Should everyone be forced to show they aren’t able to rescue a dog before they can buy a puppy?

It is relevant to an extent, because as a lot of people on this thread are pointing out, it's about educating people to source puppies correctly. The majority of dogs in rescue are coming from backyard breeders or puppy farms either in the UK or abroad.

We don’t live in a dictatorship. Perhaps random ‘rescue’ charities scooping up 1000’s of stray, untrained dogs with dubious medical backgrounds from abroad should be banned. Then maybe domestic rescue charities could reassess their criteria for homes adopting. It seems almost impossible so people go to breeders as they can train the pet from the get go. My area is full of reactive traumatised dogs who screech their way round the area for a walk as they are damaged in terms of socialising.

@PyreneanAubrie I’ve had a puppy before - despite being a rescue enthusiast for similar reasons. There is nothing inherently wrong with buying puppies that are responsibly bred and have good homes to go to (IMO) but that’s probably something for a diff thread..!

I’d actually say firstly we should stop importing any dogs that are not coming over as part of a whole family move.

Secondary we need to openly and honestly admit that actually being put down isn’t the worst thing in the world for these dogs that are often left to rot in rescues. Not everyone wants a bloody a staffy / pit cross or a greyhound.

Its perfectly fine and actually should be the best way to get a dog is from a registered breeder who’s health testing. People should be getting dogs that they have researched and fits their life and the dogs interests not just well this is Ronnie and his ok with kids take him.

You need to stop the problem at the cause and its why are people abandoning their dogs at rescues and they mostly anit pedigree health tested dogs they of mutts purchased off a chap from the pub or a mate down the road.

It's fine. I've known of rescues that have worked out well. It's just I've had the same breed for 47 years and I just can't envisage having something else. If I had the space I'd consider a dog from the breed rescue; they do crop up occasionally, but as it is, with elderly cats in the house, I'm safer with a puppy.

Rescues often have puppies. I volunteer at one.

@PyreneanAubrie apologies. I didn’t want to be patronising, just wanted to dispel the notion rescues are all problematic, you are of course at liberty to buy a puppy and that’s your choice entirely.

"Make it really hard and expensive to breed, tax the shite out of breeders and give the tax lift to the rescues" is guaranteed to be abused especially as there's no way of policing it.

A certain kennels which has the contract from the local council to provide pound services near where I used to work was notorious for this (many councils don't run their own pounds now but outsource the work to private contractors).
"Stray" entire dogs and bitches would "accidentally" be kennelled together- or the kennel owner would claim the bitches were pregnant on arrival- and the resulting pups "rehomed" for a 3 figure "rehoming fee"....this was about 15 years ago so somebody was using the situation to make a buck even then

First time dog owner. I got a puppy. For your exact last paragraph.

I didnt think I would know enough or have the experience required to retrain/resettle a rescue who could have goodness knows what needs and history. I don't know enough as a first timer and those dogs need people with experience. They can't be failed again.

If I get another I might get a rescue....If I feel confident in my ability to spot problems, (re)raise, retrain and re-educate a dog.

I love dogs but if I ever got one (which I wouldn't atm as I'm not equipped right now) I might well consider an adult dog from a good home that had been well brought up and well socialised and was of a breed type that is typically friendly and confident. One that was being rehomed due to an unresolvable change of circumstances.

I certainly wouldn't consider any dog that might have been traumatised, badly socialised or was advertised as unable to live with cats, other dogs, young children, men, whatever even if I was single and childless with no other pets. Quite frankly, dogs that are not able to function as friendly pets in a society that contains children, other animals, etc might be better off being euthanised in some circumstances.

My mum has had dogs for over 30 years. She tried to get a rescue for her last dog. They rejected her, as her garden is not completely dog proof.

Her 'garden' is 5 acres of woodland and grass in rural area. Where she's kept dogs happily without losing them for 28 years. And she has chickens.

So the rescues (she tried 4) all said no.
So she got a puppy.

Perhaps the OP thinks she should have tried more places.

When we got a dog I didn't even bother trying a rescue. I work away from home 3 days a week. I can take my dog to work, or pop home during the day. My back garden is not secure. So I got a puppy. Was quicker than trying to get a rescue place to accept me.

There are so many restrictions to rescuing (not all are reasonable imo) then I understand why

This. A lot of them want child free homes and no other pets. Then they limit flats/homes without gardens. Then a lot say the dogs need a lot of care - so if you’re out all day working you’re also ruled out.

So basically the average working family are often ruled out from being allowed to adopt.

This is basically illustrating my point - we then take one step back before buying the puppy and put rules in place about who can breed puppies. Again totally unpolice-able and would actually make the situation worse in horrible breeding practices. Point being, there’s not a huge amount that can be done.

I meant evidence for your claim that it is ‘nonsense’ that shelters are full of dangerous breeds, @Abi86.

And I have only seen puppies in a Rehoming centre/rescue in the UK once, whenever I have looked at the dogs available in rescues.

We weren't allowed a rescue because I have young children in the house during the day.
And we wanted a puppy! I work as a childminder and needed the dog to grow up with my job and the children- which he has and is brilliant. You don't always know the past of a rescue dog.
However, if I didn't have the job that I've got then we possibly would have had a rescue

I could not agree more!

No. I don't want rescue dogs, I want purebred, KC registered dogs from extremely reputable breeders where the dam and sire are extensively health and DNA tested, the temperament of the line is solid, I have a contract with the breeder with endorsements, and the breed is what I choose.

I didn't say anything about rescues being problematic, but I know what is right for my lifestyle and my circumstances. And I know what my preferences are.
I don't want a rescue dog or an older dog.

Op, your option really won't work for people looking for a working dog, sport dog or show dog. Someone after a particularly rare breed could be waiting an infinite number of years for a suitable one to turn up in a rescue.

Rescues aren’t all problematic, some are simply rehomes because their owner’s circumstances change. My parents have a wonderful “rescue” lab whose owners had children and wanted rid. Hes now 11 and he’s been a fantastic dog. My old husky, mentioned previously, was because the landlord no longer allowed pets. He’s was a dream too. A few of the dogs I fostered were absolute pleasures with no issues.

Tbh I prefer dogs vs puppies, so much about puppies is unknown. Atleast with dogs you know their traits and personality, my family have a pup from a friends litter. Their dog s tolerant of children - another friend had another pup (they have kids) and the dog growls at the children and finds them annoying. With older dogs all this should already be apparent.

I do get it. Everyone in my family has/has had multiple numbers of rescue cats. We've had rescue cats.

But I feel differently about rescue dogs, I would not feel able to take one on and I don't think I should have to justify my reasons for that.

Totally disagree.

People should be free to choose the pet they want to suit their home, budget and lifestyle.

We were not allowed a rescue, most people aren’t! Rescue centres are extremely picky about who can have a rescue

we applied at 2, but did not qualify as there needs to be a person at home 24/7. As I work part time, and have to be in the office twice a week for 4-5 hours we did not qualify

in the real world, my dogs are fine being left 4-5 hours twice a week, and we ended up buying a puppy.

it’s silly imo, as we have lurchers and those are exactly the breed of dogs that are languishing in shelters

rant over

but yeah it is a silly idea as rescues are too strict imo