Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Bosnian dog rescue charity

128 replies

Beanbateman · 16/03/2025 00:54

Anyone heard of DNV animal rescue charity? Based in Bosnia. Any experiences? Is it trust worthy? Asking for a fee of £400 to transport dog and pay for various other expenses.

Bosnian dog rescue  charity
OP posts:
WingsofRain · 16/03/2025 10:13

I volunteer for a UK based dog rescue. We are overwhelmed with dogs needing homes who are overlooked because people go to these overseas scams. I don’t understand it.

Go to a reputable breed specific rescue rather than the big money making ones, they have much more reasonable requirements for homes and will give you full support and backup without running the risk of bringing Brucella into the country.

Crucible · 16/03/2025 10:14

@Beanbateman Go talk to Kymm!

Darker · 16/03/2025 10:15

WingsofRain · 16/03/2025 10:13

I volunteer for a UK based dog rescue. We are overwhelmed with dogs needing homes who are overlooked because people go to these overseas scams. I don’t understand it.

Go to a reputable breed specific rescue rather than the big money making ones, they have much more reasonable requirements for homes and will give you full support and backup without running the risk of bringing Brucella into the country.

But it’s really hard to adopt from a uk place… I wouldn’t go abroad for one but most people I know who have a rescue have gone abroad.

MaloryJones · 16/03/2025 10:18

Garlicgarlicgarlic · 16/03/2025 09:00

There was a long thread recently that mentioned the ethics and intricacies of importing dogs like this, including the fact that they are feral, they do not want to be snuggling up with humans on a sofa.

The OP of the thread had paid to import a Romanian dog who was dangerously out of control and attacking them all, the 'charity' was beyond useless.

Don't watch the adverts. There's already tens of, if not hundreds of thousands of unwanted dogs in the UK.

Yes, I remember that one.

OP I am with others, have you looked into UK Dog adoption ?
I do get that you probably want to give a homeless street dog a chance but try to find that thread and have a read.

MaloryJones · 16/03/2025 10:23

Sorry, read the full thread now and you have looked into UK rehoming.

WingsofRain · 16/03/2025 10:29

Darker · 16/03/2025 10:15

But it’s really hard to adopt from a uk place… I wouldn’t go abroad for one but most people I know who have a rescue have gone abroad.

I don’t understand why so many people lump all UK rescues under the same umbrella. Every rescue has different rules and requirements depending on the dogs’ needs.

It is absolutely untrue to say that every single dog rescue in the UK is difficult to adopt from, they are all different!

What is true is that there are some rescues that have ideological aims and should be avoided, plus others have dogs with specific needs and so would be irresponsible to put those dogs into unsuitable homes, however much people might want them.

No dog in rescue has come from a responsible, caring breeder who has done full health testing, reared the puppies carefully and keeps in touch with them for life, so if you choose rescue you are by definition looking for a dog who has been sold on by exactly the sort of breeder we are trying to stop.

However if you have researched the breed you want carefully, you know the requirements of that breed and you are determined to rescue then no breed specific rescue will turn you down unless there is a very good reason (that they will tell you).

The bottom line is that UK based rescues have a responsibility to rehome dogs carefully and with thought to both the needs of the dog and the people who take them on - overseas “rescues” don’t have any liability if something goes horribly wrong so they don’t have to care.

Either go to a proper, responsible breeder who isn’t breeding for profit or go to an experienced UK breed rescue and you will be fine - there are thousands of them.

EggsRoyaleonaSunday · 16/03/2025 10:30

A long time ago when I was younger and more naive I got a rescue dog from abroad and I would warn people against it.

It cost £700 to fly him over but I then ended up paying an extra fee at the airport. He was 5 months old, had his pet passport, microchip and first set of jabs, but the vet said they used a different brand to what is typically used in UK so we had to start from the beginning again with immunisations. He hadn’t been with the rescue for long which is why he’d only had one set.

He was very easy to housetrain and was the most loving, affectionate dog to me and my DP at the time but outside of our home he was so stressful. He had fear based aggression, so would snarl and hide any time a person or dog came near him. We couldn’t have people in our home either. He had clearly suffered some sort of trauma as he was terrified of children. I contacted the charity a few weeks in and it turned out they thought he’d been attacked with stones by a group of children. They’d never told us this. They also gave some bad advice around just accepting he’d never get on with other dogs/people.

We worked so hard with him, it was so stressful and difficult and took over our life. Eventually we got him to a place where we could take him for a walk with other dogs and could slowly introduce him to new people. We couldn’t never stop being vigilant though.

Luckily we had got him young so we could have more of an impact but it also meant the charity hadn’t felt they had to do proper behavioural testing because he was a puppy. If we hadn’t been able to manage him or our home situation had been different there was no way to send him back. He would’ve ended up in an already full rescue here. There was no real support from the charity which was run by people with good hearts who had dogs of their own but didn’t really have proper training/education so were giving advice that I now know to be incorrect.

The charity is still running and I do think they are genuinely trying to do a good thing, but the execution is poor. They want their dogs to go to other European countries where dogs are cherished rather than seen as expendable but it doesn’t really work when there’s no ongoing support.

We had also been turned down by UK rescues due to both working (although on different patterns so dog would’ve been left for 3 hours max and not every day) and the fact that we lived in a maisonette with a garden, as the stairs were apparently too difficult for a dog to manage.

spiderlight · 16/03/2025 10:36

We had an awful experience with an overseas (Romanian) dog we hadn't met. She'd come in via a reputable rescue and they did take her back (twice, as she went for a child in her next home), but I would never adopt a dog without meeting it again.

