rehome my pooches

[twinmummy132]

hello ladies im new to mumsnet a few of my friends are on here and told me this was a good place for advice.my problem is i have two dogs a staffie and a alsation x both lovely gentle dogs the only thing is i have to get rid of them as my flat is too small for me two dogs and two 15 month old babies i am at my wits end trying to find them somewhere to go plus my landlord has said that i cant have them i have tried everywhere i know that takes dogs but most of them are full or not any for at least 6 months i need a soultion asap.please help me many thanx.

[thestringcheesemassacre]

Why did you get them in the first place? Of course two dogs (and one of them v large) shouldn't be cooped up in a flat.

Have you tried breed rescues or dogs trust? Or what about where you got the dogs from in the first place?

[SpaghettiTwirlerAndProud]

Is there anyway you could get a house with a garden?

[unimaginativename]

The friend who sent you to the doghouse for advice on rehoming - have you had a falling out recently?

If you need to rehome the dogs I would advise contacting a no-kill rescue, making a large donation to cover their expenses and waiting until they have space to take your dogs. They will be able to assess the dogs needs and any potential adoptees, they will also be able to offer a lifetime of back-up should the new owner have any problems or need to rehome at some point in the future. Do not advertise them on gumtree/preloved/facebook, you cannot possibly know what sort of home they'll be going to.

If you let us know roughly where you are someone may be able to recommend a local rescue you could try.

[D0oinMeCleanin]

Of course you can't find anywhere. Rescue around the country is on it's knees because of numpties who take on dogs and then realise they cannot adquately care for them and expect others to mop up their mess. And look at the breeds you have! They're hardly rare in pounds and rescues are they?

Without knowing where, roughly, you are it's impossible to help. Plus where ever you try is going to be full. Why on earth did you wait until you moved into a flat that's too small and does not allow pets before attempting to rehome them?

Many rescues now cherry pick easy to rehome breeds because there is just no space. Ones that do not do this include Doris Banham Trust, Iron Mountain Rescue, Bullies in Need and breed specific rescues, but they're all going to have waiting lists.

I'm going to sit on my hands now before I type what I really think.

[RedwingWinter]

Will your landlord let you keep one or both if you pay a higher damage deposit? If so, could you pay a dog-walker or find a friend to help with walking them and getting them out of the flat for a bit? Could you wait for a space to come up in rescue or do they have to go now? You need to make sure you find a no-kill rescue because otherwise, if a home isn't found within a set time (often only a week), the dogs could be pts. Have you tried Dogs Trust? If you got them from good breeders then will the breeders take them back? If you give your approximate location, someone might be able to suggest a local rescue to try.

[AllergicToNutters]

dont scare her off, offer to help her

[HillyWallaby]

How the hell do you manage to take them out to walk them and let them do a wee several times a day, from a flat, when you have baby twins, and byt the sounds of it, no partner in the house?

Is this a wind up?

Keep the dogs and re-home the babies. It'll be easier.

[HillyWallaby]

Sorry. That was mean.

[twinmummy132]

first of all thanx 4 all ur replies. this is what i am trying to find @ unimaginativename i live in london and they are few and far between ive tried breed rescues but like i said they are not takin in any dogs a the moment so if u know of any in this area i would appricaite it very much and am more than willin to make a donation.secondly my dogs are 13 & 8 and i have had them both since they were puppies so its not like i woke up one morning a thought let me just go and get a couple of dogs i am not that much of a numpty as it was so nicely put!!! i also had someone who was willing to adopt them but for their own personal circustances could no longer do this i do have a small communal garden but my landlord is saying its not fair for the other tenents as they wanna sit outside now the weather is getting warmer he previously aggreed to let me have them as they are not big dogs and well trained.

[D0oinMeCleanin]

Do you have it writing that he allowed you to have the dogs? AFAIK LL cannot just change the terms of their contracts like that. Could be wrong, though.

It would probably be easier to find a new rented house that accepts pets than it would be to find a rescue willing to take in dogs of those ages and breeds, with no waiting lists. Here's a good place to start

Do not try and rehome them yourself. Dogs of those breed are all too often used for dog fightintg and you have no way of checking a potential owner/home out the way a rescue does.

Have you already tried the rescues I mentioned in my first post? Dogs Trust are unlikely to be interested. Oldies club might be able to help but again you'll have a wait

Still baffled as to why you chose to move into a flat with no garden with two dogs.

[twinmummy132]

@hillywallaby i honestly don't know how i manage they get two 30 min walks a day and the rest of the time i let them in the garden (which is y the landlords moanin) as i can't always get out there straight away to clean away the poops and no their is no partner which is partly y i am in this situation
but thats a whole other story@allergictonutters thank u my friends did warn me that there were some pretty venomus ppl on here and to watch out for them but hey ho wot u gonna do!

[SpaghettiTwirlerAndProud]

Good luck, I hope you find a solution soon. It must be awful being in your situation when you've had them for so long.

