I know this thread is old but I really need to discuss this at the moment (forgive me of the following is long). I moved cross-country a year and a half ago leaving behind my two dogs. 1 is a senior dog who loves with my mother and I and the adjustment would be too much. The second is a 110 pound lab/Shepard that is really my brother's and it wouldn't have for in my new apartment anyway. I have always had a pet. Even in college I had a mouse. I have genetic depression and while I am perfectly normal thanks to my medication, I have found that having something to take care of helps me function above-average as well as keeps me emotionally positive. After settling down in my new home I decided it was a good time to adopt a new dog. I'm 25, financially independent, and able and wiling to care for a dog (I am also certified to groom dogs, know numerous training techniques and own two training books, I volunteer at two local shelters and am this able to recieve discounted training and vaccinations for any pets; I have clipped my own dog's nails for years; know the best toys for a stimulated mind; and have even been asked to show my dogs before at local competitions (I declined); I live a mile from work and I work with only two other people who are fine with me bringing in a pet). And yet, I have been unable to adopt a dog the last year and a half and yesterday was the 6th time I was "burned" by the shelter system. Time number 1: not so much a shelter system as a coworker's dog had a litter of puppies. One was promised to me, pictures were sent, promises and dates for exchanges were made. And then her sister took all the puppies to Portland and sold them for $300 each, including the one that was promised to me because one woman up there wanted a boy and a girl dog. I cried, this was a disapointment. But it was the easiest compared to the following year... Time number 2: a dog I regularly walked at the shelter and I hit it off. I stated formally that I would like to begin the paperwork. The woman who normally runs adoptions was out on vacation so a note was made and I was given the paperwork. Meanwhile, one of the admin workers at the shelter decided that her friend would like the dog. She contacted her friend that day (after my note was made) and discarded my note and set up an adoption on her own citing it as an "emergency exception". Time number 3: I found a dog on petfinder at a shelter in Northern California about four hours away. They have a policy (and this is the humane society) that potential adopters need to fill out an i Irish wave of paperwork, deliver it in person with app family members present. The family must undergo a personally evaluation and spend four separate hours with the dog under the supervision of a pet psychologist. Then a second set of paperwork is filed and the dog is sent home on a temporary basis while the shelter checks in 1-3 times before the dog is officially allowed to be registered and adopted. Obviously, living four hours away this was a bit much. But I contacted the head of the shelter to set up an expedited version. I would undergo my evaluations over video chat, and meet with the dog once for 2 hours before driving it home. I sent in the first paperwork (a lengthy list that asked my marital status, income, smoking and drinking habits, references, two essays, a quiz on my beliefs on various pet-related things, etc). I was told that no one else was in competition for the dog. Until two days later when I was notified that someone local wanted the dog and my paperwork was void. Time number 4: I was fostering a dog I fell in love with and she adored me. However, due to a genetic condition, she needed surgery on her legs and was unable to be adopted until after the 1st of the year. I told all the official channels that I wanted to adopt her. I was told this was great and not an issue. Her surgery was on December 20th. On December 21st the vet that performed her surgery took her home and adopted her. Time number 5: a friend of a friend had a dog he was giving up to the shelter. It was a puppy/Christmas present for his kids that went un-taken care of, unloved after December 25th and left outside 24/7. It was a long-hair chihuaha/Pomeranian. My friend contacted him and while we were fine for him to just give me the dog, his wife wanted is to go through the local shelter system as a way of keeping an official record. Big mistake. Someone got wind that the chi-Pom was coming in and offered to make a $500 donation to the shelter in exchange for the dog. When I went in to pick up the dog an hour after it was dropped off, I was told he was adopted. (I only learned the true story from a friend who volunteers at admin as well as through the shelter e-mails). Time number 6: last week I met with a shelter dog at it's foster home. I fell in love but wanted to make sure he and my roommate got along. I arranged that I would be able to have an overnight stay with the dog (I was also fostering a cat that the shelter wanted to see how it handled other pets). I contacted the shelter Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday to day that I Could pick the dog up on Friday (this just so happened to be the single busy work week I have). On Friday I contacted the foster parent of the dog who informed me that she decided to show the dog to a couple during the week. And that then it was between me and them and the shelter prefers people who don't work to adopt pets (yes, that is literally what they said) so I was not allowed to adopt the dog. (The dog also came from an a used situation like the dog I had at home and thusly I knew how to handle it but apparently that is a moot point when it comes to the fact that I work a 9-5 job). These were just the situations where I thought I had the dog before it was adopted from under me. There is also the shelter in Portland that had a requirement of a 4 hour driving radius. Southern Oregon is 5 hours away, this eliminating people in the shelter's own state. They was the shelter in north Cali that is 45 minutes away with a two hour driving radius who, upon finding out I live in Oregon told me they only adopt to residents of California. There is the shelter near Portland that has a minimum $900 adoption fees for male dogs and $1200 for females. There is the shelter that needs you to have a previous pet or a signed letter from a veterinarian (I believe this shelter is on the Oregon coast). There is the local shelter who turned me down for fostering because I work (again, I live 1 mile from work. I come home at lunch and I can bring the dog to work). And a few other shelter stories from friends that posted on my wall when they heard I was once again denied a dog: The friend who was 24 and had to get motorized permission from her parents to adopt a cat because they only adopt to people over 25. The professor who was denied because he was not married. The friend who brought in a start dog and was denied adopting said dog because she was the one who brought it in and was thus listed as the person who have the dog up. And finally, the family friend that was deemed too old to adopt. Do I think shelters are too strict? Yes. Do I think they drive potential adopters to go to a breeder instead? Absolutely. After being burned six times I realized my only option is to save my money and go to either an out-of-state breeder or an out-of-state pet store. Was this this my first, second or third choice? No. It's my seventh choice, but it is the only choice available to a woman that works.

