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

Rev

elsien wrote: »

You don't by any chance live in Cumbria do you? There's a place there that does something similar except I don't think you get to meet the dog at all till they bring it to your house to live with you. :rotfl:

No, I'm in Liverpool, but I'm actually quite glad to hear I'm not the only one that happened too. I find it hard to believe they actually get people agreeing to that, taking on a dog without so much as having seen it is a bit irresponsible in my eyes. But hey, I'm a god awful pet owner by all accounts so what do I know lol.

We did actually contact one rescue who said to pop up and see if they had any dogs that caught our eye. When I say pop up, it was a 90 minutes away, but thankfully my friend was here she she gave up a lift up.

We explained, in detail that we wanted a small/medium sized dog who was child (no kids in the house, but baby sit 3 year old few afternoons a week) and cat friendly, preferably short haired, but not essential. They said they had so many dogs there, and many that could be the one we wanted/

So after driving 90 minutes and having a look around they had four kennels which held, in total four rotties and three giant cross breeds. I asked if they had any medium sized dogs (we just don't have room for anything bigger), they said no. I asked why I'd been told they did, and the guy just shrugged. I asked if they were child and cat friendly, he pointed to one of the cross breeds and said it was amazing with kids, and I quote here 'as for cats, just stick them in a room with each other, they'll learn to get along'.

And this was a rescue recommended to us by the local animal aid.

tabskitten

Oh - and the funny thing is that practically anyone can turn up and take a dog out for a walk (you only need hand over a set of keys as a deposit)- so if they are so worried about theft.........

tcr_3

tabskitten wrote: »

Some of the dogs have been there in those cages for such a long time and they have had people offer them homes that in my opinion would be better than the cell they are in. but have been rejected for what seems to me petty reasons.

That's how we see it too.

Because with a "non destruction" policy, you have to question the quality of life for some of these dogs, basically kept for years in kennels.

That can't be right either, can it ?

mrcol1000

tcr wrote: »

That's how we see it too.

Because with a "non destruction" policy, you have to question the quality of life for some of these dogs, basically kept for years in kennels.

That can't be right either, can it ?

RSPCA and rescues in general are always in the wrong. If they gave the dog to anyone without checking them and the dog ended up being treated cruelly they would be torn apart. They are careful over who they let have the dog then they are still in the wrong. The bigger well known names are especially terrified of getting it wrong. The smaller ones see their rescues as pets and want to make sure they only go to the best home possible. Some of them granted do treat the dogs worse than where they were rescued from but thats up to people to report. Just because there are some dodgy rescues don't tar them all with the same brush. Many of these are people who have just decided to try and do. Much like the breeders who decide to set themselves up regardless of knowing what to do.

If you don't like rescues rules then either try and alay their fears and find soloutions to what they are worried about or try a different rescue.
If no rescue will let you have a dog then you need to seriously consider if your really in a postion at the moment to offer a dog a home. You can always get a dog. If a breeder won't let you have a dog there are plenty of adverts in Pets at Home or newsagents. But instead of thinking its my right to have a dog if I please maybe you should look at the warning signs and think really if it would be fair to take a dog. Maybe you could foster dogs at weekends to give them a break from kennels.

Or instead of getting angry that someone has dared to say no to you maybe see it from their view point.

tabskitten

mrcol1000 wrote: »

RSPCA and rescues in general are always in the wrong. If they gave the dog to anyone without checking them and the dog ended up being treated cruelly they would be torn apart. They are careful over who they let have the dog then they are still in the wrong. The bigger well known names are especially terrified of getting it wrong. The smaller ones see their rescues as pets and want to make sure they only go to the best home possible. Some of them granted do treat the dogs worse than where they were rescued from but thats up to people to report. Just because there are some dodgy rescues don't tar them all with the same brush. Many of these are people who have just decided to try and do. Much like the breeders who decide to set themselves up regardless of knowing what to do.

