The Paw project UK

Naomim

Whilst this isn't about this particular rescue, you may want to follow the hashtag #sophiefromromania on X (fka Twitter).  On arrival last December, she would not leave behind the sofa. She is only just now starting to come out of her shell and trust.

katharine60

Mnoee said:

Anyone else think it's slightly suspicious that today there's been six new members with high praise for this organisation?! 

Glad it worked out for the OP, however! 

My thoughts exactly!

katharine60

Lul65 said:

I adopted from the Paw Project and it ended in disaster. They advertised a human friendly, lead trained, happy dog who had no dislikes. A deeply traumatised dog was delivered to me. The driver, who she bit, tipped her out of the crate and onto my kitchen floor. I gave her several days to decompress from the journey but it became apparent that she was too traumatised to be touched and there was no way I could get a collar on her. I subsequently found out that her advert that I had initially seen on Facebook was an old one written when the dog was 4 months old. I received her when she was 9 months old and the advert did no longer describe her true self anymore. I called in a dog behaviourist to assess her and he was appalled that The Paw Project described her as happy and friendly. 
I ended up having the dog for a while but was never able to touch her. She hid in the corner of the room for most of the days and nights. I contacted Simone, the founder of the paw project and she was just a dreadful bully who was too quick to blame me....I guess because its easy to blame us unfortunate adopters when things go wrong. My solicitor found out that they are not a charity, they don't have a licence to sell and transport dogs and in his opinion it was all about funding Simone Pattyson's (the founder) lifestyle......I paid her directly for the dog and she refused to give me a refund. I was devastated from the whole experience and  the poor dog had clearly been misold to me. 

This is what happened to another person I know & they had no RBU & refused to take the dog back, despite their so-called adoption agreement that all dogs must be returned to them. Simone pattyson then got extremely aggressive & threatening (I've seen the messages)

sheramber

I read a frantic appeal for a rescue to take a Romanian dog that the new owners could not cope with.

The rescue that promised RBU proposed to return the dog to Romania.  That was their back up.

Missoko

katharine60 said:

Lul65 said:

I adopted from the Paw Project and it ended in disaster. They advertised a human friendly, lead trained, happy dog who had no dislikes. A deeply traumatised dog was delivered to me. The driver, who she bit, tipped her out of the crate and onto my kitchen floor. I gave her several days to decompress from the journey but it became apparent that she was too traumatised to be touched and there was no way I could get a collar on her. I subsequently found out that her advert that I had initially seen on Facebook was an old one written when the dog was 4 months old. I received her when she was 9 months old and the advert did no longer describe her true self anymore. I called in a dog behaviourist to assess her and he was appalled that The Paw Project described her as happy and friendly. 
I ended up having the dog for a while but was never able to touch her. She hid in the corner of the room for most of the days and nights. I contacted Simone, the founder of the paw project and she was just a dreadful bully who was too quick to blame me....I guess because its easy to blame us unfortunate adopters when things go wrong. My solicitor found out that they are not a charity, they don't have a licence to sell and transport dogs and in his opinion it was all about funding Simone Pattyson's (the founder) lifestyle......I paid her directly for the dog and she refused to give me a refund. I was devastated from the whole experience and  the poor dog had clearly been misold to me. 

This is what happened to another person I know & they had no RBU & refused to take the dog back, despite their so-called adoption agreement that all dogs must be returned to them. Simone pattyson then got extremely aggressive & threatening (I've seen the messages)

What happened to the dogs in the end? Did you/ your friend have to rehome them elsewhere or did they find homes through paw project?

nicb24

katharine60 said:

Lul65 said:

I adopted from the Paw Project and it ended in disaster. They advertised a human friendly, lead trained, happy dog who had no dislikes. A deeply traumatised dog was delivered to me. The driver, who she bit, tipped her out of the crate and onto my kitchen floor. I gave her several days to decompress from the journey but it became apparent that she was too traumatised to be touched and there was no way I could get a collar on her. I subsequently found out that her advert that I had initially seen on Facebook was an old one written when the dog was 4 months old. I received her when she was 9 months old and the advert did no longer describe her true self anymore. I called in a dog behaviourist to assess her and he was appalled that The Paw Project described her as happy and friendly. 
I ended up having the dog for a while but was never able to touch her. She hid in the corner of the room for most of the days and nights. I contacted Simone, the founder of the paw project and she was just a dreadful bully who was too quick to blame me....I guess because its easy to blame us unfortunate adopters when things go wrong. My solicitor found out that they are not a charity, they don't have a licence to sell and transport dogs and in his opinion it was all about funding Simone Pattyson's (the founder) lifestyle......I paid her directly for the dog and she refused to give me a refund. I was devastated from the whole experience and  the poor dog had clearly been misold to me. 

This is what happened to another person I know & they had no RBU & refused to take the dog back, despite their so-called adoption agreement that all dogs must be returned to them. Simone pattyson then got extremely aggressive & threatening (I've seen the messages)

I have had to call the police regarding Simone’s threatening behaviour. We adopted two dogs from the Paw Project and from the information I can gather they are running as a not for profit illegally. 

Her husband has also been imprisoned for assault. I would never adopt a dog again that isn’t from a UK rescue, and to be honest, her behaviour has put me off ever rescuing an animal again.

She threatened me and mocked my mental ill health, they refuse to give their address for court and legal proceedings, and you can’t get any further without an address. 

Avoid the Paw Project at all costs.

greatly_favour_them

I used Paw Help UK to adopt my dog from ukraine in February 2024 and she is a wonderful dog with no health or behaviour problems.
Her transport was not by aeroplane, but by truck, with about 23 other dogs, crated, with many stops for dog refreshments, food and exercise.
All the persons involved with the dogs were clearly caring and dedicated, and photographs of their various stages of the journey were sent.
The application process, including my being vetted by the charity, was competent, detailed and generally faultless. 
I have also used pug welfare and rescue, within the UK, and the charity Paw Help covered all matters in the same way.
All the Ukrainian health papers were checked by my vet and satisfactory.
I should not hesitate to use Paw Help again.

RAS

There was a BBC article and programme earlier in the week about the dangers of importing rescue dogs from Eastern Europe  and other countries.

Rarely seen diseases are being seen far more often and cost a lot to treat. Many dogs have behavioural problems. That's not confined to imported dogs but I know a dog who's been to behaviouralists etc and a decade later still cannot be let of the lead a decade after his immigration.

I'd certainly support proper registration of importers and a requirement for UK fostering before dogs' details are released for adoption.