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

Because not every home is suitable for every rescue dog. Some dogs will have been abused by children (the parents’ fault for allowing them to) and so they will need an adult only home.

I think a puppy tax to be payable to shelters is a brilliant idea btw.

Strongly agree, likewise with cats/kittens.

I can't believe the response is mostly YABU.

People are so incredibly selfish and appear to see animals merely as another consumer item they feel entitled to.

Depressing.

@Saturdayssandwichsociety I have drawn the same conclusion about a small number of rescues. There is a dog rescue near me which is at a stand still with Staffies, some long term residents who have been there for years and years. There’s around 30. I have visited and know the set up. Whilst her intentions were sincere those dogs are no better where they are than the pound. She is a one woman band. The dogs are in kennels all day everyday. With a few minutes out whilst they get their kennel hosed. They’re not properly exercise and tbh I think would be better PTS. Some are so so stressed as they’re often reactive and not dog friendly so
constantly overwhelmed.

Also a local horse rescue, I chat to them
often when I pass and asked about the horses. One in particular is a rare breed who is young enough he could be working for someone else and even if not sold, on loan, alleviating the cost of feeding him and keeping him from the charity. There are a few like that - I don’t give them my money tbh as I can see it’s a hobby. I get the ones who simply can’t be rehome but hanging onto young and fit horses who could live the bulk of their lives paid for privately is just daft. I have even said “could he be in work” and am told there’s nobody to ride him!

@Coffeealwayshot
Sorry, I can't edit my previous post but I see that you do say you've had a rescue dog.

Not all breeds are available from rescues. We currently have 2 rescue sighthounds (adopted via breed rescue - no hoop jumping despite one of them being a bit 'tricky' because we are repeat adopters) and 2 sighthounds bought as puppies as they of a breed that is pretty much never available from rescue.

I would love to know the name of the rescue that allowed you to take a rescue dog in these circumstances - please publicise it as they'll be flooded with enquiries as most people are turned down with all these circumstances (kids, working) as reasons!!

I honestly think lots of rescues dont like rehoming as if they rehomed most of the dogs quickly the staff and volunteers would have nothing to do.
Instead they put out constant pleas for cash because they are 'overwhelmed' and 'full' all the time.

i no longer donate as i refuse to be the mug who's just funding a group of people who want to look after dogs all day on other peoples dollar, refusing to rehome any of them.

Simply not true. Some lurchers and sight hounds have a high prey drive others do not shelters generally won't place a stray lurcher with a cat family anyway but if they have lived with cats then they can.

They also prey drive test them first.
I've had multiple sight hounds that lived with us and our cats! Including one which was used for illegal hunting......any cat in she was terrified of and never chased. Wild rabbits on the otherhand were more difficult but she wouldn't get let off her lead in certain areas.

I didn’t make the claim. Until evidence of the claim is provided, its conjecture or speculation…or rubbish.

@Coffeealwayshot
I don't think you've actually said whether you have a rescue dog yourself...
Do you have a dog?

I ask because one thing we've noticed this year is an increase in people telling us we should have got a rescue instead of buying our puppy from a breeder. The weird thing is that none of the people (family members, friend, neighbour) who voice this opinion has ever actually had a dog of any sort...

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius "if people have to have a rescue dog, and cannot have a puppy first, how are they going to learn the skills they may well need, in order to cope with a dog that has behavioural issues/anxieties/other problems?"

I'm not going to profess to be an expert in the intricacies of dog shelters, but I have an association with one. Firstly, you do know shelters rehome puppies? Secondly, the premise that dogs in shelters are universally damaged or eternally angry seems to be a common trope here. Some dogs may be, just as some puppy farms would produce aberrant behavioured dogs. Each dog should be carefully selected on their specific merits. Many dog shelters allow for fostering. Something not discussed here.

i strongly advocate ricky Gervais view on rehomed dogs.

Evidence for that statement, @Abi86? And an answer for me?

rubbish.

@Killingoffmyflowersonebyone - @SunQueen24 didn't say she can't keep up with her husky - she says she can't play like a husky - that sounds very different to me.

@Abi86 - I'm going to ask you what I asked @Coffeealwayshot (without getting an answer) - if people have to have a rescue dog, and cannot have a puppy first, how are they going to learn the skills they may well need, in order to cope with a dog that has behavioural issues/anxieties/other problems?

As I said in my previous post, our first dog was a puppy (from a reputable, KC registered breeder), and without the skills we learned, and the confidence we gained from owning her, I would not have felt I had the necessary knowledge or skills to take on a potentially difficult rescue dog.

