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Home Checks

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Nikki

Nikki

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This question is mainly for rescues i was just wondering do you always do home checks?
I'm just asking because my family have in total adopted 4 animals from all different places and never once have we had a homecheck. Our dog came from Enfield rescue, our cat from woodgreen then also two guinea pigs sugar and porky from two different private guinea pig rescues. The only reason I can think for not homechecking is that we brought along a GP each time when we got the GP's, but can't think of any reason not to check with the dog and cat.
 
I always try and do a homecheck. There has only been one instance where I didn't do a homecheck before taking the guinea pig to it's new home - but that was because it was a considerable distance, and I had talked extensively with the person who was adopting. You get a better feel for the people through chatting anyway, I think.

Sometimes I feel a homecheck can be alittle misleading - after all, they know they're coming and make that extra special effort. Where as over several chats i think it's harder for folk to "keep up a charade"!

But if I'm honest, it's within the first five, ten minutes of talking, or just the initial email of enquiry, where I make the decision. For example, someone may write me a nice long email telling me about themselves and asking questions, and that'll be a yes. Others. "Hi, I like guinea pigs. How much for one?" ...Thats clearly a no! (And yes, that's quoted from an actual email, but with the spelling improved!)
 
To be honest sometimes I wonder if homechecks are done properly.

When I had this lady from the RSPCA do our homecheck, she said she is usually doing homechecks for dogs and cats and really did not have a clue about piggies! Of course even a person who does not know about pigs is able to see if the cage is clean, if there is food for them, but is this really enough?

I am not sure if someone who does not know what to look for would spot things like overgrown claws, lack of hay in the cage (they might just look out for a bowl with dried food for all they know), or the piggies scratching themselves suspiciously often, you get my drift!

Sadly it seems people who might be great for checking other pets but have not much of an idea about guinea pigs are being used to homecheck potential piggy homes :(
 
Thing is, anyone can make a home look great for a homecheck - it's what happens to the animals afterwards that can't be checked unfortunately. I think maybe spending time with that person before they take the animal home would be more beneficial that a homecheck.
 
Wood Green should do a homecheck. Which shelter did you adopt from? I have adopted from both Godmanchester and Heydon, and both were very strict about the homechecks. Granted they were for piggies, but the rules are allegedly the same for all animals.

I wasn't homechecked for my first two adoptions as I knew the rescue manager, I wrote some literature for the rescue to hand out, and I was one of the longer-serving volunteers, so they knew me and trusted me. I've kept all the rescues/shelter updated on the animals they have adopted to me, and I do feel that there should be follow-ups/visits/updates after the adoption. I know some rescues do follow-up visits.
 
The cat came from the godmanchester shelter, they wanted to see how he was with my two younger brothers so they had to come or a visit but that was it.
 
I have been homechecked twice by the same rescue, 1st time for a piggy, the 2nd for a bun. I've also been homechecked by the RSPCA when i adopted my 1st pair of buns & had a follow-up check too.
The piggies/bun i've adopted from rescues further away, i've provided pics of my set-up. :)
 
I always do a home visit with both cats and guinea pigs - there isn't much point in calling myself a rescue if I put them into a home I don't know. I would be just the same as a breeder then, allowing them to go to the first home that sounded ok.

I spend time initially asking lots of questions and building up a picture of the type of home on offer before agreeing to an adoption. I then take the animal to the home on the condition that the animals are adopted only if I'm happy with the set up - I would have no qualms whatsoever at bringing the animals back with me if I had any doubts about the home.

I'm pleased to say that I haven't yet had to bring any back with me! I do it this way as I cover such a large area and often travel many miles - it wouldn't be feasible to home visit first then do the adoption.

On the rare occassion that I haven't homechecked I have made extensive enquiries, got references etc but it is a rare thing for me to do. I don't rely solely on pictures of anyones set up either as it could simply be a picture copied and pasted from the internet.

I'm always saddened to hear that rescues haven't home checked, whatever the animal. It makes me suspect that they are more interested in the quantity of homes rather than the quality, it's too much of a gamble.

Experience has taught me that things aren't always as they are made out to be ....though I'm sure that many people not home visited are also fabulous homes. It's just I need my own peace of mind I think :) I need my sleep at night. :(|):(|):(|)

Seeing an animal settle into a new home after I've nursed it back to health or seen it born into the world or just found it a good home is one of the true delights of being an independant rescue - no way would I let anyone else take over that nice bit of the job !

In my dreams all rescues would sign up to a Code of Practice which protects the animal and secures their future :) Home visits by trained people would be part of that, instead of the somewhat disjointed effort we see operating now.
 
I think that is extremely good of you to go all that effort to ensure that every animal that leaves you goes to a good loving home. At least that way you will also have peace of mind that they will be ok. If only every rescue (or any place that homed animals) done this. Well done and keep up the good work - there will be loads of animals that wish they could talk to thank you for giving them a better life.
 
I agree in an ideal world every single adoptee would have a homecheck, and of course dialogue by email / telephone etc. beforehand and as a follow up.

I tend to let them come here and visit the pigs first, after talking on the phone and chatting about their needs etc. - then they reserve the piggy / piggies that they like, and when they're ready I take the pigs to their new home and do the homecheck / see them settle in, and introduce to existing pigs if needed.

On one occasion the lady was quite some distance away, she drove all the way over to see the pigs, reserved a pair and then came back for them a couple of weeks later. I didn't see her home, but she had previously adopted pigs from woodgreen and RSPCA and was doing a rodentology course... and I felt absolutely happy about the pigs going to her.

I wouldn't home a pig to someone I wasn't happy about.. even if it's just a niggly feeling. I get some fairly abrupt emails, people wanting a specific colour, especially if it's a sow... you have to be so careful, and it's our responsibility to ensure they go to the best homes possible.

I had a piggy from Wood Green and I was too far for them to homecheck, so I had to send pictures of the hutch and run.

I also always follow up a rehome with a phone call / email to check the pig is settling in ok, getting on with new companion etc. and will always go and visit to do first nail trimming / maintenance if needed. I'm always on the end of the phone if they need advice.

I'm sure everyone does things differently, and yes, anyone could make the homecheck look great and then keep them in awful conditions, but at the end of it all, it's down to narrowing down any risks and making a judgment call. Personally if I'm not 100% sure, I'd rather the pig stayed with me, at least I know how it would be kept then!

Sophie
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Thanks for that post Sophie - it's great to know that others share the same standards.

The home visit allows us to build up a relationship with a new owner and no doubt (like me) you've made some really good friends during the process.

Christmas can be such a special time too, when I recieve cards and updates on all the cats/kittens and piggies I've rehomed. My husband is always amazed at the number of guinea pigs that can write (despite me often telling him how clever they are) LOL

I think it's great that people still want to share their animal news with me!
 
Yes it's amazing how many piggies can email!

I'm sending cards to the people who have adopted pigs from me this year, but thought I'd address them to the pigs not the people!

Sophie
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