Allsorts dog rescue in Brighton

[Inti]

hi
does anyone know if this rescue centre is a good one? I have been reading this forum about rescue dogs and centres and would like to know if it is ok
Many thanks x

Allsorts has a good reputation within rescue circles AFAIK. I'm an independnt rescuer, getting dogs out of pounds/unhappy homes and into rescue and as such I've spoken to them but didn't in the end need to place a dog with them so didn't need to investigate their policies and practices any further.

I do know that they won't rehome to homes with babes/toddlers, wont't rehome a pup/dog under 2 with pre-schoolers and generally will only rehome to those with children if those DC are over 10 years old.

They tick the right boxes regarding homechecking families and insisting upon taking the dog back if the owner can't keep him, which is good. They also offer a good follow up and advice service. Don't know if they neuter and vaccinate prior to letting a dog go - as I said, I didn't need to find out in the end, having been offered a rescue place elsewhere. If they don't, I'd be very surprised and would very strongly suggest that you seek an alternative rescue.

As I said though, I don't think this will be a problem, but do ask. HTH. :)

My children are 8 6 and nearly 4. It's perhaps not looking good!
Can you suggest any other rescue centres near to me, we live in Kent but are happy to travel a fair distance.
Many thanks

Ps they do vaccinate but don't seem to neuter as their website says they don't know if the dogs are spayed or not. Is this a necessity when taking a rescue dog? Ie they do it rather than us?
Thanks again

It's worth posing both questions to them. From what I can gather Allsorts have a pretty high rehome rate for a small indpendent rescue (can be a bad thing, fast rehomes with limited previous knowledge and assessment can result in a high return rate BUT I don't know if this is the case here or not). Going on that it's possible that they neuter males but sometimes don't have bitches in long enough to know if they're spayed or not and they may therefore insist on spaying afterwards, so do ask.

Personally I would advocate that all rescues are spayed/neutered before rehoming - had I needed to consider their offer to take the dog I mentioned upthread I would have ensured this before placing him there or else sought someone else's help. This is of course unless they're pups - I don't hold with the policy which some RSPCA shelters hold of neutering pups at a ridiculously early age and there I would expect rescue to rehome with a contract insisting that the owner arranged neutering ASAP and that they followed up to ensure that this was carried out.

I would strongly urge you to avoid any rescue which does not neuter/spay routinely with these exceptions, they would not be being responsible, would be adding to the problems that rescue faces and I'd worry what else they were lax about.

Ask too about you having a 4 yo as they will home a (suitable) dog over 2 with children who are past pre-school age occasionally, when they feel that they have the right dog to offer and the family is suitable. Being an independent rescue they will be able to bend the rules if they think they can help, whereas someone like the RSPCA wouldn't be able to.

If you're in Kent I'd have a word with the Dog Warden for Dartford council. No, not about pound dogs, that's not a good idea, :) but he's a loony dedicated, no kill believing rescuer in his spare time and will be able to give you solid advice on Kent and surrounding rescues and rescuing in general. His name's Niall Lester - call him at the council or if you'd like to you'll find him on Facebook too.

Another idea is Many Tears (see website), based in Wales but which uses foster homes. They're willing to rehome across the country providing you're willing to travel to meet the dog and will almost certainly have foster dogs in your area and surrounding counties. I know for sure that they have dogs coming up to the home counties weekly as I was going to foster for them myself (am in E Anglia home county) until I suddenly got the offer to take on my long term foster, GSD2. (And no, you ain't having him, he's MINE!) :o

One I would personally recommend are Heathlands in Herts - they are very responsible and reliable.

PS - just asked Allsorts about their policy with DC (they're on my FB) - this is what they said:

We have a guideline of no children under 10, but every dog is assessed to see if they coiuld live with children under 10 and if so it says so against the dogs desciption on the grid. Then we assess the child to see if we think they can be trusted to treat a dog respectfully and kindly. But we also state that children and dogs should NEVER be left alone unsupervised for their mutual protection.

The reason for this policy is a dog that was returned some years ago now, the owner said the dog bit the child in an unprovoked attack. At the vets surgery, the top of a biro pen was found embedded deep in the dogs ear. If I had been that dog, i would have bitten over and over again.

Well I've heard nothing from Allsorts, and the dog I enquired after is still on their list. Why would they not contact me? It says on the website it is ok with children under 10 (supervised). I filled out my form correctly.
The only thing it does say that if you don't hear within 5 days you've been unsuccessful and to try for another dog, but the dog I enquired after is still on the list??!!
Am I so unsuitable -home every day but 4 a month, cover on those days, big garden that would be dog proofed if we got a dog....

Quite cross!

Quite possible that they are just overworked. Most rescues rely mainly on volunteer staff and are stuffed to the gills with dogs and it DOES take some while to get through enquiries, follow up, homecheck, answer questions and so on. Add to that a vet trip, visitors coming to meet dogs, an emergency or what have you and there you go...

It may be worth going onto Facebook if you do it, and asking them directly there. They go by the name "DOUG RESCUE" (yeah, corny, I know!).

Thanks will have a look