Time It Takes to Respond / Chins In Foster Homes

A few nights ago, I got text messages starting at 1:45 am.  I was just about to go to bed, but I thought, you never know, might be an adopter, maybe someone who works late, I'll respond back.  They were asking about a pair of chins that are available.  We talked about the care packet and adoption form, and because I try to make it easy for people, I sent them the links to those pages on my website.  They said, the adoption form won't work for them.  Because, well, of course it won't.  I told them, they could give me their email and I would email a word doc copy to them in the morning.  I should note, I about never have to do this (maybe like once a year now?) because the online forms work just fine like 99.5% of the time.  No response to that, initially, until they asked, well, can they just buy the chins and when they come pick up, fill out the form.  I told them, sorry, no, the form needs to be done ahead of time, so that they can be approved prior to them coming this way to get here, to adopt.  I told them, if they're having a problem with a particular part of the form (and I should note... that page on the website was working then, and is working now, and every time I've gotten the link for someone in between), let me know and I'd be happy to help.  Of course, they haven't responded back.  The last text between us was at 2:40 am.

The chins they were asking about were the pair that is fostered in Dubuque, Iowa.  You read that right, we have a foster in Iowa.  I am not, and I repeat, NOT, bringing those chins back to the rescue without NOT ONLY a completed adoption form BUT ALSO a deposit.  Does that upset you?  Sorry, I'm NOT sorry.  I've had so many people wasting my time lately (which is typical, but even moreso lately), that I am NOT going to have a foster that's 2 states away, haul two chins here, for someone who can't be bothered to fill out the adoption form before coming.  Committal to their adoption, and only that, will get them back here.

Also related... have another chin in a foster home that someone was texting me about, a couple of days ago.  I was messaging them back, and then accidentally missed their message for a couple days, because I was busy with customers and other things, imagine that lol.  When I realized that I hadn't responded back to their message, I immediately messaged them back and then even emailed them back (since I had their email from their adoption form).  The main reason I emailed them back (in addition to the message) is because, since that chin they were asking about seeing is in a foster home -- it's not here!  So, should they really want to come see the chin in the next couple of days, I would have to arrange that with the foster home.  They did get back to me, a day or so after my message / email, saying since I hadn't gotten back to them sooner, they wouldn't be able to adopt.  I assume they found one elsewhere.

I know, I KNOW I've been whining a lot lately about people.  I think people forget though, that many small rescues (aka NOT humane societies) are run by a single person who has more to do than answer emails / texts / phone calls.  It's summer, so I am doing stuff with family / friends.  There's still chin stuff going on, and I'm also doing housecleaning, doing stuff with the dogs, etc etc.  Plus all the normal chin stuff.  I'm still one person though.  Would it be great if I could do more?  Stay completely on top of emails / texts / phone calls?  Well sure!  But between the wee-hours-of-the-night texters, and the actual people here for appointments, people surrendering their animals and whatnot, plus of course, filling orders, and last but not least... emails / phone calls / facebook messages... there is a lot to do.  I probably don't need to tell you this, but I do my best!  If I haven't gotten to it, it's because I'm working on ones ahead...

Another example... I got an email the other day that basically said, hey we submitted an order on such and such day, we haven't gotten a confirmation or shipping info, wanted to check up on this.  It had been 9 days, and I realize in the world of Amazon Prime, that's waaaaaaaaaaay too long for a rational human being to wait, but this is not Prime.  On our Webstore Policies (which it does suggest everyone reads):

...no one seems to read that, so often I think I'm talking to myself... but it is there.  We don't send a confirmation email.  Now, people should get one from paypal... but WE don't send one.  Why?  Well, personally it takes time to send an email that is like "hey, I got your order, will be working on it soon!" ESPECIALLY when just about NO ONE responds to my emails with questions about their orders.  If I bother to send an email with questions... it's an order that I can't ship, without knowing the answer to those questions.  So, this would just be another email that would be sent, and would go unread.  I haven't sent a shipping info email to that person because... perhaps surprisingly... I am still working on their order... and on orders before theirs (which is what I nicely emailed them).  I know this is hard for everyone, but please try to remember that I am one person over here.  A lot of what is ordered, we build.  Almost everything in fact.  So, if you order a motorhome, for example, and it's not built, I get to cut the wood and then assemble it.  The motorhome takes 4+ days to assemble, as it has to be assembled in parts, let that dry, assemble the next part.  If I have orders ahead of that one, it's four days... from when I start on it.  Patience is a virtue.  Time to get some.