More than 1800 people have contacted Dog’s trust to rehome unwanted lockdown puppies

[AlternativePerspective]

And 1 in 4 people admitted they had impulse purchased a pet during lockdown.

how the fuck do we get the message home that a puppy isn’t a toy and that people should think twice three, ten times before rushing out and buying one.

And obviously the increased prices aren’t a deterrent, although those are about greed anyway, because these people are buying them for £££ and then selling them on for the same prices.

www.countryliving.com/uk/wildlife/pets/a35115185/hundreds-puppies-resold-abandoned/

Anyone who bought a puppy in lockdown should be ashamed of themselves (if not pre-planned). Even if you WFH full time, if it's in a stressful job, you probably can't give the puppy the attention it needs.

That's a huge generalisation. People's working circumstances are hugely varied even now.

But the thinking of many seems to be that if they are at home during the first few months, they will be able to manage the rather intense housebreaking period themselves. Obviously that's not the only thing to consider but it's not a crazy idea.

@vanillandhoney

I don't know why people aren't convinced or think it's bullshit. A quick search online will find you loads of young dogs being re-homed - always due to a "change in circumstance".

See the list I posted above.

As I said - not here.

If we have so many rescue dogs available how is there such demand that they're being imported from abroad without homes to go to lined up?

I genuinely don't get it. I've known so many people try and rescue and be unable to unless they bought dogs from abroad.

I want another dog, our first dog was a reject (got her at 6 months) and would love a puppy or young reject, but not seen any

Just crazy prices, like £2000 for a 3yr old dog

I have given up on the idea as dog prices have gone mad.

Where is this glut of rejected pups?! Still being sold for 2-3k?

Could you link to the page with all those young dogs?

@vanillandhoney very true, just an observation.

Interestingly over 200 of the 4-12 month results on pets4homes are french Bulldogs. Approx 20%!

I can’t see any evidence at all of this in my area. The only dogs available (and only a few of these, too) are very old or with health problems. Nothing on Gumtree/Pets4Homes etc.

I can hook you up with a baladi dog direct from Egypt House of Brie - you can fly it in for less than so called rescue centres are selling old dogs with health problems for. It's all very bizarre

Interestingly, all these people giving up their puppies for “better homes” don’t of course return to the breeder or give to an animal rescue, they still want their bloody money back don’t they? So flog it on pets4homes for £2k

I would like a dog registration scheme and the possibility therefore of being prohibited if you are neglectful or your house is unsuitable.

Another thing that has increased in addition to people buying puppies on a whim is dog theft. Both really worrying and heartbreaking sad

We have always wanted a dog but we haven't taken the plunge because we know it would be hard work and although I work from home I'm currently too busy to give it enough attention and also we worry about unexpected vet bills that may not be covered by insurance as not all illnesses are - we personally know of somebody who. despite being insured, had to find £7000 for treatment for their dog and it died anyway. I don't understand why people don't consider these things before taking the plunge?? I also know of somebody who bought a border collie puppy and left it in a cage for 6 hours a day while they went to work, and then it was so wound up that when friends visited it lunged for their daughter and bit her on the face totally unprovoked - why would you get a dog a) if you were out of the house for so long every day and b) why choose a breed that requires so much exercise and then not be able to give it that? It must have been going crazy. So irresponsible.

Am also so worried about the amount of dog thefts going on. My parents have a pug and their house is on a quiet country lane and I am so scared she might be stolen when they are out doing their weekly shop or something :-(

I can see very few young dogs for re-homing (I looked out of curiosity across lots of rescue places throughout the U.K. for another poster the other day). Hopefully this isn’t as a big a problem as the article suggests.

I have regularly donated money to several rescue places (including the RSPCA) for a few years now and have had a challenging rescue dog in the past so can see myself doing so again one day.

We are people who bought our first puppy in the summer.

We had wanted a dog for a while but both work ft. Dh wfh 2 days a week, I didn't wfh at all. Then in March I got a new job which was predominantly wfh. We realised that we could manage a dog and started contacting rescues. Nowhere would consider us because we have cats.

In lockdown we started researching into puppies. We bought from a breeder who is licensed by the local council. We visited twice before putting down a deposit, saw the puppy with his mum and siblings, and spoke to the breeders vet.

Yes we paid a small fortune but I hadn't researched puppy prices pre lockdown so didn't realise how the prices had increased. To me, the price seemed reasonable - I can't believe that puppies used to cost less than a mobile phone.

I had naively thought that the high prices would mean people were more committed and less inclined to make an impulse purchase.

Our puppy is very well socialised. Even in lockdown we do training, meet other dogs on walks, and he attends doggy day care once a week to ensure he mixes with other dogs.

