SPCA (Society For The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

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SPCA (Society For The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

When you are considering getting a dog, please first look into rescue. There are many wonderful animals who are taken to the pound for various reasons, from the owners were moving, they owners decide they don't want to deal with all of the work involved, to a simple lack of exercise, or discipline (human allows dog to be pack leader).

Some of the stories below are negative experiences people had, when going into one of these shelters. The stories are posted in hopes some of the SPCA's who do make it very hard to adopt are forced to change their policies. Turning a blind eye to some of the huge problems with some of these pounds will not help the dogs, cats and other small animals in them. Most of the pounds are over run with dogs and cats. They are lacking in staff, and are doing everything they can to save the animals. Some however, appear to not even want the dogs to be adopted out, denying applications for petty reasons and at the same time have high kill rates. Whether your local SPCA is well run, having the dog's best interest in mind, or seem to need a lot of improvements - for the innocent animal's sake, volunteer, rally with your local community and do what you can to make a difference.

Rescuing Tia the Keeshond from a SPCA

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Blackie - Victim of owner irresponsibility

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Trying to Save Buddy, an SPCA Dog From a High Kill Shelter - A True Story - Ever wonder why there are so many dogs in the pound, so many dogs killed on a daily basis? Read this shocking story...

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A Senseless Death, a misunderstood dog - In Loving Memory of Rondo (True Story)

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August 2008

We went to the Delco SPCA in August to look at dogs. We stood at the counter forever trying to find out what we needed to do. Finally, someone else looking at dogs coming out of the kennel told us we could just go on back (not one staff member acknowledged our existence). We found one Friday right before closing that we wanted to see. We were told to come back on Saturday because it was too late to take her out.

We got there first thing Saturday morning and the line was a mile long to get in. We finally got someone to let us back to take the dog out but were then told that because she was a stray she wasn't allowed out of the cage until the next day because she hadn't been there for four days. We were told if we wanted to adopt her, come the next day and we could visit with her and she would be temperament tested. If all went well, we could do the paperwork but she needed to be vetted and would probably be able to come home on Wednesday.

Sunday we showed up half an hour early to make sure we were the first ones there for her. After ten minutes, an employee came out and told us they sent her to rescue the night before (even though they knew we were coming for her the next day!) We called the rescue group to be told she was at a third party house and we could go there to pick her up if we wanted her because they were leaving for vacation in a few hours. So after jumping thru hoops, we finally found the dog. We had to make a snap decision to take her even though we had never been able to see her out of her cage and she had never been temperament tested or vetted.

I assumed she was spayed as we never received a spay certificate and I know the SPCA doesn't release unspayed dogs - WRONG!!! So now I have to go thru the rescue group which itself seemed very unorganized and hope I can get her spayed before she adds more unwanted puppies into the world.

The whole experience at the Delco SPCA was very frustrating.

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July 2007

I have always been an animal lover and I was finally ready to adopt another dog after the death of my previous dog 3 years prior. All the dogs I had owned until that point had been strays, they'd "adopted" me and were wonderful, but certainly not showdogs or purebreds. A friend of mine said I should "splurge" and get my "dream dog." I thought about it, and concluded I'd always really liked beagles. Though I knew I would probably not find a purebred beagle at a pound, I headed to the SPCA in Pasadena and kept my fingers crossed, and had settled for buying a dog that was perhaps a beagle mix or resembled a beagle.

I showed up and was told to walk in to see the dogs. I walked in and decided to look at all kennels before deciding on a dog. I briskly walked over to kennel "Number 1" and lo and behold a purebred beagle sat there! He was totally sweet and very affectionate and I immediately told the worker I wanted the dog, now. They told me the dog had just been in the pound about 2 hours, and that he was microchipped so they were trying to locate the owner, however, I could fill out an application and go through the interview process and then perhaps if the owner could not be located or didn't want the dog i could have it. I was told I'd have to wait 3 weeks, but being that I was the first person interested and my information was in, I was the first person who would be placed on the "wait list" for this dog in case the owner was out of the picture. I immediately filled out my application then and there and asked to be interviewed.

I was told I'd have to make an appointment for an interview and that no one could interview me that day. I was told I could also just walk in at 9 a.m. the next day and ask to be interviewed, but that today it was already too late in the day for a "walk-in" interview. Knowing the dog was not going to be adopted anyway I reluctantly went home. The next day, I called in "sick" to work" and was at the door of the SPCA at 8:55 a.m. I was interviewed on a variety of things, ranging from what size my yard was to how many dogs I had owned and what I'd do if I moved, etc. I did my best and I think I passed as the woman said I could take any dog available for adoption that same day.

I told her that I was going to wait 3 weeks and showed her my "ticket" which showed I was on the wait list for the beagle should the owner not be found, and that I just knew it was going to be mine as I had been the first person to want him, and had been there 2 hours after he'd come in. The woman told me that she was sorry but that this was not true, I was second on the list. I told her that was not possible, I was there at 4:55 the previous day, right before the closed and had been told the dog had just arrived in the kennel as he'd been found 2 hours prior, and that for all intents and purposes I had been told I was the first person to see him and that all this happened 5 minutes before they closed, and I was the first person there this morning before they opened.

She said she was sorry but that someone walked in after I left the previous day. I told her that even then, that would place that person second on the wait list, and she said that no, as I had not been interviewed until this morning, my name on the wait list the previous day was void, as i had not been deemed a "fit candidate" the day before, the wait list thing was invalid.

I know the woman was full of it but I just did what I had to do. I left, found a beagle breeder and got my beagle from him instead.

My brother worked at this pound at the time and he said the denial to me was bull and that he'd seen it over and over again, denials and denials to perfect candidates which made it so utterly difficult to adopt a dog that many people turned away, gave up and did what I did. He also got his dog from a breeder! What a shame.

My brother updated me on the fate of the beagle at the pound, the one I was denied. He said the owners were located but they didn't want the dog back because he kept wandering off. He said the supposed person on the wait list who beat me to being first never showed up for the dog either.

One year later, I decided to get the first beagle another beagle to keep him company while I'm out of the house. I didn't even try the SPCA, just went straight back to the breeder and now have two bred dogs and won't bother with the shelters anymore. They make it too hard to adopt a dog, and it's completely stupid. I've always owned dogs, but have never and will never get one from a pound, I guess I'll just keep taking in strays or buying them from breeders....... no shortage on either one of those options anyway......

This happened in July of 2007

Sandra

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1990

I went into the Delaware County SPCA to adopt a dog. I found one I was interested in. There was a sign on the dog's cage that said it was the dog's last day. After filling out the paperwork I was told they were denying my application because I didn't live in the same county. I explained I worked down the street and lived only 8 miles from the shelter. They refused to budge from their position and would not allow me to save the dog. Someone else who did live in the same county decided to go back to see if they could adopt the dog. The dog was gone. No one knows what happened to it.

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If you experienced a denied application from an SPCA that you believe was unfair, share your story.

Email your story to:

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We strongly suggest Cesar Millan DVD's and or Cesar Millan Books to every dog owner, from Chihuahua to Pit Bull. An excellent guide to communicating with, understanding, and controlling your dog.

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