Shelter dogs

Just a curiosity. What other Chaz dogs are from a municipal shelter or animal control? I know a few from rescue but didn't know if any others were from a situation like Hank.

Just a few questions:

What made you go that route?

Did you have a certain type you were looking for?

How has it worked out?

What was the adoption process like?

I was kind of surprised with Hank. I just walked in and handed them $50 and walked out. No vetting of me at all!

Keeda was from Bide-a-wee, Bailey was from Southold Animal Shelter and I've pulled & rehomed from Brookhaven town.

What made you go that route?
Going up if you wanted a dog you either went to the town pound or got a dog from someone on the blocks intact female getting pregnant. Only my aunt ever bought purebreds but she "was one of those people that just throws money away."

Did you have a certain type you were looking for? Keeda was my dog from childhood... I just wanted "a best friend" and local shelters generally never have puppies and almost all pits... She was the only non-pit/young dog.

How has it worked out? If I knew then what I know now about dogs, I probably wouldn't have picked her. She's too independent for me.

What was the adoption process like? Bide-a-wee was an application but we had no prior pets to list as I wasn't living with my mom by then and my grandparents owned the house and were with me. Southold took the application and let you know after calling your landlord. Brookhaven is walk in, pay $, pick up animal once it's fixed.

I was kind of surprised with Hank. I just walked in and handed them $50 and walked out. No vetting of me at all!

I will be honest, I think rescues take the vetting too far. Actually the extent of crazy is what has turned me off to rescue. I wanted to volunteer at one for any random thing they may need(except foster) and they wanted my SS#, salary and employer phone number.... I said never mind.

Boo is from an open admission shelter. It's labeled as an "animal welfare league," but the shelter provides animal control services to the city. Because it's open admission, I am pretty sure that it is technically a "kill" shelter, but from the brief interaction that I had with the staff, I get the impression that euthanasia for space rarely, if ever, happens. I think that they will foster dogs out if the dog is in need of rehabilitation from surgery, extra socialization, or is particularly young, but so far as I am aware, most dogs stay in the shelter.

So overall, she came from a pretty nice shelter, but a shelter none-the-less.

What made you go that route?

Nothing really. We knew we were going to adopt a dog and I saw her picture on petfinder. We went to check her out and met her twice in the shelter's visitation area. She seemed great, so we took a gamble and brought her home.

Did you have a certain type you were looking for?

We knew that we wanted an adult dog that was friendly, relatively calm, would be able to coexist with our cat, do a bit of trick training with me, and otherwise just be a good companion.

How has it worked out?

It's been great. After a while, Boo demonstrated that she wasn't quite as "happy-go-lucky" with any and everyone as she had suggested at the shelter, but she has never done more than loudly react. Other than this, she has been perfect. We tried to put her in a crate her first night home, but she was very very anxious about entering, so we took another risk and baby-gated her in the kitchen. Within a short while she had free roam. She rarely chewed, was relatively quiet, was 98% housebroken, never counter surfed, didn't jump the fence, and was just generally a great house dog from the moment she came into our lives. She wanted to chase the cat a bit at first, but after being told-off a few times, she got over it. Sadly, Misty never wanted to play with her, despite Boo desperately trying. Once Boo got accustomed to our house and became attached to the family, her in-house reactivity showed its head (and has not gone away), but it is absolutely manageable since Boo is otherwise so perfect. She only has issues with certain people and it tends to be inside when the person is moving towards Boo. She doesn't usually react if the person sits down and she is quiet and non-destructive if you put her away when visitors that she doesn't like are over.

What was the adoption process like?

I think that it was a bit more like a rescue than your typical municipal shelter, although looking at the adoption requirements now, I am thinking that they must have just had a surplus of staff/volunteers when we adopted Boo. We did go through a "home check," although it is not listed as a current requirement on the shelter's webpage. We filled out the paperwork, met the dog, had someone come talk to us at our house, and then we picked Boo up. I think she was about $150 already spayed.

Both of mine are from a shelter. I probably won't go that route again because of a shelter's inability to properly test for dog and cat sociability.

Bogart I was looking at Akitas on Petfinder and saw him at the county dog pound one state over, and to chop out a long, dramatic story about how/why, we drove down in a blizzard super early the next morning to go buy him. Because, yeah, it's considered a sale. I gave her my out of state ID, paid for him, and away we went. It's worked out ok, but he's not entirely cat safe (better as the years go on), and he's dog reactive. Both come with the breed, but I'll go through rescue next time where foster homes test them, and I can find the best match.

