An open letter from Jessie, our Adoptions Coordinator!
Dear community member,
WAG is a very unique shelter. We often take in animals that other shelters have had to turn away, due to lack of resources or behavior issues due to being under socialized, abused and/or neglected. We open our doors to seniors as well as the sick and injured in need of critical care. For many of these animals, we are their last hope.
You may have heard that WAG has “a difficult adoptions process”, our questionnaires are too long, our process is too complicated , or there are too many steps to go through before you are able to bring your new family member home. As the most recent Adoptions Coordinator, my goal is to turn this reputation around and help educate why our Match Maker program is amazing! For many reasons, this process is beneficial for you AND our animals:
Increased education and understanding about adoption, including financial considerations, time commitment, and how to properly welcome a stranger into your home.
Decreases the number of “wrong matches” which leads to a high rate of return of animals back to the shelter.
In depth training and behavior education which is essential for the more complicated animals. Some of our animals have sad histories of abuse, neglect, and lots of fear. Their new families need to learn how to keep them safe and protected for the rest of their lives.
Building a relationship with them before they enter your home. Many animals have been abused and need time to learn to trust their new family before they are comfortable. Sometimes this means lots of visits with them at WAG before the adoption is finalized. Many times shy animals do not reveal their true personalities at the first, second, or even third meetings!
Lots of our animals are looking for a specific home, one that is suited to their individual needs! Every animal is different, just like every person is different. An athlete doesn’t want to live in a home of couch potatoes!
Our aim is to pair you with your Perfect Match!
Our Adoption Application may seem long, but when you take into account the life changing event that adoption can be, it is worth the time! We take into consideration your hobbies, family, lifestyle, housing situation, and what you like to do in your time off, so we can match you with an animal that has a similar lifestyle and similar needs. Generally we require 2 to 3 interviews or meetings with potential adopters before the adoption is finalized. This is to set you up for complete success with bringing a new family member home and make the transition for both of you as smooth as possible. In our meetings we will cover the animals;
Routine
Personality
Training
Feeding
Health care
Likes and dislikes
Socialization
Adjusting to new environments
Special needs
Sometimes working in an animal shelter can expose you to horrific and heartbreaking stories. When they arrive at WAG, it becomes our job to ensure their health, safety, and well being through adoption into appropriate homes that can care for them for the rest of their lives. We want to ensure that they are going to the right family for them, and that you are adopting the right animal for you!
WAG has successfully adopted out hundreds of animals. We encourage you to ask questions, get involved, and learn about why our Match Maker adoption process is so important!
Thank you for your support!
Sincerely, Jessie McNaught Adoptions Coordinator
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