Since then we have had two rescue dogs - one from the Dogs Trust, and one from Cyprus, and have rehomed a dog whose owner couldn't give her the life she felt the dog deserved, so gave her to us (she knew us and our dogs, and that we would love, cherish and care for her dog just as much as she did).

It is very probable that we will have more rescue dogs in the future - but if we had had to have rescue dogs from the start, we probably would never have had dogs, and (to date) three dogs would not have had a secure, loving home with us.

We’ve had rescues in the past but now show a specific breed so rescues aren’t an option.

I’ve rescued and fostered - 12 dogs over many years. I’m concerned about the growing numbers of dogs in rescue, often aged 7-17 months. I ‘ve volunteered for a specific breed rescue for 12 years and like every other charity I know of, we are being asked to take dogs with resource guarding, reactivity, not house trained etc whose owners realise they can’t meet the dogs needs. These were much wanted puppies but sadly owners hadn’t realised how much work goes into rearing a pup and helping it become a happy confident young dog.

there are good reading rescues want well fenced gardens, no very young chikdren etc. Their experience is dogs get rejected -again and become very difficult to successfully rehome. Some dogs fro Romania etc do ok, many many just don’t. Transition from street dog to domestic pet not always successful

if we were going to go all Stalinist on dog ownership I wouldn’t start by insisting everyone be forced to apply to rescue - crazy idea. I’d start by expecting prospective owners to attend several group training exercises where the reality of getting a pup/dog can be spelled out. I’d have stooge dogs for them to handle. My boisterous young lab wiukd out many off 🐕

Shelters are usually full of dangerous breeds that should simply be put down.

Nope. We’ve had all our dogs from puppies and feel this has been better for our children (both when young and as teens) to bond with them. All of them have been loving, responsive and had gorgeous temperaments precisely because they have been raised by us. They have all been incredible with neighbours children and the ones I childminded for a few years.

As I am get older I may consider a rescue for the one if I can be 100% sure it does not come with behaviour issues that would make it an issue with current dogs or with the neighbours.

I actually think people should have to prove they have the facilities/time/funds to take care of any dog - rescue or puppy - before they are allowed to have one. I’d personally like to see the return of dog licences and very hefty fines for not having them, along with custodial sentences for animal cruelty and neglect.

I'd be worried about any dog with an unknown background.
Maybe it's the size that concerns folk?
Maybe it's the thought they might be more likely to xhase cats etc?
Maybe they met one crazy lurcher?
Who knows?

Small furries. A lurcher will go after cats etc.

Look up 'Pissfingers'. I have known of so many rescue refusals. Need to be home all day, no children/grandchildren/small furries and 6ft fences required.

If people adopt from abroad, the results are very varied. Nervous dogs, untrained, can't be left etc.
Anyone following 'Sophie from Romania' will be familiar with the joys and difficulties.

Your idea would work very well ... in a communist country.🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

It wouldn't work because people who wanted a puppy would deliberately fail the rescue test. Given how hard it is to pass, it's going to be very easy to fail! What a waste of time and resources.
Not to mention the negative impact of forcing a choice on someone, taking on a rescue dog should be a positive thing for those who take on the challenge.

No, it does not sound good.
Because the neutered rescue lab has probably come from a backyard breeder/puppy farm not a top show kennel.
It's skewed logic that will encourage irresponsible overbreeding of pet dogs that have not been health checked whilst penalising responsible breeders who are largely not the ones causing the issues.

Who is going to re-home an American bulldog / cane corso / lurcher of unknown origin.
I think most people would be worried about an American bulldog or a cane corso - but why a lurcher?

I don't understand why people are saying it won't work because they wouldn't qualify for a rescue.... under OPs theoretical scheme, in that case you'd be able to get a puppy wouldn't you?

I think it would be unworkable in practice sadly because I think the cost of admin would never be tolerated, and the ability to manage anything this connected up seems well beyond the UK gov...

For what it's worth, I'd be tempted to see it take taken further and have more stringent (or frankly any!) checks on those buying a puppy, more similar to what rescues do. So if you want a puppy you can train because you have kids, or other pets or whatever, fine. If it's because you live in a flat with no garden and work out of the house 40hrs a week with no plans to keep your dog company - you shouldn't be able to buy a puppy. If you have no inclination to do anything resembling training, you're not allowed a puppy. If you're yanking your poor trembling dog around by the neck like the arsewipe I saw outside waitrose yesterday, no puppy for you either. If you have a German shepherd but are not mobile enough to take it for more than a 10min walk 3 times a day like a woman in my village, no puppy for you.

There should be much higher expectation on all pet owners to think about whether their pet would have a decent quality of life. Yes, I know that people's circumstances change, but a lot of people just put their own desire for a fluffy companion above the needs of the animal.