Bad Experience with Adoption

ace33

Unfortunately this is a case of buyer beware. You won't get an apology as that is the first step in admitting fault.
Before I read the first line of your post I had already guessed where this was going with leashmaniasis. Most rescues from abroad do tests for this but not all. I would've asked for this before adoption unfortunately.

moneyhelpplease

Thanks everyone for your replies. Solicitor was our next idea but honestly think it's probably better to let it go and learn a painful mistake. If you saw the charity's website you'd also think that they were reputable but next time we will go Dog's Trust or a 'household' name.

sheramber

min21 said:

We have just had a very similar situation …. however we have returned the dog to the charity but fear they won’t help her / get her checked out. Our vet suspects Leishsmaniasus despite er have an alleged very low negative result pre/travel from Spain ….. long story but also thought this rescue would be reputable but they have been horrible to us (and the dog too who needs help) 

It can be treated and controlled.  Unfortunately,  it all vets are knowledgable about it. 

Rescues who bring dogs to UK  from countries where it is endemic should be advising adopters accordingly.

A low negative result means that there is no active  infection there is a low antibody count which could indicate a sub clinical infection. 

min21

ace33 said:

Unfortunately this is a case of buyer beware. You won't get an apology as that is the first step in admitting fault.
Before I read the first line of your post I had already guessed where this was going with leashmaniasis. Most rescues from abroad do tests for this but not all. I would've asked for this before adoption unfortunately.

The problem with Leishmaniasis is - from my experience - the rescue in Spain tested on arrival into the shelter so for us that was 8 months before adoption. This was before vaccinations, the stress of living in kennels for 9 months, the stress of being transported to the UK, the stress & the bodies need to process a spay / drugs, the stress of being adopted ……. so that’s when 10 months later symptoms started to emerge. And even a negative result isn’t a negative & so the charity has you over a barrel as there’s not really any such thing as negative. Leishmaniasis also can develop in so many subtle ways - adopters expect to see skin crusting & nose bleeds but there’s so many other ways it can come about like the poor original poster. 

I thought of I adopted from a charity where the patrons are Jilly Cooper, Peter Egan, Ricky Gervais & Dane Judy Dench they wouldn’t allow us to live with the stress & financial worry of an unwell dog or allow us to spend over £4000 which our insurer then refused to pay up for. But they did & in the end we had to return the dog to them as we couldn’t carry on - and they’ll likely adopt it out to someone else without doing any further health checks …