Do Dog Rescues Have an Unrealistic and Excessively Strict Approach to Rehoming?

gettingready

Zara is not a pedigree dog, paid £300 for her off Gumtree, couldn't get a dog from a rescue as was working/live in a flat etc etc.. sigh....

Drives me up the wall those "new breeds" and people getting so excited over what in the end is just a dog that needs a home - regardless of what name is it given.

I have to say I rather have a boxer or doberman than a staff though - they scare me, never met one that I would actually want. They look mean and I do not feel I could trust one.

But hey, people say the same about GS and lots cross the road when they see Zara so I guess each to their own. I was brought up where GS was the most popular breed to see around, never seen a staff till several years ago and to me that are just ... not my kind of a dog.

Back to shelters though - I can see why they ask for £150 per dog or so as I know what I have paid to get Zara chipped, vaccinated, neutered and what it costs me to feed and look after her - so those would be the costs to cover when takinga dog on.

But - even though I could pay - I was not allowed to take on a dog... sigh...

chompers

I also would have rescued a grown dog, not fussy about breed, its temperament that matters most to me, as we have children.

unfortunately, as we both work f/t, rescue wasn't an option, and we purchased a puppy from a recommended breeder instead.

Ive always kept dogs and found after settling in, the routine of having their own quiet time during the day hasn't caused any problems.
We have any English Bull Terrier, not too dissimilar from staffs in temperament, excellent with kids, in fact our current boy is so laid back he is allowed in the garden when our rabbit is loose.
He has little to no chasing interest and grooms the rabbit through the hutch bars - these dogs were originally bred for fighting, from a combination of breeds including dalmatian - but obviously no-one has told him!

gettingready

Oh, nobody told Zara that she should chase the cats... not HER cats anyway

soupdragon10

TBH some of the rules seem a trifle strange - when we were looking to adopt a lad from RSPCA we were told we had to have 6ft fences - as our paddock is heavily hedged plus sheep netted this did seem a bit excessive. Neither of our dogs had managed to get out of the field (nor any of our previous dogs).

Luckily the lovely couple who came to do the home check were happy that our home and field were secure, but if they'd been less reasonable it would have cost us a great deal of money in fencing to meet the 6 ft rule.

CFC

greenmoneysaver wrote: »

VN stands for Veterinary Nurse - I was NOT a volunteer!

I am a qualified professional with a full time job and so would not get through the majority of rehoming centres schemes - which is not unfair - however I do have a better than average idea of the problems caused by inappropriate rehoming!

Sums it up even more - you are a qualified vet nurse and have worked with rescues and they wouldn't even rehome to you!

I do agree with you about many problems caused by inappropriate rehoming - but I feel many of them are caused by the tickbox approach. Not to mention the fact that once people realise it IS a tickbox approach, the smarter ones just lie on their second application or are advised to do so by someone else, which then just compounds the problem.

KittyLady

We are a family with cats and children, we ended up leaving a good home offer on all the freeads for a few months until the right dog came along. In our case he's a lovely little KC spaniel whose owner was a single mum just returned to work who had a very clingy dog left alone nearly 13 hours a day. I'm unable to work due to health issues and he's settled in beautifully. The cats glare at him, he ignores them, he's my sons best friend now and our teenager (who was attacked last year by a large dog and fairly traumatised) is now braving the streets again with him for walkies.

We couldn't get past the no children rule with any rehoming centres as we have an under five and had thought we'd end up resorting to a breeder to get me a companion, it's lonely being trapped in a house unable to walk far when family all have school and work. There's a lot of dogs still out there needing rehoming who haven't made the kennels yet so I'd always say offer a home to them too before resorting to a breeder. Our dog is three, has years ahead of him and has made us so happy.

meames_2

I could't rehome through a large rescue centre because i work. I went too an independant centre and they were ok.

My dog is old, but quite happy to be left all day. In fact when I work from home, the dog looks quite put out and often goes and snoozes outside or on one of his many beds rather than in the room I'm working in.

My neighbours are great if I know I am to be a bit late and will walk him for me.

Darlyd

kajstring24 wrote: »

I claim it's fact because it is fact. It's actually people like that build on the bad name these dogs have because you're too ignorant to open your eyes and realise that Staffies have ALWAYS been good with children and people. They are strong dogs, but will only attack if trained to do so. It's not in their nature to be viscous, so it doesn't matter how many are irresponsibly bred, they will grow up to be good-natured, unless in the wrong hands.

This is what makes me so bloody angry about some people. I've seen someone say that Staffies are as dangerous as guns and should be banned. It's pathetic, and research needs to be done before people mouth off and claim that I'm 'compounding the problem' by believing in something that is actually true.

I'm shaking with anger at the above post. They are STILL known as the 'nanny dog', and regardless of the stupidity of the breeders that make Staffies aggressive it DOES NOT justify some jumped up !!!!! such as yourself taking the moral high ground and sticking with the pathetic reputation that these poor dogs have been given.

couldn't agree more.

My Aunty has bred staffies for 20+ years. I had 2 (sadly one went to doggy heaven today). They are the best ever dog to walk in my home/cross my path, My staffies brought up with my kids. Absolutely loved dressing up/trampoline/cuddled/ even going down the slide (after climbing it in hysterics).

They get given a bad name because some owners are idiots! And we all know, dog's grow up with the same attitude/personality as their owner. Mine certainly have!

Caroline_a

darlyd wrote: »

And we all know, dog's grow up with the same attitude/personality as their owner.

That explains totally why my dogs are bonkers then. :rotfl:although i do think that Oakley's attitude to politics and the economic situation is all wrong..:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Caroline_a

On a slightly more on-topic note though, attitudes of rescue centres was the reason why I ended up with a pedigree cat. I would probably have been fine with a moggie from a rescue centre, but all of the ones I phoned wanted 'no dogs' and I had to take 2 kittens! No idea why, as cats tend to be solitary animals for the most part! I didn't want 2 cats so eventually chose a breed and bought my Maine Coon. She's very beautiful, and lives the life of Riley, which would have been no different for a rescue kitten had the adoption agencies been less pedantic.