SOS Rescue invites Baton Rougeans to meet their match

Why do owners get rid their pets?

Admittedly, these days, the economy may play a role in some situations. However, owners frequently justify their surrender with one or more of the following complaints.

Of course, we hate to give up Fideaux and/or Minou. But, when we got him, we didn’t know:

• he would grow to be so big, or

• he would require so much exercise, or

• he would scratch the furniture, or

• he would pounce on my ankles, or

• he would knock valuables off the shelves, or

• he would shed so much, or

• he would chew up everything in the house if no one is home, or

• he would get bored and dig out of the backyard, or

• he would be so hard to housebreak.

Sadly, the owner’s ignorance can be deadly—particularly if the animal is dumped at a kill shelter.

To increase the likelihood of a good match between rescued pets and their new families, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) developed a program that allows adopters to gauge their compatibility with rescued animal before they bring home a new pet.

Locally, The ASPCA’s Meet Your Match Canine-ality and Feline-ality Adoption Programs have been adopted by SOS Rescue. The color-coded system premiered at last weekend’s Peace, Love & Adoption Open House at Salon Sevenoaks.

For potential adopters, the assessment involves a simple 15-question survey about their likes and their lifestyle. For example, one question asks whether the pet lover’s home more closely resembles a serene garden or a carnival. Based on the responses, an adopter is assigned a color code: green, purple or orange.

Likewise, after observation and much more rigorous testing involving social skills, personality and activity, each adoptable pet receives a color designation as well. The behavior assessment reliably predicts how an individual dog or cat is likely to act in a new home.

For example, a dog with a green color-coded description would be a Life of the Party, Go-Getter or Free Spirit. Green dogs love to be both physically and mentally engaged. A dog with an orange classification is more “middle of the road,” who longs for regular activity and interaction, and might be described as a Wallflower, Busy Bee or Goofball. A dog with a purple classification has a laidback attitude and enjoys an easygoing lifestyle. The pup could be described as a Couch Potato, Constant Companion or Teacher’s Pet. Besides their color ranking, cats are subdivided into those who are independent, social and gregarious.

The color-coded system helps adoption counselors match the expectations and lifestyles of the adopters with the behaviors of the adoptable animals. While adopters are still free to consider any animal, their best match is likely one of the pets with the same color designation.

“At most adoption events,” says SOS President Andrea LaFaver, “people are left to read cage cards and decide which is best for them. Often, they’re very confused and struggle to figure out what kinds of questions to ask adoption counselors.

“Meet Your Match gives people a people a chance to be more involved in process. And, hopefully, this program will get people thinking beyond: I want a chocolate lab because everybody’s got one” and get them to identify what their real lifestyle is and what kind of pet is best for their family.”

For more information or to take the Canine-ality and Feline-ality surveys online, visit www.sosrescuebr.org or SOS Rescue at the Siegen PetSmart each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Click here to see some of SOS’ adoptable pets.