12/30/2024
Can we trust you to be in charge of someone's entire life?
That's what we're asking when you complete an adoption application. It's 27 questions that we feel are pertinent to knowing whether or not you are willing and able to provide a life worth living to a homeless animal who cannot, and will not ever be able to, advocate for themselves.
And people get BIG MAD when the answer is "no", or when they say all the right things but then, during a meet and greet, we have to tell them that we don't think they're a good fit. I get it, I really do. It feels personal. But it's not about the human; it's always about the animal. We couldn't possibly care any less about how someone lives their life, but we don't owe anyone the right to adopt one of our pups. We just don't. And if that seems harsh, or misguided, please consider Bob.
Bob was adopted as a puppy. We had some concerns about landlord permission, so we took extra steps and they assured us they were approved. Five months later, "Here's Bob, we can't keep him, our landlord won't let us."
So, with a lack of training and socialization from being in a home that didn't provide any, Bob went looking for a new home. We were very vocal about this; Bob needed additional training, he's a puppy with little guidance, tons of energy, not even fully potty-trained despite being seven months old, etc. He needed a committed home who could make up for lost time, and provide extra love to account for his rough start. We made long-winded posts [I've never been short on words] about his ideal home and what he needs, videos of him showing his energy and a million photos since his eye-coloring can make him seem a little over-zealous...which he sometimes is anyway.
And Bob waited. He crashed on 10-12 different foster couches, and he learned new things and socialized in each. It was good for him, but it was hard for us. He deserved to know stability and love that lasts. So he waited.
And then, armed with all of that information, someone came. They met him. They played. We told them more, informed them more...assured us training was part of the plan, both in writing and in person, that they had the capacity to take Bob's happiness into their hands, to make sure he never went without.
Not even 90 days. That's how long they kept their promise before they dropped him at their local shelter...two days after Christmas. Their paperwork says, "The kids didn't want to train him like they promised. We didn't have time."
A massive, heartfelt 'thank-you' to all of our volunteers/fosters who dropped everything to offer to pick him up or foster him despite the unusually hectic time of year. And to microchips, without which we'd never know how s**tty people can be.
So...Bob, puppy 558, is back again and really needs a happily-ever-after. 😤😤😤😤
