Did I make the right call?

So today I worked in adoptions at the shelter.

A couple came in with a German Shepherd to meet another one we had for adoption.

It did not go well. They both tried to eat eachother.

Then the couple was in the adoption office with their German Shepherd. Their dog tried to fight another dog in the office. Litterly lunging at these poor peoples nice lab. I have never seen aggresion like that in a potential adoptors dog. It was to say the least, disturbing.

They wanted to adopt a 5 month old kitten. My first instint was to deny the adoption. The woman was livid. She told me off.

However with a dog that was acting that way, whether they say it's good with cats or not. There is no room for error. That dog could rip a cat apart in one try. Isn't it better for me to be wrong and not give them a cat. Then for me to be right and give them one?

It has really bothered me. I usually don't decline people an adoption. However I went with my gut. Now I am feeling guilty over the situation. I don't like upseting people. I made the right call, right?

Yes, no doubt in my mind. IMO, such a large dog showing aggression would be a death sentence to a kitten.

You made the right call! Absolutely. The kitty would have been a goner with an agressive dog like that around. Good for you for following your instinct! I just hope they don't get a kitty somewhere else.

I think you did the right thing, and, if the woman really cared about the cat, she'd nuderstand, and want to prevent a tragedy.

MargeCat

if the woman really cared about the cat, she'd nuderstand, and want to prevent a tragedy.

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You know and that's what I thought. I flat out told her "I am doing this in the best interest of the cat."

I LOVE ANIMALS! I DO! I would never want to be responsible for putting them in a dangerous situation. She was just so offended by me it really bother me.

Usually when I decline an adoption I say the reasons why. People are usually okay with that. She was not. It hurt my feelings. I am not a mean person. I feel that by having two years of experience that's what gave me the right to make this judgement call.

But I don't want to have a bad image about the Humane Society either for her. However I don't know how much more delicate I could have been. Ugh..

You certainly did the right thing in not giving her the kitten. It's just too much of a chance to take, especially with something so delicate as a kitty. She may say the dog is friendly towards cats, but you don't know that.

They probably wanted the kitten for dog food.

From what you describe I certainly think you made the right decision.

Whether the dog is a calm peach at home you don't know that. All you can go by is what you were witness too when he was around other dogs.

Perhaps do follow ups with the family and home visits so that you can see the dog in it's actual setting and see if he really is a mild mannered dog in his own home setting away from the stresses of strange dogs in a shelter? It's entirely possible that he was extra stressed and excited with all of the other dogs around who were being aggressive.

Anyway, whether you decide to do home visits to see if the dog is as they say or not, you shouldn't doubt yourself. You were simply doing what you felt was in the best interests of the kitten.

Better to upset the people than to chance putting a kitten in a dangerous situation -- your first responsibility is to the kitten, not the potential adopter. You did fine.

You absolutely did the right thing. Problem is, she'll probably go adopt a cat elsewhere, and not have the dog with her, and say she has a dog that gets on well with cats, and the person doing the adoption will have no reason but to believe her.

You did the right thing. we would not adopt out to a home where the dog is aggressive and would kill another animal. You have every right to be cautious and if he is fighting with dogs and would probably hurt a baby kitten, it is not a good idea to mix them together.

If she brought a dog in who was acting like that, and wasn't mortified and running straight for the door, I'd say the same thing to her. Good grief- she actually needed this pointed out?!? If my dog acted like that, I'd be headed to my vet, my dog forums, a behaviorist...anywhere but to get another animal to add to the house!

Good call! Don't feel guilty!

You did the right thing, absolutely.

It's possible that the shepherd was just dog aggressive and doesn't mind cats, but It's probably best to not chance that. A kitty has no chance fighting off a dog of that size. I think you made the right decision.

Originally Posted by ClaireBear

It's possible that the shepherd was just dog aggressive and doesn't mind cats, but It's probably best to not chance that. A kitty has no chance fighting off a dog of that size. I think you made the right decision.

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That could be true that the dog is just aggressive to other dogs, but you have no way to know that, so you made the only logical call.

Frankly, I would question the intelligence of someone who brings an aggressive dog with them to adopt a kitten and then doesn't understand why you don't want to give them a delicate baby

You definately made the right call!

your gut is wise! don't feel guilty.

It makes me wonder if the dog wasn't an unnuetered male who was very aggressive to other dogs... However, I really think you did the right thing by not putting that poor kitty in a dangerous situation.

Go with your instinct and intuition, you did the right thing!

Yep, you did the right thing and the woman should have known her dog enough not to try to add a kitten to the home.

Just like no matter how much I like birds and parrots I know there's no way I could keep one and have Nikita so no birds for me.