I am SOOO PO'd it is not even funny. A friend of mine went to one of the local animal shelters to adopt one of the dogs there. It is a ACD and he wanted to train it to work his cattle.

The shelter staff, upon hearing that this dog would be running loose amongst cattle would not let him adopt the dog. He called me, and I in turn called one of the members of the Board of Directors of the shelter.

The board member said that this is NOT their policy. The shelter staff STILL would not let the dog be adopted. The dog sits in the kennel while they try to "sort it all out."

If you have read ANY of my posts, you will know that I am a HUGE advocate of adopting dogs. I have supported this very shelter heavily with cash donations as well as donating my time and equipment.

I am outraged that the shelter staff decided that this dog should stay in a kennel rather than live with a loving family and do what he was BRED to do.... these are people that I would feel safe placing one of my own dogs with (and my standards are really high).

Am I wrong? Is this common practice? If so, it is no wonder why the shelters are over flowing.... perhaps I need to find a new place to support...

--Kelly

Where do these kind of people come from??!!!
And what kind of home do they expect for this dog?

Nah, I don't think you're off base Kelly. If you've got any pull someplace within the chain of command; this would be a good time to use it, as someone in that org. has their priorities badly mixed up.

Here's hoping the dog finds his deserved place.

Randy

PS: Does the dog have any history with live stock at all to base their opinion on?

My dad was once denied a lab from a shelter because he might use it as a retriever. It's actually really common in communities where the ASPCA or HSA run the shelter for them to deny adoptions where the dog will be a working animal as opposed to a lawn fixture. This can include guard dogs, retrievers, herders, and even in one case I know of agility.

Usually adopters can be denied an adoption based upon any reason and these reasons do not have to be disclosed to the adopter.

So let me get this straight...

All those working breeds that sit in shelters right now, who might well have been given up precisely BECAUSE they are high-energy, demanding working breeds (forced to live in quiet, sedentary homes) are then DENIED adoptive homes who can actually fulfill their mental and physical needs?? Am I missing something?? And since when did AGILITY become animal abuse??

What a backwards world...

~Natalya

Not uncommon around here. One guy I worked with was refused because the dog would be crated for about 5 hours a day. This group would not allow any of their dogs to be put in a crate for any reason or length of time.

Lisa

I don't know the details of any of these decisions but I can offer an opinion from the rescue point of view. When I interview a particular person and do a home visit one of the biggest things I try to get a handle on is what is the adopter's expectations and how does that match the dog.

I am not trying to defend any decisions on the part of these shelters but when someone is looking for a working dog, it is very difficult to make a placement. Many times you have no history or a true picture of the dog. What comes across as high energy and drive can actually be stress and nerves from being in the shelter. The majority of dogs in a shelter will make wonderful companions but very few will have what it takes to work so a working home could be overlooked to save the dog from needing to be rehomed again.

Adopting a dog from a breed rescue is probably a better way to go if you are looking for a working/sport dog. The volunteers are familiar with the temperments of their breed and the traits required to do the job they were bred for.

On the reverse side of this the rescue I am with adopts the "Working Dogs" only to LE or a proven sports competitor.
It is a double edged sword; suitable homes for a working dog are limited and suitable dogs for a working home are limited as well.

Sheila I can understand that side of the argument but in response to the comment of what appears to be drive actually being stress and nerves I have to disagree.

A dogs overall behavior and temperament will be different due to stress and nerves but stress does not manifest itself as drive in terms of food drive, prey drive, rank drive, etc. It can decrease and "hide" those traits because the dog is stressed and thus does not "perform" or exhibit the drive but it does not create drive that isn't there. Nerves and stress can make a dog more edgy and bring out sharpness/reactive/shy etc type behavior.

I see more issues with pet homes adopting a dog they think is laid back, shy, low drive, etc. when they actually had a fairly energetic dog with strong prey drive that was stressed and unsure.

When I evaluate dogs in shelter situations and am testing prey, food, pack, rank etc drives I take into consideration the environment and general behavior of the dog as to the potential for higher drives in a comfortable place but I have never noticed stress in a shelter or boarding environment causing higher prey drive or higher food drive etc, only stress related "aggression" issues and such.

 Quote: Sheila Buckley

The majority of dogs in a shelter will make wonderful companions but very few will have what it takes to work so a working home could be overlooked to save the dog from needing to be rehomed again.

I understand your point Sheila but I beleive what is forgotten most offtend is that shelters Kill dogs. I would be surprized to find out that they find homes for a tenth of their working breeds. Honestly I know some breeds are just sent straight out the back door.

Kelly I hate to tell you this but it seems to be common practise for most of our beloved Dog Nazis (shelter workers). I am one of the ones that was turned down.

I would not get a gold fish from my local shelter. I actually live in front of the local shelter by about one mile can still hear the dogs. I was haveing trouble with items growing legs and walking off if you know what I mean. I went to the shelter talked to the little girl that runs the place mistake one told her my problem. Then asked to see any GSD they might have to my luck they had 2 with agression issues. Just what I needed well she was freaked out because I would offer to take such agressive dogs. There was no way she could adopt out dogs with such agression. Now let me tell you what I saw in the dogs Dog 1 sharp protective with food agression next was the one she said wasnt that bad fear biter I would not have touched with a ten foot pole. Lucky for the dogs they were going to a GSD rescue out of Memphis. I ascepted that told the lady I would be happy to take anything that loved to bark and was in real need of a good home.

I hate these people, just think about it a guy walks in your office tells you if you have a ugly sharp protective dog that need to be killed call him and he will even pay for the ugly dog. Does anyone think I got a call no she pretty much told me she would never have a dog like that.

So no one ever brings a dog in for agression or barking to much lieing blank. I know the truth they just kill the ones that act like that first and dont think twice even when someone is asking for the dog.

Next story is from our Vet made me feel realy good about myself. She was also turned down for a cat girl said she owned to many. I have one thing to say She is a VET now my Vet pretty much runs her own rescue because of this. I use he if I find a Dog that needs a good home.

Sorry the post is so long I am kind of emotional about this issue. Doesnt help that the shelter ran out of dog food and had a fund raiser last weekend and I drove right past for all these reasons. I have to say I felt bad the rest of the day but its the only way I know to make a stand against the needless killing.

Sorry if I offended anyone just the truth where I see it.
At least give the underdog his fighting chance.

Sheila,
The reasoning that a working breed won't be placed into a working home because of the possibilty it may be returned, rings pretty hollow to me. After all, one could say the same thing about any dog that leaves the building, they may return.
So under your criteria, if I were to walk in and finding a nice high energy young lab, decided I like the dog, but I would be turned down because I wanted to use him for hunting. However you would let the dog go to a family with a fenced back yard and children as long as you felt they understood they would have to work through his mouthing issues. Honestly now, where does that dog belong?
And heaven forbid if I was to walk in and find what I felt was a good prospect for some bite work training. Whether or not I'm correct about the dogs temperment, isn't really your concern. Your only concern should be if I'm going to care, to the best of my ability, for the dog in a humane way for it's natural life. Now if you differ with me on what I consider is humane, that is fair territory. But to be deciding what I want to train for? Somehow that seems beyond the scope of a rescue org.

If my dog isn't learning, I'm doing something wrong.
Randy

Our local shelter actually contacted me hoping I would take a Border Collie they had. Someone knew I had working BCs and they wanted her to go to an experienced/working home.

I don't mind extra screening for homes that want to adopt dogs as for working dogs, but flat out denying them is nuts...