In the Name of Love

I'd like to introduce Duke. He's a sweet and friendly senior fellow who is waiting at the Yarmouth SPCA for someone wise enough to understand what a great gift a senior pet is.
There was an indignant comment on the last post that was trying to explain to me why people would be refused an adoption application. Not to be mean but that's a bit like preaching to the choir : ))) Even with groups with good screening criteria, I have seen good pets reappear on petfinder after being adopted.... with some new little tidbit added to the description or a no kids, cats and/or dogs added to the listing.
Responsible rescues screen. The society screens. Good breeders screen.
It is the backyard breeders, the pet stores supplied by puppy mills ( as opposed to places like Petcetera that house satelite pet adoption centers ) and the morally reprehensible people like Gail Benoit who don't screen. Even when these people actually sell a healthy pet with no genetic disorders, they do not care what kind of life the pet will have after.
Take Duke for example. He was surrendered because his eighty something Dad did not have the energy to give him the exercise and the boundaries that he needs to be his best self. Duke will be a great guy for someone willing to invest the love and energy to help him become his best self. Like all rescues, the Yarmouth SPCA will make sure that he is adopted by someone suited to him and his needs.
No matter what type of life a person leads, there really is a homeless pet out there that would suit their lifestyle. There really is Somebody Out There for everyone.
We live in a world where complex issues are resolved in slick fashion on tv in an hour or less. Adopting a pet should take more time than just stopping at the store. The screening process is there to help when people fall in love with the sweet face without thinking things through.
Just the other day, a sweet young dog was listed with a firm 'no children' tag and the rescue was swamped by adoption offers from kind people in response to his story, many of whom had children.
The bottom line is when we fall in love quickly, it is referred to as infatuation. When that happens, logic flies out the window and "fools rush in where angels fear to tread" The screening process is designed to protect pets and ensure that love is not blind.