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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Refused to rehome a dog ...aibu to think it's a ridiculous decision?

316 replies

brettsndsal · 17/09/2021 10:52

We are a massive dog family.
Over the years we have had a lurcher,a border collie and a poodle all lived a happy long life.
They are part of the family and spoilt rotten.
Birthday ,Christmas presents,taken to the park daily and walks etc etc
We love them like a child basically.
Our last dog Lucy passed away aged 16 six weeks ago.
She was a rescue dog and had a bad start to life.
Anyway I've applied to rehome a dog through two rehoming places.
Both Declined us because we don't have a garden.

We have never had a Garden but that hasn't affected the dog in anyway.
We love opposite a huge park and 5 mins away from the beach.
They've refused to even do a home check because it's not suitable home for a dog.

We applied for a Jack Russell and another poodle.
Even if we had a garden I wouldn't let the dog out alone.

I'm really upset and I don't understand how a garden makes any difference.
They have lots of dogs in at the minute crying out for a new life.
We couldn't love them anymore if we tried

Aibu to think it's a bit shit?

OP posts:
MilduraS · 18/09/2021 10:56

We had similar when trying to adopt a cat. We have a garden and don't have children. The big no-no was that we lived on a "busy" road. It's a crescent road in a village, well away from the high street and most traffic but a bus drives through every 30 minutes (one per hour in each direction). There's a farm behind us with acres of fields which is where our cats have always explored but they said the road made it too dangerous. We got fed up of the rejection and ended up buying a kitten. I'm not sorry, we love him to bits and he adores us.

HazelBite · 18/09/2021 11:14

OP have you tried local vets, our vet will try to rehome pets that people cannot keep anymore.

ImFree2doasiwant · 18/09/2021 11:42

I saw a young dog on a site yesterday, 6 months old can't live with children or cats. It's 6 months old. Written off.

thenightsky · 18/09/2021 12:06

If they got a basket of puppies in from the two most pleasant dogs in the nation, they'd still insist they were aggressive monsters who needed firm, experienced owners with at least 4acres of farmland, preferably retired.

Oh no, 4 acres is instant rejection as its not a small garden with a 6ft fence!

ButterflyAway · 18/09/2021 12:14

I live in a flat, one of my neighbours has a dog. He’s incredibly loud in the close (barking) and wakes the kids up, make a mess of the communal garden and races around the flat causing an issue for the neighbour directly below them. I agree flats are no place for dogs, it doesn’t matter if you love them enough or not. It matters about how your choices affect those around you though.

liveforsummer · 18/09/2021 12:19

@ButterflyAway

I live in a flat, one of my neighbours has a dog. He’s incredibly loud in the close (barking) and wakes the kids up, make a mess of the communal garden and races around the flat causing an issue for the neighbour directly below them. I agree flats are no place for dogs, it doesn’t matter if you love them enough or not. It matters about how your choices affect those around you though.
Mine is small, doesn't bark in the house at all and a 6 kilo dog on carpet doesn't cause any noise disturbance to a lower floor, not that's she's one to race around - she does that outside and mostly sleeps when in the house.
Opaljewel · 18/09/2021 12:23

I have seen a cat rescue that won't rehome near busy roads (which is fair enough) but no one with young children???? As in no cats or kittens, not just ones who are not good with children. I mean what the hell. Lots of cats grow up perfectly fine with young children. It's absurd!

Opaljewel · 18/09/2021 12:25

@ButterflyAway

I live in a flat, one of my neighbours has a dog. He’s incredibly loud in the close (barking) and wakes the kids up, make a mess of the communal garden and races around the flat causing an issue for the neighbour directly below them. I agree flats are no place for dogs, it doesn’t matter if you love them enough or not. It matters about how your choices affect those around you though.
Sorry but that's more of an owner issue. He's letting it do that instead of taking it for a walk and getting some training to help with the barking/ anxiety of the dog. If a dog has a home, it doesn't matter if flat or not, it has to be walked not just thrown out to run around amok!
SchadenfreudePersonified · 18/09/2021 19:07

@BloodyMaryplease

That’s ridiculous and so sad for the dogs. As you’re in the North East could you try Bryson’s? Pretty sure you don’t need a garden for them. It’s in Gateshead, worth the trip perhaps?
I'd second this - Bryson's are usually very keen to find good homes.

