BRITAIN'S UNWANTED PETS - PANORAMA-BBC One, Monday 2nd August, 8.30 pm

foreign_correspondent

hotcookie101 wrote: »

I agree-or sometimes animals PTS by the RSPCA inspectors, unwilling to pay vets euthanasia fee, and unskilled in IV injections, will take animals from our building and give them an injection into liver or abdomen-not quick, painless or dignified

The RSPCA will use captive bolt guns on dogs in some circumstances - at least these dogs were not subjected to any proceedure we wouldnt allow to happen to our own much loved pets - it was not the act that was cruel per se, but the waste of life of those dogs, who were fit healthy and not aggressive - the staffies taken from the Forest Lodge kennels were only PTS as they were hard to rehome, not for any behavioural or health reasons - and the brindle and white lad looked a sweet little dog, wagging his tail as he was let out of his cage, no doubt thinking he was going off for a walk - poor little s0d.

Youdontseeme

the staffies taken from the Forest Lodge kennels were only PTS as they were hard to rehome, not for any behavioural or health reasons - and the brindle and white lad looked a sweet little dog, wagging his tail as he was let out of his cage, no doubt thinking he was going off for a walk - poor little s0d.

Most charities only have so much cash though... if they have 5 "fighting breeds" (I know that is not the right term, I am, at the moment failing to come up with something else to describe all the breeds!) that they know are going to be difficult to rehome taking up room of 5 more "suitable" for rehoming dogs can you blame them??

If I had a kennel and thought I could have some dodgy dogs here for 6 months or good 99% rehomable dogs for a week or two then budget wise what choice do they have??

It is a sad state of affairs for a nation that is supposed to be full of animal lovers

foreign_correspondent

Youdontseeme - I know, I appreciate the rationale behind the decision - doesnt make it any less tragic for those individual dogs though - it is still a sad waste of life of dogs, who through no fault of their own, happen to be bull breeds - there was no suggestion the dogs themselves were problematic, in fact they explicitly stated that they were not aggressive, just unwanted.

Desired_opal

its so sad that programme made me cry and look at my own 3 yr old staffie , i wasent a fan of the breed but when my hubby told me a friend had a litter we went to see them and i fell in love with her i said i will only have a girl and thinking it was quite rare a red and white one !!!! guess what coulour my staffie is lol i have to say she is one of the best dogs i have had so far in my 33 years thats 3 dogs all living till very old
i get a dog or any pet for life theirs or .i would never dream of getting rid for a puppy my dog is loyal gorgeous and one of the family and protective in the right way ie strange noise in middle of night etc , i hate the bad rep this breed has and i have had many an argument with 15 yr olds wanting to know if they can buy her or wanting to buy her pups i would love to some sort of policy in place where owners have to have a pet insurance etc and be registered so that owners are traceable lovely idea eh !!!

CFC

hethmar wrote: »

"Hethmar - you say that any start on these ideas is desirable, but anyone can say 'let's walk to the moon', it's not any use putting forward ideas as a solution that are neither workable nor desirable imo. "

CFC, "someone" said "we can walk on the moon" once and I seem to remember it happened. I bet it took a lot of daft. unworkable ideas before it did though.

Theres an old native american saying "time to throw a stick down" - or in other words, every journey starts with one step.

Please note the very big difference between walk TO the moon and walk ON the moon! Not to mention that I think the idea proposed is unworkable AND undesirable. I would hate to see all power over dogs concentrated in the hands of professional breeders, which is what that proposal was.

Microchipping at birth? I don't believe it would work at all in practice for all the reasons other posters have raised, but I'm not against it in principle.

foreign_correspondent

CFC wrote: »

Microchipping at birth? I don't believe it would work at all in practice for all the reasons other posters have raised, but I'm not against it in principle.

Why not make it one of the duties of all these community officers we have milling about everywhere? They seem to have bu99er all to do round here, other than wandering/cycling about and standing in the park chatting... equip them with a chip scanner and set them off, at the same time as offering free or cost price chipping...

hethmar

Thats the way, a bit of brain storming (oh thats non pc nowdays isnt it!) - is required. Months and months of it. Not just negativity.

foreign_correspondent

There is a new advisory council on dog welfare in breeding being set up - I think we should be asking for them to undertake some research / consultations with interested members of the public - and volunteering our ideas!

http://dogadvisorycouncil.org.uk/

The woman heading it up seems a sensible person, she was interviewed on R4 yesterday, you can listen to the interview here - she is about ten minutes in - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t6fjf

hethmar

Yes, she does sound ok doesnt she.