Should everyone be forced to show they aren’t able to rescue a dog before they can buy a puppy?

[Coffeealwayshot]

Just that really

I see my local shelter is full again and saying they will need to euthanise if they can’t find homes.

Everyone I know (bar 2 or 3) who has a dog has bought from a breeder.

Im not rude enough to ask people if they considered a rescue. I know some say they were turned down but some that they just wanted a puppy or a specific breed.

So my question is as above?
I get we can’t say no breeding at all but should taking on a rescue be the only option for those who are suitable and reduce the breeding to just cater for those who can’t have a rescue dog?

Simply not true. Some lurchers and sight hounds have a high prey drive others do not shelters generally won't place a stray lurcher with a cat family anyway but if they have lived with cats then they can.

They also prey drive test them first.
I've had multiple sight hounds that lived with us and our cats! Including one which was used for illegal hunting......any cat in she was terrified of and never chased. Wild rabbits on the otherhand were more difficult but she wouldn't get let off her lead in certain areas.

I would love to know the name of the rescue that allowed you to take a rescue dog in these circumstances - please publicise it as they'll be flooded with enquiries as most people are turned down with all these circumstances (kids, working) as reasons!!

I honestly think lots of rescues dont like rehoming as if they rehomed most of the dogs quickly the staff and volunteers would have nothing to do.
Instead they put out constant pleas for cash because they are 'overwhelmed' and 'full' all the time.

i no longer donate as i refuse to be the mug who's just funding a group of people who want to look after dogs all day on other peoples dollar, refusing to rehome any of them.

Not all breeds are available from rescues. We currently have 2 rescue sighthounds (adopted via breed rescue - no hoop jumping despite one of them being a bit 'tricky' because we are repeat adopters) and 2 sighthounds bought as puppies as they of a breed that is pretty much never available from rescue.

@Coffeealwayshot
Sorry, I can't edit my previous post but I see that you do say you've had a rescue dog.

@Saturdayssandwichsociety I have drawn the same conclusion about a small number of rescues. There is a dog rescue near me which is at a stand still with Staffies, some long term residents who have been there for years and years. There’s around 30. I have visited and know the set up. Whilst her intentions were sincere those dogs are no better where they are than the pound. She is a one woman band. The dogs are in kennels all day everyday. With a few minutes out whilst they get their kennel hosed. They’re not properly exercise and tbh I think would be better PTS. Some are so so stressed as they’re often reactive and not dog friendly so
constantly overwhelmed.

Also a local horse rescue, I chat to them
often when I pass and asked about the horses. One in particular is a rare breed who is young enough he could be working for someone else and even if not sold, on loan, alleviating the cost of feeding him and keeping him from the charity. There are a few like that - I don’t give them my money tbh as I can see it’s a hobby. I get the ones who simply can’t be rehome but hanging onto young and fit horses who could live the bulk of their lives paid for privately is just daft. I have even said “could he be in work” and am told there’s nobody to ride him!

Strongly agree, likewise with cats/kittens.

I can't believe the response is mostly YABU.

People are so incredibly selfish and appear to see animals merely as another consumer item they feel entitled to.

Depressing.

Because not every home is suitable for every rescue dog. Some dogs will have been abused by children (the parents’ fault for allowing them to) and so they will need an adult only home.

I think a puppy tax to be payable to shelters is a brilliant idea btw.

We were not allowed a rescue, most people aren’t! Rescue centres are extremely picky about who can have a rescue

we applied at 2, but did not qualify as there needs to be a person at home 24/7. As I work part time, and have to be in the office twice a week for 4-5 hours we did not qualify

in the real world, my dogs are fine being left 4-5 hours twice a week, and we ended up buying a puppy.

it’s silly imo, as we have lurchers and those are exactly the breed of dogs that are languishing in shelters

rant over

but yeah it is a silly idea as rescues are too strict imo

Yes we have a rescue dog now who is our third as a family. Growing up my childhood family had several rescue dogs. Several of my wider family currently also have a rescue dog. In fact none of my family have ever bought from a breeder.

These are various breeds, have come from various shelters, ex guide dogs, ex greyhounds.
One’s owner died suddenly and it was and posted as an emergency on a local page. One was found stray by a dog warden.

Do yes I do have some history to be commenting but have totally accepted it’s a crap idea after all the replies!!

Totally disagree.

People should be free to choose the pet they want to suit their home, budget and lifestyle.

I do get it. Everyone in my family has/has had multiple numbers of rescue cats. We've had rescue cats.

