Our Christmas Dog Arrived Early

For the past couple of weeks I had been seeking a wonderful new playmate for Boomer. The task was not easy. I had applications into four dog rescues.  We meet several dogs. Two dogs tried to attack him, one was indifferent, and another was just too bossy for his liking.  At that point, I wrote my own add and placed it on Craigslist. It read as follows:

Hello, my name is Boomer. I am 2 years old and weigh 62lbs. I have a fair amount of energy and still love to puppy play.
Unfortunately, three weeks ago my best friend since I was 4 months old died. I miss her very much, but she was 14 and had cancer for the third time, so we had to say good bye to her.
My family consists of a human mom and dad, who love me dearly and take care of my own needs. Frequently I get to go run around the dog park. Yet, something is missing. I need a new dog sibling.
My mom has been looking all around, and we have applications in at 4 rescues, but we have not found the right friend for me. I have had introductions, but though I am active and playful, I am a passive dog. Two of the dogs tried to attack me, and the other tried to bully me. This made me feel scared.
My human parents are also not into paying a fortune in rehoming fees. I myself came out of a rescue and cost only $35. My sister Maggie was free, but that doesn't mean she was loved any less than me. In fact when she got sick with cancer the first time my family spent $5000 on her medical bills, and that gave her another wonderful year and half to play with me.
What I would really like would be a friend between 25 and 65 lbs. Since I don't like to be dominated, we are thinking a dog between 1 and 3 years would be best, but we aren't stuck on that limited bracket. Breed, color, sex don't matter, because we aren't a prejudice family. What matters is that you can be my best friend. You should be the kind of dog I meet at the dog park, and as soon as we greet each other, we are off and running and playing together.
My human parents would prefer that you have had your rabies shot and that you are fixed.
If you want to meet me and see if we could be best friends, please e-mail my human mom.
Thanks,
Boomer.
PS. I am the white dog with patches over my eyes in the photo. Maggie was my black lab/corgi sister. 

As a result, we met two wonderful matches.  The choice was hard, but one of the dogs was more desperate for a new home, so she arrived yesterday.  Right now she and Boomer are wrestling around and bumping into my office chair.  Since she is getting a fresh start, we have renamed her. She now goes by Fern.

Fern and Boomer, December 24, 2015

Merry Christmas all!  May your wishes come true just as Boomer's has for a new playmate.

Trying to Adopt a Dog in Humboldt County: A journey dealing with shelter and local rescue groups

   I am discouraged how difficult adopting a dog in Humboldt County can be. I understand you all love animals, as I do, and I commend you for that fact, but are you aware that when you make the application process so long and tedious that you push the average person to give up and buy a dog from a breeder or a pet store that is supplied by puppy mills?
    I understand our county well. I know our dogs are in danger for being used as bait dogs. I know dogs are used and bred to guard marijuana patches and exposed to dangerous chemicals.  I am very aware that people still drown puppies in our rivers, as well as use dogs for target practice.
    But are you aware that your four and five page applications are more personal and daunting than most job applications, including those of a classroom teacher?  Are you aware that the donation “fee” most of you ask for leads people to wonder why they shouldn’t just buy a dog from a breeder?
    As for our county shelter, I know they are doing the best they can under a limited budget, but they should be open at least one weekend day a month.  How do they expect people who hold legitimate jobs, who can afford to pay for a pet and their medical needs, to get to them when they are only open Monday through Friday?
    In addition, we live in a rural county that is spread out. With our county shelter located in McKinleyville, many of us live at least an hour away and can’t get there the two late nights a week that they are open. That is why being open at least one weekend day a month is critical for saving the lives of our dogs and cats.
    This leads me to one well-meaning Rescue Group A, that is gaining a tarnished reputation. The five page application they have is a bit much, but since theirs was the first one, I filled it out. I can understand the interview too. What I can’t understand is their system for adoption. They have left my husband and me with the impression they only want to adopt dogs out to little old ladies who sit at home and do nothing.
    My husband and I picked out six dogs. They said they would calls us and tell us when we could bring our dog in to meet them. We waited three weeks, and as we did so, we noted that all the dogs we were interested in were posted on Petfinder and Petharbor.  So finally, we called Rescue A to be told that we were low on each dogs’ list and wouldn’t be called to meet them until many others had been.
    How long does Rescue A make their dogs wait for homes?  People actually would adopt them if they could.  I spoke to one person who gave up on Rescue A and went and adopted his dog from the Trinity County Animal Shelter.  He is a well-off individual, who owns his own business, and brings his dog to work with him.  Yet, he couldn’t even manage to adopt through Rescue A.
    I am going to leave this with saying that I used to donate to Rescue A several times a year. I even supported their big annual fundraiser.  I won’t be doing that any more. Greenpeace can have my money.
    Next  there is Rescue Group B who I spoke with a representative over the phone.  When she mentioned an application, I cringed. After waiting three weeks on Rescue A with not results, I wasn’t eager for more paperwork.  I told her about my dealings with Rescue A, and she assured me they were nothing like that.
    I downloaded their application and found it is just as lengthy and evasive as Rescue Group A’s.  They also charge a $175 adoption “fee”, while Rescue A only charges $110.  Why would I want to bother with this paperwork and give away my driver’s license number again when I haven’t even met a dog?
    I have met one extremely helpful person, who works for Rescue Group C. We were able to rule out the dog she was promoting as not a good match for my Maggie over the phone. I appreciated that.  She has also tried to explain on behalf of all these rescues that the adoption “fee” is because the above rescues are supposedly willing to take dogs back if they don’t work out in their new homes.
    Yet, so will the County Shelter. They will even refund your money if you return the dog within two weeks.  One just can’t get to the County Shelter because of their hours.
    This now leads me to Rescues D and E.
    Rescue D I filled out a reasonable application of only two pages and at least got to introduce my dog to three dogs they had at a store helping them adopt out dogs.  One dog is a good possible match, but I now have to wait for a call before I can take the potential adoptee home for a two night trial.  I was supposed to be called the next day and not it is five days later.
    Rescue E seems to be the most accommodating, but perhaps that is because I am a little familiar with them through dealings of another dog. At least they are willing to drive the potential adoptee to my house and do the meet and greet and home inspection at the same time, and before I have filled out any paperwork.  When one lives in a rural area of the county as I do, that is a blessing.  Unfortunately the visit I was eagerly awaiting at the end of this week has been postponed to the middle of next week.
    I have two more rescues to check out if neither Rescue D or Rescue E works out.  At least I have rescues F and G in the wings.
    This has been a five week nightmare in trying to find a dog friend for my 12 ½ year old black lab/corgi mix.  Meanwhile she is at home alone, missing having a friend (her former friend passed away from cancer), and other dogs are sitting in cages desperate for homes, but trapped by limited hours, daunting paperwork, high adoption fees, and other restrictions.
    You have all awaken my eyes to why puppy mills are still thriving in this country, and why backyard breeders are successful.  Buying a dog is easer than adopting one.

P.S. Some of you reading this will probably connect me to my applications, and that is fine. I write this to educate you, not to shame you. We all love dogs and are in this for them, but sometimes one must step out of his or her organization and examine the larger picture.