. Her dogs both died earlier this year. She too had tried to adopt and told me the same thing had happened to her.   Until then I was convinced there must have been something I'd not done when looking..

Are you saying that the rescues don't want to rehome dogs to anyone?  What do you think they are doing with them?

Mojisola

To build up experience and see how you get on with having a dog, there's also the Cinnamon Trust and BorrowMyDoggy. 

Spendless

Aranyani said:

Spendless said:

In Jan last year we started trying to adopt a dog. We had the same experience you're describing. Not matched to dogs, didn't hear back. Dogs available we didn't meet the criteria for. Re-homing centres said they didn't ring anyone up if any new dogs came in. I once saw 3 suitable new dogs go on-line at one of the centres. By the time I'd driven  there, they'd all been reserved. We ended up  with a puppy, that definately had not been my intention. I've felt guilty at times that we didn't adopt. Recently I had lunch with a friend of mine. She's a vet. Her dogs both died earlier this year. She too had tried to adopt and told me the same thing had happened to her.   Until then I was convinced there must have been something I'd not done when looking..

Are you saying that the rescues don't want to rehome dogs to anyone?  What do you think they are doing with them?

I am saying, I had the same experience the OP has described and so did my Vet friend. I have no idea why that is the case.

ladyholly

I have just looked at the battersea website and they are saying that they have fewer dogs for rehoming than usual so I think so many people have decided they want a dog during lock down and since that for once there is a genuine shortage which is a good thing for dogs but not for anyone trying to adopt. 

Pollycat

ladyholly said:

I have just looked at the battersea website and they are saying that they have fewer dogs for rehoming than usual so I think so many people have decided they want a dog during lock down and since that for once there is a genuine shortage which is a good thing for dogs but not for anyone trying to adopt. 

I know someone who got a dog (designer pup) when he and his partner were in lockdown.

When they went back to work, it became an inconvenience. An inconvenience that needs to be crated because they didn't bother to work on training it so it would wreck the house and mess everywhere.

Shocking way to treat an animal.

It would have a better life if they gave it up for re-homing.

I'm not suggesting the OP is like that.

sheramber

Spendless said:

In Jan last year we started trying to adopt a dog. We had the same experience you're describing. Not matched to dogs, didn't hear back. Dogs available we didn't meet the criteria for. Re-homing centres said they didn't ring anyone up if any new dogs came in. I once saw 3 suitable new dogs go on-line at one of the centres. By the time I'd driven  there, they'd all been reserved. We ended up  with a puppy, that definately had not been my intention. I've felt guilty at times that we didn't adopt. Recently I had lunch with a friend of mine. She's a vet. Her dogs both died earlier this year. She too had tried to adopt and told me the same thing had happened to her.   Until then I was convinced there must have been something I'd not done when looking..

Well , it wasn't that the rescue didn't want to rehome to you. The  dogs were already reserved for someone else who was quicker than you.
  
 

Dymphna60

OP have you asked the people you know who have had success in rehoming a dog if they remember what it was they said ? 

I do suspect that it is very much the luck of the draw if you are not known to the rehoming centre. Much like being one of 700 who apply for a job it is unlikely that all applications are looked at . Which is of course understandable as they are looking for a home for the dog and not to supply you with a dog . 

It is frustrating though when people who have been successful are unpleasant to those that give up after months and sometimes years and buy a puppy . 

Never had a dog myself but do know people that were offering a great home and willing to take on dogs that need work / older dogs etc  tried every avenue but with no success. 

I think it is slightly easier with cats but even then I struggled to get a rescue when my ( very ) old cat died because of such things as there were some days when the cat would be alone for 4 hours and I know because I heard it from someone who worked in a rescue that cats were put to sleep rather than give one to me . 

I eventually got a mature cat from an independent rescue. However when I was looking for a cat again I got a kitten ( £10) for the very reason I couldn’t face the search and interview process again .
The cat is loved and well looked after . 
 

Spendless

sheramber said:

Spendless said:

In Jan last year we started trying to adopt a dog. We had the same experience you're describing. Not matched to dogs, didn't hear back. Dogs available we didn't meet the criteria for. Re-homing centres said they didn't ring anyone up if any new dogs came in. I once saw 3 suitable new dogs go on-line at one of the centres. By the time I'd driven  there, they'd all been reserved. We ended up  with a puppy, that definately had not been my intention. I've felt guilty at times that we didn't adopt. Recently I had lunch with a friend of mine. She's a vet. Her dogs both died earlier this year. She too had tried to adopt and told me the same thing had happened to her.   Until then I was convinced there must have been something I'd not done when looking..

Well , it wasn't that the rescue didn't want to rehome to you. The  dogs were already reserved for someone else who was quicker than you.
  
 

The successful applicants must have all been at the rescue centre already then, or lived a shorter drive away than I did, because I saw them go on-line, jumped in the car and drove a 25 min journey there. We'd already been told any reservation had to be in person. 
Are you saying that this is what happened to every single dog we tried for that they were already reserved first?

mrkds

Thanks for continued advice everyone!. I think it's luck and bad timing. We are probably better waiting until after lockdown. Maybe in the new year.

Just to clarify we are aware this is a long term commitment. We're not just wanting company for lockdown. We have considered adopting for a few years but since we both worked full time away from home we didn't think it was fair to adopt a dog in those circumstance. Its since I switched to a new job, my new employer is very flexible about home working (which will be the case after covid). I will only have to make ocasional trips to the office (which is only a 10 mins walk from home anyway) so our adoptive dog will spend very little time on their own. 

elsien

I've just looked on my local animal rescue place (one of the reputable ones) and they only have 4 dogs at present, all larger ones, and all of which say adult only home as the only pet.
That is quite unusual for them. 
Many Tears have their usual fair few but say they are closed to visitors and it is taking longer to process applications. A lot of theirs are ex-puppy farm bitches as well so need a lot of TLC to come out of their shells.
Just keep looking - something will crop up at some point.  Have you looked at Dog's Trust - although a quick glance only shows two for my area which again is very unusual. Covid does seem to be having an impact.