When you work at an animal shelter, your goal is to find a permanent home for every animal that comes across. To ensure adopted dogs never have to return to shelters, staff must determine if the dog and their adopter are a good match.
In one case, however, a shelter employee may have gone overboard in processing a woman’s request to adopt a rescue dog named Rocky. The shelter staff posted their story on Reddit, where it blew up and sparked a huge debate.
The Story of Rocky, a “High Energy” Dog
Redditor u/stinkyStuart asked Reddit sub “Am I A**h*le” if they were wrong to turn down an overweight woman’s adoption application. They open with this dog background:
“Rocky was brought to us a few months ago by a couple who didn’t have the time/energy to care for him. He is a breed that will destroy furniture if not exercised enough, but when it comes to exercise, he is a very good boy. When I let him out of his crib, he kissed me and I was always reluctant to put him back. In the few months I’ve known him, I hardly find him tired. Because of his activity level, he has no applicants for adoption. “
Then, in the author’s words, Rocky found someone he liked at an adoption event.
“Rocky jumped on a woman and attacked her with kisses. Instead of pushing him away, she hugged him. It’s lightning love. The only problem? She suffers from obesity and sweats when it is not warm.”
At this point, it looks like the OP has judged this person based solely on looks, although adding, “I know you can’t judge fitness by looks, but I’ve never met someone my size.” She’s enough to run for more than 2 hours during the day with an active dog or chase it when it jumps.”
RELATED: How Do I Know If My Dog Is Getting Enough Exercise?
When the woman asked about adopting Rocky, she was “interrogated” about her home and lifestyle (which is typical in itself).
“She gave me mostly green and yellow flags. She works full time, but has flexible hours and can work from home. She lives in an apartment, but next to a dog park, etc… But I can’t shake the feeling of insecurity. I asked about her activity level and she said she had an ‘active lifestyle’ but didn’t elaborate. ‘Active lifestyle’ has many meanings today. “
Ultimately, the shelter staff decided to trust their instincts. They claimed that it was in Rocky’s best interest that this woman did not adopt him.
“After doing this for a while, I have learned that you have to be wholehearted for people and prioritize animals over human affection. Just as this woman was excited about Rocky, I saw him come home with her, exercise little or no, throw a couch or two in the trash, and then be sent back here or worse. , to a murder shelter. I want him to stay here for a few more months, with employees who can accommodate his needs, and wait for a better home. I told her she couldn’t have him, and suggested she look at smaller animals like cats. “
Naturally, the woman was furious at what really looked like a total fat rejection. The poster has sided with his actions, but apparently, posting his story on that particular subReddit means that there is some doubt as to whether he did the right thing.
“She got mad and said things I won’t say here. I didn’t mention the weight, but I think she knows that’s why I turned my back on her. I briefly doubted my decision. What if she’s the right fit for Rocky? What if Rocky spent years in the shelter because I rejected her? But when I saw her struggle to get to her car, I knew I was right. My boss said he would do the same.”
Truth Or “Rage Bait”?
SubReddit moderators have since deleted the post (they quote the post Rule 12:”This is not a side argument. Posts should focus exclusively on actions in an interpersonal conflict, not an individual’s view of a broader social issue. ) For many people, it comes as an attempt by this person to fantasize and claim for it.
There are some other red flags, like the fact that the account posting the story appears to be created just to do this. Others pointed to the jarring claim that “I work at an animal shelter, so I basically get paid to play with dogs.” Personally, when I work at an animal shelter, I have a pretty good time, but mostly shoveling and cleaning.
The post certainly sparked a heated discussion regardless of whether the specifics were exaggerated or not.
Dog weight, energy management and what’s best
To be fair, there is support for wanting a dog’s energy levels to match the adopter’s lifestyle. It prevents them from returning or switching to destructive behavior due to lack of stimulation.
“I think the general premise of not adopting a high-energy dog into a low-energy home is well-founded. I do a lot of rescue work with those types of dogs, and we make decisions based on the household’s current activity levels, not potential ones. The problem is that a lot of people think a dog will motivate them but actually it is often not enough. ” – u /Odd-Zookeepergame967
RELATED: 5 Tips to Train Your High Energy Dog
That said, the problem is largely with the poster’s assumptions about this woman based on her looks. For all he knows, this woman can provide Rocky with everything he needs and more. At least there can be a trial period or a home visit.
Many people have said exactly this in the comments on Reddit.
“‘I know you can’t judge fitness by looks’ and then you immediately did it. The best thing to do is do a home check and try foster care for two weeks, “u/Lumpy-Caterpillar769 replied.
“YTA [You’re The A**h*le]. How do you know that this woman didn’t adopt a dog to help her continue on a fitness journey? ” u/NUT-me-SHELL asked in the comments, “Dogs are great personality assessors and Rocky chose this woman for a reason.”
The OP answered, adamant in their stance:
“However, that is not the dog’s responsibility. It can take a woman years to get to the point where she can run for an extended period of time or she can give up despite having an active dog and then where does that leave him? “
However, others also point out that someone doesn’t have to be able to do all of the same physical tasks as their dog to properly stimulate them. Your ability to properly care for your dog has nothing to do with your weight.
User Kitchu22 wrote: “OP doesn’t know what Rocky’s lifestyle will be like for this potential adopter as all they see is his weight. I know obese people with breeds working in apartments, religious people who go to agility classes with their dogs, people who take them hiking, send puppies to daycare. take care of the dogs, take them for a swim, will spend an hour doing tricks or cues every day; and I know skinny people who have given up working breeds because they consider themselves “active” because they walk an hour a day and otherwise take the dog out to the yard after they’ve been away for more than 10 hours. “
Obviously, this is not a dry matter, but I would say we stick with the old saying about what assumption do. It generates your YTA.
