This is just my rant about how hard it is to rescue a dog, having been searching and applying to different rescue centres for months!
After finding a dog we liked, we applied to the rescue centre, arranged a homecheck, successfully completed the homecheck, to be told that dog has already been adopted. We enquired about a further dog, to be told that has also been adopted. I ask if they could suggest dogs that may be suitable, and then get no further response.
We go to the dogs trust, to be told that there are no dogs that meet our requirements.
I apply to another rescue centre, fill out pre-adoption questionnaires, talk on the phone to them for about an hour, about what we are looking for, they then do another homecheck. They then decide we are not suitable, as they don?t rehome to families with children under the age of 8. Now we don?t actually have any children under the age of 8, however since I mentioned that we may decide in a few years that we may choose to have a baby, (all just a vague possibility) this means we are therefore unsuitable.
I then contact another rescue centre, fill out yet another pre-adoption questionnaire, talk to them for ages, they say they will arrange a homecheck, although just don?t bother. Several follow up emails and phone conversations, and they say they are still waiting to arrange it, and since they rely on volunteers it can take a while (this was 10 weeks ago)
So I contact another rescue centre. Fill out another pre-adoption questionnaire, talk to the rehoming advisor about suitable dogs, have conversations with the fostering advisor, they talk to me about this fantastic dog, that we visit, love, they arrange a homecheck, although before they do it, that dog has also been adopted, and therefore they cancel the homecheck
This goes on. I have contacted six different rescue centres, had 4 homechecks (and passed 3 of them) and they have all said we are fine to adopt one of their dogs. Yet when I actually enquire about any, I don?t get a response, or they say the dogs aren?t suitable, but when I ask them to suggest dogs that are, I also don?t get a response.
All we are looking for is a dog that is good with people, and other dogs. We are not specific on age, sex, colour, breed, previous training, we don?t have cats, we don?t need to leave the dog for a working day. I just don?t get why it is all so hard. We want to provide a rescue dog with a loving home, yet none of the rescue centres appear to want to actually rehome any of the dogs, and everytime I feel we are getting somewhere, nobody ever responds to the emails. This has been going on now for months, and I?m just fed up with it. I really don?t want a puppy, don?t want to just go and buy a puppy, but it is so tempting, because all of this is exhausting, and I am fed up with it
Why do they make adopting a dog so hard?
(and this is really long - sorry, i just really needed a rant, because pretty much everybody i know, is just fed up with hearing about it!)
If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.
The doghouse
trying to adopt a dog
izzywillynilly · 25/10/2012 18:58
It must be very frustrating for you. Have you looked at //www.manytears.co.uk? On another thread in the Doghouse, someone pointed the person posting in the direction of Many Tears, they found a dog on the site they liked, had a phone interview and have been accepted, all within a week or so! They have to travel to Wales to visit the dog but it's only something you'd have to do once. MT are more considerate about young children in the family (if that's ever applicable!) If you're willing to think about adopting from rescues abroad, you could try www.streetdogrescue.com/ or www.romaniaanimalaid.co.uk/ Also sos-animals.org.uk/ and The Mayflower Sanctuary or Dog Watch UK. You can find them all on Facebook. They seem very dedicated and committed, have homecheckers in England (or they might accept a homecheck from one of the other rescues). It costs from £250 including transport from the countries and vaccinations etc. They have some lovely dogs on their websites, all shapes, sizes and ages but sometimes the FB pages are more up to date. Hope this is helpful! 
I thought I would post from the rescue centres point of view to give a balanced debate
Percentage figure of people that actually do want to rescue rather than those that contact us thinking they would like to rescue is 4%. The percentage of that 4% that want a dog good with people and other animals and happy to live in a family home immediately is 96%.
Because all our rescue dogs have a contract that means they will come back to us if there is a problem with the rehoming we are very very very thorough with our rehoming checks. Which also means that only 3% of dogs are ever rehomed back to us.
It is a good idea to contact many rescues but it is also an idea to make a relationship with one rescue. Can you offer to walk dogs for them whilst you are waiting, Can you contact them frequently or fund raise for them. Anything that keeps you in the rescues radar will help your case and also show that you will not be one of those no shows when it does actually come to rehoming. Offering to foster is also a great help to the rescue and can help them and you find the perfect dog for you family.
We need to see our new owners are right for the match and we do our best to ensure this happens. It is busy working in rescue and so much of our time is spent trying to collect dogs that literally are on death row, and that have to transported around the country etc that we have less time for actually finding the homes.
Although I have rehomed 30 dogs this month - (putting any rehoming on hold until after November 5th and half term) but have homes lined up for 6 dogs after that. Today alone I have 17 emails and 65 calls on my answerphone - haven't listened to them yet but most of them will be asking for rescue places).
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