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snowball12 · Jun 7, 2011, 10:57 AM

If I adopt a dog, will the people who work at the shelter come to my house and inspect it?
Does anyone know?

JudyKayTee · Jun 7, 2011, 11:01 AM

My local animal shelter - no. The rescue where I volunteer (occasionally) - yes.

Why is probably a good question, particularly in view of your other threads.

My local shelter verifies the info (landlord allows the pet, etc.).

Wondergirl · Jun 7, 2011, 11:05 AM

You'd have to call each shelter to find out. Some do, and some don't. Either way, there is an application process and also probably a waiting period until the app is approved.

Be forewarned. If someone offers to give you a free or cheap puppy, there is probably going to be something wrong with it -- it's already sick or came from dirty surroundings and was with sick dogs, or was born and spent its young life in a cage without exercise and any love. If you go for free or cheap, you will get lots of problems and maybe will end up with a very sick or dead puppy.

If you want a healthy dog, go about this the right way, not the easy and cheap way.

snowball12 · Jun 7, 2011, 11:07 AM

Will my house and land out side have to be perfect if they come to see my house?

Wondergirl · Jun 7, 2011, 11:11 AM

What do you mean by "perfect"?

You're not getting photographed for House Beautiful magazine. The place should look comfortable and clean. The grass should be cut and no garbage or debris lying around in the yard. The house should be relatively clean but the shelter realizes people live there. Dishes should be washed and put away, clothes not lying around or hanging on furniture, the floors should be free of dust bunnies and dirt, furniture shouldn't be ripped up, the indoors smell should be agreeable (not sewage or urine), the residents of the home should be polite and not yelling at each other.

snowball12 · Jun 7, 2011, 11:21 AM

Like... if someone comes to my house, should I clean it in advance? Or would that be lying?

snowball12 · Jun 7, 2011, 11:21 AM

Comes to my house to inspect.

Wondergirl · Jun 7, 2011, 11:24 AM

Would cleaning be a three-day agony, or simply picking up stuff and putting it where it belongs? Pretend the minister or your doctor is coming over. How would you want your house to look?

If your house is normally a dump and you have to spend hours or even days cleaning, yes, that's lying.

snowball12 · Jun 7, 2011, 11:28 AM

Umm... I don't really know, we try to keep the house clean but sometimes it is a disaster. Usually we have a clean up on saturdays

Wondergirl · Jun 7, 2011, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by snowball12

umm... I dont really know, we try to keep the house clean but sometimes it is a disaster. usually we have a clean up on saturdays

Tell me three things that make it a disaster.

snowball12 · Jun 7, 2011, 11:32 AM

Clutter on the counter tops and table, Stuff dropped on the floor that's not picked up, Cloths and stuff (in my room)

snowball12 · Jun 7, 2011, 11:33 AM

I mean "clothes"

Wondergirl · Jun 7, 2011, 11:36 AM

Like I said, the shelter people understand that you live there and can't keep the house looking like a magazine all the time. Is the house generally clean under the "disaster"? -- cabinets without food smears and drippings on the doors, stove and refrig free of grease and dark fingermarks, curtains and drapes not ripped or dirty?

snowball12 · Jun 7, 2011, 11:38 AM

No.. out house is not like that (I think) The problem is... I HATE cleaning. Do you have any cleaning advise?

snowball12 · Jun 7, 2011, 11:39 AM

I mean "our"

Aurora_Bell · Jun 7, 2011, 11:39 AM

I volunteer at a shelter as well as help with an adoption agency for dogs, the agency does house calls, and it would have to pretty darn yucky for that to be taken into consideration. We mostly look for space (land and house), we look to see if it is an animal friendly neighborhood, and if you have other pets, how they react around strangers and if they look healthy. The shelter I volunteer for does not have the time nor the man power to make house calls. We do ask people to fill out the application, and we check references and vets, and make our decision based on that and the phone interview we do.

We don't care if your house is un-tidy, although a clean house does look better, it's not the deciding factor. We especially watch for any hoarding indications. That is a big thing for us. If there are any indications of hoarding we usually decline the applicant.

snowball12 · Jun 7, 2011, 11:41 AM

What do you mean by "hoarding"?

snowball12 · Jun 7, 2011, 11:41 AM

What do you mean by "hoarding"?

Wondergirl · Jun 7, 2011, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by snowball12

What do you mean by "hoarding"?

Papers and clothes and bags of stuff lying around all over the place and not sorted through or put away -- like those TV shows where people can't give up stuff and the stuff takes over their house.

Aurora_Bell · Jun 7, 2011, 11:44 AM

Have you ever seen the show Hoarders? People who suffer from animal or regular hoarding.

Compulsive hoarding (or pathological hoarding or disposophobia) is the excessive acquisition (collection and acquiring) of possessions (and failure to use or discard them), even if the items are worthless, hazardous, or unsanitary. Compulsive hoarding impairs mobility and interferes with basic activities, including cooking, cleaning, showering, and sleeping.

I asked in another thread, but do you mind telling us how old you are? :)

Have you guys decided on a dog yet? It seems like you are taking your time and asking all the right questions, so I bet you guys will have no problem with adopting. Is your mom just as excited as you are?