(Sometimes a little too keen. A bit like Auntie Wainwright, if they haven't got what you are seeking, they'll talk you int something else, so be prepared to go for a black dog and come out with a white cat! Grin Not quite, but they will try to find out why your criteria are restricted, and if they have a dog they thing will sui you, wills you to consider it)

Polkadotties · 18/09/2021 19:29

@LiamGallagherIsHot

You're rather missing the point that if people go to the rescue shelters and get turned away, they're going to go for a puppy anyway.

Then that says a lot about how much they care about dogs in many cases. Most will buy from pets4homes homes type sites. They ‘want want want’ a dog and ignore the exploitation that happens for their wants to be met. I’m sure most will love their new pup.... but what about the wider issues caused by the desire for someone to have a dog in this way. Of course rescues will mop up all that shit at a later date, when the mum of their pup is got rid of....and then people can slag them off cos they insist on the best home possible for their pups mum after the life she’s already endured, multiple litters and the toll that has taken on her body.

Yes I do want want want a dog. I had dogs growing up. I love animals. I am moving to a bigger house with a bigger garden so will have the space for a large breed dog. I wfh most of the week, my OH works for home some of the week. We have a high disposable income which will pay for doggy day care if we do have to go in the office on the same day. I have a horse so already lead an outdoorsy country lifestyle. We have no children. However we are apparently not suitable for a rescue. So we will be buying a puppy.
notHarris · 18/09/2021 19:35

I read a big appeal on Facebook with a rescue saying they were full to bursting and couldn't take any more even in an emergancy.
Then I looked at the dogs on their website, they had a list of requirements as long as your arm. Gardens, somebody home all day, no visiting children, breed specific experience and so on......to a certain extent I do get why, the dog has been through enough already and they want to be certain that it's a good home. The thing is though, a little bit more flexibility and willingness to actually talk to people such as yourselves would probably help their situation to improve.
It's a shame really!

VeganCheesePlease · 18/09/2021 19:40

So bloody ridiculous, obviously you need strict re-homing policies but I have seen this happen time and time again and it's why people buy puppies. Adopt don't shop doesn't work when good owners are being turned away.

ImFree2doasiwant · 18/09/2021 19:40

Apparently Balkan underdogs are worth trying.

Eilatan2018 · 19/09/2021 13:02

@brettsndsal

We are a massive dog family. Over the years we have had a lurcher,a border collie and a poodle all lived a happy long life. They are part of the family and spoilt rotten. Birthday ,Christmas presents,taken to the park daily and walks etc etc We love them like a child basically. Our last dog Lucy passed away aged 16 six weeks ago. She was a rescue dog and had a bad start to life. Anyway I've applied to rehome a dog through two rehoming places. Both Declined us because we don't have a garden.

We have never had a Garden but that hasn't affected the dog in anyway.
We love opposite a huge park and 5 mins away from the beach.
They've refused to even do a home check because it's not suitable home for a dog.

We applied for a Jack Russell and another poodle.
Even if we had a garden I wouldn't let the dog out alone.

I'm really upset and I don't understand how a garden makes any difference.
They have lots of dogs in at the minute crying out for a new life.
We couldn't love them anymore if we tried

Aibu to think it's a bit shit?

@brettsndsal where do you live? I have seen posts today on fb in my area South East about a dog needing rehoming..
ThinWomansBrain · 19/09/2021 13:11

I've had similar when trying to adopt a cat - both of mine were kittens, I ended up with one from a friend of a friend, one gumtree. FIrst cat lived to a fairly good sixteen, current one is nine and pretty healthy.

I used to work for an animal charity; many of the national ones rely heavily on volunteers, and certainly the one I worked for, volunteers were able to set own rules at branch level, despite national guidelines and a desire to rehome as many as possible.

ThinWomansBrain · 19/09/2021 13:21

Battersea Guidelines state that you don;t have to have a garden
Dogs Trust don't mention it - but don;t state that you do have to have one (and they've publicly stated that thye've had a recent influx of unwanted dogs from thoughtless twats who adopted in lockdown without thinking about when they went back to work).

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