How Do I Stand Out From The Rest Of The Crowd When Applying Online For Dog Adoption At A Shelter?
I filled out an application online last night for an adorable pug/jack russell mix of a puppy and today was notified by email that the adoption of ‘Jill’ is now pending. Why was I never notified or looked at before she turned up pending and what can I do in the future to stand out from the crowd?
find out what your local shelter looks for in a pet owner. do you have a fence? many times they will give priority to owners that have a fence. decide on the mix of breed and the type that’s best going to suit your needs. research the breeds non stop and become an expert of sorts on it and basic dog care. have a vet lined up and the number for them and your plan for veterinary care. ie….heartworm preventative, vaccine schedule, and your plan if your pet should ever need emergency care. have a crate, bowls, leash, collar, food, and other basic supplies in hand and ready to go. find a training class and be ready to enroll in one and tell the shelter worker of your plan. have a schedule of some sorts in mind and written down of how you plan to exercise your new pet, and how long your pet will be left alone each day. shelter’s will also give preference to possible owners if they have what they consider proper time for a pet. be well spoken and knowledgable about dogs in general and your expectations of a pet. let the shelter workers know that you understand this is a lifelong commitment and one you plan to follow through with the best possible care for at least the next 15 years. i know it seems silly they are so picky when so many pets need a home, but from their prospective, they see these pets adopted and returned and it’s more difficult each time to find them new homes. keep that in mind. be respectful of their job and what they do. and you’re pet will find you one day soon! good luck, and my best to you for looking for friendship in a shelter and saving a life!
Your best bet is to go in. Unfortunately most people who are doing the work to get the dogs online are volunteers. They have real jobs and ads like Petfinder aren’t updated every day. Having a rescue myself and foster homes, sometimes things change. Many times fosters decide to adopt their dogs.
Dogs should always be matched to the family, not the other way around. I rescue and adopt Bloodhounds. Unfortunately they need a physical fence. I have people who tell me that they use an invisible fence, which would be a death sentence for a hound. Sometimes the prey drive is too high for cats or the dog should be an “only” pet.
Keep trying and go in. Sometimes the dogs never make it online either…….they never have to.
Good Luck!
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“Adoption pending” may be what they tell everyone who showed interest in the dog when it gets euthanized. Adoptions take just a few minutes to process, there’s no reason for it to be pending.
You can “stand out” in the future by actually going to the shelter.
I run a dog rescue and many of us are involved in choosing potential families and some of us look for different things than others, so there is no real way to stand out unless you know exactly what they are looking for.
The best recommendation I can give is be persistant. People that are placing dogs like to see potential owners as dedicated to the dog and willing to do anything to get them. People that go out of their way to even get the dog will be better owners than the ones that call once and don’t call again.
Provide extra info on the application, even if there isn’t room, fax or email a separate sheet and explain your dedication and love for animals and how previous pets have been cared for and how this pet would be treated.
I was once chosen by a foster to get a dog because I told her about how I once sold my car to get my dog knee surgery.
Go the extra mile, that’s the best thing you can do!!
Try actually going to the shelter. I’ve never been turned down for cats or dogs.
umm i suggest to forget the online application and actually go down to the shelter in person. then you will be able to see the dog in person and if its not the one for you they have many more to find a right match.
and HOORAHHHHH for choosing shelters and not breeders!!!!!
The dog may have already had a pending adoption but it was not listed as such. (I’m guessing you may be talking about looking at pets on petfinder.com if so, or even local shelters & rescues these sites are not always updated as frequently as they should be due to lack of time & manpower needed, care of the animals comes first of course before updating ads online).
Secondly…..it doesn’t matter with rescues & some shelters who comes in “first”. It matters WHO THE BEST MATCH for the dog is. So the best thing to do if you want the right dog for your situation is to be totally honest about everything, this will help volunteers who know the dog best to help match you with the perfect pet…..even tho it may be cute, its temperment & care needs may not meet your situation.
If your dealing with a breed specific rescue & have dealt with the particular breed before, rescues do tend to lean more in your favor as you then already have knowledge of the pros & cons of the breed and thus are more apt to better handle issues when they arise & less likely to return pet.
But otherwise, they tend to tailor it to the dog….while they usually want to do everything they can to help a prospective home find a new pal, their main focus & concern is for the dog and finding the appropriate home for it.
If you have previous experience with dogs, specific breeds, training, indoor home, references, don’t work long hrs…..the are all considered “pros” when looking for prospective homes for rescue pets.
When an animal has multiple applications, the first to apply, is the first to be looked at. They’ll go down the list, looking at different applications, until one fits their requirements.
Doesn’t mean you aren’t approved to adopt an animal from them, just means that someone who was also acceptable, applied before you.
By the way, if you actually go to the shelter, and meet the dog, THEN apply, you’re more likely to be looked at, in comparison to someone who applied online without ever actually meeting the dog.
I always tell people that they can fill out an application, but they should meet the animal first, to make sure that their personality is what they’re looking for, before putting in the completed application.
A fenced yard is a MUST for the rescue I work with, and we do not adopt dogs to people in apartment complexes, either. They’re usually denied if they previously had pets, that they got rid of, or otherwise are no longer around due to owner negligence.
P.S. ”Adoption Pending” isn’t code for euthanization. They wouldn’t euthanize an animal that has applications on them. Anyways, adoptions do NOT just take a few minutes to process, unless they’re denied. “Adoption Pending” means they found a suitable owner, and they are waiting for them to come & pay the adoption fee and take the dog home. It’s ”Pending”, because often, people back out, or find another animal to adopt, while waiting for approval.
Shelters and Rescues do indeed try to match up personalities and living requirements with the right home but also get involved with your local humane society or rescue, not to just get an animal, but to help out, and they will see your personality and your generosity by all that you do to help them, not just with this one specific dog but all the other areas that you can help out with.
It’s really not a matter of “standing out from the crowd” as such. It is more a matter of finding the right match between the dog and prospective owners. Most places do their best to look at every application before choosing the new family. And even though the adoption is “pending”, they may still decide that this person is not the right fit for “Jill”.
The best thing you can do is be totally honest and upfront about everything on the application, in order to find the best dog for you! “Jill” may have been cute and adorable, but may not have fit into your lifestyle at all.