Giving up pets because of pregnancy

cavework

Got my first dog when I was 8 months pregnant with my second child who was 3.
That dog sat on the stairs the day my waters broke and welcomed me home with the new baby 8 hours later.
She remained the most loyal and faithfull friend to my kids until she died of old age.
To give up a dog soley due to pregnancy without even giving it a chance once the baby is born is just plain wrong. it is not an accessory that no longer fits in with your life style and can be easily disposed of when the novelty wears off., it is a breathing feeling living animal.

rising_from_the_ashes

Person_one wrote: »

I think we need to be careful about repeating these stereotypes, because they might well be putting people off approaching rescues as they assume they'll be turned down.

I got two rescue dogs while living alone in a small flat with no outdoor space and while not working full time, out of the home for a good few hours every day.

They don't all have blanket bans, and I don't think its fair at all to blame them for irresponsible breeding.

I am not repeating stereotypes - I am stating facts as has been discovered by both myself - and other people I know.

They might not all have blanket bans but I can say where I live they all do.

Fosterdog wrote: »

There aren't enough of these loving homes with more care/attention out there.

I have tried every rescue within 100 miles (including the small independent ones) and not one will rehome to anyone who works more than 4 hours a day ..... no matter what you are able / willing to put in place.

How many people can afford to only work 4 hours these days?

No, it's not for every dog as I said earlier - but it is not unsuitable for every single one - and surely much better than 20 dogs a day being pts (figure from this month's Dogs Trust magazine).

People breed irresponsibly as there is a market for puppies - of course this wouldn't be wiped out if the rescues rehomed to more people but I know a lot of people who've had little option but to get a pup if they want a dog .... so IMHO this does then add fuel to those looking to make a quick buck.

Just because someone works / has older children / doesn't have a 6ft fenced garden or one of the other blanket bans (where I live) - doesn't mean they cannot provide a safe and loving home and many of people are being rejected outright without individual circumstances being looked into and dogs matched which would surely help the situation.

ETA to highlight how bad it is ... some around here will only rehome within a 15 mile radius - it's a rural area for goodness sakes - I have to travel nearly 10 miles to the nearest supermarket.

Fosterdog

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Many rescues now have such restrictive criteria against their rehoming policies, it's just about bl**dy impossible for *ordinary* people to get one.

This then leads people to get a pup - even if they would rather have an older dog - and a few months later these are many of the few month old ones I've mentioned above.

Yes, the rescues need to be careful about who rehomes their animals - and what will suit one dog may not suit another - but having blanket bans on vast swathes of the population is not the way forward - and IMHO is fuelling the problem with people having to resort to buying pups, which in turn leads to more dogs ending up in rescues and irresponsible breeding - and so the cycle begins again.

Let me get this right, the rescues are too picky so people go out and get pups instead, these people then abandon the pups or breed irresponsibly. That is exactly why they were turned down by the rescue in the first place because they were too irresponsible.

I do not believe that every person turned down is irresponsible and some rescues go too far with their requirements but they also have a responsibility to the animals in their care to do what's best for them. I don't believe in blanket policies and very few rescues these days use them, it's more effective treating each potential owner and each dog as an individual.

I can't believe how many people who are out of the house for 8+ hours a day with nobody to help out and they think it is responsible to get a dog just because they want one.

rising_from_the_ashes

Fosterdog wrote: »

Let me get this right, the rescues are too picky so people go out and get pups instead, these people then abandon the pups or breed irresponsibly. That is exactly why they were turned down by the rescue in the first place because they were too irresponsible.

That may well happen but I also know a lot of people who've tried to rehome from rescues as a family pet, not to breed from but have been turned down and have therefore had little option but to get pups - which they still have and are very happy dogs.

Fosterdog wrote: »

I don't believe in blanket policies and very few rescues these days use them, it's more effective treating each potential owner and each dog as an individual.

That's precisely all I'm asking for ..... unfortunately all the ones around here do still have blanket bans - with no interest in what you have / can put in place for the welfare / needs of the dog.

Fosterdog wrote: »

By giving up the dog you may be condemning it to the rest of it's life living in a small kennel/run with walks only if/when the volunteers have time.

So .... surely being in a loving home where they have time devoted to them is better than this .....

mountainofdebt

Well strangely enough we've applied to rehome a dog who is being given up becuase the woman is pregnant.

Now while I don't know how far gone she is, the poor pup is only 10 months old so theoretically the pup has only been in that home for 8 months and is already being moved on.

