Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

rehome my pooches

190 replies

twinmummy132 · 02/04/2012 17:31

hello ladies im new to mumsnet a few of my friends are on here and told me this was a good place for advice.my problem is i have two dogs a staffie and a alsation x both lovely gentle dogs the only thing is i have to get rid of them as my flat is too small for me two dogs and two 15 month old babies i am at my wits end trying to find them somewhere to go plus my landlord has said that i cant have them i have tried everywhere i know that takes dogs but most of them are full or not any for at least 6 months i need a soultion asap.please help me many thanx.

OP posts:
Ephiny · 03/04/2012 10:40

The only remotely 'offensive' comments I can see on this thread are the OP telling someone to 'piss off' after they'd taken the time to try to help her with some suggestions and links. And Flatbread's 'fat' insult.

Maybe I'm missing something Confused. All I see is people trying to help (and providing some very good advice), despite getting insults and not a word of thanks for their trouble.

Flatbread · 03/04/2012 10:55

Comments such as these

I am just utterly, utterly Sad Shock that you could consider rehoming a thirteen year old Staffy that you have had since a puppy what is the point of this kind of snide guilt tripping?

How long are you leaving poo in the garden? I really can't see why you are leaving poo out there? You wouldn't do this when you are walking them. Do the dogs stay out there unattended? If so, they are at risk of being stolen and could be causing a nuisance to your neighbours Patronising, pointless comments that make OP get on the defensive. Why does she need to justify to people how she is bringing up her dogs? She asked for help with rehoming or fostering solutions, not a free-for-all to question her dog care and accommodation choices.

It is just not helpful and the OP has said that she is finding some of the feedback offensive and patronising.

SpaghettiTwirlerAndProud · 03/04/2012 11:20

Flatbread I still don't see anything offensive Confused

BehindLockNumberNine · 03/04/2012 11:41

Flatbread, those comments are not offensive, they are genuine questions. A dog you have had for 13 years will be bereft at being removed from all it knows. That is not guilt-tripping it is a fact.

Leaving dogs unattended in a communal garden means they are at risk of theft. That is not guilt-inducing rubbish, it is a fact.

Leaving dog poo in a communal garden causes a nuisance to neighbours. That is also a fact.

Flatbread · 03/04/2012 11:45

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

twinmummy132 · 03/04/2012 11:48

in my defense i did not come on here for an argument but to get some sort of help and advice as i have looked at every possible soultion and thought maybe some1 else could may be able to offer me help.

like have already said if i could keep them i would and i really dont agree with the personal attacks their have been on here @dooin there are many reasons as to y my children cannot play in the garden for 1 there is a 6ft wall which has no fencing concrete stairs thats are broken plus many more problems which is my ll responsabilty if i had the time to go out there and fix it i would the other tenants are adults with older children which is y they want to use it but why i have to explain myself to u is beyond me.

OP posts:
Flatbread · 03/04/2012 11:50

Behind, OP has had a dog for 13 years. Presumably she is best judge of where her dog is safe. And she knows about leaving poo. She is not an idiot.

There is a difference between helping the OP and being patronising.

BehindLockNumberNine · 03/04/2012 11:52

Actually, offering suggestions which would enable her to keep the dog is not patronising. If she knew about the communal garden issues and the fact that unattended dogs pooing everywhere would uspet other residents and thus the LL then she would have acted sooner and not found herself in this situation.

So not patronising, merely covering every angle before a family pet of 13 years finds itself rehomed due to no fault of his/her own.

Goawaybob · 03/04/2012 11:53

Its all a bit childish really, the name calling.

OP have you contacted any of the people recommended to you? Do you have any relatives that can help? How long have you lived in the flats? I can totally understand why the other residents don't want the dogs in the garden actually, even if you pick up the poo straight away, its not just the poo, its the wee thats the problem as you can't pick that up. I am even Hmm about my six year old playing in our garden after our JRT has been out there in case ive missed a poo.

Don't give up, find the dogs new homes, its not ideal and it is going to break your heart, but find them a good home and they will be fine.

Ephiny · 03/04/2012 11:55

I don't see anything offensive there either, quite reasonable points actually.

As for 'pointless' posts, I'd advise just ignoring or skimming over anything you find pointless or uninteresting, on a forum the size of MN you are going to have your work cut out trying to police every 'pointless' post or discussion!

Of course the OP doesn't have to justify herself or answer any questions she doesn't want to, and she is quite free to ignore any feedback she doesn't find helpful, and to report any personal insults or offensive posts.

JaxTellerIsMyFriend · 03/04/2012 11:56

contact Garbo GSD rescue here

keep the staffie. I have nothing more to say - because by page 4 it will all have been said previously, but just to sum up - your dogs will end up PTS or live a life in kennels because NOBODY will take on a 13 yr old and 8yr old. cute little puppies cant be rehomed so your dogs have little chance.

Sorry if that is harsh - but a cutesy thought about dogs being fostered in loving, caring homes is tosh. Rescues are on their knees, fosterers have more dogs than they can look after and there is no money left in the pot. Sad

Goawaybob · 03/04/2012 11:57

How long have you been given to rehome the dogs? Can you speak to the council, i doubt very much whether your dogs will influence your position in a queue for social housing, but there might be other factors. I know these are probably all things you have already tried but im just wracking my brains.

Maybe look up some forums online too, you might be able to get help - the best case scenario is to rehome the dogs together, but this might not be possible.

BehindLockNumberNine · 03/04/2012 11:57

Goawaybob - wash the wee away with a little bottle of water. I do this when with dog in public area where children play or in a friend's garden when visiting.

