At the rescue, internet reception is crud but am reporting back:
Good news:
I'm covered in shit and mud here at the rescue and as happy as Larry despite it! I took younger GSD out on walk organised by the training club used by the rescue on Sunday... he was a STAR! Off lead in th countriside, no trouble to anyone, 100% recall, good as gold with the hoards of other dogs, back on the training site field and made LOADS of canine and human friends, not put a paw wrong, even had a go at agility for the first time and made me proud.
Bad news - a much respected friend who runs a city rescue, who takes almost only problem dogs who would otherwise die and who has rehabilitated and saved loads was visited by police last week. This young man has worked wonders on dogs anyone else would have given up on and killed, his commitment and care is unbelievable and his dedication awe-inspiring. He has a very strong no kill policy and would never kill a dog or allow a dog to die just because that dog has become what man has made him or her, knowing that with hard work and dedication he can turn that dog around.
He was told by the police that because 7 of his dogs LOOKED "type" he could either have them impounded for a year or two minimum whilst legal wheels got in motion, then fight a court case where he would have to prove that the dogs are not "type" rather than the prosecution have to prove him guilty (unlike most laws where the prosecution has to prove guilt) or he could deal with the issue himself.
If he fought the law he would not be allowed to see the dogs he'd saved and cared for as the regs don't allow the owner/rescuer any contact with the dog/s or knowledge of where they are. They would be kept in a secret council pound without human interaction and their basic needs would be provided without them coming into contact with humans - so food provision, bedding changs etc would be carried out whilst they were away from the human providing it.
They would assessed but being stressed, scared, most if not all having been abused and definitely all not having any human contact once taken from my friend and being placed in council kennels would without doubt fail that assessment. My rescuer friend would have to fund a thousands of pounds court case (money he doesn't have, who does?) and the dogs would be PTS anyway having failed assessment at the end of it.
So he decided that rather than submit the dogs to years in council kennels where we KNOW that dogs in this position have in the past been badly treated, only to have them killed on foot of a court order at the end of it, the only thing he could do to prevent that suffering would be to take them to the vet and have them put to sleep.
That poor young man is in pieces... seven of his beloved rescued dogs dead because some bastard reported them to the police as "type".
My heart aches for him and for those dogs... and for the person who reported them I can only say that karma will get them in the end. :(
RIP those dogs failed by man...... and god my heart aches for my lovely, kind, dedicated rescue friend tonight. The man's almost suicidal, wracked with guilt... but the blood is NOT on his hands.