We had two cats when Junior was born and I did find one of the cats lying by the side of him .....yes I did freak out but it was a wake up call for me....and never told OH as I knew he would have got rid of the cat there and then

paidinchickens

I foster cats and the two I have at the moment were given up by a couple who went and bought two pups instead. They had a baby/toddler in a baby walker. The cats are only 10 months old so they must have had them while pregnant.

I know a lot of women who got pets when they are pregnant to keep them company if they are at home all day. I am glad to say they have all still got them.

mountainofdebt

Fosterdog wrote: »

Let me get this right, the rescues are too picky so people go out and get pups instead, these people then abandon the pups or breed irresponsibly. That is exactly why they were turned down by the rescue in the first place because they were too irresponsible.

Where is the link between someone buying a pup and then abandoning it and the rescues being too picky? tbh I wouldn't say the two people are the same - I went out and bought Spot, didn't even consider going to a rescue ......want a 2nd and have had my eyes opened and wanted a rescue pup and got turned down. So if I can't get a rescue pup and want a 2nd dog then its far easier to go to a dealer say here's my money, give me a dog.

Fosterdog wrote: »

I do not believe that every person turned down is irresponsible and some rescues go too far with their requirements but they also have a responsibility to the animals in their care to do what's best for them. I don't believe in blanket policies and very few rescues these days use them, it's more effective treating each potential owner and each dog as an individual.

Try reading a few rescue centre policies - they all sound as if they were written by the same person

Fosterdog wrote: »

I can't believe how many people who are out of the house for 8+ hours a day with nobody to help out and they think it is responsible to get a dog just because they want one.

Its a pity that the rescue centres can't look at the bigger picture - I may be an imperfect dog home but my home is a loving forever home and surely that's all that matters.

catkins

pawsies wrote: »

I never said they were. However pregnancies aren't always planned, I'm not saying people SHOULD get rid of their animals, I'm saying if they can't cope with animal+baby then they should have the right to give one up (which will probably be dog).

If you want children and don't think children and dogs mix don't get a dog. If you don't want children make sure you don't get pregnant - not that difficult - me and OH managed it

POPPYOSCAR

I am another one who could never give up a pet.Even the schizophrenic cat I once had who would suddenly turn on people as they stroked her.(I did tell them not to touch her but they would insist it was alright!)

I have seen it all too many times. I can sort of understand if someone has made a mistake and then just cannot cope with the pet, but I have seen people get rid of a dog because"they did not have the time to take it for walks" and then get another a few months later.

When you take on any animal along with it comes a little thing called 'responsibility'.

Fosterdog

mountainofdebt wrote: »

Where is the link between someone buying a pup and then abandoning it and the rescues being too picky? tbh I wouldn't say the two people are the same - I went out and bought Spot, didn't even consider going to a rescue ......want a 2nd and have had my eyes opened and wanted a rescue pup and got turned down. So if I can't get a rescue pup and want a 2nd dog then its far easier to go to a dealer say here's my money, give me a dog.



Try reading a few rescue centre policies - they all sound as if they were written by the same person

Its a pity that the rescue centres can't look at the bigger picture - I may be an imperfect dog home but my home is a loving forever home and surely that's all that matters.

If you read back I said that as a response to what RFTA said, that is why I quoted. RFTA said that the reason there are so many dogs in rescue are because people get turned down for rescues and then go out and get a pup and then that pup ends up in rescue.

Please if you are going to quote me and respond to what I'm saying at least read what I wrote properly first.

As for reading policies, I do, I foster for three different rescues (although only have one foster from one rescue at a time) and support many others as well. Most will say things like no full time workers, no children under 5 but also state that they are not hard and fast rules and will consider individual circumstances. Please provide links to the rescues who don't follow this as I can only think of two off the top of my head. All of the others I know of will make exceptions for the right owner.

No a loving home is not all that matters, why would you want to have a dog just so it is cooped up all day with no interaction? Why is it ok to think that spending a short time with them in the evenings and weekends is a good home?

I wanted a dog for years but I worked full time and was single. I had family who could help out but it wouldn't be fair so I put my own wants for a dog to one side until I could provide a proper home for one. I waited until I was in a stable relationship and between us our working hours mean that the dogs are rarely left more than four hours and usually no more than two hours with two days a week of not being left at all. The days they are left more than four are maybe once a month and we have family to check on them and repay the favour checking on their dog if needed. If I had not met OH and was still single and working full time I still wouldn't have a dog.