Branleuse · 16/03/2025 10:38

Ive got Spanish dogs from AA dog rescue and thats around what I have paid for a rescue dog. It covers their vaccinations and transport etc,
Just do your research. Do you know anyone else thats used them? How do they assess the dogs? Are they fostered first?

AtomicPumpkin · 16/03/2025 10:55

as the stairs were apparently too difficult for a dog to manage.

Dogs can't climb stairs? Who decided that? I had assumed that dog rescue centres were run by people who had at some point in their lives met an actual dog, but obviously not.

inquisitivemind · 16/03/2025 10:59

I have two street dogs from two different charities abroad - Romania and Cyprus.

It felt dodgy - seeing a picture, paying a random fee. However, we were thoroughly home checked and our lives dissected to ensure we’d provide a good home.

Anyway, 8 years later with one and 5 with the other, they’re the most annoying little fuckers but perfect in every other way - wouldn’t be without them and they’re perfect health, loving, no behavioural issues albeit yappy

LandSharksAnonymous · 16/03/2025 11:02

LittleCharlotte · 16/03/2025 10:08

You're also paying for microchip, vaccinations and basic healthcare. £400 is not going to make anyone a profit.

Half of them do not get vaccinations, most arrive in a complete mess and a microchip cost £20.

GiddyCrab · 16/03/2025 11:08

Beanbateman · 16/03/2025 08:48

This is the thing!! You can’t meet them first - they send you pics of various dogs they have over there and ask if you like the look of any of them. They ask for payment before the dog is sent over ( takes about 2 weeks ) after some thought I’m starting to feel it’s all rather sketchy.

I've adopted 3 from Romania under the same system. You do get behaviour problems and there wasn't much back up with the 1st two.
However they are now wonderful dogs and I wouldn't be without any of them.
Another friend hasn't been so fortunate. Her dog is very aggressive.

FortyElephants · 16/03/2025 11:11

Every rescue I emailed said no off the bat because I have a cat. It's fair enough that they haven't cat tested the dogs but there are hundreds of dogs who can live happily alongside cats but they don't know which ones. My dog (Spanish rescue) was fostered by a family with several cats.

Acommonwomble · 16/03/2025 11:37

If you're set on an overseas rescue, Galgos del Sol (based in Spain) are absolutely legit, test for everything needed and thoroughly assess their dogs before adoption...

(And no, I dont work for them!)

ItsReallyOnlyMe · 16/03/2025 12:06

If you want to help dogs from overseas please donate to a spay or neuter charity. Transporting a dog from abroad does nothing to bring about long term change for the dog community in that country. Spaying one female saves so many stray dogs in the future.

MrBirling · 16/03/2025 12:34

Don't do it. My friend has a lovely imported dog but she arrived pregnant despite the organisation claiming she'd been spade. Two weeks later she had to have an emergency c section costing £3k. Litter of 6 puppies. The organisation was awful in their response and she was left to find homes for all the puppies. The dog in question is lovely but it makes me think that she was never a street dog in the first place and it's highly likely she was someone's pet. I hate to think of how she ended up with the 'rescue' organisation.

hididdlyho · 16/03/2025 12:45

I'm not sure why you wouldn't just get a dog from pets4homes or similar, at least you could meet it first before making the commitment. I agree with the PPs who suggested looking at smaller breed specific rescues as their criteria may not be as strict as some of the bigger rescues.

Mrsbloggz · 16/03/2025 12:53

Giganticuniverse · 16/03/2025 09:16

These things are absolute scams. Avoid.

I agree with this, why would anyone want to import a feral Street dog from a third world country?! Maybe we should try and sell them some of our rats and seagulls😳🙄
The phrases 'money for old rope' and 'a fool and his money' are easily parted come to mind.
You're not saving an endangered species here 🙄😬

WearyAuldWumman · 16/03/2025 12:58

Beanbateman · 16/03/2025 08:48

This is the thing!! You can’t meet them first - they send you pics of various dogs they have over there and ask if you like the look of any of them. They ask for payment before the dog is sent over ( takes about 2 weeks ) after some thought I’m starting to feel it’s all rather sketchy.

The fact that I can't find anything in Bosnian makes me feel that it's likely to be a scam. Why no documentation in the local language? It feels off.

FortyElephants · 16/03/2025 13:00

Mrsbloggz · 16/03/2025 12:53

I agree with this, why would anyone want to import a feral Street dog from a third world country?! Maybe we should try and sell them some of our rats and seagulls😳🙄
The phrases 'money for old rope' and 'a fool and his money' are easily parted come to mind.
You're not saving an endangered species here 🙄😬

Spain isn't a 3rd world country 🙄

WearyAuldWumman · 16/03/2025 13:02

Thinking about it, I don't recall seeing feral dogs when I was in former Yugo. (Admittedly, it's been a long time since I was in Bosnia - though I do still have a few relatives there.)

I certainly don't see stray dogs running around Serbia and when I was in Tuzla I don't recall seeing any.

Given the significant Muslim population in Bosnia proper, wouldn't strays be more likely to be put down?

ETA Finally found an article. Shall post below.

Mrsbloggz · 16/03/2025 13:05

FortyElephants · 16/03/2025 13:00

Spain isn't a 3rd world country 🙄

Spain ?

FortyElephants · 16/03/2025 13:08

Mrsbloggz · 16/03/2025 13:05

Spain ?

Yes, lots of dogs come from Spain also.

Mrsbloggz · 16/03/2025 13:11

FortyElephants · 16/03/2025 13:08

Yes, lots of dogs come from Spain also.

It's amazing isn't it how stupid people are!
Who would think that was a good idea to pay good money to import a mangy bag of bones that was wandering about the streets in Spain on its last legs.
Maybe we should get some rats and seagulls from Spain too 🤣🤣