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

liz545

I understand how frustrating it can be to feel that a rescue has turned you down for a minor reason, but from the other side of the table, I can say that the main reason that rescues have such strict criteria is that they want to make permanent matches. It really saddens me to see dogs that have been homed, and then returned - this week it was a puppy whose new owners returned it after a week because it was too bouncy and energetic! And this is after the interview and the rehomer had explained to them all about the training and attention the puppy would need Please do persevere - there are some great dogs out there looking for homes, and if you're patient and prepared to put some work in, you'll find the right dog.

tcr_3

I've shown OH the latest turn down. Got an email yesterday from a rescue org, telling us about a dog they were keen for us to go see. The dog's a terrier, a Bedlington, although we hadn't specified that breed ... and how keen was their email ? Basically saying if we drove a not inconsiderable distance to go see him for a few hours that we could have him same day, and that they'd carry out a post rehoming visit a few weeks later.

... so I politely wrote back saying we had no experience with Bedlingtons & that we both worked, I explained the 3 hour thing gap in the mornings, that the dog would be left to his own devices.

And they've replied today thanking us for our interest in the dog but that they don't think ours is a suitable home for this dog, because he needs so much attention etc etc, the usual pish. It's a total copy & paste job.

So we've now been turned down for a dog we expressed no interest in whatever, it wasn't like we initiated the conversation.

OH, she's actually really upset now, really upset, so we're calling it a day now. Things just seem stacked against us this time round. So we're going to take some time out and reconsider the whole thing. Guess we'll have to look at our own domestics if we wish to be dog owners again.

As to the various suggestions about chicken wire, passing traffic, sheep worrying etc ... I know folks mean well, but we've had 20+ years of experience with dog re-homing, haven't had a "near miss" yet, we're certainly not complacent.

Anyhows, that's where we are right now. Gunna have a real good think about it all.

melbury

What exactly is wrong with these recues? Are they power crazy or something?

You offer a dog a really loving, perfectly good home and they get all .... well you have to visit x amount of times for bonding etc etc etc. What a load of bollo$cks, I don't need this rubbish. Will just go out and buy a new one, even though I was perfectly willing to take on a dog that really needed a good home.

foreign_correspondent

TBH 3 hours might be disastrous for some dogs - and a breeze for others - for example for a dog with real seperation anxiety problems it would not be suitable.

Why not post a 'homes offered' ad on dogpages - loads of rescues read it - be upfront about the sort of dog you would like (size, breed, type etc) and what you can offer, include things like how much the dog would be left alone, and how your property is fenced etc and I am sure some suitable dogs will be suggested... oh and do say where you are located roughly!

http://www.dogpages.org.uk/forums/index.php?showforum=3

foreign_correspondent

melbury wrote: »

What exactly is wrong with these recues? Are they power crazy or something?

You offer a dog a really loving, perfectly good home and they get all .... well you have to visit x amount of times for bonding etc etc etc. What a load of bollo$cks, I don't need this rubbish. Will just go out and buy a new one, even though I was perfectly willing to take on a dog that really needed a good home.

Although 'visiting x amounts of times to bond' is not generally stipulated, if visting several times to see how you get on with a dog is too much hassle, then taking on an animal that will be a daily hassle (of a far greater magnitude) for the next 15-20 years is perhaps not for you.

When I applied for my dog, I went and visited her three times in the week we were waiting for a home check - an hour and twenty minutes drive either way - not because I had been told to, but because I wanted to get to know her, and her me before I brought her home.

Please do consider that everyone who contacts dog rescues says they are offering 'a really loving, perfectly good home'...

...many of them are, and can offer a good home, but some of them sadly, are liars and want a dog for reasons which are not good for the dog.. or are well intentioned but deluded, or haven't thought it through (acting on impulse and likely to change their minds a week later), or are simply in situations where dog ownership is nor a realistic prospect.

If you have a dog that you have neutered, chipped, kennelled, exercised, perhaps nursed back to health and trained, groomed, and undoubtedly cared for someone rings up saying 'I can offer that dog a good home'... for all you know they could be the ideal owners of that dog - or, they could be looking for a status dog, or for a guard dog, to keep chained and in a kennel, or the dog could be for a present for a spoilt child - who will change their mind a week later.. or the person could have 16 dogs and 25 cats already in an overcrowded house, or they could be someone who has a history of neglecting and being cruel to animals.... all of these are possible...

