has anyone got experience of adopting dogs from rescues abroad?

[LovelyMuffins]

Just wondering.............

[Scuttlebutter]

Depending on where they are coming from, you might need to consider a number of things. Most overseas adoptions are facilitated by rescues with premises in the UK, so they will manage the practicalities of importation and paperwork.

Depending on where the dog has been, you may need to consider what diseases and parasites they have been exposed to (and if they have ongoing issues with say, Leish). Some of these diseases and parasites are rare or not present in the UK, so your vet might not be looking for them unless you give them the dog's background.

Also bear in mind that if a dog has been chipped overseas the chip may well have been implanted in a different part of the body which will often lead to confusion when they are scanned here. Many dogs in mainland Europe are chipped in the neck area rather than between the shoulders as is customary in the UK.

Really, so much depends on what country they are coming from and what condition they are in. Taking on a dog that has had severe health issues and/or very poor treatment is not always easy, and your heart should be ruled by your head, unless you are experienced and willing to work with some of the issues.

Finally there is also the issue that there is no shortage of dogs needing homes in the UK, and it may well be more sustainable to donate to an overseas shelter to assist in vet care, neutering programmes etc rather than just spending a lot of money on importing small numbers of dogs. For instance the £1000 quoted upthread could have been spent more fruitfully in a spaying programme - that could probably have benefited a dozen bitches.

[CheddarsintheRunning]

I agree with Scuttlebutter's final paragraph.

With the amount of dogs needing homes in the UK, it just doesn't sit well with me to bring in dogs from abroad.

I would also worry about these dogs eventually ending up in British rescues or worse anyway. A responsible rescue in this country matches dogs with the right home whereas it would be nigh on impossible for a family to meet and assess a prospective dog beforehand if imported.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

This is the 3rd thread on Dogs From Overseas (the others were K9 Angel Dog related).

Why would you choose to bring a dog from overseas to the UK when there are literally thousands of dogs in the UK?

And for everyone who says "Oh, but they are killed in the street/gassed/poisoned, at least the dogs in the UK have a home of sorts, albeit in a pound or rescue"

So you are saying it's okay for a dog in the UK to stay in a rescue through no fault of their own, so that you can import a dog. Does that make it right? Does it make it right that a dog in a rescue in your home town has to stay in rescue (or be PTS) because the other dogs need is percieved greater?

And before I get any flack, I've been to countries like Egypt (I'd never visit again) where the working horses and donkeys were proper working animals.And some were in appalling condition.
Doesn't mean we should ship them all over to the UK

Adopt a dog in the UK.
Pay your £100-£150 fee.
Whatever you would have paid to an agency to import a dog-include shipping costs, quarentine,injections,neutering etc- give some of that money to a Reputable Charity to look after street dogs.

[Byecklove]

We rescued cats and dogs in Asia when we were living there. We wanted pets and didn't want to support the (truly awful) pet shops out there so trundled off to the rescue centre. We carried on living out there for a while then were posted back here. The animals are part of our family so they came too. The next animals we get will be rescue animals too, from wherever we happen to be living at the time.

[Byecklove]

By the way, I meant the next animals to add to our collection! Very nearly goats...

[ukred]

Old thread but still very relevant.
So 70, if you're still on here....are you saying it's ok to 'walk on by' and allow street dogs abroad to be euthanised by household bleach injection because there are loads of dogs in the uk needing homes?

I think this is a matter for personal choice. You conveniently ignored this side of the argument.

I would like a relevant answer to this question. Does anyone have experience of adopting dogs from abroad please?

[LadyTurmoil]

I know there are people here who have adopted through SOS Animals UK (who work in Spain to rescue dogs/cats) and Action Aid for Animals (Romania).

I agree with Scuttle that any rescue must be combined with a spaying programme to be in any way effective. However, the fact that dogs are abandoned and left to die after a hunting season, or deliberately poisoned, run over by car etc is hard to ignore.

