Rehoming a PAWS dog – Adoption criteria explained
With the addition of any dog to a family, regardless of age or breed or where you source them from, it is a massive decision and one not to be taken lightly. It can be a commitment of up to 15 years and any dog can come with individual care requirements that they need you to meet. Many of our PAWS dogs up for adoption have come from abusive or neglectful situations or some dogs have needed to be re-homed as their owners can no longer care for them. In either case, many dogs can come with special needs, they may require a quiet home with no children, or they may be so active that a big family with lots of time for walks and play would best suit them. They may need extra time to feel secure in new situations or may come with behaviour problems that requires extra training time. Any of the PAWS staff can help advising you on adopting a dog and the individual needs of our dogs as well as answering any questions you have on dog ownership but it is important to bear in mind that we have certain criteria we like any potential homes to meet. PAWS want to take every precaution to help ensure a happy adoption for all people and dogs involved. Like most rescues, PAWS have a list of requirements for new homes in order to help secure a forever home for a dog in the hopes they don’t get returned and never have to go through the re-homing process again in their lives. Home checks are carried out by experienced staff to ensure suitability for both dog and owner a follow up home-check can sometimes be arranged to ensure the happiness of dog and owner. The following are the criteria we like adopters to meet and the reasons why we have them in place.
A secure, dog-proof garden with a minimum 4 ft fence
We would always suggest that a new dog not be left alone in the garden as some dogs can be escape artists and can get out of a garden and stray. The fence height can be subject to the type of dog that will be in the garden as some breeds, like a Siberian Husky, can scale walls like a cat while other breeds, like older luchers, will not have any major desire to escape and not look for a way out but the minimum height should be 4 ft. Other breeds, like terriers, can be master diggers and fencing would need to go deep. This can all be discussed at the time of enquiry with the PAWS staff as each individual dog can have different needs.
Many people feel that a large garden is really important but this is not a deal breaker, many dogs don’t need a huge yard if they get lots of active walks. Many people living in rural areas feel that because they live in remote areas with lots of land they feel there is little need to fence a garden because the dog will have so much space and stay near home. However, a secure area for a dog to be let out to go to the toilet etc. is necessary for safety reasons. Many rural areas are within close proximity of livestock that dogs could chase and get into trouble, they could go roaming and get lost, or worse be hit by a car or stolen, For this reason, if there is a lot of land around your property and it wouldn’t be ideal to fence it all then securing even a small part of it where a dog can go stretch his legs and relieve himself when let out of the house is perfect! We want to prevent any possibility of placing dogs in homes they could get out of and get themselves in trouble and having to be rehomed again. The use of radio or electrical fencing is not acceptable as they are not dog proof, radio collars can run out of battery or dogs can get a surge of adrenaline and race through fence lines after a cat for example and then find themselves unable to get back in to their garden. They can also cause pain or discomfort to dogs which is unfair. The dogs’ safety and happiness is paramount as well as the new owners’ peace of mind.
Dogs not being left alone for long hours all day
If a dog is left at home for long hours (usually more than 4 hours per day) with no mental or physical stimulation they are likely to get bored and develop behaviour issues such as barking all day, develop separation anxiety, start chewing furniture or getting destructive in other ways. For this reason, if you adopt a dog and he is going to be left alone for a lot of the day, we ask that you have a trusted friend / neighbor / family member call in during the day to let the dog out to the toilet, bring them on a walk and help break up their day, invest in a professional dog walking service or look into some local doggy daycares in your areas. It might also be suggested that you have a second dog or re-home a pair so that they have each other for company. This can be discussed more in detail at time of starting the adoption process.
Families with young children
We always recommend that families with small children under 7 adopt a puppy rather than an older dog so that both puppy and child can grow up together and learn how to be around each other. We recommend putting some work in regarding teaching the children how to be around a dog; leaving them to sleep during rest times, never going near the dog at meal times, never leaving puppy and child alone together. This is to confirm both child and dog’s safety at all times so that they can live peacefully together and be each other’s best friends.
Dogs sleeping indoors
As we mentioned above, many rescue dogs have come from abusive or neglectful situations and we want them to be adopted as pets where they live inside with their family. A dog will not be re-homed under any circumstances where they will be left in a run alone all day or tied or chained up for most of the day. Dogs are pack animals and see their families as their pack and will not do well to be alone outside all day and night.
Rented Properties
If you are renting your home, we ask that you get a letter of approval from your landlord that they have agreed to let you have a dog in your home.
The addition of a new dog with an existing dog
If you have a dog already, it is advisable to bring it for a pre-arranged visit to PAWS and walk it with the dog you hope to re-home. This will enable you and us to make a judgement as to compatibility and it will be an opportunity to familiarise them. PAWS does not recommend getting a very lively or active puppy if you have an older dog as it is felt that this would be unfair to your older pet.
Adoption Fee
There is an adoption fee of €150 to adopt a dog from PAWS and this covers their microchipping, spaying or neutering, vet-checking, worming and vaccinations prior to leaving the shelter. You must register their microchip in your name after adoption, PAWS staff can advise you on this during the process.
We ask that any prospective re-homers understand that all dogs need time to adjust in a new environment, and understanding and patience is a massive part of adding a dog to your house. A little training and time will be needed to help this adjustment for both new dog and owner. The criteria we ask each potential home to meet is essential to help ensure both the safety and happiness of dog and new owners and we hope you can understand this. If you are interested in finding out more about adopting a dog from PAWS or would like to meet any of our dogs for adoption, please get in touch with us on facebook or contact info@paws.ie