THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2001
... and what it takes to adopt an animal from an area humane society
By Christine Brucker
Staff Writer
Sometimes we get more than we bargain for. This is especially true when it comes to animals.
The Seneca County Humane Society often finds pet owners turning animals over to its shelter. Other times, dogs and other animals go to the shelter as strays.
When an animal is turned over to the shelter, the owner fills out a form describing the animal's temperament, its health and the reason for bringing it. The animal then becomes property of the Humane Society.
If the dog is brought in by the county dog warden or the animal control officer as a stray, it becomes the property of the Humane Society after 72 hours.
Once an animal has been determined to be healthy, it is available for adoption. Adopting an animal is not as easy as walking into a store and purchasing a pet.
"We have people fill out an application and there is a 24-hour waiting period," said Barbara Phlegar, executive director of the Seneca County Humane Society. "We want people to think about it."
The application, or adoption consultation form, asks a series of questions about the household of the person seeking to adopt an animal. Potential pet owners answer questions regarding the purpose of adopting the animal, the number of animals the person already has, the type of home and how the animal will be confined. Anyone adopting an animal must be over 21.
There are certain conditions under which the Humane Society will not permit an adoption.
"We don't do hunting dogs or barn cats," Phlegar said. "We receive a large amount of humane complaints about dogs chained in the backyard. We want our animals to be strictly house pets."
They are serious about that stipulation.
Adoption contract comes with clauses
If an applicant is approved, he or she must sign an adoption contract. According to the contract, the person adopting the animal actually is considered a caregiver. They agree to provide food, water, shelter and veterinary care for the animal. They also agree to purchase licenses and abide by all local and state laws regarding animal care and control.
They are required to make the animal a family pet which resides inside the home. Caregivers are specifically prohibited from housing the animal in a barn, shed, basement or anyplace else that the family does not live.
At homes with a fenced yard or dog run with a dog house, the dog house is considered a secondary shelter, not the dog's primary residence.
These are standard clauses in adoption contracts, according to Kate Pollan, shelter adviser at the Humane Society of the United States, the national parent organization.
"Every shelter is independently run," she said. "The adoption contracts reflect the concern of the area. In rural areas, backyard dogs are a greater concern."
Dogs that have been chained up outdoors with no food or water are a common source of cruelty complaints to the Humane Society, said Tuesday Browning, humane agent.
Browning is dispatched to investigate animal-cruelty complaints and works with the Tiffin Police Department and the Seneca County Sheriff's Office.
If the complaint is valid and the condition of the animal is severe enough, the Humane Society can obtain a search warrant and seize the animal.
However, "If the animal was adopted from us, we don't need a search warrant, since we retain superior title to the animal," Phlegar said.
The contracts for Seneca and Wyandot counties get more specific. The contracts of both counties state that the Humane Societies retain superior title to the animals that are adopted. People adopting the dog or cat must notify the Humane Society within 24 hours of a change of address or telephone number. If the person adopting the animal no longer wants the dog or cat, it must be returned to the Humane Society. They are prohibited from giving or selling the animal to a third party.
Guardianship, not ownership
The contract in Seneca County is modeled after the contract in Wyandot County. Dave Balz, director of the Wyandot County Humane Society, said the contract has evolved since 1985.
"Our first contract said, 'I am a nice person and will take adequate care of the animal,' " he said. "Unfortunately, we found that was not strong enough. We are encouraging a philosophical change from ownership to guardianship. You cannot own another living, sentient creature."
Sentient creatures posses the power of feeling or perception.
As the years passed, tougher guidelines were added.
"Our contract is used as a basis for many adoption contracts throughout the state," he said. "We learned everything the hard way. Since this is a legal document, the language has to be direct."
Balz admits the language has discouraged some people from adopting pets and caused others to return pets once the full contract has been read.
"It really is a matter of trust," Balz explained. "Instead of the Humane Society trusting the guardian, the guardian has to trust the Humane Society. There is a difference in opinion, even among people within the animal defense area, of how strongly we should approach the matter. Many shelter personnel see only the worst side of animal caretaking. We are trying to encourage the personnel to educate, not browbeat, the public."
The contract has been in place for two years at the Humane Society of Seneca County.
"We spend a lot of time with people to make sure they understand the responsibility they are taking on," Phlegar said.