Rescue dog! Big let down!

jimmyjimsgin

than you for that, yes the following day the dog was advertised on the web site looking for a home with no dogs due to possessive behavior issues, the dog was rehomed while in a fosterer (because we were reluctant to place the dog back into kennels even though the charity lady told me she was too busy to collect and take him to a fosterer!) I rang the foster lady myself and asked her to have him back as I didnt want him back in a kennel environment, my husband drove him back to the foster lady. The dog was resold for £175 to a home with no dogs within a week.

I did question what sex would be bestu suited for our home, bearing in mind my castrated male lab and I was assured (many times) by the professional charity that it would make no difference at all! I expected their advice to be trustworthy. I relied on them as they were the "professionals".


A part refund would have sufficed, covering their reasonable costs bearing in mind the dog was sold on again.

UKTigerlily wrote: »

I can understand why you're so upset & angry, OP & you have every right to be, the attitude of the rescue staff when you told them what happened & that you wanted the dog to go back is disgusting & voluntary worker or not that spoke to you in that way, it isn't good enough. It could have been a volunteer that spoke to you, maybe the Owner/s aren't aware of their attitude, although I think you say it was someone else too?

I am wondering a couple of things, did the dog definitely get rehomed or could it have gone to a foster family for further socialisation & assessment? Did the new owner (If it was rehomed & not with a fosterer) definitely pay £175? Maybe they got it cheaper? I do understand that though as you don't pay for the dog but a donation which most rescues seem to have a fixed amount, I guess to stop people offering £5!

The dog you got may not have cost them much, but others may cost thousands & it all goes to them & so I can see the rescue charging twice & think that's understandable, my own contract with the rescue I got my dog from says donations aren't refundable, so I knew that when I got her. It'd be nice if they had offered some back, but from their point of view, maybe if they do that they'd have to do it for everybody & nobody can say any dog is 100%.

If you'd got a pup that may have grown up to hate kids, or other dogs, even with socialisation & training. If the dog was ok for 4 days then to me, it doesn't sound like a dog aggressive dog, I realise it *was* aggressive & badly so, but mine wouldn't have even let another near her. Did the rescue have a history on the dog or had it been a stray? Maybe it'd lived with other dogs all of it's life & the old owners said it was fine & it may not have shown aggression in rescue (Dogs can act very differently in rescue to a home environment)

Also remember you had it for 4 days & I assume it was with the resident dog for 4 days, no rescue (Unless using fosters) could assess a dog for all those hours, maybe they never saw any aggression? (I'm not saying this is true but it's a possibility), it wouldn't be good for them to say it's fine if they knew it may not be as it'd likely end up back with them anyway!

Some dogs just aren't a good match & yet may get on great with all other dogs, some may fight after years together. I can imagine how it felt, when I got my rescue she chased the cat 2/3x (Always stopping dead when called) but my heart was in my mouth with fear each time & I thought about returning her & that I couldn't do it, so if either had actually been hurt & shown real aggression must've been terrifying & I can understand wanting to take it back, I myself told the rescue my cat comes first & if I ever feel she's in real danger the dog would come back.

Not sure about them homing a male to a resident males home, i've lived with groups of dogs with more than 1 male (Not castrated though) & all were fine, so it *can* work, I also know many people with two males including my Aunt, but I do think they should've explained a male/female combination would be a safer bet & guided you into that mix & if you'd insisted on a male maybe fully explain the risks.

Sorry this is so long, i'm thinking out loud & none of this is helpful I know, I do feel for you though & think maybe if the rescue had offered help from their behaviourist (If they have one?) or advice/suggestions for reintroducing them & managing it or came out to have a chat & see the dogs it may have made you feel better, to be spoken to like they did can only make it worse. They could've maybe done a goodwill partial refund of £75 or something so neutering was still paid for.

