Special Treatment

I love you all, and all my adopters, and I'm sure you all know that.

But I want everyone to think I'm treating them fairly, so I wanted to mention a few instances where I think this has come up, and why I think it's important.

First... with the sale going on, I've had a lot of... "well, I can put down the deposit this week, and I know it says you only hold for 14 days, but I want to pick up in September, but not miss the sale price."

My response to this is that if people want to wait more than 14 days to pick up with a deposit, there's  a $2/day boarding charge after the 14 days.  So, I mention this to them, and they immediately say, well, what if they picked up in August?  Still $2 a day, cause it's still over 14 days.  Oh, but they'd be a great home!!  Now, I'm not denying that they may be an awesome home.  But... my policy is my policy.  Put down a deposit, get 14 days to pick up the animal.  I think that's fair, especially considering most rescues will not hold animals AT ALL.  So, if Tom, Dick, and Harry only get 14 days to pick up their critters, why should someone else get 35 days?  I mean, sure, I could make an exception, and I'm not saying that I never have (because I totally have... though usually much less than that)... but tell me... how is it fair to everyone else, who came within the 14 days, for me to allow someone else to have 35 days to pickup, with nothing in return for the rescue?  The short answer:  it's not fair.

And that's why I'll ask for the $2/day.  I know, some people are reading that, thinking holy cow... but you know what, when I pet sit for people, it's $15/week minimum donation, so it's in line with that (and believe me, when people are out of town, they think that's a bargain versus the veterinarian's boarding at $15/day)... and I actually hope it encourages people to pick up their critters.

I wouldn't mind them staying here longer, it's not like I "want to get rid of them" -- except that they're taking up cage space that could often be better used by an animal that is on the waiting list, waiting for an opening to come into the rescue.  And personally, I tend to think that people should wait to get an animal until they are ready.  I have a friend wanting to get a dog... but their life is going to be exceptionally busy in the next month or two, and they need to get their home ready... so they are waiting until the busy month passes and the house is ready... rather than contacting a breeder now, and asking that the dog be held for a month or two... which I feel is the better way to go.

The reason I wanted to post this is just to explain, before anyone thinks I'm trying to be unfair to them and not afford them an extra few days or whatever... keep in mind that the grand majority of people adhere to our deposit rules and pickup rules, and it's not fair to everyone who does go by our policies, to allow certain random people special treatment.