Hip and eye certs are important. That said, when rescuing a dog, you probably won't know if there ever were certifications. Sometimes, there isn't even much info about the general health of the dog. Lab rescue groups are operating on limited funds and the last thing they can afford are certs and guarantees. I rescued my old gal from a woman who had no business having any kind of pet. Martha was a purebred labrador with papers. She did not, however, have any certs as she was bred in a home situation. Ended up that she had terrible hips at about age 5. It is a chance you take when you rescue. I will say that in the end, all of that didn't matter to me, she was a loyal and loving companion her entire life despite many years of advanced hip dysplasia. It is costly to keep a dog comfortable with hip problems, but we managed to do it for many years. I took Martha because I wanted her out of a bad situation. I paid the woman the price she paid for Martha when she bought her. I would have given the horrible woman my last dime to get my girl away from a terrible "pet owner". The second day I had her it occurred to me that she was frequently urinating. I took a urine in prior to her first vet visit. She had such a bad UTI that she was on antibiotics for months. I had no clue that she would head down the road she did with the hip dysplasia. Still wouldn't matter, I would do exactly the same thing if presented the same way today. I got so much more from my old gal than I gave. She was my shadow and I loved her dearly. Did it dent my budget, yes. Did I care, not so much. I was more concerned about getting the best care to keep her comfortable for as long as humanly possible. A good life is all a dog asks for. I can say I gave her that. She would have eventually landed in the shelter since the woman had no patience or respect for the puppy she just weeks before laid significant money out for. That said, my two boys are from a breeder whom I trust and they both have all the bells and whistles in the way of certifications, and probably will not suffer the same issues with the hips that my old gal did. But keep in mind, to find a reputable breeder with all of the certs costs a great deal of money. It's a double edged sword. If you find a pup you want to rescue, I say go for it with your eyes open. There aren't any guarantees in life. Most certifications enable you to return a dog in the event something arises. Would you do that with a pet if there were a problem down the road? Not me, if one of my boys has a problem we will deal with it as best we can. I will also point out that there are other things that labradors are very susceptible to, cancer being one. You cannot predict that, you can only deal with it should it happen. Will the rescue allow you to have the puppy examined prior to a committment? Keep in mind that these tests are not inexpensive either. That's why the rescue can't do them. I wish you the best of luck. If you do chose a labrador you will never regret it. I am sure that can be said of many breeds, I only have experience with the one you posted about.

What a handsome kitty Dustin is! I applaud you for giving this sweet guy a second chance at a caring forever home. I know he won't disappoint you and you will have a loyal companion for life. Definitely get him neutered and vet checked. You also want to become established with a vet because things do arise with pets that need veterinary attention. You have received some great advice from the above posters, but I would like to mention a thing or two about his diet. Don't be afraid of feeding him canned food. Canned food is SO much better for cats than dry. I am giving you a link to a wonderful website that can explain it all better than I could here, but feeding a canned diet will help prevent many illnesses and diseases that occur from a cat eating dry food. It took my one of cats becoming diabetic to get me educated in feline nutrition and in the past year I have learned so much and now all my cats are so much healthier because of it. Also another fun website you might like to consider joining is Catster. You can make Dustin his own web page and join in the various discussions in the forums. It's a fun group of people that share the common bond of being true feline lovers. I hope you and Dustin enjoy many happy, healthy years together. If you have any questions, I'd be glad to help any way I can. Janet Here is a link that might be useful: Feeding Your Cat

Update on my rescue dog. I hired a dog trainer this week. She brought one of her dogs with her to assess my rescue's reaction to other dogs. Her assessment is that my rescue is over-excited by other dogs - she is not aggressive, fearful, or protective. She thinks that she was isolated from other dogs at a young age and has no experience in socializing with them. The danger is that other dogs may misinterpret her frenzied excitement as aggression, and she could get hurt. The trainer advised that I take it slowly and not walk her until she learns how to behave appropriately. My homework is to sit with her in the front yard and teach her to look, but not confront, other dogs as they walk past our house. If she reacts, I take her back into the house - so far, I have made no progress on this. OTOH, in the house, without distractions, she is rapidly learning commands for "place," "sit-stay," and "down-stay." Louise, my sister had a purebred Bichon - I took care of him when she was on vacation. Very sweet dogs and, like my Pug, friendly with everyone. I cannot take this little rescue anywhere that dogs are allowed - without putting her at risk of injury.