My Nonprofit Reviews

Let me preface by saying that I've had dogs all my life, and for the past 15 years as my own, not family (ie, owned by parents), pets. I was also a dog walker & unofficial trainer for 10 years, as well as an adoption counselor for a local, well-known, city animal welfare league. I've only ever rescued dogs, am quite familiar with many issues and like to think of myself as fairly knowledgeable.
I listed on my application the story of a dog my husband and I had fostered to adopt 10 years ago, who unfortunately attacked me. Whoever the 'Adoption Coordinator' was who contacted me, ( no name was ever given, it was very odd and impersonal), was very focused on learning more of that situation and I was happy to provide extra details, as it was a learning experience for me and I understood why a rescue would want more info. After a day I heard back with a very terse : 'We are no longer accepting your application as a potential adopter due to the fact that you are not 100% committed to training (What?!) and are not able to forget what may have happened to the dog in the past'.
I emailed a polite response, going into detail on the 4 other long term dogs we'd owned, one of whom bit my husband and me repeatedly due to territorial aggression issues (he liked to redirect his aggression towards other dogs on to us. I worked very hard with him to correct that issue, and was able to do so). I stated that the dog we returned attacked me unprovoked and she continued biting & releasing until I had to hit her to free myself. Not the sort of animal I wanted in my home, or that I was able to train. The rescue (a very large one in our area) took her back and was very understanding.

No one at OPH ever replied to my request to be reconsidered. I was unfairly penalized for my honesty, and I don't see how this organization can have a very good adoption rate with that sort of attitude.