Josie was entirely accidental. A friend and I started going to the local doggie dungeon (aka Animal Control) and noting what was in there. Basically the place was (still kinda is) so disgusting and depressing a lot of people avoided going there. So we'd note dogs and inform breed rescues of purebreds, let rescues in general know, etc. Came across this little houndish thing with a nasty eye and couldn't get her out of my mind. They pretty much wouldn't keep a dog past its stray hold unless they had marked down that someone planned to come buy it. So when I saw her the second time around, day before her hold was up, her eye ten times worse, I knew no one was coming for her, so I told them I would come back for her in the morning! Craziness! I paid first, went back to get her, and only once she was out of her cage did I realize she was a pit bull mix. They didn't let anything pitish out of that place alive (unless claimed by owner) at that point, so I had this overwhelming feeling of dread as I walked her out, that they'd stop me. They didn't. It's worked out well, aside from her ability to scale fences lol

Smalls is my only one I got directly from from an animal control. No real reason I went that route, she just came up on Petfinder and I went. This was so long ago my only type was Dachshund or a mix. It obviously worked out great because Smalls rules, but it was a bit of a nightmare scenario.

I had been in contact with them through week and arranged the day I would be picking her up. Her adoption process was a tiny form that was just my name, phone number, and address. I paid them money and they gave me her and I left. The nightmare was that when I did arrive to pick her up, they claimed to have been trying to contact me all day (I had given them three contact numbers and not one call from them) to say she had parvo and would probably die. I requested to see her anyway, and she definitely did not have parvo. She had a prolapsed rectum as I found out later at the vet. They told me she had been sick since that morning (our vet determined that due to the infection/necrotic tissue and her degree of emaciation, it had been like that for some time) and my options were to adopt her or they would euthanize her. Emotional blackmail-y. They offered my adoption fee back if she died within 7 business days of adoption.

I volunteer in a shelter and the adoption process is fairly similar- except they're altered, chipped, and vetted to some degree before adoption. No real checks on adopters (unless they obviously come up in the system) but most of the local rescues don't really have any real checks either.

Hugo (my only dog) is from a local animal shelter.

What made you go that route?
- I volunteered at a shelter and new there were great dogs that sometimes got passed over, or snapped up by the wrong family because they looked pretty or were a rare-ish breed for the shelter. I also would have done rescue if I found the right dog.

Did you have a certain type you were looking for?
- Smart, driven and full of energy, but not super breed specific. I'm really active and wanted a dog that could keep up, and was smart enough to have fun training.

How has it worked out?
- Really well so far. He has some training struggles, but I love him and we're a good fit.

What was the adoption process like?
- Pretty easy. They asked me if I was familiar with herding breeds (although he was misidentified as an ACD. He might have ACD in there, but there is definitely some other stuff) and verified that I was allowed to have pets where I live.

Just a few questions:

What made you go that route?

I was checking every rescue and shelter regularly for a dog that might even remotely fit what I was looking for. I met quite a few dogs that either a) worked with Astro but had some known issue (physical or temperamental), or b) were perfect except they didn't like Astro (this was the houndy girl, god I loved that dog).

Tulip happened to pop up, I live nearby and had visited dogs at her shelter before, so I just decided to go in and meet her, that's an easy-peasy process there. Liked her, put a hold on her, brought Astro to meet her, they hit it off - voila.

Did you have a certain type you were looking for?

Not too tiny and not huge, so as to be roughly equal to Astro; not anything subject to rental bans (my Doberman dreams got put on hold); female; under 6 years old and over 6 months. In retrospect these were not the right parameters but I had my reasons at the time - I wanted something at least partially housebroken, that could be left alone longer than a young pup and whose personality was more set and obvious, BUT still young enough that Astro shenanigans wouldn't horrify the dog.

How has it worked out?

Remains to be seen. We are making progress but it's not been smooth sailing overall.

What was the adoption process like?

Ridiculously simple. After I'd met her and Astro had met her, it was a matter of walking in, signing a form, walking out with a dog.

I will not be doing it again this way, I have to say. I have too many things I need to know about a dog, too many deal breakers, to handle the unknown, and the dog you see in the shelter is not necessarily what will be in your home. Next dog is coming from a breeder I think, or will at least be a puppy - but honestly I'm longing for all the background knowledge and support that comes from an honest, friendly, reputable breeder.

