Are rescue shelters making it too hard to adopt a pet?

I understand the shelter's concern about ensuring the dogs end up in great, loving homes. What you described, though, is a flawed and inefficient system. The requisites to adapt a dog should certainly be relaxed if this is actively contributing to the high numbers of animals left to wait in a kennel forever. A bit of common sense would suffice, in this case, to realize that a dog will be happier with loving owners than he is in a kennel. When the dogs are put to sleep, then, it becomes even worse. It becomes a grave moral shortcoming, and I'd hope that would make the shelters rethink their policies.

But we already know that when a deeply flawed system is already in place it is very hard to replace it. Working full time has never been a problem for millions of dog owners. In the case of dogs they are rightfully concerned because they are very social animal, and it's easy for them to feel depressed and lost when their owner is away. But it should be enough to show them that you are willing to make small sacrifices to be with your pet, that you really intend to tend to his/her needs.

I have never adopted because in my area there aren't that many shelters, most of Italy's rural areas don't even actively try to bring strays to a shelter. So when you want to adopt a dog or a cat, you just choose among the sociable strays, perhaps looking for those more in need. Italy also prohibits kill shelters, which I think is wonderful, although it obviously puts a strain on the shelters and societies taking care of pets. My sister's foster home is always full to the brim!