To think some rescue centres make it a bit too hard to adopt a dog

[Blackheartz]

No young children
No working outside of the home.

Which essentially leaves SAHPs who have older kids, and people who have retired.

Obviously, they have to ensure the dogs go to good homes, I get that. But it does make me wonder how anybody manages to adopt a dog!

It's simple to ask if the prospective adopter works full time or has young kids. If a dog is likely to attack small children I'd question its suitability for adoption at all.

Disagree. Have a friend who has a dog who is very very nervous. She is fine as long as she is left to approach people, but would get very frightened at a young kid running over to her and hugging her. There are no kids ever in the house. She is muzzled when taken out, and everyone visiting the house is told to ignore her, unless she comes to you.

Many years ago my parents were allowed to adopt a dog from a rescue centre. It went back a few weeks later because it was untrained and aggressive (due to anxiety). My parents were novice dog owners, and were frightened that the dog would hurt one myself or my brother (8 and 3). Dog had previously lived with one old lady - no experience of children, or ither dogs, or going for walks or car travel at all - and my parents couldn't cope.

We subsequently got a puppy and that worked out fine. Lots of books on how to look after and train a puppy, local puppy-walking classes, plenty of socialization at the right age. He was an adored family pet for 13 years.

So actually I kind of get where shelters are coming from.

I think smaller places can be more flexible. We were flatly turned down from adopting an adult cat from the RSPCA because we both worked (still think this is bonkers). So we went to Cats Protection and they were very happy to help.

Our local cats' rescue charges £100 ish

It's £60 for a kitten, £70 for a cat for our rescue, and having seen everything that goes into it, it's a pretty good deal! There's a lot of paperwork involved, collecting surrendered cats and doing home checks, fleaing, worming, chipping, vaccinating, neutering. The kennels need electricity and cleaning, the cats need food, water, litter and toys, and often medical treatment which runs into the £100s. We fundraise all year and in all weathers because the amount we get from head office would keep us going for about two months otherwise.

Cats and dogs come with a lifelong financial commitment. If you flinch at paying £100 to adopt one, you may be better off with a hamster.

I agree. RSPCA wouldnt let me adopt a kitten as I had a gerbil. I already have had two cats cohabiting with hamsters and gerbils for 10 years and never did they meet a cat toothy end and all lived to old ages.

I'm not an idiot.

I got two lovely kittens free from a lady I met in the blue cross a few weeks later

I know plenty of people who have been turned away from adopting dogs and cats from shelters for daft reasons (e.g. for living withim half a mile of a 30 mph single carriageway road. Who doesn't live near a road?!). The vast majority have gone on to adopt from alternative shelters with less restrictive policies and have happy, well cared for pets.

We spent around £150 on our dog, two home visits ( by a VERY rude snobby woman!) and they weren't up front about medical issues.

Our dog had been returned several times. She'd gone through four different homes in as many years, each time going through the rigorous screening process ....which clearly hadnt worked.

Rude RSPCA lady wanted me to put 6ft fences on a 100ft of garden to stop a dog with joint issues from leaping our shorter fences and escaping.....we are mid terraced..every garden is fenced 🙄😒

I don't regret getting our dog from RSPCA but I prob wouldn't do it again. Will def look at smaller rescues in future.

It's amazing how times have changed. In 1983 I went to Battersea and selected a dog. It was just a case of "I'll have that one please", handed over £30 and it was mine, no questions asked.I took it back after 10 days as it had attacked me and I was frightened of it. It was obviously a troubled dog, ( which wasnt apparent on short acquaintance) in those days I don't think they did the checks on the dogs that they do now, just a quick in and out. I felt sorry for the dog, but Battersea were at fault too. Thank god I didn't have children. So, in general, I think rescues are right in trying to ensure the right dog goes to the right home, and thoroughly checking the dogs temperaments beforehand.

And yet, you can just have a baby with no checks at all.

And what would you recommend for those that failed the checks Ginny ? Forced sterilisation? Forced termination? Forced adoption?

Not quite clear how this relates to rehoming dogs.

More that it just seems like complete overkill to me.

I mean I like dogs but...they’re dogs.

These dog charities are just self-important numpties. There is absolutely no reason why a home with young children or where the adults work is automatically unsuitable for a dog.

The staff at these places are stupid and overpaid and make the rules to suit their own ridiculous view of the world.

As long as the public go on deluging them with money and donations they will do whatever they want.

I would just say that the people doing the hard graft at rescue places are most certainly not overpaid, I can 100% assure you of that.

Woah, hold on! The people actually doing the caring, fostering and proper work in these animal rescues are generally overworked/underpaid or volunteering! No need for name calling.

