Don't be surprised - there are rules for adoption, too

Most of us aren't too crazy about a lot of rules. We have rules as kids as to when we have to go to bed, what we can eat, what clothes we can wear and at school it's even worse. We even have to get permission to use the restroom; a hall pass is like gold for a school kid.

There are rules for when we can buy a car, even rules to follow at our jobs, in our marriages and in almost all other aspects in our lives. Now you want to adopt a dog or cat from the Aiken SPCA, and you find out there are rules there, too.

Believe it or not, some folks are surprised when they show up to adopt that there are rules the SPCA needs to enforce before pet adoption. The Board of Directors has developed a set of rules for the protection of the animals. Unfortunately, experience has proved that some people do not tell the truth about why they want to adopt and about their living conditions.

There are mean, unscrupulous people who only want an animal so that they can use it for pit bull fighting bait or other abusive treatment. There are also many people who have no clue what responsible ownership means and continuously lose dogs, then just go get another one to replace it. There are other people who are "collectors" and have too many animals, for which they cannot provide. There is a long list of reasons why potential adopters must be screened.

One rule that sparks debate with potential adopters here is the "fence" rule. We require a fenced yard for the vast majority of our dogs that get adopted. Why do we have this rule? In part because most of the dogs that are here came to the shelter because their previous owner didn't have a fence and the dog wandered off and got caught by animal control. Fences also prevent dogs wandering off and getting hit by a car, getting into trouble with a neighbor dog or digging up someone's flower bed across the street.

Exceptions are made for some dogs if someone lives in an apartment or can't have a fence where they live. We always sit down with potential adopters and talk over the details. Another rule - one that isn't flexible at all - is if you are a renter, then you must have permission from your landlord to adopt a pet. You'd be surprised at how many people try to sneak in a dog or cat in a place where they are not allowed. Sooner or later, the pet will be discovered and will be sent right back to the shelter, which doesn't do any good for the dog or cat who thought it had a permanent home.

A rule that still amazes me that people sometimes question is if you have other pets, they have to be up to date on their rabies shots. We find folks that are a little late on the vaccinations and quickly go and get their other pets up to date. Unfortunately, other times we find people whose pets are years overdue. As you can imagine, that fact doesn't ease our concerns about the long-term well-being of the pet they are trying to adopt.

Adopting a pet, such as Buster Brown pictured in this story, is a rewarding thing to do. Nothing is more heartwarming to workers at the Aiken SPCA than to see a great pet like Buster leave the shelter and begin the next chapter of its life with a family that will provide the love and care every pet deserves. Although you will have to answer a few questions and follow some rules to adopt from the SPCA, we promise the effort is worth it.

To meet Buster Brown or any of the other great pets at the Aiken SPCA, visit 401 Wire Road from Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn more at www.aikenspca.org.