Having had a puppy from 8 weeks I'm niw not sure, as relatively inexperienced owners, we would feel ok about taking on a rescue with behavioural problems. For us, a lockdown puppy has worked really well although I recognise thats not the same for everyone.

Dogs should be expensive. People will spend more money on a car which they'll have for less time.

It's a living being which will have a 10-15 year lifespan. You shouldn't be able to pick one up for a few hundred quid on a whim.

If they were expensive enough it would force people to consider whether they can really justify getting one, would stop almost all impulse purchases, and would mean people are less ready to get rid after a couple of weeks.

Also those selling puppies under 6 months, are they aware they are breaking the law?

The only people who can sell on puppies aged under 6 months are the breeder themselves. Or they have to go to a charity

If we have so many rescue dogs available how is there such demand that they're being imported from abroad without homes to go to lined up?

Because foreign rescues don't do all the checks that the UK ones do. There are many serious concerns around the foreign importation of dogs - many of whom have never lived in homes or with children before.

UK rescues will home-check. They'll check whether the dog can live with other dogs, children, cats, small animals etc. They'll know the dogs' medical history. The dog will have visited a vet. They'll have had their behaviour assessed by a professional. Adopters will sign contracts and will have the support of the rescue if the dog gets ill or something goes wrong.

People can adopt from abroad because, the above rarely happens. There are several recent threads in "The Doghouse" about the problems people are having with their Romanian rescues.

@Sprockerdilerock

Is this true? Just went on the dogs trust website and only 6 dogs under 1 came up along with a message that they were still getting hundreds of applications per dog?

A certain percentage of people of get puppies have always been morons who end up giving up and it makes sense that that number increases as dog ownership in general increases.

Yes - I keep an eye on Dogs' Trust (our old fella died last summer) and I have to say, there don't seem to be that many dogs on there in my area - and none at all that could live with cats, which is a prerequisite for us.

I got the impression more were being resold on Pets4Homes than sent to rescue because people want to recoup the £3000 they spent on the pup.

People are short-sighted and selfish.
They think that because of lockdown they'll be at home more, less holidays, less activities and a dog will provide entertainment. Why you get a puppy in lockdown is beyond me! Has there ever been a time when socialisation, exercise, training, veterinary care has been more limited!! People are stupid.

Anyone with any knowledge and respect for animals will realise when getting a pet you are making a commitment to love and care for that animal for the rest of its life - potentially 15 years plus. They are not commodities to dispose off.

I also know of somebody who bought a border collie puppy and left it in a cage for 6 hours a day

That poor poor dog.

I'd love a husky. I've been obsessed for years. I won't ever actually have a husky because I don't have the time, money, expertise, fencing, lifestyle that a husky needs. Very few people do have what it takes for a high energy working dog. But there they all are anyway.

Just looked on pets4home and the most expensive was 6k ,a Tibetan mastiff and the cheapest £300 for a baby rat, sorry Yorkshire terrier, most were puppies.

Yet I got slammed yesterday for suggesting people selling puppies this lockdown were irresponsible.

Any breeders should have had the foresight not to breed litters for a while.

I understand the hesitation people have with taking on a rescue and possible behavioural issues. We saw lots of rescues some ranging from quite minor problems to severe. All I would say is that actually, for a slightly nervous, under socialised dog, lockdown worked really well in building up her confidence. We were able to walk her and it was quiet, get her used to the sights and smells of our small town and then build on this as things gradually started to come back to life. She is a now a confident dog, loves people and other dogs. Bonus was she was very well house trained so we skipped all that! So if people are looking for a rescue I would urge them to be open minded and think about how actually, in the same way that people are using WFH time to get through the puppy stage, the circumstances of lockdown might be a good way to build up and train a rescue. Realise this won’t work for all but I do wish people wouldn’t just dismiss it. Rescue dogs are often the product of inexperienced dog owners so the rationale that inexperienced dog owners should get a puppy doesn’t add up really.

I’d love a dog in theory and in a moment of madness had a look at Dogs Trust, I then came to my senses and binned the idea.
It makes me so sad for the poor dogs being shoved from one place to another.

The sooner we make people have licenses for dogs the better - i see, all the time here in east London, groups of lads carrying tiny newborn puppies taken from some poor dog.....breaks my heart.

@Magicpaintbrush Dog theft is increasing in our area too, mainly pug type dogs - one simply appearing to vanish into thin air in the park while walking with its owner. Very, very sad.

Lockdown ugh. Furlough...Lots of walks though! I know! Let's get a dog! What's a walk without a dog, kids will love it! Yay!
....
Okay we're going back to work now. Hmm. This dog that we knew may live for 15 years or so is still alive. Dog care is expensive! It's chewed my shoes as well! And it's not really that cute now. Ah well, may as well get rid of it..