To ask you to read this before buying a puppy?

[hibbledibble]

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/dec/01/rescue-me-why-britains-beautiful-lockdown-pets-are-being-abandoned

I warned of the dangers of the huge demand for puppies over the lockdowns, and many told me I was wrong.

Here it is from the horse's mouth: all those cute puppies are being abandoned now they are stubborn adolescents.

Rescues are currently brimming at the seams: if you are looking for a dog or other pet, please look there first (and don't limit yourself to a puppy)

We rescued a puppy from a re-homing centre.
Home check done- garden had to be secure (he found a way out but that's another story) he's been a handful and some testing times but he's worth it.
(11 Yr old child in the family)
Dog has settled well. Love him to bits ❤

I worked for dog rescues for many years and never struggled to rehome a dog due to the rehoming guidelines We turned down many people who didn’t fit the criteria and it never stopped us finding a good home for the animal. They have the guidelines in place for a reason. My local rescues are not over flowing either but pets4homes is busy as ever

People try to make out that rescues have ridiculous rules, but it’s just not true in my experience.

Ha. I spent 2 years trying to adopt a cat. Live in quiet cul de sac in rural village, detached house with garden. No other pets. Work from home.

Every single rescue said no because I had a young child. Until finally a tiny local rescue let us one just when were at point of giving up.

It's a million times worse with dogs than cats. Rescues where I live are full of dogs with "issues" badly trained, lots of staffies, nothing suitable with children etc. If you listen to the rescue staff no one should ever have a dog with children under 10 and even with older children they only ever suggest sighthounds.

@SockFluffInTheBath

Maybe the people now dumping their lockdown toys are the kind of people rescues are trying to sidestep. Unfortunately rescues have to be extremely careful and that often means legitimate homes are missed, but rescues based on fostering are often able to place suitable dogs in homes with sensible dog savvy children.

This. I have had no problem getting rescue dogs. Independent rescues are far more flexible which leads me to wonder exactly how committed some are to rescuing. My dog Walker tells me of three clients who leave their puppies locked in crates for eight hours a day save one half an hour walk at lunchtime.

You only have to briefly scan mumsnet on a regular basis to see the posters asking about cavapoos, cockerpoos etc. It’s soul destroying. These dogs are bred by puppy farmers and backyard breeders. In fact, I don’t know why I posted here, nothing ever changes and the posters that support this ridiculous industry get aggressive and defensive. So I will hide the thread.

Rescues where I live are full of dogs with "issues"

And I think that's the problem. Not that the rules are ridiculous, but the dogs are often very damaged.

My dog died during Lockdown 1 - I'd had him since he was a pup (from reputable breeder who had an 18 month waiting list back in 2005 when we got him). His breeder had cats and so he had grown up with cats and had been socialised and trained to be 'cat-friendly'.

Trying to find a rescue dog that can live with cats is very difficult. I could not risk the happiness of the cats with a dog of uncertain cat-friendliness.

@ArblemarchTFruitbat the problem is how do you test a kennelled dog with cats?

Yes you can walk them past or even take them into a room with cats but it’s not to say that just because they ignore a cat in a kennel environment they will in a home.
Even if it’s lived with a cat before it’s hard to say with a different cat, one that might be more flighty or whatever that it will be okay.

Rescues are dammed if they do and if they don’t. If they play it safe they are refusing a dog a home and if they rehome to the wrong family and things go wrong they are blamed for that too.

I follow a few groups on Facebook and the around of times I’ve seen dogs advertised as no dogs/cats/children and then seen 100s of comments saying I’ll take him but I have a 4yo son/cat/dog is astounding. Why on Earth would you risk your family or existing pets on an unknown dog and unfortunately it’s these types of clueless people that need weeding out. People quite often fancy themselves as the next dog whisperer because they have had one dog in the past and it’s not as simple as that.

I’m clearly biased (rescue dog by my feet and I homecheck for one charity). I know of 3 charities who will rehome to families with cats if the dog likes kids and cats, and a good few of them like at least one of the two. That said a lovely friend of mine experienced in a quirky breed was refused by the breed specific rescues because her curtains were the wrong colour or something like that. Some people are desperate for a certain breed, some people get caught up in the hype of certain breeds, some people take a rational or irrational dislike to a certain breed, some people just want A Dog. I’d love everyone to rescue but it’s not for everyone (no judgement in that).

This thread is depressing! People making excuses why they had to buy puppies. I’ve never had an issue with any rescues, all our dogs are rescues.

I was just talking with my friend who works in a vet surgery, who had a sphinx cat come in. This poor, beautiful little girl, maybe just over a year old? She's been rehomed four times.

It's unconscionable. People make me so cross.

