Over time, the pet adoption process has become increasingly complex. Long and arduous applications, home visits, background checks, and inquiries with landlords all contribute to a tedious adoption process. With more pets in shelters than shelters, animal rights organizations are rethinking the adoption process to reduce barriers and place more pets into loving homes.
One of the obstacles to pet adoption is the extensive application process, which potential adopters find difficult. Applications that require disclosure of detailed personal information, references, and even financial information are becoming common in shelters and rescue operations. To attract more adopters, shelters and rescue organizations are simplifying application forms. By simplifying the paperwork, these organizations hope to encourage more people to consider owning a pet and reduce the anxiety associated with the process. The La Plata County Humane Society recently revised its adoption process, which is scheduled to begin March 1st.
LPCHS has never required home visits for adopters, but many shelters do. Required home visits are rapidly becoming obsolete, and animal welfare leaders are encouraging shelters and rescue groups to reconsider this onerous and time-consuming practice. Although the purpose of a home visit is to ensure that the living environment is suitable for the pet, prospective adopters find this invasion of privacy to be a significant deterrent. Rather than relying solely on home visits, some organizations are moving to virtual interviews and video tours, allowing them to assess living conditions without entering adoptees' personal spaces. Other organizations have eliminated this practice altogether. This change not only speeds up the hiring process, but also accommodates people who may have privacy concerns or busy schedules.
Background checks and landlord follow-ups, while well-intentioned, can also cause delays and hesitation in the adoption process. Waiting to hear back from your landlord or introducer can delay your adoption by days or even weeks. This means your pet will sit in a kennel environment for a long time. Organizations are now focusing less on vetting references and more on building relationships with potential hires, fostering trust, and providing support. LPCHS emphasizes that if an adoption is not successful, adopters can seek assistance or return the animal to us. By shifting the focus from a rigorous approval process to education and support, animal rights organizations aim to create a more positive experience for both adopters and animals in their care.
Foster parents are an animal shelter's most valuable asset. Without an adopter, homeless pets are left homeless with nowhere to go. It is the responsibility of animal welfare organizations to create an adoption process that is supportive, welcoming, and informative. The pet adoption landscape is undergoing positive changes as animal welfare organizations recognize and address the barriers that are beginning to hold back potential adopters. These organizations strive to make the adoption experience more inclusive and welcoming by simplifying the application process, overhauling home visits, and fostering supportive relationships with adoptees.
Colleen Dunning is the development manager for the La Plata County Humane Society.
