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)

I have a normal sized garden and I’m at home all day. I pay for a dog Walker for an hour a day for my current dog. If I needed to pay for more I would do. And dd is home almost half the year (she’s at uni)

Why don’t you believe what people are telling you here @GodIsAVegan? Are you suggesting I and others are lying?

So there's no problem then, no? You don't need more people to rescue, just fewer people to go to crappy backyard breeders and puppy farms. People who want to and are suitable to adopt can continue to do so, and people who don't want or aren't suitable can go to reputable breeders.

It had to start with laws actually stopping randoms from breeding. It’s ridiculous that anyone can just breed with no knowledge, no health checks, just get 2 dogs and make more dogs. People need to stop buying from them to stop the demand.

Skyll

Many people here are saying they were turned down because they had young children or didn’t have a secure garden. Of course I believe that they were turned down, because that is in the dogs best interests.

@GodIsAVegan

You’re wrong. Good enough is a loving, safe home where they are fed quality food and given enough mental and physical exercise. It has nothing to do with the height of a fence or the age of a child; it has everything to do with the compassion and capability of the owner.

You see, this is where the rescue centres go wrong. They think they know better than anyone else, and treat anyone who disagrees like an idiot or an animal abuser.

My dog is extremely well cared for and extremely happy. They are well socialised, secure and have no behavioural issues (except taking up too much of the bed on occasion). And any rescue dog that became part of my family would be the same - but you would prefer to uphold onerous rules rather than allow a rescue that chance of happiness. Own it.

Skyll

What reason did they give you for turning you down? We would home to anyone who meets the criteria and can meet the dogs needs. Fine with walkers if you can’t go that yourself. Some dogs have more restrictions than others, some can be homed with other dogs, some can’t for example.

People need to stop buying from them to stop the demand.

More people would if they could get a rescue dog.

But seriously, they let anyone breed babies, what do you hope will happen with puppies?

Much more sensible is to ban the sale of dogs. If there’s no money to be made, these dicks will scuttle off to grow weed or whatever. All dogs given away free, then no one would backyard breed.

Because I’m disabled and have a cat I’m not suitable.

Sorry, I didn’t see this. We’ve homed to disabled people, as long as they can provide everything the dog needs. The cat could be more of an issue. We have homed to people with cats, if the dog has lived with cats before. If not, but they seem calm dogs, we say, not cat tested. If we know they don’t get on with cats, we obviously won’t home to someone with a cat.

Sorry op, a lot of the people who buy and abandon puppy farm dogs and similar are grade A arses who will justify their own actions to the hilt because doing whatever they want is all they care about as proved by all the responses on here. UANBU though.

Also, just to say, thanks to anyone who works in a shelter or rescue. It must be such tough work, and heartbreaking at times

You’re wrong. Good enough is a loving, safe home where they are fed quality food and given enough mental and physical exercise. It has nothing to do with the height of a fence or the age of a child; it has everything to do with the compassion and capability of the owner.

Do you know how many dogs get put in rescues because the dog has growled at a child for example. We had one this week, child just started walking, hit the dog on the head so the dog growled. Why would rescues risk homing to someone with a child and the dog being returned. Young children are unpredictable. That’s not to say, anyone with a young child wouldn’t be capable of keeping a young child and dog separate, but we don’t know who is and who isn’t.
If the fences are not high enough to contain the dog, we can’t give you a dog. It’s too much of a risk.

I have a 6ft fence all round and no children who live here (dd is 19)

Still not suitable.

You clearly don’t believe me @GodIsAVegan

Skyll

I’m saying a disability wouldn’t be an issue to rescues I’ve worked with. And the cat would depend on the particular dog.

@GodIsAVegan yeah I guess that's the point, because there are so many irresponsible or idiotic people, it's hard to say from just an application and a meeting whether they'd be good to the dog or not. Rehoming a dog for growling once when hit by a child seems a huge overreaction. That's someone who didn't even really bother, and shouldn't have had a dog

That’s not what two local rescues told me.

They phrased it nicely but basically because I didn’t have full mobility I wasn’t suitable.

So clearly there are rescues who have such stringent policies that people who are actually suitable adopters are passed over.

But how many dogs aren’t put in rescues because they growled at a kid? Rescues shouldn’t be looking at the worst case scenario if they genuinely are desperate for good homes. And as I said, my 6ft fence isn’t high enough to stop my dog, so what exactly would you expect? Do all fences have to be 8ft?10? Where do people live that can have such high fences?

On the advice of my vet, my dog isn’t neutered, so again, won’t be allowed a rescue.

My point is either the rescues are overrun so something needs to be done to clear space - and since putting healthy dogs down is abhorrent, the other option is expand the pool of suitable homes by being less restrictive - or they are just fine and find enough homes, in which case there is no issue, is there?

I get that it’s important to avoid dogs bouncing from home to rescue and back again, but blanket rules don’t do anyone any favours - as shown by the fact that plenty of dog owners who are turned down by rescues have extremely happy, healthy companions.

I’ve had dogs all my life.

I look after my animals - my current dog is very old and I pay an absolute fortune every month for medication for him.

He is walked every single day either by the Walker or by DD. me when I can but I currently can’t.

My house and garden are dog proof and dog friendly.

My dog sleeps inside (ok, in my bed!).

I have a rescue cat.

I’m Not suitable.

The rescue I work with don’t turn people down. They choose a person for the dog from those that have applied.

You are free to apply for any dog. But with over 300 applications we have to choose the best fit.

With the notable exception of assistance or working dogs, no one should be getting a dog in this time of climate emergency. They have a high carbon paw-print and are a luxury the planet cannot afford.

Ha ha ha

Okay then @PeachesPumpkin I'll get my hair shirt and ditch all the things in mine and my kids' lives that bring pleasure 😂

My having a dog is vital for my mental health.

Oh and mine. Definitely.

@JayAlfredPrufrock

The rescue I work with don’t turn people down. They choose a person for the dog from those that have applied.

You are free to apply for any dog. But with over 300 applications we have to choose the best fit.

As @Bingbangbongbash said, either there are: a) Too many dogs ; in which case rescues can't complain as they're the ones being picky b) Not enough dogs. In which case there's no problem.

Which is it?
I'm prepared to accept that it may be different for different rescues but the impression being given is that it's a). Maybe your breed specific rescue is different from others

I have a springer/miniature poodle cross who is around 18 months now and lovely.

We considered a rescue but we were planning a family and were told we weren't suitable for rescues (didn't want to lie and say we weren't planning children). Our neighbour had a similar age bully as mentioned in the article. He's a bit mental but I'd definitely consider getting a bully as a second dog in the future, he's a very sweet boy.

@TractorAndHeadphones

I’m not sure what you mean?

My breed specific rescue is short of fosters for difficult dogs.

We are inundated with offers to rehome but many are unsuitable.

We rehome lots of dogs.

Some come back because adopters have lied about their circumstances, their experience, or their staying power with a difficult dog.