Went to an animal shelter...

[lostnfound]

So, my family and I are thinking about getting a dog. Today, we took a visit to a local animal shelter. Mind you, this is the first time that we've been to one. They advertise themselves as a "no-kill" shelter. Anyways, it's in the middle of nowhere and when we went in, it was nothing like what we expected.

After talking to a volunteer, she told us to "browse around" in the rooms. There were a few rooms with the usual 2-story, industrial "crates." Each room had about 20 dogs. When we went in, it was unbelievable. All the dogs surrounding us in the room were barking so loudly, almost viciously, like a constant thunder sound. It smelled so bad, and they looked so sad and troubled being locked in their crates. In my Mom's words, "it was like being in hell." Personally, I was shocked at how overwhelming the noise and barking were. If you've seen any TV shows about puppy mills, you might've seen clips inside the mills where all the dogs are barking crazy. That's what it felt like inside the shelter.

Am I just being overly-sensitive and timid? I love dogs, though I'm not experienced, but the animals at the shelter I went to seemed really vicious, and I admit I was pretty freaked out.

What are your experiences? Suggestions for me?

I think we're going to drop by PetSmart, when they have the weekend adoption outreach program. Hopefully, that environment will be more comfortable.

 

[JasunStrikesBack]

Don't waste your time with the "adoption outreach" people. They just do that for show.. seldom adopting out dogs.

Yes.. the dogs are a bit stir crazy in a shelter but they're the ones who need you the most. Choose one and take him for a bit of a walk.. you'll see how he'll calm right down when he realizes that he's going to a new home and doesn't have to go back to that insanity.

 

[The_Reaper]

^
I agree with Jasun; I make regular visits now and then to the local SPCA (I'm not allowed to adopt since my condo rules say I can't...but the people next to me have a Beagle, so if they can flaunt the rules, why can't I if I look after the dog, right?) and all the dogs are usually the same.

They all bark, they all seem over-excited and some of them do seem to be on the verge of breaking through the cage and leaping for your throat...But just ask yourself this:

If you woke up one morning, were abducted by a strange man and then thrown into a concrete building with a mesh wire fence and told to stay there for most of the day, wouldn't you be making a lot of noise?

There are the occasional exceptions; like the dog my friend Mike took for a walk out back, as he never made a peep inside or out, and generally wondered around people, not getting too close to them.

If you can, I'd endorse picking up an animal from a shelter as opposed to a pet shop.

A statistic, that nearly brought me to tears when I read it, was our local shelter's track record for last year:
1,301 captured, 125 adopted, 403 recovered, 773 destroyed.

I tell ya, it took all my willpower (and my lack of funds) to not attempt to adopt every last one of those animals there.

All of these animals need a good home, and if you can provide it, then you should. Just because they're a stray or such, doesn't make them any less capable of finding a special place in your heart.

 

[Huskerboy]

Yes.. the dogs are a bit stir crazy in a shelter but they're the ones who need you the most. Choose one and take him for a bit of a walk.. you'll see how he'll calm right down when he realizes that he's going to a new home and doesn't have to go back to that insanity.

Couldn't have said it any better...

 

[Lukeee]

A lot of those animals might have been abused and the environment they are in now isn't exactly the best. When I got my doggy the shelter she was at was full and she was in the cat section. Her and another small one that couldn't bark but tried to ever so hard. A lot of the dogs barked their too but it wasn't really scary.

Why were all the dogs in one room? Most places I have been to each dog has their own separate room but they can go into the garden and play together. I have never been in one where you are allowed to go near any dog, if you want to take one for a walk you have to ask.

 

[looseliam]

I can't go to places like that.

I'm such a softy that I would wind-up taking them all home.

Or, taking two, and feeling guilty I couldn't take the rest.

It's a lose-lose sitch for me.

 

[Rex]

The ones in the shelter get treated like garbage. They're probably damaged beyond repair mentally but if you don't want to dish out hundreds of dollars for one you might be able to settle for one that looks healthy and not too wild.

The best thing would be to get one from the breeders because they aren't treated that well in pet stores either.

 

[Dalik49]

Please get your new pet from a shelter -- almost uniformly these are nice dogs that need love and attention, and will be fine once they are home. Dogs don't need much -- most are happy with attention just a little during every day, and some affection.

Please don't get your dog from a store or breeder -- it is the mixed dogs that are probably the best tempered.

The whole concept of breeding dogs is a consumer concept, seeing your loved creatures as commodities -- which they are not. You cannot buy love -- you have to show it.

 

[SonOfSlobone]

Even the dog kennel at my vet's sounds like the 8th ring of Hell, and these are pampered pets who are going home in a day or two.

But I would say, don't be in a hurry choosing a pet, you could have it for the next 10-20 years! Take the time to get to know any animal you're seriously considering. See if the shelter will let you walk the dog on a leash or something. I think some shelters will let you spend some alone time with the animal in a special room?

 

[Dalik49]

Shelters want it to be a good match. So they will encourage there to be a good connection.

Remember that an older dog will usually require less attention, and also might have better survival skills (for instance, if he gets lost in the woods, or gets caught out in a thunderstorm, or around fireworks.)

 

[Shepherd 2]

Jasun has it right. Reread the second post.

Shep+

 

[Lukeee]

thought it was illegal to kill an animal unless it was in pain/dieing