- Joined
- Feb 15, 2010
- Messages
- 659
- Purraise
- 42
Turning down adopters has never been one of my favorite activities but unfortunately sometimes it has to be done. I've always grappled with how best to do it and I'm curious how other rescuers do it. Sometimes it's not that hard, like when a cat is terrified of dogs and the adopter has a dog, etc., but what do you say when you think someone would simply be a bad cat owner? Do you tell them or do you say something nice like "it's not a good match"?
I got an application yesterday from a lady who shouldn't adopt any cat, imo. She had rehomed three previous pets - a cat and two dogs - due to moving and another dog was given up to the vet when they couldn't afford the vet bills, she claimed. I found ads on the internet for this dog, though, where this woman was looking for a "rescue person" to take her dog who had been hit by a car because she couldn't deal with it because she had kids. She said that the dog could be savable if she got vet care for her broken pelvis. Now she wants to adopt a cat because her 9-year old son wants one to sleep in his bed and keep him company when he does homework.
There is no way in hell I would allow someone who has given up at least 4 pets to adopt any of my cats. Moving is no reason at all to get rid of your non-human family members. None at all. It's not hard to bring them. You just put them in your car like you do with the rest of your family and your belongings. I've moved five times with my two dogs, three of those with cats too, and once to a different state. There is no reason why other people can't do the same, especially a well-off middle class family like this one.
I would like to tell her that she can't adopt one of our cats because she has shown that she's not a committed and responsible pet owner, in a courteous way of course. I would like to lecture her about responsible pet ownership and tell her what I've told you guys here - that it's perfectly possible to bring pets when you move. I'd like to tell her about the problem with homeless pets and that sh's contributing to it when she dumps her pets. But is it better to just provide some excuse that is not accusatory, for lack of a better word?
How honest are you guys in these situations or how honest would you be? what do you say when turning down an adopter?
I got an application yesterday from a lady who shouldn't adopt any cat, imo. She had rehomed three previous pets - a cat and two dogs - due to moving and another dog was given up to the vet when they couldn't afford the vet bills, she claimed. I found ads on the internet for this dog, though, where this woman was looking for a "rescue person" to take her dog who had been hit by a car because she couldn't deal with it because she had kids. She said that the dog could be savable if she got vet care for her broken pelvis. Now she wants to adopt a cat because her 9-year old son wants one to sleep in his bed and keep him company when he does homework.
There is no way in hell I would allow someone who has given up at least 4 pets to adopt any of my cats. Moving is no reason at all to get rid of your non-human family members. None at all. It's not hard to bring them. You just put them in your car like you do with the rest of your family and your belongings. I've moved five times with my two dogs, three of those with cats too, and once to a different state. There is no reason why other people can't do the same, especially a well-off middle class family like this one.
I would like to tell her that she can't adopt one of our cats because she has shown that she's not a committed and responsible pet owner, in a courteous way of course. I would like to lecture her about responsible pet ownership and tell her what I've told you guys here - that it's perfectly possible to bring pets when you move. I'd like to tell her about the problem with homeless pets and that sh's contributing to it when she dumps her pets. But is it better to just provide some excuse that is not accusatory, for lack of a better word?
How honest are you guys in these situations or how honest would you be? what do you say when turning down an adopter?