Rescue Agencies Pros and Cons

[reddiesel 8]

I know a lot on the forum wont entertain rescue dogs for various reasons but again it often comes down to what you want the dog for,even before we get into the ethical questions of puppy peddlars,the amount of needless breeding etc etc.A fare proportion of these terriers Jacks in particular have just bolted from their owners for whatever reason,ive recently lost a Jack through a hit and run driver and ive yesterday found myself in the following position.

Terrier Rescue based near Gatwick have a couple of Patterdales and after going through an application process that made it easier for a paedophile to adopt a kid ( and im not really complaining about that )my application fell down on the basis that Buster my Parsons is not neutered even though the dog I was getting of them was,so im left now in a quandary of either spending £100+ at the vet to neuter Buster plus £160 for the Patterdale,what do you do?

[Big bald beautiful 1,231]

Feck em, buy a pup from working stuff.could take a while to find one but worth the time and effort

[rob190364 2,594]

I know a lot on the forum wont entertain rescue dogs for various reasons but again it often comes down to what you want the dog for,even before we get into the ethical questions of puppy peddlars,the amount of needless breeding etc etc.A fare proportion of these terriers Jacks in particular have just bolted from their owners for whatever reason,ive recently lost a Jack through a hit and run driver and ive yesterday found myself in the following position.

Terrier Rescue based near Gatwick have a couple of Patterdales and after going through an application process that made it easier for a paedophile to adopt a kid ( and im not really complaining about that )my application fell down on the basis that Buster my Parsons is not neutered even though the dog I was getting of them was,so im left now in a quandary of either spending £100+ at the vet to neuter Buster plus £160 for the Patterdale,what do you do?

They won't give you a neutured dog because your current dog is not neutured?? What bizarre logic!!

[unlacedgecko 1,466]

Im appalled at the attitude of many rescue centres in the UK. I recently read a report in a newspaper where a family were adopting a dog. They had to sign a contract stating that the dogs remained the property of the centre, the 'owners' merely looked after them. If the 'owners' couldn't look after the dogs they couldn't be rehomed, but had to go back to the centre. The dogs were also microchipped as belonging to the centre. There are some small independent breed based rescues which seem to do a very good job. But I am deeply suspicious of the large organisations which seem more interested in controlling people's lives than helping dogs.

[matthews 88 77]

_{its not worth the hassle making people feel like there dummies as if we dont know how to take care of a dog i can understand why they do it but i wouldnt be goin near any of them nosey cnuts}

[sallie 67]

All of these charity organisations are full of bureaucratic twoddle and dont want you to have anything from them because they need to get the money in from all the do gooders that give to them. They can then say the organisation is full and you will feel sorry for them. From my experience they dont have a clue about looking after most dogs in there care and create more problems than enough. The RSPCA being the absolute worst and the absolute pits. Sorry but i hate these organisations with a passion. If you want a good pup if your prepared to wait a good one will come along and it wont cost you the earth.

[skycat 6,173]

Having worked, many years ago, at quite a large organisation: Wood Green Animal Shelter ( I left when they found out I hunted they said I had to choose between working there and hunting: shows how acutely aware they are of the public's opinion of hunting wild animals. They depend largely on bequests from little old ladies) I can see both sides of the coin.

The great majority of people who 'adopt' animals from shelters/rescues are COMPLETELY CLUELESS when it comes to understanding animals, and dogs in particular. They have zero knowledge of animal husbandry or behaviour. I couldn't begin to start listing the tales of stupidity and gross negligence I've seen. One case does come to mind.................a woman had 'adopted' a Collie type mongrel as a pup, on the proviso that she had it spayed when old enough. Needless to say, she didn't, bitch came in season, turned out to be a latchkey dog: got mated, had pups. Bitch was picked up by dog warden starving, thin, full of milk: went to see the owners and there's a litter of fat, healthy pups: nine in all. So now there's yet another litter of unwanted pups to find homes for. Bitch and pups taken back to shelter, bitch spayed once pups were weaned and handed back to owner with stern warning about not letting it roam.

 

The above is just one a so many incidents I had to deal with over the space of the four years I was there.

 

A worse one: though not spay related: pup 'adopted' by family, went out to see them on routine visit 6 months later, found pup chained up in outhouse on a lead too short to allow it to lie down. Concrete floor: pup was curled up on top of gas cylinder: the only way it could lie down on the chain. Turned out dad had lost job, turned into a drunk, kids didn't care, mum had left. The pup, as usual, paid the price.

 

So I do understand why the rescues are so damn finicky, and if you work in a place like that you end up viewing everyone as total idiots: its called a jaundiced view of humanity.

 

On the other hand, their one rule for all can leave some potential good homes without a dog because they don't quite fit the criteria. I did a visit to a travellers' site, settled folk, who wanted a GSD which was almost on death row. Lovely people, really knew their dogs especially guarding breeds, and I approved the home, even though the dog would live outside, (shock horror!)because that was exactly the right home for the dog.

 

IMO its the mindless breeding of dogs is the real issue which should be tackled, then the rescues wouldn't be overflowing as they are.

[reddiesel 8]

I agree with everything you say about the needless breeding of dogs being the problem skycat,its just the neutering of my Parsons that was a bit hard to take as what is his neutering proving anyway?my responsability as a dog owner?Thanks for all the comments.

[RubyTex 1,957]

Unbelievable that they wouldn't let you adopt a new dog. You have to jump through hoops to satisfy them and that's why unfortunately i won't adopt a rescue. My mate is always banging on about how good they are, yeah they can be brilliant dogs, but i don't want to go through question after question, a home check and constant visits.

 

Before we got our first dog when i was about 10 we went to the local dogs trust and had a look round wanting a young dog. They had puppies that were up for rehoming in a cage behind the main desk but flatly refused to let us even play with them nevermind ask about rehoming. Apparently there were adult dogs that were more than suitable for us!! The ones they picked out for us were all over 10 years old ffs. I've nothing against older dogs and i'd take one on now but at the time, a young family wanting a dog for the long run not retirement. Anyway, did one from there and left it a few more months ... dad came home one day with Olive a German Shepherd pup beauty, retired police dog now! Cried my eyes out the day she went to the training centre but i saw her last week and she still loves a cuddle from her old mate!