@3ormoredogs I don't disagree - it's no test for a dog to meet a cat en passant . The only way you can really be sure is if the dog has lived successfully with cats in its previous home. But those dogs are few and far between - usually the very well-looked after small dogs whose elderly owners have had to give them up for health reasons - and they get snapped up very quickly.

@GodIsAVegan

Total nonsense. My dog is well adjusted, happy and incredibly well cared for; he has a really happy home.

When we got him we were childless but lived in a flat, without direct access to outside space, so weren’t eligible to rescue. Now we have a garden, the fence is too low, and we also have kids, so no chance of a rescue, so when we decide to have a second pup, we will be buying one.

I appreciate that rescues need to make sure dogs don’t get returned, but there is no way that any dog is happier in a cage than they would have been in my family, whether or not we have the ‘right’ garden set up.

There’s a really good article by the (ex?) head of the ASPCA that I can’t find explaining why it’s too much; he’s also quoted in this: www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2018/02/02/millions-of-dogs-need-homes-why-is-it-sometimes-hard-to-adopt-one/

It’s about balance.

@hibbledibble

I know lots of people who have adopted from rescues, without difficulty, or indeed big gardens. Rescues will work with adopters to find a dog that's right for them.

The retired greyhound trust, for example, will also rehome to families with children.

I'm sorry but where I live , there are loads of rescued greyhounds.

The vast majority must be muzzled.
They must never be allowed to run free.
They must not be homed if a child ever visits.
Our 15' hedge might still allow a greyhound to escape from (???!!!)
We would need to work with their anxiety.

I'm sorry, but we just wanted a dog.
No neuroses
No anxiety
No muzzling
No fear of escape from an escape proof garden
Normal dog food.

And, where I live, it's usually greyhounds or anxious Staffies.

Yes, I know staffies are amazing but you wouldn't want to cross the paths of the staffies at our local rescues.

Hence our puppy purchase.

I'd like a dog but can't get one from a rescue centre because I have children. Never mind that I live in the countryside, with a medium sized walled garden, plus 2 acres , plus secure dog walking field half a mile away, abd work from home apart from 1 day, and am experienced dog owner

I'd happily take on an aging dog. I can't have a greyhound because I have a cat.

None of our dogs are in cages. They are in foster homes until they find their forever home.

Every single rescue said no because I had a young child. Until finally a tiny local rescue let us one just when were at point of giving up

Because so many animals are given up due to an issue with the child and the animal. And because so many children are not taught to respect the animal and the animal suffers because of it. And young children can be unpredictable, sometimes causing an animal to bite, scratch and the owners give the animal up. Only homing to people without kids or with older kids reduces the chances of the animal being returned to the rescue and increases the chances of the animal having a happy life.

Exactly

We were looking to get a rescue dog but none of them could be rehomed with children under the age of 13.
Tbh I'd thought we'd be ideal. I have a huge, secure back garden, not on a busy road, I am home all day and we live close to lots of dog friendly woodlands and coastlines.
We weren't even looking for a puppy.

I have a very elderly dog I’ve had since he was a pup.

He’s a small terrier breed and he is a pedigree.

I wouldn’t take on a rescue because I’ve had that breed of dogs all my life and I know how to handle them and their quirks and foibles.

If I took a rescue I’d not be sure it would be ok with the cat (he is as he’s always been around cats) and I have young children that visit.

I’m also disabled so I need to know that I am capable of handling the dog. And I know what size that breed is going to be.

A rescue wouldn’t let me regime because I’m disabled and yet my elderly dog has a great life with me with regular walks from a Walker and my dd when she’s here.

It’s not that simple as the op makes it out to be.

I appreciate that rescues need to make sure dogs don’t get returned, but there is no way that any dog is happier in a cage than they would have been in my family, whether or not we have the ‘right’ garden set up.

The dogs have often been through a lot. Rescues will aim for the best homes not ‘its better than a cage’. The dogs aren’t in cages anyway, they have their own area with lots of time spent with rescue workers and to run around, often with other dogs.

If your fence is an issue, sort it. If your kids are young, there’s good reasons rescues won’t let you have a dog.

Buy a puppy, but by doing so, you may be contributing to the suffering of other dogs due to unethical breeders. Your wants have consequences for others even if your dogs are loved.

I tried to adopt a dog last year and was turned down, we have a good size garden and 2 DC's that are pretty well behaved and used to animals 🤷🏻‍♀️

@TheSoapyFrog

My rescue would rehome to you.

I looked at one of the breed rescue dogs. They would not allow me to introduce my dog to the rescue before I paid a non refundable deposit.

I looked at rescue centres in a 50 mile radius of me and they were not overflowing (about 8 weeks ago).all of the dogs had a history of biting or they could not live with anyone under 16.

Rescues have become way too soft on putting animals down who are badly socialised, potentially dangerous. These dogs won't fund homes, they need to be quietly and peacefully put down.