[twinmummy132]

yes i have look at some of the sites u mentioned thank u and will be calling them 2morro no i dont have it in writing silly i know and the only reason i moved into the flat which does have a small garden was in desprate need and it was either that or live on the streets and like i said i had someone who was willing to take them on but couldnt as their circumstances changed.

[twinmummy132]

thank u and yes it is breaking my heart hving to let them go

[D0oinMeCleanin]

Staffie welfare group

Big GSD There's also a forum on this one where you might get some more ideas, but be prepared for some stick. Most people I know in rescue would rather buy a tent and move into the local park than rehome one of the family.

[Scuttlebutter]

I am just utterly, utterly that you could consider rehoming a thirteen year old Staffy that you have had since a puppy. Hats off to Dooin, for giving you some very constructive advice. If you didn't know already, most rescues are awash with Staffies and Staffie Crosses, and many, many healthy, young dogs are put down each week as no homes can be found for them. An elderly staffie is really going to struggle - it will be a miracle if they can find a place in rescue.

To help the rescue, make sure you have gathered together all their records, such as vaccination cards, make a note of when they were last wormed, and put together notes on things like their health, any medication, behaviour, training, any special quirks etc. Are you expecting the two dogs to be rehomed together, or do you think they will be split?

Can you not look again at persuading landlord to let you stay? How long are you leaving poo in the garden? I really can't see why you are leaving poo out there? You wouldn't do this when you are walking them. Do the dogs stay out there unattended? If so, they are at risk of being stolen and could be causing a nuisance to your neighbours. Have you been able to talk to your neighbours about the dogs, to explore their concerns and see how you can resolve them?

[twinmummy132]

please dont think that i am taking this decsion to rehome them lightly as i am aware of how many dogs not just staffs are in desprate need of new homes but if its a choice between keeping a roof over my sons heads or rehoming my dogs than as a mother which one wud u choose?

i wish to god that i cud keep them i have pleaded with my landlord but he has his mind set yes i do leave them in the garden but i watch them from my window as for pickin up poops its only left there for about an hour as i cant run out of my house while my boys r up and about so do it while their napping i would hope they would be rehomed together but in realilty i know they probly wont

[RedwingWinter]

It is going to be very hard for an elderly staffy to find a new home. The average life expectancy is about 12 - 14 years. Can you not persuade the landlord to let you keep them so long as you agree not to get any new dogs in future? It sounds like there are specific reasons the landlord doesn't want them, so maybe you can work on those and agree not to let them unattended in the garden and always to clean up after them? You must be heart-broken so I hope you can find a resolution one way or another.

[RedwingWinter]

sorry, x-posted

[D0oinMeCleanin]

As a mother I would find alternative accomodation. Rehoming my dogs is not an option. Ever.

You make the boys go with you. The dogs shouldn't be in the garden alone anway. Why can you and the boys not go out there with them and play a game or two?

It's little wonder there's been complaints if you are doing what you say. I'd complain and I love dogs. Picking up my own dogs' shit is bad enough without being exposed to other people's.

Go round all your neighbours and apologise profusely. Explain that things will change and ask what you could do, in their opinion, to allow you to keep the dogs without upsetting them. The re approach the poor LL who is probably at the end of his tether dealing with complaints about your dogs.

[Goawaybob]

Christ, your friend sent you here for advice? Well, good luck!

I think in all honesty your dogs would be better off rehomed in your current living conditions. Have you tried battersea dogs home?

so sad for you - why the change of mind over the dogs? or did he not know you had them before? Have people complained? Staffies are the most rehomed dogs in the country just now - i just don't know what you are going to do really. Id have the dogs tomorrow, but i have a JRT that is a little bastard with other dogs and i wouldnt, quite frankly, take on the GSD as i have a 6 year old DD.

[D0oinMeCleanin]

Battersea is a council pound, do not touch them with a barge pole.

Goawaybob, in an ideal world, yes, there'd be a queue of happy homes waiting to take on such dogs.

In reality, they are going to be lucky not to spend the rest of the life in kennels or worse.

The best scenario for the dogs would be for OP to negotiate with her LL and neighbours whilst sourcing more suitable housing.

[Goawaybob]

Doinmecleaning, its just not that easy for some people to find alternative accomodation. I would assume that the OP is on benefits (sorry if im wrong here) so wont have the luxury of picking and chosing landlords. Yes, irresponsible having the dogs in these circs, but she has to be realistic. It is not fair to keep these dogs cooped up in a flat with two 15m twins which are going to be just too much for the dogs at this age, they can't get away from the kids in the garden or other way around. I think she absolutely needs to rehome them, its better for the dogs. I would contact the breed rescue and consider foster parents. People will be v reluctant to take on the elderly staff because she is soon is going to start costing money for medical treatment.

[Goawaybob]

I got my rottie from battersea, they were very supportive and ensured he got the right home. Provided a lot of support for us as he had behavioural issues when we got him. I think they do a good job. They probably wont take on the dogs though as they are probably full.

[D0oinMeCleanin]

That may well be Bob, but they are still council pound with a policy to euthanise healthy dogs once they are full. OP's dogs would be top of that list given their breeds and ages.