Teaching an old dog new tricks.

**Buda** · 12-10-2012, 10:31 PM

The New Zealand SPCA taught some dogs to drive a car to show that rescue dogs are smart and worthy of adoption. I guess there's a bit of a stigma that SPCA animals are unwanted for a reason.

There's something pretty awesome about the dedication of teaching doggies to drive and for a good cause too! Hopefully all the current pups and other animals get adopted for Christmas instead of people preferring pet shops or worse.

This is a video of one of the doggies driving around a corner. Video here.

**Red Kittie Kat** · 12-10-2012, 10:33 PM

That is pretty awesome

He drives better than some people I know

**Yossarian** · 12-10-2012, 10:46 PM

Yeah, but can he parallel bark?

**Buda** · 12-10-2012, 10:59 PM

lol. I'm not sure, but he can drive better than me. I've only gotten behind the wheel once in my life.

**Lith** · 12-10-2012, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buda

lol. I'm not sure, but he can drive better than me. I've only gotten behind the wheel once in my life.

You're kidding

**Buda** · 12-11-2012, 12:45 AM

I legally have a learner's license, but it's just a written test. I've since lost my wallet so don't physically have a that license now. If I decided to take driving lessons, I'd need to reapply for a learners license first.

Though I'm pretty sure these doggies haven't sat their learners test so I guess I've got that over them.

kemingMatters · 12-11-2012, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buda

I guess there's a bit of a stigma that SPCA animals are unwanted for a reason.

Around here it's not the animals that are unwanted, it's that the SPCA makes it almost as difficult to adopt an animal as it is to adopt a child. At some point they need to realize that it is a pet and if someone wants one, they will get one from them or elsewhere.

</rant> sorry, I know quite a few people that have adopted dogs and they said they never would again because of how difficult it was to do so. We foster dogs at the office, usually one at a time, and it never ceases to amaze me, how counterproductive their system is.

Dogs are pretty amazing creatures.

**Lith** · 12-11-2012, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kemingMatters

Around here it's not the animals that are unwanted, it's that the SPCA makes it almost as difficult to adopt an animal as it is to adopt a child. At some point they need to realize that it is a pet and if someone wants one, they will get one from them or elsewhere.

</rant> sorry, I know quite a few people that have adopted dogs and they said they never would again because of how difficult it was to do so. We foster dogs at the office, usually one at a time, and it never ceases to amaze me, how counterproductive their system is.

Dogs are pretty amazing creatures.

That's about the same thing we have going on here. It's around $150 to adopt a dog that's (more than likely) going to end up being put down anyway. Make no sense.

Designia · 12-11-2012, 04:30 PM

I adopted a kitten about two years ago and it was pretty easy. I just had to make sure the other doofus was up on all his shots. It was about $150 but that took care of all his shots and his neutering. Way less than the vet.

kemingMatters · 12-11-2012, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lith

That's about the same thing we have going on here. It's around $150 to adopt a dog that's (more than likely) going to end up being put down anyway. Make no sense.

It's not even that, it's all the paperwork, some places even want to do home visits before releasing an animal, it's invasive, and if there is more than one person wanting to adopt that animal it gets worse. It's too much, considering pretty much anyone can walk into any pet store/breeder/place where they sell pets and go "I want that one, take my money, thank you we'll be leaving with our new pet now." Whether they want to believe it or not they do have competition and they need to compete by simplifying the adoption process instead of playing rescue gatekeeper.