Many people have asked why it
is necessary for a rescue group to conduct home safety-checks.
Some have considered it an unnecessary intrusion, an invasion
of privacy, and even insulting. It is important that you
understand that it is not unnecessary, nor is our intent
to insult anyone who is kind enough to want to rescue an
animal. Therefore, let me try to answer this very legitimate
question.
First, please
understand that it doesn't matter how nice the adoptive
family may be. I've been volunteering in the business of
rescuing dogs for many years, and have seen a number of
situations where dogs placed by other groups were lost though
the rescuer felt comfortable about the family, but had not
conducted, or delayed, the home safety-check. It is usually
in the first night that the dog gets lost, and that is why
the home safety-check must be conducted before the family
takes the dog.
Let me tell you
a story. A wonderful family wanted to take a dog with them
directly from the adoption site and have us come to do the
home safety-check at a later time. At that time we were
overwhelmed with a very busy schedule, so to do the home
safety-check as it should be done, the adoptive family,
who lived sixty miles away, had to wait for a week. That
also meant that we'd have to pay for another week of boarding.
For those reasons it was very tempting to let them take
the dog, relying on their obvious good will and decency.
But we didn't.
When we went to their house the following week we found
three areas from which the dog could have gotten out. One
was a secondary gate in one of the side yards that could
be opened simply by pushing. As they never used the gate,
the family was not even aware of it. In addition, there
was a gap under another gate, big enough for the dog to
squeeze through, a condition not obvious to most people.
Another was in the backyard which appeared to be securely
fenced, but when we pushed one of the bushes in a corner,
we found a huge crack that the dog could have easily slipped
through. The family was grateful and fixed all three areas
overnight. This fortunate dog is still with them, and all
are very happy to this day.
When a dog is adopted, he or she is moving into an unfamiliar
environment and tends to explore. Sometimes the dog wants
to go "home" -- a home that no longer exists. When a
potential exit is found, the dog will often try to get
out.
For these reasons,
all reputable rescue groups require a home safety-check.
Of course a home safety-check can be avoided by going to
a city or county animal shelter to adopt a dog, in which
case you are, indeed, saving a life.
But please remember that, unlike adopting a dog from
a rescue group, if you ever come to an unfortunate situation
in which you need to return the dog, your dog will be
the first to be destroyed as an "owner turn in" at public
shelters.
Rescue groups also go to much greater lengths to check
out the health and personality of the dogs in their care,
and work with potential adoptors to see that they get an
animal with which they can have a long and satisfying relationship. |