Oh, and I suppose Astro was also a shelter dog. Paid for him in cash! There was just a simple online application, then a phone call letting me know I was approved for any dog at the shelter and to come take my pick. I didn't have so many considerations then, no other dogs or anything like that. And he turned out to be a pretty intense resource guarder from the word Go, so there's that. We've worked out beautifully though.

Rigby is from an "Animal Services" shelter

What made you go that route?
Honestly, I was pursuing Petfinder, saw the ears and was sold. Didn't really look into the organization she was from until after.

Also a lot of the rescues in the area will require a home visit, and training classes. We don't have a fenced yard, and I already have a trainer.

Did you have a certain type you were looking for?
I wanted an adult dog that could keep up with Cobain, but would also play with Oz. I also wanted a herding type dog that could do sports.

I got both, now I wish I had stricter wants


How has it worked out?
She's nuts, but I love her.

What was the adoption process like?
I met her at a PetSmart adoption event with my mom on the Saturday (the day after I found her on Petfinder). I was told that the entire family would have to come back with me along with the dogs.

I informed them that I had to work later that day and I would be back tomorrow. They would not hold her.

Sunday she was thankfully still there. I brought my dad and Cobain - no Oz because I knew he wouldn't be the issue and 3 strange dogs and 2 people in a small car just didn't seem like a good idea to me.

They hassled me about not bringing Oz. They tried to keep me from adopting her after Cobain lifted a lip at her when she pawed his face - no growl, no snap, no bite.

But in the end, I walked out with her that day. Filled out the form, paid my money, and left.

Luce is. I knew I wanted a pit bull, there were a million in the shelter, and I got fed up quickly with trying to jump through hoops with rescue.

I went in, picked her out, met her in a getting to know you room, and did the paperwork. They called my landlord and because she is a pit bull, they scheduled a home check with an animal control officer. I was TERRIFIED but she was very nice. The whole process took maybe a week and a half until they did the home check and got her spayed.

She's a beast. Still. 11 years later. But she was one of the best decisions of my life.

Two of mine are from shelters

We went that route because we're not all that picky and there's no shortage of pit types to adopt.

With Nero we basically wanted a male, with uncropped ears, liked his pic on petfinder, sent in an application and brought Jersey in to meet him.

Hmm well Nero is a handful but nothing we haven't been able to manage and he is my fiance's shadow, those two adore each other.

Adoption process: we are 7 hours from Nero's shelter and had to fill out an app, prove we owned our home and had insurance to cover the breed and they checked our vet reference. Met and walked him around for awhile, discussed it with their adoption person, did meet and greet with both dogs, paid the fee and took him home. I also asked them to see how he reacted to cats.

Ripley was a bit different as she was through our local shelter, we weren't fostering or planning to adopt at the time and didn't go through any adoption process when we decided to keep her since we were already vetted as former fosters. They are more of a pay money, take dog kind of shelter, very little screening done.

Bayleigh (and my Kaiser before her, RIP) is from the Humane Society of Putnam County, which is now closed. My case might be special because I worked there and things didn't quite go according to what is normally done. Basically, their adoption fees were waived as long as I took them in to get spayed and neutered.

What made you go that route?
-I was there working almost every day. I saw hundreds of dogs and cats go in and out of the shelter. Our shelter was full with dogs in crates piled in the laundry room. An elderly lady called and asked if we could take a 3 month old yorkie mix puppy. I just couldn't turn away such and adoptable dog so I offered to foster her. She never left.

Did you have a certain type you were looking for?
-Nope but she's pretty darn perfect and when I go looking for my next dog, she'll be the model of what I want personality wise.

How has it worked out?
-She's amazing and I have no problem calling her my heart dog. She's very smart and learns quickly. It's almost as if she can read my mind. It's almost scary.

What was the adoption process like?
-I filled out the adoption application and contract. The adoption fee was waived for employees but I still paid the $65 for her spay and rabies vaccine at the low cost clinic we used.

Keena is from the Pennsylvania SPCA, Centre Hall branch (no longer in existence)

What made you go that route? She's my husband's dog... I believe his mom saw her while she was dropping off donations or something? She was sad and mangy... she needed Chris, and he needed her.

Did you have a certain type you were looking for? I don't think he did, but he's always had strong breeds (pits, dobes)

How has it worked out? Great - he trained her as a service dog, and she was brilliant. She's retired now and is just a pretty easy dog.

