| 
|
Chapter 56. The Latest "Addiction?" -- Petfinders! (tales of the city)
The woman called and introduced herself as "Olivia" over the phone.
She indicated she was interested in our sweet, 2-year-old Corgi/SharPei mix named, "Baby."
Olivia sounded like the ideal adopter. She had a SharPei for 14-years, was mature, stable and financially secure.
We arranged for Olivia to meet Baby at Run Spot Run, the boarding facility in Manhattan where we board dogs. "Unfortunately," I told Olivia, "we just got word that Run Spot is closing next week. We are in a real bind with the dogs we have there. Even if you're not sure about adoption, perhaps you could foster?"
"I am just looking for a sweet, outgoing dog," Olivia answered. "My previous dog was a bit shy."
When I walked into Run Spot, Thursday afternoon, Olivia was already playing with Baby in the reception area. The two seemed to be getting along wonderfully!
"Would you like to come with me and walk Baby?" I asked Olivia. She immediately agreed.
We walked Baby for about a half hour. Like the good, housebroken, dog she is, Baby relieved herself and was friendly and outgoing towards other dogs and people along the way. "I told you she's a sweetie!" I said to Olivia. The woman seemed very pleased with Baby.
As we headed back towards Run Spot, Olivia suddenly announced that she liked Baby but couldn't adopt now because she is "going away for three weekends in September."
"But, why did you call now saying you were looking to adopt?" I asked her, totally stunned. "I interrupted other things I had to do to come over here to show the dog to you. I don't know where Baby will be at the end of September!"
"Oh, I don't know," the woman answered. I am addicted to Petfinders."
"Addicted to Petfinders?"
I wondered how many other rescue organizations, Olivia had pulled this stunt on.
Upon returning to Run Spot, I told Olivia that rescue and adoptions wasn't fun and games or entertainment. "Animals die for stuff like this! What is the deal in wasting people's time when one had no intention of adopting?"
Olivia had no answer or apology other than to say, "Maybe I am not over the loss of my dog."
But, the truth is, what Olivia told me is not the first time I have heard about seeming "obsession" with Petfinder.com.
Only a few weeks ago, another woman told me (after canceling an adoption appointment) that she and her friends "love to look at all the animals on Petfinders!"
But, the mother of this 35-year-old adult living alone told her she "shouldn't adopt a second dog."
So, what is the fascination with Petfinders if you can't adopt?
Are adoption websites the latest fad, "reality show" or "addiction?"