Dog re-homing charities ... a bit OTT ??

melbury

Totally agree with many of the comments on here about the difficulties in rehoming from a rescue.

One of the most wonderful dogs we ever had was from a rescue, but that was quite a number of years ago. Our last two dogs we purchased as pups.

Now we are down to one dog again we were thinking about rehoming a rescue dog, but have now given up on that idea.

I did spend ages completing an application form online and have looked at the rules and regulations of many rescue centres, but it seems to have changed so much over the years. They used to be only too pleased to find a good home for a rescue dog, but now it seems you have to jump through hoops to meet their strict criteria. They are way OTT.

We love dogs and always look after them very well - probably too well, they are spoilt rotten:D

It will another puppy for us, but definitely not from a puppy farm.

tcr_3

hethmar wrote: »

I am assuming you are looking for another westie ... (snip) ... I assume you only work part time or someone will let the dog out or walk him during the day? Otherwise, be fair, a full day alone with no company and dying for a poo or wee - that would be cruel to the dog.

Flexible with the breed, a Westie would be neat although receptive to other terriers. As to working, yeah I work full time, my partner she's part time.

But as soon as we're honest and say that our new dog will be left to its own devices for 3 hours in the morning, weekdays, just about every charity we speak to pulls up the drawbridge and says ... sorry, your home isn't suitable.

And it's not like we're 14 floors up in a tower block. We live in a cottage in the middle of nowhere, we've only got two neighbours within half a mile, we're living in the countryside.

We've got a huge field out the back which serves as our garden ... hundreds of yards worth of hedging forms the boundary. But because there's no fence in front of/behind the hedge, we can't tick the box which says "secure garden" either. It's absolutely daft.

Caffca

tcr wrote: »

But as soon as we're honest and say that our new dog will be left to its own devices for 3 hours in the morning, weekdays, just about every charity we speak to pulls up the drawbridge and says ... sorry, your home isn't suitable.

We've got a huge field out the back which serves as our garden ... hundreds of yards worth of hedging forms the boundary. But because there's no fence in front of/behind the hedge, we can't tick the box which says "secure garden" either. It's absolutely daft.

I don't think it's the 3 hours issue - most use 4 hours as a guide. It is more likely to be the hedging - any determined dog can find a way out through a hedge so naturally they are worried it could and either get injured or cause damage. Is there anyway you could secure the hedging - my parents have privet hedging and needed to secure it - more to stop other dogs getting in than their two getting out so one year when they did a major prune back of the hedging - they inserted a mesh/net type fence - only needed to be a few feet tall - that stopped dogs pushing through near the roots and once the hedge had grown back it covered the fencing so not visible anyway and didn't affect the look of the garden.

hethmar

Not sure why they say you are unsuitable if the dog is alone for only 3 hours. Normally rescues are ok up to 4 hours.

The secure garden thing, Ive had that one too as we live/lived in the country and to be honest to fence our land would be somewhere in the region of £30k. But not all rescues have the same criteria. Id tick secure garden and do as we did, put chicken wire in any gaps in the hedge, even tiny ones. You appreciate that the rescue doesnt want the dog turning up as a stray - and many will say if he does turn up as a stray (and chipped to them) they wont return him.

What area do you live in? Try terrier rescue as most of their dogs are still in the owners homes until a new home is offered.

(Caff, we must have posted almost identically at the same time )

Caffca

hethmar wrote: »

Im also the sort of idiot who would take on the old, sick or needy ones - they love you just as much, honestly.

I consider myself as a compassionate supporter of the older / under dog!!:rotfl:

hethmar

Have a look at these:

http://www.terrierrescue.co.uk/

Caffca

hethmar wrote: »

(Caff, we must have posted almost identically at the same time )

Great minds as they say!:D

tcr_3

Well it's completely impossible to fence the hedge, it's way too long (we're talking several hundred yards worth) ... and suspect there'd be planning issues too, we're in a conservation home, so that one's just not possible. Plus I just don't want a fence either, it'd spoil the look of the place, don't think my neighbours would be too enchanted with the idea either.

The road we live on, it's more a dirt track, it's not council adopted, there's no passing traffic of any kind, we & the neighbours live at a dead end.

Caffca

tcr wrote: »

Well it's completely impossible to fence the hedge, it's way too long (we're talking several hundred yards worth) ... and suspect there'd be planning issues too, we're in a conservation home, so that one's just not possible. Plus I just don't want a fence either, it'd spoil the look of the place, don't think my neighbours would be too enchanted with the idea either.

The road we live on, it's more a dirt track, it's not council adopted, there's no passing traffic of any kind, we & the neighbours live at a dead end.

Presumably you and your neighbours drive and sometimes have visitors that drive to see you as well. It only takes one vehicle to have an accident - it makes no difference whether it is passing or not.

We were not talking about replacing the hedge with fencing, just adding chicken wire / net fencing around the base of the hedge - if it's near the main trunks of the hedge, the hedge will grow around and through it so you can't see it anyway. A secure garden is vital and it would be reckless to leave a dog alone in a non-secure garden. If you want to rehome you are going to have to deal with this. If you decide you can't be bothered so you'll just buy a dog, don't secure the garden and it gets out and does cause an accident, you would be liable for costs or alternatively if there are any sheep nearby and the farmer sees the dog on his land (whether worrying sheep or not) he may well just shoot him on sight.

hethmar

As I said above, we use chicken fencing within the hedging - and we have hundreds of yards of hedge too. Doesnt cost a lot, isnt noticeable but should keep in little ones. I assume you will be outside with the dog anyway - he isnt going to be left to his own devices. We also used to live on an unmade country track, however during certain seasons it was like Piccadilly circus with farm vehicles and oh yes, kids coming from the villages to drive dirt road bikes up and down, lovely.

Look at the link Ive given you above for Terrier Rescue, there is also The Little Dog Rescue and Many Tears.

Faint heart, wonderful dog never won.