By Ashley M. Casey
Tinder, OkCupid, Match.com and now, the Woof Connection. One of these things is not like the other.
While there’s no shortage of apps and online services to meet other people, there are fewer options on the market for humans seeking dogs. Last month, the CNY SPCA began piloting the Woof Connection, a program that uses a detailed survey to match hopeful owners with up to four prospective pups.
If you choose to adopt one of your matches, the CNY SPCA waives the adoption fee; it’s $50 to adopt a dog not on your list.
“It was almost like eHarmony but for dogs,” CNY SPCA Humane Educator Dee Schaefer said of the idea for the program, which started Nov. 20 and runs through Dec. 31.
Schaefer said the Woof Connection’s goal is to match a family with a dog whose disposition is compatible with their lifestyle. This reduces the chances of a family returning a dog to the shelter.
“Many people adopt based on looks: ‘Oh, that’s a cute dog.’ Many people adopt based on a sad story,” Schaefer said.
But your favorite breed or the one who tugs on your heartstrings may not be the right fit for your home. A dog’s temperament or activity level may clash with their new family’s.
“Every time an animal is returned, it damages them a little bit more. They go to a new home, and if they return in a few weeks, they don’t know what hit them,” Schaefer said.
The CNY SPCA has adopted out 11 dogs through the Woof Connection.
“So far none of them have come back, which is really good because we did have 151 returns from the beginning of the year,” Schaefer said.
If the retention rate remains high, Schaefer said, the shelter may consider extending the program.
The Woof Connection’s comprehensive survey takes into consideration a number of factors to determine the compatibility of dog and owner.
Shelter staff wrote detailed profiles of each dog, weighing their affinity for other dogs, their activity level and other traits.
“I’m relying on our kennel staff and our dog walkers because they work with these animals every day,” Schaefer said. “They know if it’s not a good fit.”
Survey questions for prospective owners include:
• Why do you want a dog? Do you want a companion, protector or running buddy?
• Do you live in an apartment or a house?
• Are you a neat freak? Do you mind a little clutter?
• Will someone be home during the day, or does your schedule keep you out for hours at a time?
“If you work 40, 45 hours a week you’re not going to want a dog bouncing off the walls waiting for you to come home,” Schaefer said.
The survey also asks families to consider how future life changes — a new baby, for example — would affect their ownership of a pet.
“Are they going to have time for a job, a new baby and a dog? Cats are a little easier because they’re a little more independent,” Schaefer said.
While the trial period of the Woof Connection program ends Dec. 31, the preliminary results seem promising. Even the very first dog who found a family through the program was a big win for the shelter.
Coby, a Catahoula Leopard Dog mix who is about 7 or 8 years old, had been at the CNY SPCA for a year and still hadn’t found a home. But when he met his match in Melissa and William O’Brien, it was love at first sight.
“When Coby went home, there was not a dry eye in the building because he was here so long,” Schaefer said. “The lady got down on the floor next to him and he laid his head on her shoulder and let out a sigh.”
To learn more about the Woof Connection, contact Dee Schaefer at [email protected]. Visit the CNY SPCA at 5878 East Molloy Road in Syracuse to fill out an adoption application and the Woof Connection survey.
