Petfinder Adoption-Experience Survey
In April 2009, Petfinder asked visitors to respond to a survey asking them about their experiences adopting from shelters and rescue groups. In less than a week, 2,667 people responded. The results are below.
1. How committed are you to adoption/rescue (as opposed to getting a pet from a pet store or breeder)?
2. What has been your experience with the adoption process?
2a. Do you have advice for shelters/rescues?
Some responses...
Responsiveness is extremely important for families looking for a pet. I find a lot of rescues either don't respond or are not responsive enough, especially if the only way to contact them is via e-mail.
Patience with prospective families as they interact and ask questions regarding their possible new pet. I took a LONG time to decide if my new pet would be "the one" and the staff were amazingly patient and understanding of my need to make sure this fit would last forever.
Don't treat potential adopters like we are the enemy!
As much as I can appreciate their criteria (fenced yard, etc) some things are over the top. I had a rescue turn me down once because I worked and I am single. They wanted someone who stayed home. Are they kidding?
3. Sometimes we hear that it takes a while for shelters/rescues to return calls or provide feedback. How many times would you try to adopt before you would consider getting a pet from a pet store or breeder?
3a. Do you have an experiece you'd like to share with our shelter/rescue members?
Some responses...
Yes, I have tried to adopt three times from different shelters and all three times I was denied. The first time the dog had medical issues and stayed with its foster mom. The shelter did notify me, but not for a couple of weeks after I sent in my application. The second time, I don't think I ever got a response and the third time, they found a better "match," which I do not understand. I want so badly to adopt, I am an animal lover, I already have a cat and a dog, but it always seems there is someone more suitable for the animal that I am trying to adopt. I have always asked that my application be kept on file in case any other animals that matched my criteria became available. I have never been notified this way.
I found a breed-specific rescue that had a dog I wanted. I contacted them and was turned down as they had found a home that was more suitable to that specific dog. About two months later, they contacted me and brought Brutus, my 5-year-old English Bulldog, into my life.
4. Have you ever contacted an adoption group about a pet and received NO REPLY?
4a. What did you do?
Some responses...
Persisted and persisted - bombarded them with e-mails until I got a reply!
Tried two to three times and then gave up on that particular animal/group
I sent e-mails and eventually called and left a message on a machine that promised me they would call back within 48 hours, but I never received an answer.
5. Would you rather adopt from a shelter or a rescue/foster group?
6. Which of the following influences your decision above?
7. If you are are interested in a particular pet from a shelter/rescue, how would the following impact your efforts:
8. In your experience shelter/foster workers are:
