Advice on rescue dog applications

[Dogadvic3]

Hoping someone can give us some advice or suggestions on applying for rescue dogs.

We’ve made a couple of applications for rescue dogs and been rejected. The charities say they don’t give out reasons or feedback which is fine - I understand they have a lot on. I mainly want to understand if there’s something we should be doing differently.

We’re in our late 40s, fit and healthy, own home with decent enclosed garden, no children or other pets. We both WFH part-time and live in an area with good access to woods and parks. Both of us have owned dogs previously and have stated in our applications that we have plenty of time to walk a dog and give it love and attention. Our circumstances suit the dogs we have applied for (quiet home, no kids, no other pets, small to medium size dogs aged under 5). We were asked if the dog would ever be left alone and we replied that the most it would ever be alone for would be a couple of hours maybe every 2-3 weeks but not regularly.

Is there anything which is a big no-no for dog rescue charities or anything additional we should include? Much appreciated.😊

Blimey, that seems harsh, I can’t see any red flags from what you have said. I couldn’t get a dog from Scotland in similar circumstances and got my boy from Spain. I do think some charities would rather dogs languished in Centres rather than go to loving homes! I wanted a sighthound but have cats and was told this was a No-No. No one told my dog or my numerous cats who cuddle up together and are fine after careful introductions, patience, and well, you know, just common sense really!

We tried for 2 years with a broadly similar background before getting a puppy instead. We tried big rescues, small rescues, breed specific rescues with no joy. Nowhere ruled us out, we just never got matched with a dog.

Rescues are getting this all wrong, imo.

They SHOULD give feedback: what better way to increase the potential homes for all rescue dogs than give advice on what people can change to make their lives and homes more acceptable to the charities.

Coupled with the over-the-top rules, in some cases, and I think rescue charities are at real risk of hurting the relationship with the public that they rely on to keep going.

If they keep going and get to the point where it's perceived as next to hopeless to try and adopt a dog from them, people will stop giving money to them because they won't trust them and there will be less dogs they can help.

Being clear and upfront about what they expect from a home (and being realistic about what an acceptable home looks like) means they avoid scenarios like this where the OP and anyone reading it is going to find it a total mystery what's gone wrong here and leave with a poor impression of all rescues, as a result.

Rescue charities typically do a very tough job in very difficult circumstances and everyone involved wants the very best for the dogs caught up in the system: but I fear they are doing more harm with the over strict approach than good - and will damage themsleves in the long run.

Interesting, thanks for the responses so far. I had heard that it was getting increasingly difficult to get a rescue but hadn’t spoken to anyone who had directly experienced it.

I got turned down from rescue because my current bitch isn't spayed.
She isn't spayed because she doesn't have seasons and the vets won't do the operation until she has one. She is coming up 4.
We gave up on trying to rescue and refuse to pay the ridiculous price that puppy's go for.

Are you actually getting rejected by the rescue, i.e. they're saying they won't consider you for any dog, or just not successful in applying for a specific dog?

In our case it was the latter. There was nothing we could change about our situation short of moving house (we live on busyish road so there is traffic noise and neighbours have dogs) that was more likely to make us successful.

Not successful in applying for specific dogs. It’s really the lack of feedback which makes it difficult because obviously if there’s something different we should do then we would do it.

I volunteer for a rescue and have worked at various ones over the years. Based on your circumstances, I have no doubt you will be successful in getting a dog in the future.

Be explicit about your working patterns and how you would ensure the dog will not be left alone more than you have said. Include information on what would happen in emergencies, do you have family that would take the dog that is familiar to them? etc There may be certain dogs that we would see you not having another dog as a negative, but on the whole, your circumstances are excellent. I get annoyed with the people saying that rescues are too strict, I would say to them to come and volunteer, see the things we do and you’ll likely think differently. I love what I do but regularly go home and cry.

For most dogs, we get a lot of applicants, you may be suitable but so are other people, so we choose someone and that means others are ‘rejected’.

Good luck, it sounds like any dog will be lucky to have you. Please, please be patient and don’t buy a puppy.

I can only think of a couple of possible reasons. If you haven’t had a dog before and they think the dog you have applied for needs experienced dog owners.

Or you don’t have a secure fenced in garden. Some rescues require it at 6ft minimum.

Seems very odd, because under these criteria we wouldn’t be allowed a dog either. Can you go back to the charity and pester them for some feedback.

Thank you, this is really helpful and constructive!

Totally understand that there are lots of applicants and it was more that we didn’t want to get into a cycle of applying, getting our hopes up, then never hearing back but not knowing why. We’re definitely not up for buying a puppy - we both feel strongly that there are plenty of dogs who need homes already.

Also, you may increase your chances of getting a dog if you are willing to have a slightly older dog. We get far less applicants for the age 7+ dogs. 😔 I completely understand why, but if you really want a dog, it’s something to consider.

My advice is to try to get a personal contact with someone who works for or volunteers for a rescue. It is more likely that rescues will choose a 'known' person if there is one for the best chance of a successful adoption. Also visit in person if you can so they can put a face to an application. Keep an eye on social media too because sometimes dogs don't even stay in rescue long enough to make it on to the proper website.

We got rejected by the rescues too. No feedback, so I assume other applicants had a bigger garden, already had another dog to show the newcomer the ropes, or never went out for more than 15 minutes. We eventually gave up and got a puppy.

Before we had a cat we went to the local animal shelter and volunteered as cat cuddlers (and the occasional dog walker). They wouldn't have taken us as a cat family on that basis but it gave my DCs a realistic idea plus we saw what cats were available. We got a rescue cat in the end but from a different organisation.

It doesn't sound like you have been rejected for anything specific and maybe the dogs you've applied for were just popular so they perhaps only picked a small number of those applications to contact. Also if someone has been previously homechecked and is suitable match they often will get picked as then dog can move sooner and free up space than potentially homechecks failing, people dropping out etc.

Many of smaller rescues are crying out for foster homes at the moment especially kid/pet free because they are inundated with calls from people needing to re-home along with increase in pound dogs to try save from euthanasia as they've been dumped too. They are usually happy if end up adopting the dog. Lots cover a wide homing area so may not need to be local, many use Facebook now to advertise. Seems same sad situation with all types of pets at moment

I am connected with a breed rescue. They get hundreds of applications for every dog.

I would think if you've only put in an application this year, there will be people higher on the list than you who have similar circumstances.

Have you volunteered to do transport or foster in the meantime? Things like that can help show how committed you are.

I've been on the other end of this decision a lot of times, and its nothing against you, its that we try and find the best fit for a particular dog at that time. We normally have a few people interested in them, and though maybe I wouldn't say that a single woman is a must for a particular dog, given the choice I would pick them. Or for another dog, a loud slightly chaotic house would suit them best over an older couple even though they would be great as well.
Think of it like internet dating, you are looking to match together, not to just have a specific set of things to offer, and it takes a while to find each other

Sometimes it just takes time :)

It's physically impossible to give every applicant feedback now. I've known some desirable breeds to get hundreds of applications. It's hard enough to find the right match for the dog, and you can't keep details on file because of GDPR. Trying to give every single applicant feedback would be a full time job for several people.

I think it just requires patience and an open mind on what dogs you apply for. If you live near rescues or rehoming centres that allow visits, it might be helpful to go in and have a chat. There's often dogs that are rehomed before ever hitting websites.

We finally got a rescue dog after 16 applications over a year. Never got told why we were turned down. Quite prepared to take an old dog and applied for a Lhasa Apso of 11 with no teeth, blind in one eye and on permanent meds and still got turned down! Another rescue said they didn’t take applications from anyone over 65!
I had not owned a dog before and had a cat. Bigger rescues were no help and finally got the dog I really believe I was mean’t to have from a much smaller rescue. You sound everything they would want, I am sure a dog will come along your ways soon.

I volunteer for a breed rescue. Applicants don't apply for a specific dog. After we receive the form and do the home assessment, it depends on whether there is a dog with us that would be an appropriate match. We don't have many dogs coming through at the moment.

In the years I have been doing it I have only once not approved the home, and that was for a man who wanted a free gundog. Other organisations do things differently, especially if there are lots of people applying for one specific dog.

My sister applied to Battersea and the Dogs trust in December last year . No kids , own home with large garden , fully WFH , experience with dogs ( her previous one died in November ) . She still hasn’t heard from either of them , her only specification was she wanted a small / medium sized dog . She actually doesn’t want a dog at all now as my son has moved in with his Siamese cats .

there is a huge difference between not getting a dog you go for and being rejected by the rescue.

Some dogs are really popular and get snapped up quickly. Rescues may well let them go to people they already know, or who have already been house checked.

Try local rescues. We saw our boy online, contacted them, filled in forms and then kept in touch. We know another family were going for him, but they lived further away. The rescue said to me, if you are available for home check this week, then you will be top of the list. That was because they had no-one to home check the other family for 2 weeks.

many good dogs don;t even make it online.

the other thing to do is offer to foster for a rescue. A bit harder, but the fosters tend to come and go fairly quickly and then you meet a foster that you decide to keep yourself!

It probably just means they have rehomed elsewhere. I can't see you wouldn't be suitable. Call and speak to them about it. You may just need to keep applying as they may get lots of people wanting certain dogs

I have heard this so many times OP, some friends of ours went after so many rescue dogs and were turned down every time for different reasons, they bought a puppy in the end.

God this makes me angry. Rescues are doing a terrible job of vetting prospective adopters: so many of them are letting the best be the enemy of the good (and I’d argue that you’re approaching best in their eyes, so it’s not like it’s a borderline decision). As a result dogs are languishing in kennels when they could have a loving home.

I got rejected by a breed specific rescue despite being a hugely experienced dog owner, walk miles every day, suitable garden and wfh and live near lots of countryside.

I ended up adopting from the council-run pound. They wanted pics of my garden and did an interview, plus a few introductions. He’s totally not the sort of dog I would have chosen, but he’s just the most gorgeous, affectionate little chap and I couldn’t love him any more. Pic for cuteness.

Good luck and maybe try your local pound?