What was the adoption process like? Adoption fee, sign some paperwork, get her spayed (they let him take her w/o being spayed first because of the mange)

CONGRATULATIONS ON HANK. I keep reading your posts on him and meaning to say it but then I forget. He is super stinking cute and I really hope he works out for you!

Murphy is from the local shelter here.

What made you go that route?
I honestly don't know. I never really considered another option.

Did you have a certain type you were looking for?
I'm pretty sure I said young and large. Soooo, the opposite of Murph.

How has it worked out?
Beautifully. I got lucky, although we did have some serious door darting issues in the beginning.

What was the adoption process like?
My sister and I (and her dog) showed up at the shelter and walked around looking at dogs. We asked about and walked a different dog (giant and pulled a lot) and then asked about Murphy. The lady working the counter had strong German accent and said "Oh, its another one of the little pulling buggers!" We walked him and then did an intro with Pixie. He ran around the room we were in, peed on a chair, and humped Pixie's head. I believe my exact words were "He's good, I can tell. Let's get him." We paid, filled out paperwork (general stuff) and went home.

What made you go that route?

Was just getting over the death of my last dog (Buddy Lynn, who died from pretty horrific cancer), and I didn't want a puppy at all. Plus, I knew that my parents couldn't afford a breeder dog... so... shelter seemed the best route to get a reasonably priced young adult dog.

Did you have a certain type you were looking for?

I just wanted short hair, active, and friendly. I was hoping for a sighthound or bully type breed. Ended up with a Roxie, who has a Boxer-ish head and Whippet body and acts like a tough Whippet.

How has it worked out?

Overall, yes. I'm grateful to have Roxie in my life, even though the separation anxiety drives us all mad. She's a really great dog

What was the adoption process like?

Met a few dogs, then the shelter people suggested we take a look at Roxie... spent some time with her, then my dad filled out the paperwork and we went home with her. Easy peasy.

Bamm is my only dog that was from a shelter. He was being fostered through the shelter and was listed on petfinder, but I technically adopted him from the shelter.



Just a few questions:



What made you go that route? I didn't choose to adopt from a shelter specifically. It just worked out that way. I decided I really wanted Bamm after visiting him and applied for him that day.



Did you have a certain type you were looking for? I was looking for a BC or BC mix



How has it worked out? I love him, but he has definitely been a challenge. I don't trust him a whole lot. He is fine with me, but he can be a bit iffy with other people and not always that great with dogs outside of our own.



What was the adoption process like? Suppppeeeerrrr easy. I filled out some paperwork about myself, my home and what I was looking for. There was no home check or reference check. They just called my landlord and had me sign on the dotted line. I spent $150 on him and brought him home the day I met him.

Dan is from a little hole in the wall pound that can hold 3, yes 3, dogs. The euthanasia rate is astounding. I found Dan on PetFinder, filled in an application and was called a few minutes later and approved for the dog. Never met him, just saw him on line. I got lucky, he's been great. Cost me $106, and they had someone meet me there on Easter, during their closed hours, because they desperately wanted him out.

Foxy is from an open admission shelter, so not exactly a pound but not a rescue either.

What made you go that route?
I was working there at the time and desperately wanted a dog of my own. Foxy (then known as Lady) was obsessed with me but on the adoption floor would just sit in the back of her kennel and growl at everyone walking by. I couldn't stand the thought of some JQP adopting her and not working with her on her issues at all. The moment that made my mind up for sure was when I took her out to the courtyard and she was zooming around chasing toys. I wanted to do agility and she was soooo fast!

Did you have a certain type you were looking for?
Small, agile, smart, biddable. A dog that would play agility with me and be somewhat good at it.

How has it worked out?
Pretty great aside from some stranger danger stuff but I knew about that before taking her home. She also hates small children and has some separation stress, which I was not aware of. We just got back from our first Agility 2 class so that part is coming along nicely

I will say she's not the bombproof, super friendly, perfectly behaved little dog that I dreamed of, but I've grown to actually like her standoffish nature with strangers. I definitely understand the whole 'sometimes you don't get the dog that you want but the dog that you need' saying thing now. She's not exactly what I wanted but I wouldn't trade her in for the world!

