I’ve been trying to find a dog to adopt for a while now, and I was hoping to get a hypoallergenic one. I spent months looking at shelters within five hours of my house, breeders, and rehoming sites. After filling out what felt like my thousandth application and not hearing back, I finally gave up. I have a big yard, no pets, and no kids, so I thought I was a good candidate. I’m now looking for emotional support animals elsewhere, but wow, this is tough! Good luck to everyone else looking for dogs!
I run an animal shelter in Texas. The demand for certain types of dogs, like small or hypoallergenic ones, is really high where I am. People often say it’s impossible to adopt because they want a specific dog that is hard to find. If you want what’s popular, you might have to pay more or wait longer.
@Sawyer
That’s so true! In my area, the only dogs you find are pit bulls. If a non-pit bull comes up, there are so many applications that it’s nearly impossible to get them. Small dogs or popular breeds get adopted before you even have a chance to apply. Shelters are filled with pit bulls, and it’s frustrating.
@Wylie
I handle this by charging a higher adoption fee for highly sought-after breeds. That helps cover the costs for the less popular ones. If someone comes in asking for an easy dog under 25 pounds, they might get a deal because I have many great chihuahuas. But if they want a shih tzu, the price goes up.
@Sawyer
That’s really interesting about the chihuahuas. I know someone looking to adopt one, and they’re so hard to find around here.
Skylar said:
@Sawyer
That’s really interesting about the chihuahuas. I know someone looking to adopt one, and they’re so hard to find around here.
That’s the issue with different areas. In North Texas, we mostly have pit bulls, huskies, and German Shepherds available. Small dogs are usually chihuahuas. My shelter picks and chooses what dogs to take in, and we do a good job at it. If someone thinks they don’t like chihuahuas, I might have one that suits them perfectly based on behavior.
@Sawyer
It’s tough for huskies in Texas!
Ashton said:
@Sawyer
It’s tough for huskies in Texas!
I get frustrated because those breeds aren’t easy to own. I often compare dogs to cars. Some people want a high-maintenance breed when they really need something more manageable.
@Sawyer
I adopted a tan Chihuahua from Texas! She’s curled up with me right now. It’s awesome when shelters can move dogs to areas where they have better chances of getting adopted, but it takes a lot of effort and money. People often complain about adoption fees but don’t realize the costs involved.
@Sawyer
I think it’s fair to charge more for highly adoptable dogs. They have many people interested, which helps pay for the less popular dogs who need more time and care. Euthanasia is real, and shelters need funds to operate. It’s not really a charity if they only take in perfect dogs for adoption.
Ali said:
@Wylie
In Australia, it’s tough even if you don’t want a small fluffy breed. My sister faced many rejections despite having a nice home. It seems like they have stricter rules for younger applicants.
That’s crazy! Here, you can just go and buy a dog without any questions.
@Sawyer
Chihuahuas have so much personality. It’s sad that they get such a bad rap due to owners who don’t train them well.
Keaton said:
@Sawyer
Chihuahuas have so much personality. It’s sad that they get such a bad rap due to owners who don’t train them well.
I had a friend with an ancient chi who was super protective. He loved to guard my baby against anyone who approached, even though he was sweet at home. They really are great little dogs.
@Sawyer
We have a rescue chi who learned how to alert me when my heart acts up. It was rough at first, but she has become such an amazing companion. Have you thought about reaching out to local diabetes groups to see if they would help with training chihuahuas as alert dogs? It could be a great program!
@Sawyer
What about schnauzers? My mother-in-law is looking for one since losing her little guy, and she’s heartbroken. She’s open to older dogs too. I know you’re not a dog-finding service, but just checking if they’re easier to find now since we’ve been looking for months.
@Reagan
In my area, it’s easier to find terrier mixes than schnauzers. Purebreds aren’t as common as they used to be. I have a standard schnauzer in my shelter now, and he’ll probably go for the adoption fee you mentioned.
@Sawyer
I think she would be okay with a mix. She’s been heartbroken since losing her schnauzer. I’m trying to help her find a new friend for Christmas since she’s been sad this year. Do you do out-of-state adoptions?
@Reagan
Is it a dumb question to ask if the soil fungus from last year is still an issue in her yard?
@Reagan
No, we only adopt within our area.
@Sawyer
I ended up going to a breeder after two years of searching and being denied everywhere. It cost a lot, but I didn’t mind paying for a good dog. I wanted a companion I could take to family events without worrying. My family has had issues with pit bulls, and I didn’t want to deal with that.