The heads of the charities, those who make policy and draw a generous wage..... different kettle of fish. Have at it😜

It is so variable though! my parents got rejected from one resur because they had another (very social, friendly) dog at the time who lived 90% of his time in the (1acre) garden. he came in several times a day, got his cuddles, and went out again. he didn't like to be inside, would howl and be distressed when the doors were closed (but was allowed to come in whenever he wanted). They slso tried to report my parents for abuse (the visiting officer declared the charity voluteer as crazy - the outdoorsy dog was a large breed and clearly happy and well cared for with several well insulated dog houses outside,and able to come snd go as he pleased). the second rescue basically gave them free choice of dogs because they were able to adapt to what's best for the dog.

We adopted our dog from dogs paws aid.
They rescue dogs from Romania. We had a homecheck where the lady came out and chatted to us about the process, checked the garden and met the kids who were 4 and 7
We adopted a 4 month old puppy and he is like my third child, we all adore him. He hasn’t been any different to other dogs we’ve had - well perhaps more cuddly.

We would have been turned down by sspca as our garden doesn’t have a 6ft fence it’s only 4.5ft and we have young kids. I work school hours but dh is often Home all day and my dad lives next door so he’s never on his own that long.

We have had a cat from sspca - she pretended to be lovely and great with kids at the shelter - got her home and she was like an evil witch! Hated kids, hated us! She had a nice life but spent most of it stalking prey outside and coming in to eat, sleep and bite us!

Anyway there are other options. We paid £250 which included all vaccs and transport to our nearest town from Romania.
Mum and 4 of her puppies came over and they’ve all got wonderful homes locally and we still see some of them.

If you want to know any more details PM me
And I’ll point you in ththe direction of the owner.

Totally disagree with adopting dogs from abroad. There are no safeguards in place, plus our vets are now seeing diseases in this country they haven't seen before. We have enough rescue dogs here, let's sort that out first before we look to sorting out dogs from Eastern Europe!

Battersea wouldn't let my colleague adopt as they worked outside the home. We are allowed to bring dogs into the office so it would never have been left alone in the house during the day, but there wasn't a box on the form for that it seems, so they got rejected.

Bollocks. There is both a space on the form for that option and plenty of dogs rehomed into that scenario

I think they make you jump through hoops because they don't want the dog back! Although personally I would not have a dog with smaller kids. Not the dog's fault, just that kids do not necessarily understand that a dog may need space and time, and you do not know past history of a rescue dog.

We're second time rescue dog owners, started with an older collie when daughter was 8, which I think is a good age for getting a dog.
Current collie is from Dogs Trust. Had been in kennels there since aged 1 so 5 years, had not been successfully rehomed because is nervous and can be agressive. Had been returned to kennels about 5 times because previous owners could not cope. We were told she had wrecked furniture (worst she has done is chew buttons off a cushion - we were there watching TV and dog just took a fancy to it), bitten people (yes, we've had that if they come in and we have told them to NOT ignore the dog but to play ball - but they ignore the dog, so get a nip) and that the dog cannot be walked along a road as chases bikes/cars/vans - so needed a rural home, the way round this is to walk off road as much as possible and introduce roadwork at the end of a walk when it is too much effort to chase very car.
We are mostly at home 24/7 but from time to time could have circumstances where we might need to leave the dog between 5-8 hours - so dog is tired out by playing ball, mental games and walking in advance. We are not concerned about damage to the home/furniture, dog is VERY good when we are out and nothing is touched. I'd be worried for any burglars though, they'd not be allowed to leave!

Does anyone who is refused by an adoption centre say "actually they are right, we'll wait

Yes. But sometimes they aren't right and so why should they?

I adopted a cat from a local rescue. Filled in a form, gave them 30 quid and that was that.

Personally I would never rescue a dog as their backgrounds are far to unknown, and the reality is that the likes of battersea etc tend to only have staffies and greyhounds etc available for rescue anyway.

Plus, and as controversial as this may sound, it IMO suits the larger charities to have dogs that have been in rescue for months and months because this is what brings the money in. I understand that many people aspire to having no-kill rescues, however when the likes of Dog’s trust talk about never putting a healthy dog down that’s not really true is it? They’re talking about having dogs that are so traumatised by their experiences that they can never be rehomed, well that’s not a healthy dog is it? And let’s be honest here, there are far worse fates that can befall a dog than being put out of its misery. I’m sure a lifetime in kennels is one of them but just as long as it brings the money into the charity eh?

I personally know someone who works for Dog’s trust and she lives on the premises, in a four bedroom cottage, provided and paid for by the charity including all her bills e.g. electricity water gas etc

Cat rehoming is far too rigid though, cats in general really aren’t that rigid and are generally far more adaptable than dogs are.

Yanbu. I don't get the donation thing either. These are charities not money making organisations. If you want to donate fine but you shouldn't be made to. Buy adopting the dog/cat you are saving them money they would spend in looking after it.

CHAT in Lewisham quite rightly ask for a donation. Bearing in mind that ALL cats/kittens are neutered/microchipped/wormed and vaccinated within hours of crossing their doorstep I don't blame them.

You'd be surprised at how many people 'promise' to do it, but don't.