But I feel differently about rescue dogs, I would not feel able to take one on and I don't think I should have to justify my reasons for that.

Rescues aren’t all problematic, some are simply rehomes because their owner’s circumstances change. My parents have a wonderful “rescue” lab whose owners had children and wanted rid. Hes now 11 and he’s been a fantastic dog. My old husky, mentioned previously, was because the landlord no longer allowed pets. He’s was a dream too. A few of the dogs I fostered were absolute pleasures with no issues.

Tbh I prefer dogs vs puppies, so much about puppies is unknown. Atleast with dogs you know their traits and personality, my family have a pup from a friends litter. Their dog s tolerant of children - another friend had another pup (they have kids) and the dog growls at the children and finds them annoying. With older dogs all this should already be apparent.

Op, your option really won't work for people looking for a working dog, sport dog or show dog. Someone after a particularly rare breed could be waiting an infinite number of years for a suitable one to turn up in a rescue.

I didn't say anything about rescues being problematic, but I know what is right for my lifestyle and my circumstances. And I know what my preferences are.
I don't want a rescue dog or an older dog.

No. I don't want rescue dogs, I want purebred, KC registered dogs from extremely reputable breeders where the dam and sire are extensively health and DNA tested, the temperament of the line is solid, I have a contract with the breeder with endorsements, and the breed is what I choose.

I could not agree more!

We weren't allowed a rescue because I have young children in the house during the day.
And we wanted a puppy! I work as a childminder and needed the dog to grow up with my job and the children- which he has and is brilliant. You don't always know the past of a rescue dog.
However, if I didn't have the job that I've got then we possibly would have had a rescue

I meant evidence for your claim that it is ‘nonsense’ that shelters are full of dangerous breeds, @Abi86.

And I have only seen puppies in a Rehoming centre/rescue in the UK once, whenever I have looked at the dogs available in rescues.

This is basically illustrating my point - we then take one step back before buying the puppy and put rules in place about who can breed puppies. Again totally unpolice-able and would actually make the situation worse in horrible breeding practices. Point being, there’s not a huge amount that can be done.

This. A lot of them want child free homes and no other pets. Then they limit flats/homes without gardens. Then a lot say the dogs need a lot of care - so if you’re out all day working you’re also ruled out.

So basically the average working family are often ruled out from being allowed to adopt.

There are so many restrictions to rescuing (not all are reasonable imo) then I understand why

My mum has had dogs for over 30 years. She tried to get a rescue for her last dog. They rejected her, as her garden is not completely dog proof.

Her 'garden' is 5 acres of woodland and grass in rural area. Where she's kept dogs happily without losing them for 28 years. And she has chickens.

So the rescues (she tried 4) all said no.
So she got a puppy.

Perhaps the OP thinks she should have tried more places.

When we got a dog I didn't even bother trying a rescue. I work away from home 3 days a week. I can take my dog to work, or pop home during the day. My back garden is not secure. So I got a puppy. Was quicker than trying to get a rescue place to accept me.

I love dogs but if I ever got one (which I wouldn't atm as I'm not equipped right now) I might well consider an adult dog from a good home that had been well brought up and well socialised and was of a breed type that is typically friendly and confident. One that was being rehomed due to an unresolvable change of circumstances.

I certainly wouldn't consider any dog that might have been traumatised, badly socialised or was advertised as unable to live with cats, other dogs, young children, men, whatever even if I was single and childless with no other pets. Quite frankly, dogs that are not able to function as friendly pets in a society that contains children, other animals, etc might be better off being euthanised in some circumstances.

First time dog owner. I got a puppy. For your exact last paragraph.

I didnt think I would know enough or have the experience required to retrain/resettle a rescue who could have goodness knows what needs and history. I don't know enough as a first timer and those dogs need people with experience. They can't be failed again.

If I get another I might get a rescue....If I feel confident in my ability to spot problems, (re)raise, retrain and re-educate a dog.

"Make it really hard and expensive to breed, tax the shite out of breeders and give the tax lift to the rescues" is guaranteed to be abused especially as there's no way of policing it.

A certain kennels which has the contract from the local council to provide pound services near where I used to work was notorious for this (many councils don't run their own pounds now but outsource the work to private contractors).
"Stray" entire dogs and bitches would "accidentally" be kennelled together- or the kennel owner would claim the bitches were pregnant on arrival- and the resulting pups "rehomed" for a 3 figure "rehoming fee"....this was about 15 years ago so somebody was using the situation to make a buck even then