I'll shut up now as this isn't helpful, just want to say I do understand & feel they've behaved terribly, though not necessarily in regards to the dog they placed with you as loads of assessing may not have uncovered any aggression at all iyswim, it might be worth asking who their behaviourist/assessor is & to speak to them? (Even if to find out if they have somebody who does that!)

jimmyjimsgin

hi thank you for that


i have had labs as a child and labs and golden retrievers throughout my adult life, I have never experienced a behavior in a lab like this before. All my dogs are trained, I am always the boss, I never allow any of my dogs to believe that they are the boss. Labs as a rule are extremely friendly and craackers too, not attackers.

mpg wrote: »

I understand your point of view but I cant say I'm an experienced dentist because Ive cleaned my teeth for 36 years.

The OP has another dog thats 6 years old so obviously has 6 years experience its down to the Profesionals to make a educated assessment, After all they are the Profesionals.

Whats happened with the dog/dogs is a training issue.
Training of the dog or the owner I cant comment on.

I have just spoken to a friend who now trains security dogs after leaving the army where he used to train security and drug dogs.

He says there shouldnt be an issue with two males dogs providing the owners are the pack leaders. But was also amazed to be told they were lab's who are normally friendly if not a little crackers.

foreign_correspondent

I think the bottom line here, unfortunate as the incedent was it was probably not predicatable and I fully expect that in the contract you signed it was stated that the deposit was non refundable.

Unless you can prove that their assessment process for this dog was somehow faulty, I doubt you have any legal claim for a refund.

Kimberley

It is a shame. Posts like this could discourage others from getting a rescue dog so really you should have just gone to your local CAB or Solictor instead. You had a bad experience but in most cases rescues do work out. You don't know if anything spooked this dog into attacking. A noise or something. I understand you feel like you have lost your money but please do think about reclaiming your money back. Rescues do not make any profit and the people running them do not live in mansions. The money goes towards the other dogs in their care. Rescues rely entirely on donations. If it were £1000 then yes i'd feel as you do but £175 and you want to take them to Court? Rescues do state that the money you pay is a donation not a fee or bill of sale.

jimmyjimsgin

just because the money is £175 and not £1000 should not mean than principals and standards should not apply. I realise this, solicitors cost more money, I spoke to 3 CAB and all 3 have said it would need to go to court to get a final conclusion. I was only interested in viewers advice and opinions, rescue homes are fabulus usually, I have worked for a rescue home in the past however I believe that all professional organisations have a responsibility to their rescue dogs in finding a suitable home and to the new homes to ensure correct assessments have taken place.


I thank you though,

Kimberley wrote: »

It is a shame. Posts like this could discourage others from getting a rescue dog so really you should have just gone to your local CAB or Solictor instead. You had a bad experience but in most cases rescues do work out. You don't know if anything spooked this dog into attacking. A noise or something. I understand you feel like you have lost your money but please do think about reclaiming your money back. Rescues do not make any profit and the people running them do not live in mansions. The money goes towards the other dogs in their care. Rescues rely entirely on donations. If it were £1000 then yes i'd feel as you do but £175 and you want to take them to Court? Rescues do state that the money you pay is a donation not a fee or bill of sale.

mrcol1000

jimmyjimsgin wrote: »

