kids under 12?

[6 Beautiful Pugs]

Oh good grief, 6 Beautiful Pugs! How did you elevate this to Martin Luther King and Louis Farrakhan? Earth to Lisa! Come in please! This has become like asking someone for the time and being read Stephen Hawkings "Brief History of Time" - in ancient Aramaic. I've gotta go and feed my Pugs. Good night to you and get some rest. Sounds like you need it. Good night!

Good night Mylesy.

Take care,
Lisa

[MopsMeister]

OUCH!
Rescue groups establish their own adoption policies and applicant requirements that many potential applicants may disagree with. I regularly donate to an area Pug Rescue group even though they will not allow me to adopt from them. The issue...my back yard is not fully fenced-in. When my 2 pugs go outside, which is 10+ times a day, I take them into the front yard not the huge unfenced backyard. They are both very well trained not to cross the property lines which they have VERY, very well marked. They also know to never set a foot into the street. With time and patience any other dog can also be trained this way.

I don't think any one here is trying to bash rescue groups. I think they are perhaps just frustrated, as I often am, by rescue groups that fret over having too many rescue dogs needing good homes but never seem to place any of them. They are frequently the groups that repeatedly plead for more donations & encourage applications because they simply can't afford the costs of maintaining the dogs they already have. Some people may make another donation and some will apply for one of the orphan dogs.

The frustrating part of adopting from rescue groups usually makes its appearance at this point. When people have finally come to the conclusion that they are ready to adopt. It can be painful...even insulting when their application is denied. Sometimes of course it's a good thing because there are major issues or unacceptable situations. However, as shown by this and other threads, the reasons often seem really trivial to the applicant. Maybe even trivial to most other people as well. There is no perfect home. There are no perfect adoptees and there are no perfect dogs. Equally important we must remember, there are no perfect rescue groups. Asking people to step forward and make the committment to adopt is a big thing.

The point is that the application process needs to be realistic. How many of us have had pugs for years? We love them, we care for them. They receive great medical care and we feed them good food that is probably more nutrious than our own. Many of us even make changes in our homes to meet their needs as they age. However...many of us would probably not be allowed to adopt a pug for one reason or another.

I think sometimes that rescue groups forget that the goal is to get the dogs out of cages or foster homes and into a "forever" home. Despite its imperfections that new home is no less committed to loving and caring for its newest family member than the fantasy family of their dreams. That being said, rescue groups provide a very important service. Many of them simply need to be more realistic when it comes to adopting their rescues out.

[6 Beautiful Pugs]

Also, sometimes people are miffed if they apply for a popular dog and are rejected. They take it as a personal affront to them, when in actuality all it means is there was a home which the person doing the adoption felt was a better fit for the dog. Just because you did not get THAT dog does not mean the rescue has found you unfit and would not be more than happy to place another dog with you.

I can remember a particular event that PRSD held, there was a new foster that came to it. She was an owner relinquishment due to some personal tragedy....she was a young, healthy, adorable little black female...we knew she would go very fast. Most dogs like that don't even make it to the website because there is a waiting list of applicants. Well, no sooner than the Adorable Miss Twinkletoes hit the adoptables pen at this event than we had potential adopters nearly coming to blows fighting over her. Unfortunately there was only one Adorable Miss Twinkletoes. There were many other dogs in the pen, some older, some less attractive, some with health problems or in need of training. Anyone of them would have loved to find a home that day. The unfortunate reality is though...that the people who did not get Adorable Miss Twinkletoes did not go on to adopt another dog.....but usually left in a huff, upset with how rescue chose the family for her and feeling slighted and insulted.

So if you are ever rejected for a particular dog, it doesn't mean you are "not good enough" in the eyes of rescue, the best course is to ask the rescue if they have a dog they feel might be a good fit for your situation. And if you have your heart set on a young, healthy, potty-trained and beautiful pug, be prepared to wait and realize you probably won't get the first one that comes up.

Take care,
Lisa

[Wonka & Nilla]

I'm stepping in to lock this thread. Some valid and informative comments have been made, but also several comments that, in my opinion, are just unnecessarily rude or inflammatory. Before things get any more "heated" I am closing this thread. Thank you to those of you who kept it civil and added worthwhile information pertaining to the original poster's question.