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

Thamks for your replies!

I guess I'm just struggling to understand why each case can't be taken on it's own merits rather
than we've made a criteria checklist and if you don't tick every box there's no room for consideration
of your actual circumstances. We even suggested a few meets and walks together to ensure the
dogs got to know each other before we brought the new dog home. The sad thing is I could easily
lie and say I don't work which I'm sure plenty of people would but I don't want to go down that
route.

I realize that shelters want the best for animals and there have to be rules I do think it's unfair
if they can't look at every case individually. I'm more than happy for home checks, vet checks and
follow up visits to ensure the dog is happy and looked after. Even our vet was surprised when I told
him we'd been turned down as he gave us a fantastic reference and was expecting us to turn up
with our new dog for its registration check up at the clinic.

I actually love the idea you have in rural Italy of just adopting sociable strays, both my cat and my
dog were strays. The cat just kept turning up every day until he decided he was moving in and I
found our dog roaming around on it's own looking rather skinny and scared so I ended up taking
her home and was secretly glad her owner never came forward to claim her.

We're going to try ringing round some of the other shelters and explain the situation we are in
and see if any would be willing to consider us. I really don't want to end up buying a puppy
from a breeder when there are so many dogs in shelters in need of a loving home.