# Question on Adoption Requirements



## debra1704 (Feb 22, 2012)

Hi! I am curious as to why numerous rescue organizations will not place dogs in homes with children under the age of 6 (and in some instances, 10).


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## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

Neither of the rescues I work with have that stipulation.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Some rescues have that rule because they don't know the history on most of the dogs and can't say whether it is good with children or not. They don't want to risk placing a dog in a home with smaller children and have something bad happen.

The rescue I volunteer for does review applications on a case by case basis though.


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

There are 2 golden rescue organizations here in Ga. and both have such strict guidelines that a lot of good families are disqualified.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Our rescue doesn't have an age requirement on children. As fosters, we place dogs/puppies based on the animal's personality and how we feel they will do with children. I've had some that I would never place in a home with children and some that I knew would be perfect in a home with children.


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## SheetsSM (Jan 17, 2008)

I volunteer w/ Golden Retriever Rescue Atlanta and I have not seen good families denied--it's all about finding the right fit for the family and the golden. I have also volunteered with golden rescues in MO and OK and neither had an age limit for kids--but again it was about finding the right fit.


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## debra1704 (Feb 22, 2012)

Prior to purchasing from a breeder, I contacted 4-5 rescue organizations in the NJ/PA area; I found them on petfinder.com. We were specifically looking for a young retriever or retriever mix. I provided details regarding our income, home, fence, husband's job, my status as stay-at-home-mom, ages of children, age of our last dog (16 years, rescued at 4 months), vet references, etc. I was told by each that the ages of our children (11, 6, 4) made us ineligible. When I relayed this info to our vet, she mentioned that she had also been denied by one of the same organizations because she works too many hours. Anyway, it all worked out for the best, as we adore our new puppy, but I did try hard to go the rescue route first. If you go on Petfinder & start searching & reading details, you'll see that a lot of the PA/NJ area rescue organizations make exclusions due to the age of children in the home.


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

fostermom said:


> Our rescue doesn't have an age requirement on children. As fosters, we place dogs/puppies based on the animal's personality and how we feel they will do with children. I've had some that I would never place in a home with children and some that I knew would be perfect in a home with children.


I wish all rescues work this way. One of the requirements here is that you MUST have a fenced in yard. I think this is a ridiculous requirement. I have placed a high energy dog in an apartment building. The family lived across the street from a park and jogged in the park every day and wanted a high energy dog to jog with during the week and camp with on weekends. The dog that I placed with them was a fence jumper and had been to the pound and 2 other homes that I know of before I got him. By placing him in an apartment, I felt pretty sure that his fence jumping days were over. Now I place all of my fence jumping rescues with families that don't have fences.


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

I would think the fence issue would depend on the area. I completely see the need for a fence requirement in southern CA where I live. It is just too congested to have dogs running amuck without a fence to contain them. The alternative tends to be that people will decide to tie their dogs to a tree if a fence doesn't exist... not a good alternative.
As far as adopting to children, in our area each family is assessed individually however if a dog is not known to be good with children or has not had exposure to children in the foster home it will not be adopted to a home with a child. No rescue organization wants to see a child injured or the dog returned due to not being "child friendly". Our prospective adopters are told it may take longer for the right fit with a rescue dog if they have children.
Makes sense to me, especially in this litigious environment that also puts the rescue organizations at risk.


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## toliva (Nov 24, 2011)

Our local GR rescue will not adopt to families with children under 5, with no exceptions, and the reason they give is this:

_*We've found it is difficult for the adult members of a family with young children to find the considerable time needed to train a dog due to the family's busy household.*_

It's a reason I don't understand or agree with, but I respect their policy. I hope to get a rescue when our kids are all over 5.

As for the training issue.... well, we have 3 young kids and our puppy was one of the most well-trained pups in our puppy class. He will even follow simple commands from our 3-year old. I just wish the rescue would take a case-by-case look at individual families instead of a blanket policy assuming that kids are too much of a distraction.


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

toliva said:


> Our local GR rescue will not adopt to families with children under 5, with no exceptions, and the reason they give is this:
> 
> _*We've found it is difficult for the adult members of a family with young children to find the considerable time needed to train a dog due to the family's busy household.*_
> 
> ...


I completely agree with the case by case basis. Most people will just walk away when they don't meet the requirements and find another way to get a dog. I know people who have bought puppies because they were turned away from a rescue organization. So sad for the dogs in rescue.:--sad:


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## newport (Aug 8, 2011)

goldhaven said:


> There are 2 golden rescue organizations here in Ga. and both have such strict guidelines that a lot of good families are disqualified.


The family who"REhomed" my Lola at 11 months to me did not want Lola any more as Lola was too excited and playfull and would knock her 6 year old down..... I am the lucky one who got a wonderful dog out of it. Perhaps they are worried that months down the road this might happen and the dog would end up not wanted


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## debra1704 (Feb 22, 2012)

Toliva, Yes, I agree re: training. All of us are taking turns training our pup, and I think it gives her more reinforcement during the day. I know that not only am I working with her, but our kids are as well, and yes, she does respond to all of us well.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Reply*

I think the age stipulation with the children is there because there might be more incidents reported with a dog nipping a child and the rescues cannot afford the liability of a bite. Also I know I might get jumped on, but I think the families with small children that really can spend alot of time with a dog are really few and far between!!


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## debra1704 (Feb 22, 2012)

In our area, kids are in school full-time at age 5 (full-day kindergarten), sometimes 4 (if you choose full-day private Pre-K). So if there is a stay-at-home parent in the household, there is plenty of time to train. My kids are out of the house all day- it's just me & the dog.


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## cavaliermom81 (May 15, 2012)

goldhaven said:


> I completely agree with the case by case basis. Most people will just walk away when they don't meet the requirements and find another way to get a dog. I know people who have bought puppies because they were turned away from a rescue organization. So sad for the dogs in rescue.:--sad:


Our golden retriever rescue (yankee goldens) has that rule too, I got my cavalier when my youngest of three was 3 years old, and it has been fine. We took him to Puppy class for 12 weeks and I spend time working with him with the kids, I want him to learn to obey them too, which he does aside from my 6 year old (but he is getting better as she is, she is very soft spoken and sweet mild mannered so she does not seem pack leaderish) 

Another thing that actually upsets me about our rescue(it might have not been yankee I think we have two) is that they say if you have never owned a dog before they will not consider you. Bentley is my very first dog ever, I did tons of research, took him to class, learned what to do, and I make a huge commitment to him, I am happy to because I adore him. I am very cautious and I think he is very well taken care of. I really don't think that rule is fair honestly. At least see what kind of research has been done and what kind of commitment is going to be made.. people have to start somewhere.


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