THIS HAS JUST BEEN SENT TO ME FOLLOWING A RECENT RSPCA SURVEY.
20% of New Puppy Owners Don?t Own The Dog After 2 Years
According to a recent study by the RSPCA, 1 in 5 people who have purchased a dog in the last two years no longer own the pet. Other figures uncovered by the survey point out that 1 in 4 people who bought a pedigree puppy based their decision solely on appearance and a massive 56% did not see the puppy with its mother before buying. The survey also suggests that 60% of buyers bought a puppy from the first litter they saw and 54% spent a week or less researching their chosen breed.
Claire Calder, a senior scientific officer at the RSPCA, said: ?Sadly far too many people are living with the consequences of buying a puppy on impulse. A cute puppy can be hard to resist, but the result of not looking beyond the cute-factor can be the tragic death of a much loved pet, hundreds of pounds spent on vet bills or the emotional impact of having to part with a puppy that was simply the wrong choice for your family?s lifestyle.
?The RSPCA?s Get Puppy Smart campaign aims to help prospective puppy buyers make the right decision by thinking about what type of dog best suits their lifestyle, the costs involved in having a dog, finding a good breeder and how to select a happy and healthy puppy.?
The new survey commissioned by the RSPCA suggests the shocking figure that three per cent of puppies bought in the past two years have already died or been put to sleep, and more than a third (36 per cent) had experienced health problems.
Claire Calder, a senior scientific officer at the RSPCA, said: ?Sadly far too many people are living with the consequences of buying a puppy on impulse. A cute puppy can be hard to resist, but the result of not looking beyond the cute-factor can be the tragic death of a much loved pet, hundreds of pounds spent on vet bills or the emotional impact of having to part with a puppy that was simply the wrong choice for your family?s lifestyle.
?The RSPCA?s Get Puppy Smart campaign aims to help prospective puppy buyers make the right decision by thinking about what type of dog best suits their lifestyle, the costs involved in having a dog, finding a good breeder and how to select a happy and healthy puppy.?
The new survey commissioned by the RSPCA suggests the shocking figure that three per cent of puppies bought in the past two years have already died or been put to sleep, and more than a third (36 per cent) had experienced health problems.
If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.
The doghouse
20% OF NEW PUPPY OWNERS DON'T OWN THE DOG AFTER 2 YEARS
Vallhala · 01/02/2011 12:34
Apart from the campaign (which is a start) what can realistically be done to stop idiots buying pups as though they were toys or fashion accessories?
aspergillus, tell me about it. I was recently tasked with finding rescue space for a Shep whose crime was to WALK AWAY from an 11 month old when the child reached out through the stairgate to touch.
And I ... ahem... liberated a terrier a few years back from someone well known to me who kept her locked up in a crate 23 hours out of 24 because of the muddy pawson the person's cream sofas and carpets. Said terrier now living a wonderful life in a new home with others and with acres of land to play on. :)
There was one on here last year... the SillyBloodyMoo wanted rid of the Labradoodle because it got mud on her cream carpets. Apparently "a dog has no place in a well-kept home". I was quick to help that poor dog into rescue, stupid bloody woman.
Personally I think that such a bitch has no place in my world... 
Am not usually a fan of the RSPCA but Clare is one of the people who's been closely involved with efforts in Wales to improve regulation of dog breeders. Consultation recently closed on WAG's efforts to improve breeder licensing and to reduce puppy farming (doubt we can eliminate it entirely - too much money at stake and not much enthusiasm from regulators)
Unfortunately no legislation can prevent people from being stupid. I think there's no magic bullet but a number of steps that can be taken. I'd recommend :-
Better education on how rescue dogs are often perfectly acceptable family pets, not snarling mongrels. Look how often we see that attitude on DogHouse here.
Social landlords to insist on chipping and neutering (unless contra-indicated by vet) for tenant's dog/s. More landlords are in fact insisting on chipping these days - I think it will spread.
Better regulation of breeders - some efforts are being made in Wales on this at least.
More joint work by charities/welfare groups and local authorities on the responsibilities and likely costs of dog ownership and what's involved when you take on a puppy or a rescue dog. At the moment, one of my deepest frustrations is that there is a huge amount of effort by various groups but as many of them are very small, it tends to be very fragmented, patchy and inconsistent.
Much better policing on online adverts for dogs and tighter restriction of where you can advertise them. An end to pet shops where you can buy puppies - wrong and shameful and has no place in 21st century.
HMRC to take a much closer interest in and to do some high profile prosecutions of the dodgy breeders. There's some very serious money at stake. While it is economically attractive, it will continue.
Rescues to sign up to minimum standards of care/aftercare - this could include things like homecheck, medical assessment and care, neutering, chipping, behavioural assessment, aftercare and support, guarantee of takeback, trial placements, training for foster carers etc. It could even include optional modules for information/website and good governance - oversight, financial management etc. Sort of like BHS approval for riding schools or membership of professional bodies. This would help members of the public when choosing a rescue organisation.
Oh, and I quite like the idea of shooting. 
That's a horrid statistic.
That equates to 2 of the lovely pups that were in our puppy socialisation class.
tbh Im not surprised, dogs are hard work. We have our first puppy who is nearly 1 now but he is a huge amount of work, cost and comitment. I wuld never get rid of him as I was prepeared for this, but DH really didnt know the realization of it all.
We chose a large dog because I prefer large breeds and we got him from a friend who happened to have a dog having puppies at the time we were looking.
Its a shame, people really dont get how much hard work it is, and i think thats why.
I know a lady down the road that had a dog 3 weeks before she rehomed it 
, but when she asked me about another friends puppy I told her they all had homes already because I knew the same would happen again!!
It's absolutely dreadful, but it doesn't suprise me at all sadly. People want something and they want it now and that applies to animals as well and whilst people exkist who are willing to supply them with what they want, it won't change. Too many people have the 'it won't happen to me' mentality, which sadly includes someone I know who used to work for the RSPCA and was well aware of the need for using a responsible breeder, health testing etc, yet still bought a giant breed puppy from little more than a puppy farmer and parents with no health tests. The dog has severe hip dysplacia.
Sadly, licenced breeders are one of the biggest problems. Anyone breeding occasionally and as a 'by product' of their hobby doesn't need a licence, only 'volume' breeders do and these sadly account for over 90% of KC registrations each year and a lot fo them are puppy farmers.
Our first collie was a fashion victim. Her original owners bought her around the time the film "Babe" was popular. They had her for a few weeks before they decided they couldn't cope. They assumed that because she was a border collie, she would take no effort to train!
We got her when she was 15 weeks old and she came with hundreds of pounds worth of accessories including professional photographs, yet she had never touched a blade of grass.
We recently acquired another collie girl - a beautiful, long haired, red and white. I have had quite a few people ask me "where can I get one of those" simply because they like the "look" of her.
My replies are polite but always unhelpful!
We got my lovely Pug last year aged 9months when his owner decided he was getting too big and too hyper to take to work. He is a good boy and didn't deserve to be given up - having said that - it is a good thing for us because he now lives a lovely life being spoilt with us!!
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