So, seriously, if you were a rescue, how would you go about trying to minimise the risk of your dog ending up in a bad situation?

melbury

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

Although 'visiting x amounts of times to bond' is not generally stipulated, if visting several times to see how you get on with a dog is too much hassle, then taking on an animal that will be a daily hassle (of a far greater magnitude) for the next 15-20 years is perhaps not for you.

When I applied for my dog, I went and visited her three times in the week we were waiting for a home check - an hour and twenty minutes drive either way - not because I had been told to, but because I wanted to get to know her, and her me before I brought her home.

Don't agree with you at all. We have always had dogs and given them extremely caring loving homes. I just think that if a rescue is 100+ miles away, which many of them are, it is just too much to expect 3+ visit for bonding.

They are obviously not that concerned with rehoming, just being OTT fussy.

foreign_correspondent

melbury wrote: »

Don't agree with you at all. We have always had dogs and given them extremely caring loving homes. I just think that if a rescue is 100+ miles away, which many of them are, it is just too much to expect 3+ visit for bonding.

They are obviously not that concerned with rehoming, just being OTT fussy.

Where do you live? I am sure there are lots of rescues closer to home...

You can find rescues in yoir local area by clicking on the relevant area of the map here: http://www.dogpages.org.uk/index.htm

melbury

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

Where do you live? I am sure there are lots of rescues closer to home...

You can find rescues in yoir local area by clicking on the relevant area of the map here: http://www.dogpages.org.uk/index.htm

Thank you, but I am well aware of the dogpages forum and regularly visit there.

It doesn't change anything, they are not doing the dogs any favours by acting the way they do. If they want to keep all the dogs in the rescues then fine, but why make the pretence of wanting to rehome them in loving homes, it's a nonsense.

tcr_3

The thing is, though, I don't think we're doing ourselves any favours by being honest. Because as soon as we mention the fact that the dog will be left for 3 hours each morning, that starts the alarm bells ringing at the re-homing agency. Perhaps they think that by 3 hours we really mean 5 ... or 7 ... I honestly don't know.

And I know where they're coming from ... it must be hugely upsetting for them to re-home then see the dog back with them after a few weeks when things go wrong.

OH is suggesting we become members of one of the re-homing agencies, contribute financially, but more importantly start attending their meetings, shows, get to know their staff in order that they better understand where we're coming from, our own circumstances. And that they'll be reassured we're not out to re-home "on a whim", that we're in this for the long haul. That, perhaps, they'll be able to identify a suitable candidate even if its months or years down the line.

I think that's a great idea.

The daft thing, though, is that we could walk out tomorrow and simply buy a puppy from one of these disreputable breeders .... not that we ever would, I assure you all .... with little if any checks carried out at all.

Just doesn't make any sense whatever.

I can't remember who recommended Dog Pages originally, but OH set up an account there last night and it's now been activated. So we'll do as folk have suggested, at some point over the next few weeks we'll post there offering a home & explain clearly what our own circumstances are, just as I did here .... and we'll see how that goes down, what the response is.

Had a look at Gumtree too, mm, don't know if we particularly want to go that route, it seems a total free for all certainly as far as puppies are concerned. But there's a few ads we saw, people wanting new homes for their dogs for a whole variety of reasons, mainly domestic breakdowns, new jobs etc etc. So we'll keep checking Gumtree, but with a bit of wariness about that site.

Rev

melbury wrote: »

Don't agree with you at all. We have always had dogs and given them extremely caring loving homes. I just think that if a rescue is 100+ miles away, which many of them are, it is just too much to expect 3+ visit for bonding.

They are obviously not that concerned with rehoming, just being OTT fussy.

I'm sure if you've read my earlier post in the thread you'll see I agree with you about them being OTT. But them wanting you to visit a few times to bond with the dog is one area I 100% agree with them on.

The dog has been through considerable stress with the kennel situation and some stranger they've never met just walking in and taking them home will cause even more stress. Whereas if you've popped in a few times and spent some time with them, they wont be half as stressed when you're suddenly taking them off from the place they have, for however long, called home.

That's why I didn't look at rescues more than an hour away by train, I have no issues travelling, but with no car and a disabled mother in tow, I had to be realistic about how far we could travel since we'd want to see the dog a few times first.

Still, nowhere found us suitable so it turned out not to be an issue.