more annoyances

• when calling to see if we have a particular animal(s), PLEASE DO NOT use the same terminology you would use when checking on an order in a store. Did we just receive a large shipment of cats? Funny you should ask, just got some in waiting to be unloaded from the docks. How is our supply of tabbies? Well, we are running a little low...rumour has it those are on backorder for 6 weeks. Can i interest you in a torti instead?
• please do not enter our humble facility, immediately clutch your nose, make gagging sounds and complain of the smell. A) Have you been to other shelters? I suggest making a trek there and then tell us how much it "smells" when you walk in our doors. B) It's an ANIMAL shelter, NOT a frickin bakery. We have 200+ bowels in our care that do not go off at the same time. Something, somewhere, is going to poo at a given time. We are very diligent about cleaning, but sorry, you are going to smell something. C) That's just rude. I can't wait to come over to your house and immediately request a gas mask and wonder outloud how the department of sanitation doesn't condemn your cesspool of a home.
• Pay attention to our hours. We are not a 24/7 operation. Just because you make eye contact with a passing staff member at 10:23 doesn't mean we are going to let you in to look at the animals. See the buckets out in the middle of the floor? See the wet puddles? The big long hoses stretched from one end of the kennels to the other? How about the garbage bags and piles of diry laundry studding the floor every 20 feet or so? Those are all pretty good indicators that we are not open, and that at the present moment, your safety can not be ensured if you walk through. Go back and sit in your car for another hour and a half...the dogs and cats aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Besides, would you yank on the door of Target at 1:30am, bang on the glass, yank some more on the door (because surely the second time will be the charm), and demand to "just see what you have."? oy.
• yes we have dogs. In case it's not apparent from the audible sounds behind me while i converse to you in the phone, they are here. Yes we have labs. Yes we have male labs. No I can not tell you if we have anything that is good with kids, lived with cats, will catch a frisbee while performing a tuck somersault, knows commands, will serve you breakfast in bed, etc. I'm fielding your call, not going through a laundry list of what we have. Come down and take a look at what we have.
• Don't attempt to haggle over adoption fees. If you price out what is included, you'll see they are a significant savings opportunity in and of itself. Do you want a lifelong companion or a blue light special?

Ahh, the joys of serving the public.....