How much contact is too much?

[clara]

I have a friend who has applied to rescue a dog through an Oregon rescue group. They e-mailed him last Thursday that they'd recieved his application and that they'd be reviewing it. He hasn't heard back and want to email again and check on the status of his application and the dogs he's potentially interested in. But he's concerned that he'll be seen as pestering them. So I am asking those of you who run rescues, would it annoy you to recieve a follow up email checking on the status of an application a week after you'd recieved it?

 

Thanks for any input, he's a little anxious about the process (which I talked him into trying and have to admit to being pretty proud of!).

 

Clara

[rainbowbridgecanw8t]

Personally I would be pleased to hear from the person again. It would show me they are serious.

[Dixie_Girl]

I would think a week would be plenty of time to review the app. I personally would love it if more people DID pester me! LOL Here's a story, the people who adopted Missy said they were interrested in another dog in VA. They called and made an appt. to see the dog. They drove all the way from northern SC to see this dog. As they got closer, they could not get the person on the phone. When they arrived, no one was there. They never did hear from them! Sux for them, but turned out great for Missy! Tell your friend to call. If they get snotty with him, tell him to look somewhere else. JMO

[MaryP]

I am not annoyed when people pester me. It shows that they are truly interested. I am annoyed when people pester me by saying things like, "please call me and tell me when would be a good time to come by" or "we'd like to get the dog this weekend" when they haven't even submitted an application.

 

I try to review applications as soon as I can, but there are times when I can't get to them for several days or a week or more just because there is other stuff going on. But, I'm a very small operation and I handle almost every aspect of my rescue, which is like having a second job. A bigger organization that has enough volunteers to handle the different duties of the group may have quicker turn-around times. Either way, I don't think that sending a follow-up email would be construed as pestering on the part of the rescue group.

[in2adventure]

I'm not a rescue, but just wanted to share my rescue story. When I saw Lucia on petfinder, I sent an app immediatly (a Sun night) and monday morning was calling them....did you get it? is she still there? tell me about her? Told them about my lifestyle. When can I come meet her? LOL The rescue didn't mind at all and come to find out, there were several people interested in her. I think the quick call (and selling myself as the best home ) help me get her.

 

I spent almost 2 hours talking with her about Lucia and what I wanted in a dog, so I'm sure it wasn't pestering. I drove there on Fri to meet her and took her home that Sat. The experience was awesome and the rescue is looking for an addition to my family when I'm out of school in April.

[Dal & Mad's Mom]

I never mind contact at all we are very prompt in gettting to people. What I do mind is if you spend tons of hours questioning me about a dog only to "find a differnt dog near you" or have a sudden change of lifestyle 5 mins before your appt. People dont understand what goes into an adoption or that another adopter might have been turned away only to adopt somewhere else.

[Kitch]

Sending a polite email after a week wouldn't bother me. Sometimes we can turn an application around in a few days, sometimes it takes a week or more, depending on how busy our lives are. We have a committee look at the apps so it is a little more than just taking the time to read through it.

 

What bothers us is when we've only had the app for a few days and we get a snotty email saying that obviously we aren't interested in adopting out our dogs if we can't be bothered to get back to them.

[mosstheboss2000]

I too like when people who are serious keep in touch and pester me!!!

Shows me they REALLY want to adopt... I have so many people that put in a app. then when I contact them they either have found a dog OR have changed their minds.

If people keep in touch it keeps them on my mind

Cindy

http://www.bordercollierescuoent.com

[silhouettestable]

When I was interested in Thunder and Flash, I first emailed to inquire about the adoption procedure and I described as much as I could about myself and our home. I was told to fill out an application and submit it. I knew that several people were interested in the pups, so rather than send it by mail, I filled it out, scanned it and emailed it right back in to them, then emailed or called to make sure that the scanned copy was clear enough for them to read. I had indicated that I was possibly be interested in taking both pups together as well. When I got a reply it was to say that the application looked good, which one did I want and when could I pick up my puppy. I called them to discuss it and they said that although they had other applications in, they were holding off until they knew if I wanted one or both. They were hoping that I'd take both and keep them together after all they'd been through. So I ended up going and getting both. The amount of emails/phone calls I made could possibly have been seen as pestering, but I was very serious about adopting and I didn't want to miss my chance by waiting around. They didn't seem to mind anyways (at least not to my knowledge)