Goawaybob · 03/04/2012 11:59

Thanks for the advice Behindlocknumbernine Grin

Am i the only one here who thinks that the dog would be better off rehomed? I know its not looking possible, but am i really the only one who can see that two powerful dog, flat, twins is a recipe for disaster?

TheMonster · 03/04/2012 12:00

Please reconsider Battersea. We have had several dogs from there in the past (we still have one) and they have a very good rehoming policy and won't let the dogs go to just anybody.
Sadly, in the past I had to rehome some cats and I took them there, and I trust them to have found suitable homes.
Battersea will never turn an animal away so you can just turn up with the dogs and they will take them for you. You can fill in a form to tell them as much (or as little) as you can about the dogs so they can find the best place for them.

twinmummy132 · 03/04/2012 12:04

all i am tryin to do is make the best of a bad situation i reapeat I DO NOT want to rehome my dogs but have no choice but to do so yes i have had them for 13 years and am fully aware that it will be hard on them goin to live somewhere else but i am tryin to do the best for them finding them a home rather than a kennel or shelter and to be perfectly honest none of u know y i am in the situation i am in nor y im in it so have no right to judge me on it.

OP posts:
BehindLockNumberNine · 03/04/2012 12:18

You are welcome Bob Grin Wink

JaxTellerIsMyFriend · 03/04/2012 12:18

Im not judging you - give Garbo a ring, she is lovely if a bit of a battle axe - and adores her GSDs. She wont take the staffie but may have an idea of who could locally to you.

Iron Mountain may be able to help you re your staffie. I am sorry you are in this situation, it cant be easy I know.

Give both places a call, speak to Garbo, be prepared to explain your situation to her though.

good luck.

D0oinMeCleanin · 03/04/2012 12:18

Please do not reconsider Battersea. They are not a rescue, they are a pound. The reason they are in a position to never turn away any animal is because when they are full, they call the vet to dispatch some of the less re homable dogs. Dogs like the ops.

Op, I don't understand. If you don't want your dogs to go into kennels or a rescue shelter and you don't want advise from us in housing options what did you want from us? Where you hoping one of us would take your dogs?

Goawaybob · 03/04/2012 12:22

Well i would take them if i could, but i can't - i actually wish i could.

You have had lots of good advice OP, no one has judged you, your situation sounds awful, im sorry for you really i am.

There is no good sugaring the pill, i just wish tht you would follow up on some of the advice instead of going on about being judged.

Flatbread · 03/04/2012 12:23

Twin,

The wood green centre near Cambridge is supposed to be brilliant, and they also have a paws to door scheme. I think they provide fostering care as well. It is a bit far for you, but they may have some advice?

I found this rehoming ad for a dog as old as yours ( though this one has not had a good life, like yours has) www.dogsblog.com/saffie-12/. They seem to have at least found foster care for her. Maybe they can guide you to resources for older staffies?

Finally, if you got your dogs from a rescue to start with, most will provide lifelong care, so they will take back your dogs for you.

BehindLockNumberNine · 03/04/2012 12:24

twinmummy, the cold hard reality is that there will more than likely not be a loving home for your dogs. No matter how much we wish for one. I have an ex-poundie on my sofa. He was due to be put to sleep as there was no home for him after he was found as a stray. He is only 3 years old. If dogs like him are due to be put to sleep what chance do 8 and 13 year old dogs have? (and before you say"but there was a happy ending for your dog, it will happen for mine", I am fully aware that my dog was one of the extremely lucky ones and that many of his fellow poundie inmates are no longer alive today)

So if there is any way you can apologise to your neighbours, make amends, go out in the garden with the dogs and clear away any messes that it has to be worth the effort to save your dogs lives?

After all, if they have been loving companions for so many years don't they deserve some loyalty and effort on your part in their final years?

They won't be with you much longer, both are considered oldies. Your twins will grow older and easier to manage. This is a temporary problem.

Yes the situation for you and your dogs is not ideal. But for the dogs staying with you must be a darn side better than a kennel and a needle. Because that is what they will get.

midori1999 · 03/04/2012 12:27

Please do not take these dogs to Battersea. If you do they can (and probably will) put them to sleep immediately. There are much cuter, younger dogs that need homes and people will almost always choose these first. Older dogs, especially Staffs have little chance of finding a home.

I think OP you need to ask yourself if you are prepared to take your dogs to the vets and have them put to sleep, because if you don't keep them this is almost certainly what will happen to the Staff at least. I appreciate that is harsh but there just aren't the homes available out there, hence around 25,000 dogs being put to sleep each year in the UK. Too many dogs, even lovely, healthy ones and not enough homes. Sad

I do appreciate your situation is a difficult one, do you think maybe if you explain to the landlord that your dogs are elderly and may not even live much longer they will reconsider? Can you afford to cut costs somehow so that you could afford to pay a little extra rent? (not sure how housing benefit works, but would that help with this?) Do you think if you explained to your landlord that rescue places are few and far between and your only real option in the short term would be to have them put to sleep he would let you keep them until a new home of rescue place became available? (Maybe a rescue could give you a letter saying that their waiting time was approx xx months and your dogs were on the waiting list?)

Some rescues will also add your dog to their website whilst they stay with you, so they don't need to be kennelled, maybe this is an option you could consider?

Whatever, please do not consider rehoming yourself without using a rescue, especially in London. People in dog fighting circles find dogs this way and are extremely good at convincing you they are a good home, including bringing children to see the dog etc.

BehindLockNumberNine · 03/04/2012 12:27

A rescue centre you can try is RESCUE REMEDIES in London. But when you speak to them please make it clear that your dogs must under no circumstances be kennelled at St Francis Sanctuary in Potters Bar, not even just temporary whilst waiting for a foster place.

HillyWallaby · 03/04/2012 12:28

I think you hit the nail on the head D0oin.