please help.
We recently recieved a home visit from a large labrador rescue centre. I explained to them that we wanted a dog who was good with children and dogs as we have a 6 year old lab and a 5 year old daughter. they noted that the temperment was our only requirement, we didnt mind a !!!!! or dog, etc. 2 days later, surprise they found us the "perfect" dog, rescued from Ireland and would fit in with our family fantasticly. We collected the dog (lab cross) paying a "donation" for £175 (donation however that was the price we were told to pay) & 4 days later he savagely attacked our lab (totally unprovoked!), I had to pull him off my dog who recieved 4 large wounds. Really upset and shocked I contacted the centre, lady very rudely told me to wait 2 months and to give the dog another chance. i contacted my vet who advised me to remove the dog as he clearly had severe behavior problems, possibly possesion issues and would possibly attack our daughter too. We returned the dog to the centre, all very upset and shocked, took my dog to the vets for antibiotics etc for his wounds. The centre refused to refund all or part of the £175 stating that it was non refundable. I explained that we had needed a dog and child friendly dog and it was clearly not good with dogs, hence the mis sale. They were rude and arrogant, I contacted the chair man who agreed to refund the money as it was a sad outcome. 4 weeks later, no cheque contacted by the lady who is a trustee who placed the dog with us in the begining, she was so rude and agressive, called me a bad dog owner, that she would never refund me the money, it is a charity....... blah blah blah..... she over ruled the chairpersons decision. I wrote to the charity, contacted my vet who also wrote explaining that it was correct to return the dog due to the scale of dog attack etc, and I have had no response, not even a reply.
I dont know what to do as I am furious with the attitude of the charity. i realised that i had to pay £175 for the dog but I didnt realise that the charity did not find a suitable dog. It would have been dangerous to have kept the dog. we now are £175 worse off, and with no dog. i am seriously considering going to court as i feel so strongly. They have accepted no liability with placing this dog with our family. They have not offered us any refund at all. Just because it was a non refundable donation I dont feel that it gives the charity the right to sell dogs and place them hap hazardly in homes, risking safety etc. please let me know what you think. I know a dog falls under the Sale of Goods act 1979 so therefore must be fit for purpose, but paying the "donation" does that rid all liability from the charity.
also the charity resold the dog to another home 1 week later for £175 to a home with no dogs therefore the charity have sold the same dog for £350! i thought it was a charity who's aim is to rehome unwanted labradors not to make a business.... .

any idea if i have a case to go to court as I feel like they are bullying me because they are a charity etc,

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of this you donated £175 for the dog. You didn't buy it. You can not donate money to charity and then ask for it back.
I think the fact that you got the dog from a rescue is also irrevelant. You could have brought the dog and it attacked your other dog. You could also have brought a puppy from a breeder and your existing dog could have taken a dislike to the puppy and attacked it. Dogs are very unpredictable and there are loads reasons why they can attack. As other people have said the dog may not have been introduced to the other dog properly.
If you took the rescue centre to court you could destroy them wether you win or not due to the legal fees and ruin their reputation. Is this what you really want?

alleycat`

Kimberley wrote: »

It is a shame. Posts like this could discourage others from getting a rescue dog so really you should have just gone to your local CAB or Solictor instead .

What a load of old hooey.

I have a rescue dog and my family have had dogs pretty much all my life.
Some rescue places are very good and some are shockingly bad.

The ones i visited that i believed were bad didn't put me off looking for the right dog for myself and my family.

If a rescue place is more interested in the money than the dogs welfare they need to be named and shamed.

There will always be accidents / misplacements in dogs with no/poor history but the bottom line is the "charity" has a responsibility to both the dog and the family it is going to.

This charity appears to have totally failed in that duty of care and should rightly get a good kick in the pants for it.
I'm not sure they should be looking at giving the money "back" but they have totally failed in making any sort of effort to work with the poster.

mrcol1000

alleycat` wrote: »

This charity appears to have totally failed in that duty of care and should rightly get a good kick in the pants for it.
I'm not sure they should be looking at giving the money "back" but they have totally failed in making any sort of effort to work with the poster.

I agree there are good, bad and really awful rescues. However you only have one side of this. You do not know how the OP spoke to the rescue for them to react the way they did. Few people who deal with people are naturally rude but there are some. THere are a lot of people who deal with people who are rude and then rude back. Also you don't know what they did to try and help. I think its very easy to hear one side of a story. Its a shame the rescue centre can not provide their side as it may create a clearer picture.

alleycat`

Fair point.

It "appears" they have failed based on the information supplied.

Jules22

i think the point here is the fact the dog was returned within a week having attacked a resident dog.
if the rescue had any sense of reality and compassion then the donation should be returned.........hoping another dog could have a potential home with this family.

i've been through a similar situation with a 10mth old dog who, after 3 days, attacked my OH.
on returning the dog we were told it had been assesed and it was reccomended that the dog had 'professional help' as it didnt like men. i was never told that beforehand.

after that i wouldnt go down the rescue route again. the saying 'once bitten' holds strong with me.

i would ask for my donation back too, as this is given in good faith.