How to ethically get a 'pet' if a rescue turnes you down

Person_one

mountainofdebt wrote: »

I agree but all of my local rescues wouldn't even look at me because a) we work and b) our existing dog isn't neutered - both heinous crimes in the eyes of rescues it would seem

Doesn't matter that the dog is well cared for and well walked (both in the mornings and evenings) - in fact that's all I seem to do is eat sleep, work and walk the dog

You don't have to stay local, my dogs are from a rescue four hours away.

moggymutt

zaksmum, that is appalling, I'm so sorry that they could have such little regard for your yorkie, the puppy, and you.

That's why I put the warning about taking animals from some pounds that are due to be put down- you have to be sensible, assess if you would be putting anything else in danger, and then take them straight for checkups to the vets. My dogs literally all went from the pounds to the vets before coming home, and my other dog was fully vaccinated.

life_unexpected_2

We were turned down by all the rescue centres as we both work full-time and have my nephew (a toddler) visit the house infrequently. Though Dogs Trust would offer us an older dog, who was lovely but not up to our active lifestyle.

So we resorted to going to a breeder for our first dog and always intended to get a second but took the advise of our vet to wait until he was two.

Then we went back to the rescue centre hoping that they would consider us given we already had a dog. They let us have a 7month old they were having trouble rehoming as he is destructive and over active. The lady we spoke to said many families had been in to enquire about him but due to his nature had not felt he was for them. So I think that though very ticky box it also depends on timing.

Chakani

Not only do many rescues have box-ticking issues over prospective homes, they also have bizarre box-ticking habits regarding which homes would be suitable for which animals.

I have young children, so was turned down by most rescues without any further conversation, despite my being home all day, owning our own home with a good secure garden and being experienced dog owners with children who are sensible, confident and dog-savvy. They just wouldn't discuss it any further, so there was no opportunity to convince them that we would be a good home.

I found two rescues that would consider us despite the children, but both considered us a suitable home only for an old, arthritic type of dog. They both said that a younger adult dog would be too energetic and wouldn't get enough exercise.

When have you ever met an arthritic human pensioner whose idea of fun is a noisy house full of running children, liable to trip over your aching limbs and irritate you when you are trying to doze?? How on earth would an old dog, looking for a quiet fireside, be happier in a busy family than a young or middle-aged one? That seemed so odd to me.

They wouldn't take into account that I enjoy running, up to half marathon distance, and that there are always games and activity of some sort going on in our house - my children at 3 and 1 love to do "puppy ping-pong" with our dog, and they think it's a brilliant game to hide a toy or treat for her to find, which is great for her mind, and for her training. All this is always supervised by an adult, by the way, I would never allow a young child, even a sensible one to handle a dog on their own.

Just another place to look that I have discovered since starting running with my dog - there are numerous fora and facebook groups dedicated to Canicross, and to other specific doggy activities. If you are interested in doing something specific with a dog, it is worth looking, and even asking on those, as dogs with a particular talent or inclination are sometimes offered on those, often because they are too energetic for their current home, so aren't so much rescues as inappropriately homed.