The Danger of Thin-Slicing

Growing up one of my closest friends was a girl I'll call "Sarah." Sarah and her little brother lived in a ubiquitous middle class home with a picket fence that was the epitome of Suburbia. Her father worked for a large company and had previously served in the U.S. military in an Asian country, where he met his wife, who stayed at home with the children.

Not long after they moved to my neighborhood, they bought, or adopted, a spaniel mix.

What an ideal home for the dog, right? The house had a fenced yard, there was an adult home during the day to watch it, and the family clearly had the means to care for it.

Right?

Fast forward a year later. Sarah's parents suddenly divorced and placed the house up for sale. One weekend they moved everything out and sped away to a new neighborhood and a new school.

Except for the dog.

When Mom found out, she was livid. She called animal control and they took the dog. I don't know which of Sarah's parents left the dog and if that person was charged.

So, pretending none of this happened and we've all been sent back in time, what would you do if Sarah's parents applied for one of your pets? Would your two second decision be made based on prejudgments about their relative wealth and fenced yard?

Gladwell would view this as one of the darker parts of thin-slicing. In "Blink" he references a successful car salesman who viewed all the customers who walked in the door as potential sales, even if their clothes were dirty or cheap.

Now, rescue is different in that we're not a business. But I think the stories about the car salesman and Sarah's parents show us that thin-slicing has its disadvantages. To overcome it, I feel, requires a two-fold approach: treating all potential adopters as possible "pet parents" and maintaining caution throughout the adoption process. That well-dressed couple could have a history of abandoning animals that you're not aware of. And that college student in the Slipknot t-shirt may be the rare jewel that will be lifelong and dedicated owner.

Now, if your gut is telling you something that makes you uncomfortable about an adopter. By all means follow your protocol (speak to references, vets, landlords, home visits, etc.) Ask other rescues and shelters about that person. You may end up being surprised; maybe your "gut" feeling wasn't so much your gut but the unconscious imprint of certain societal stereotypes.

I hope that poor dog found a loving home. And, to this day, I wonder if the dog's abandonment left an imprint on Sarah, who got involved in some shady things and disappeared by my sophomore year of high school.