We certainly have to work a lot harder here in the UK to stop puppy farms, irresponsible breeding etc

[Scuttlebutter]

UK red, nobody has said that they wish to support the barbaric treatment of animals overseas.

Of course you have a choice - that's great. This thread has discussed some of the many issues that are relevant when making that choice.

I volunteer for a number of rescues - predominantly sighthounds. This is a very relevant issue as the treatment of say galgos in Spain or sighthounds generally in the Republic of Ireland is appalling. I've regularly supported one sighthound rescue that was fundraising for vet treatments in Spain and is working to educate/publicise better dog ownership in Spain. One of the charities I regularly volunteer for is sending expertise, support and assistance in helping to change the attitude to greyhounds in the Republic (at the moment, few people would consider them as house dogs or pets). Also, the Irish greyhound breeding industry is part of the supply chain to the UK industry, so it's appropriate for the two to be considered together when looking at political action or working to end greyhound racing.

These are good examples of working strategically with rescues overseas (Dogs Trust are also now working with Soi Dog rescue for instance) and I could give many more. What I will not support is simply importing a few animals at great expense without the accompanying infrastructure.

Again, from a rescue POV, some rescues that do this don't have the infrastructure in the UK to provide things like homechecks, transport networks or the lifelong backups that British charities do. This all takes time and voluntary effort. If an overseas adoption goes wrong for any reason, hardpressed British charities can then end up having to step in and mop up, often with dogs who have complex behavioural patterns or if they have Leish or similar, lifelong health issues.

[Fraggle78]

We rescued a dog from Spain via DogwatchUk. We didn't particularly intend to get a dog from abroad, but it was essential for us that the new dog got on with current dog and the fact that many of the Dogwatch dogs have been fostered by them or in kennels under their care appealed from this point of view. We also took the view that if a dog needs a home it doesn't matter where it comes from. We have had no problems at all, but maybe we were just lucky.

[carly183]

I completely understand both POVs in his case - however, I just want to make the point that dogs have no concept of countries, borders etc - surely if we are all in rescue, the aim of the game is to ensure every dog ends up in a loving home, out of kennels...no matter what country they are in. Just because you live in the uk, does not make uk dogs more deserving, nor does living in Romania make those dogs more deserving. It irks me just as much when rescues in the same country wont help each other "oh no, thats a dogs trust dog, take it to the dogs trust" kind of mentality. A dog is a dog - and if you are in rescue for the dogs, its slightly bigoted to say "There are plenty of dogs in your country to adopt", regardless of the cost. There are plenty of children here to be adopted - yet people still choose to get a baby from Romania...yet those people are praised and credited rather than getting these kind of opinions.

Back to topic, is there a reason for this question? Are you seriously considering adopting from abroad? A lot of the dogs from tourist-y places are dumped by ex-pats when they can no longer afford to live abroad. Therefore, a lot of the "street dogs" have actually lived in a home before, understand english and are no different from a dog in a rescue over here.

[ellen1010]

yes i have we have just adopted a dog from spain

[slinkysaluki]

Excellent post 70 👍

[theconstantinoplegardener]

Zombie thread...

[Greeneyedgeek83]

Yes, we adopted a Romanian rescue who turned out to be nothing like they said.

[Qw4er6ty7]

This is a long shot but I seen you post about your friend adopting while away and I'm currently travelling asia atm and I've been to a dog rescue centre and fallen I'll love with one of the dogs there and I just wanted to know if your friend has any helpful information that I need to no as I plan to bring the dog back home with me but I need to no what sort of cost it is a want documents I would need to fly the dog.
It would be great if you had any info thank you

[DogInATent]

@Qw4er6ty7
See:
www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad

Sponsor the dog in Asia, rescue a UK dog when you get home.

[QueenofCuntybollocks]

I'm in the process of adopting a dog from Cyprus at the moment..

[Maelstrop]

Zombie.