What was the adoption process like?
It was a bit different than normal since I worked there so they trusted me so I just had to fill out the paperwork and pay the adoption fee (at a 50% employee discount! Woo!). Normally they call your landlord if you rent to make sure you can actually have a dog there and they do some adoption counseling where they go over proper dog care and such.

What made you go that route?
I just wanted a family pet, I also didn't have $$$ for a dog from a good breeder.

Did you have a certain type you were looking for?
Just no HA, DA or SSA. Also had to get along with cats.

How has it worked out?
Both Zane and Abby have some temperament issues. Both I got as puppies (different times), so not the shelter's fault. Deputy is perfect. Kieber is a neurotic little terrier thing that the shelter was glad I took (I'm a volunteer and they worried he would be a revolving door dog (adopt, return, adopt, return)). He will probably be great after he matures.

What was the adoption process like?
For Zane (mom adopted him) and Abby, I jsut filled out paperwork, Deputy's foster mom brought him to our house, and for Kieber besides signing something saying I'd feed him, ect he was just given to me. Both Deputy and Kieber where free. Zane and Abby where $80 (different places).

Sir was pulled on his kill day from the local animal control by me.

What made you go that route?

I had stopped in to look for a kitten for my friend, we perused the dogs. Fell in love. Did a general eval. Put my name on the rescue list, they called me at 3:30pm on a Friday three weeks later, telling me he'd be euth'd at 4:30 if I didn't want him. Drove right on over, completely on impulse. He was a good dog.

Did you have a certain type you were looking for?

Wasn't even looking.

How has it worked out?

Worked out great. He was a good dog. Sadly, he went with my ex, who he was much more bonded with, when we split. I haven't seen him in a while, because we don't talk, but I got a card from him for valentine's day, and just made him a collar I'm sending off. He's happy with Brian.

What was the adoption process like?

I filled out a form with my contact info and DL # - they called my landlord, and had me pay the $120 or something like that and schedule his neuter, and I walked out with him.

I got Lily from a local shelter that has since become a private rescue. They are great!

I got Scout from her second owner, who got her from her first owner, who got her from a shelter at 12wks old. Her second owner wasn't even living with the dog or in the state at that time... her daughter and my best friend was caring for Scout and could not keep doing so. So here we are!

What made you go that route?
I needed to get my own dog as part of the process of breaking up with a bad boyfriend whose dog I really cared for. Best decision I ever made.

Scout's first owner adopted because it is what is expected these days. I finally agreed to take Scout after saying no many times because she kept insisting she was my dog. I told myself I was just fostering... hah! Complete opposite of what I'd planned for my second dog. Right breed, just not the route I had planned AT ALL.


Did you have a certain type you were looking for?
Only criteria was no pit bull types as I was pretty upset about stepping away from the ex's dog situation (I loved that dog so much, but I made the right decision for my own emotional and physical health.) and I'm not really into sporters or smaller dogs. I do mesh very well with herders and sled dogs though. I was not specifically looking for it, but Lily is exactly what I was obsessed with as a child. Go figure lol!

Scout's first owner got a shepherd because it was what her parent's had growing up, her second owner wanted a dog like Lily, and well I wanted a shepherd so at least that part went as planned even if she isn't a prize winning example of the breed. She is a very good girl and I'm very grateful for all she has taught me.

How has it worked out?
Lily is the best. <3

I'm very grateful to live with Scout and love her to pieces. We are lucky to have each other.

What was the adoption process like?
Filled out an app, paid my $23.17, and picked Lily up from the vet they had spay her two days later. The day I filled out papers I went to Petsmart and got a collar, leash, and tag so that I had them when I went to pick her up from the vet. I'm not sure the shelter actually even called my landlords...
Haha, keep her quiet the vet said... she was husky speed trotting all over the house. Jumped a baby gate to get back to me and the terrified cats and then leaped right on the bed like she'd always lived there. Lucky she didn't rip her stitches!

Scout's first owner got her from the shelter and I got Scout from her second owner. Her microchip however was still in her first owners name and she was kind enough not only to fill out her part of the info for transferring it to me, but also sent me a check to cover the ownership change fee. Very nice lady! Second owner drove to MT to pick up Scout from her first owner, no paperwork or anything changed hands and Scout was only with her six months... big chunks of which actually she was with me or my best friend.

When I finally officially agreed to take Scout I got her vet records emailed to my vet from her first owners vet and we went and got her stuff updated (weirdly she was just coming due for shots, etc.) and then we had a nice solo walk on the green belt. It was a good day.