If you don't like rescues rules then either try and alay their fears and find soloutions to what they are worried about or try a different rescue.
If no rescue will let you have a dog then you need to seriously consider if your really in a postion at the moment to offer a dog a home. You can always get a dog. If a breeder won't let you have a dog there are plenty of adverts in Pets at Home or newsagents. But instead of thinking its my right to have a dog if I please maybe you should look at the warning signs and think really if it would be fair to take a dog. Maybe you could foster dogs at weekends to give them a break from kennels.

Or instead of getting angry that someone has dared to say no to you maybe see it from their view point.

But I also know that many of the people that Bleakholt turned down have in fact goner on to give loving and happy homes to some very lucky animals.#Myself included, even as a dog loving volunteer I was sneered at as I do not have a garden as such- the fact my dog gets 4 walks a day and we have a field behind the house to use was irrelevant to thier criteria....

paddypaws101

This thread breaks my heart.

gettingready

This thread has taken me back to some 3 or so years ago when I was "there" trying to get a rescue GS and being turned down by every place I have contacted.

Got my Zara at Gumtree, she was 4 months old then, she will be 4 years old in August - never looked back.

Yeas, I know lots of dogs need homes and yes I know lots of them are denied those by insane rules of the rescue places.

I work - have a dog walker who Zara loves and loves her walks with a bunch of other dogs every lunchime

I live in a flat - 1st floor, 2 bedroom, just me, my daughter, cat and dog, plenty of space

I have no garden - woods 2 min at the back of flats and massive green open spaces at the front, extremely dog friendly place to live, lots of dogs

Zara is spayed, chipped, insured, fed good quality food, has a lot of dog friends, goes most places with me after work (buses, tube etc). She has some issues - she is a barker and that will never change but hey... she now mostly barks outside (constantly dropping a ball and wanting you to kick it for her) so not so bad...

And she seems happy enough - despite all the "shortcomings" that were a problem for me geting a rescue dog.

hethmar

May be its me ("dog lady" empathy?) but that email sounds like its just their basic policies and not meant for you specifically - I mean, I cant see its saying no to you having a dog?

By the way, be SO careful of ads in gumtree and elsewhere - I had a lady ring me yesterday looking for a small dog - she had contacted someone through an online ad - ad said 2 chihauhuas free to good home - long story but basically a scam to get £300 "courier delivery" charges out of her and of course, no dogs would arrive. So be aware there are some nasty people out there apparently offering dogs that dont exist.

And if you think they are being OTT about dogs being stolen, have a look (breaks your heart though) at Dogslost website. I have one lady ring me every few months asking if its possible her dog has turned up in the pound - and he was stolen, within her view - loaded into a car as she ran after it, 5 years ago. She still cries for him. Also there was a girl recently on my family history forum who had a doberman stolen from her back garden - luckily some observant people saw her being put into a van and she was traced to a "traveller" site. Its happening all the time now. Last week, a cavvy appeared in the pound - traced to a theft 2 weeks earlier of two dogs (the other one hasnt turned up ) from the garden of a severely disabled young man who was in hospital at the time. At least his family have the cavvy back now but no sign of the Maltese.

Kaelea

I'd give the local pound a bash, the RSPCA, Dogs trust and various 'rescue' charities are too far up thier own backsides

I was deemed unsuitable to adopt a dog, so I went to local pound, managed to pick out a dog (booked in to be put down the following day) the kennel staff didn't know a thing about her, we broke all the rules, bought her home to see how she got on with cat and kids, paid £40 the next day and bought her home for good, no home checks or anything

best £40 I ever spent (call it £200 after spaying, vaccinating and chipping lol)

13 years later she's still with me, she's had a good life, has had all yearly vaccinations, regular worming and flea treatment, is walked daily, and is well loved

Yet if the Rspca and dogs trust had of had their way she would of been destroyed 13 years ago ... so sad

hethmar

Actually, Id agree with Kaelea here, some of the pound boarding kennels are not good - Ive heard of them letting people take the dogs for a low amount with no knowledge of their health, nature etc. But please god they go to homes that will love them rather than be pts on their 7th day.

Ring your local dog warden to ask where the council pound is.