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The doghouse

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

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Original poster

We have to give up our dog :(

20 replies

daisydoodoo · 20/05/2012 13:48

Long story short, we have two dogs, a cairn terrier and a Labrador pointer cross, both rescue dogs.
We recently moved and the agent said pets were fine. Anyway moved in signed contracts, when I got my signed copy back and read noticed ut was just standard no pets clause (yes I know I should have read it before moving in) I contacted the agent and was told to not declare them and just hide them when the landlord carried out visits!!!!!
Anyway obviously not possible so I contacted the landlord explained the situation and she has said the terrier can stay and we can sign a pet contract (picking up poo, exercising and professional clean for house on leaving) but we can't keep the Labrador/pointer :(

Both dogs are only 4 ish years old, we're devastated and my dd1 in particular is attached to the l/p. we have 10 days to rehome him.

Where do I start? And please tell me some good sides of rehoming a family pet. I'm hoping he will end up with someone who will be at home in the day and able to give him the long walks and off lead exercise he needs.

OP posts:

IAmBooybilee · 20/05/2012 13:54

i would give up the house. the agent gave you false information. there are often standard no pet clauses in contracts but landlords will agree to pets if you talk to tehm so there is no reason for you to have thought the agent hadn't done this.

dont give up your dog for this! i'm quite surprised you would do that so quickly tbh.

IAmBooybilee · 20/05/2012 13:56

and actually what are the landlords reasons for allowing one dog but not the other? could you make some assurances that would persuade them to let you have both?

for examply i have recently agreed a contract based on teh fact that my dog does not go upstairs at all as tehre are carpets upstairs and i am willing if necessary to cover the laminate flooring in vinyl flooring for the length of my tenancy.

i think you should go back to teh landlord and try to come to an agreement.

HeidiHole · 20/05/2012 13:58

I would give up the house too. You can't just re-home a member of your family!

Especially if the dog came from a rescue originally it's already been through that heartbreak once. Don't do it. You wont regret not doing it, but you'd regret doing it.

Can't you send the dog to a friend when the landlord does an inspection, or get DH to take him out in the car? They have to give notice of an inspection.

I wouldn't give up my child and I wouldn't give up my dog. It's family.

D0oinMeCleanin · 20/05/2012 14:03

I would also give up the house and I'd play merry hell with the agents.

Also agree with going back to the landlord. Calmly exlpain that giving up any of your pets is not an option for you, but you would be willing to come to an arrangement wrt a higher deposit, a new contract outlining a professional clean at your cost when you leave etc. You can get tennants insurance for pets that covers any pet damage to the furnishings or flooring. Show your LL the details of this.

You should already have brownie points for being honest with her. Gently remind her that agents suggested you lied but you are honest person and did not think it would be right to lie although that's what I would have and have done in the past

If all else fails lie. Tell her the LP is gone and say no more about it. Arrange for long walks when she is due to visit.

IAmBooybilee · 20/05/2012 14:09

i know how tempting it is to lie and say he is gone. but i just wouldn't risk it.

my previous landlord didn't come near my house all year but would do a surprise visit at christmas to bring a present for my ds. she knew about my pets so it was no problem but if she hadn't known then i would have been up shit creek because there was no way of hiding my dog once the LL was already there.

IAmBooybilee · 20/05/2012 14:10

i also think your agent have fucked this up and if you are to leave the house then there should be no cost to you for breaking the contract as it was agreed under false pretences on their part.

Original poster

daisydoodoo · 20/05/2012 14:40

That's why I feel he needs to be rehOmed as the housing situation around here us dire. The houses are either too expensive or too crappy. And I do mean crappy.
This is a lovely house and we've just suffered st the hands if a psychotic ll (claimed I hadn't Paid rent and despite me showing proof still issued a section 8 eviction which was thrown out when I showed my proof but I still went as he didn't repair anything had no hot or running water for three monthe and had to shower at friends or Patents house) so to find a ll who seems reasonable and has a great condition house she's willing to let to a single patient with 4 children and a dog was a miracle enough.

We were two days away from going into temp council accomadatuon b&b, where we wouldn't have been able to take either dog.

I will speak to get again as she has been so reasonable and hope that I can change her mind.

Fwiw we honed him when he was 12 weeks old so have had him all his life.

I'm so :( right now and constantly on the verge if crying every time I l

OP posts:

Original poster

daisydoodoo · 20/05/2012 14:40

Agh clicked too soon.

Everytime I look at him I feel guilty and tears spring to my eyes.

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IAmBooybilee · 20/05/2012 14:59

that is a realy tough situation. but all is not lost. she has agreed to one dog and i think you might get somewhere if you approach her again. be totally honest. thsi pet has been with you since a pup and you are the only family he has known. your children will be devastated and you will agree to putting measures in place to minimise and effect on her house. what are her reasons for not allowing the lab/pointer?

IAmBooybilee · 20/05/2012 15:00

if she still says no then tell her you will have to end the contract and leave and that she should contact teh agent for any costs incurred as it was them that fucked it up.

Original poster

daisydoodoo · 20/05/2012 15:18

She's petrified of dogs so allowing a small one is a ground breaking step for her.
I will keep trying again and again.

The rescue home we got him from said they would take him back and they never put dogs down, which is of some comfort should it come to that.

At the end if the day a roof over the children's head is priority but I will do what I can to keep him. He's not a big dog at all and only half the size of the cairn again but the ll is so scared of dogs ahe won't even come to see him.

The dogs have already spent a week at my parents due to the decorators being in and I have had to go to work so needed someone to keep an eye on them and make sure they didn't get out. So a stressful time for them as well as us.

OP posts:

D0oinMeCleanin · 20/05/2012 16:06

If she is scared of dogs you could promise to guarentee they'll never be in the house when she visits providing she gives notice.

Your parents would have them for an hour or so if needs be, wouldn't they?

It is a heartbreaking situation for you. What are the agents saying about it all? Keep pressing them to be moved free of charge. Surely there is more than one nice house in your area?

toomuchtoyoung · 20/05/2012 16:30

What a devastating situation. Im afraid that for me, despite being an incredibly honest person usually I'd have to lie.
No way could I give up my babies. In fact ll only knows about one of mine now and I have 2 - a foster pup that stayed too long lol.
If the dogs don't cause damage then i really can't see by problem or any difference between one dog and two! if he ever came id just explain the truth he was abandoned and no one else would take him. He doesnt even shed hair - my ll would love him actually!!

What about offering an extra pet excess that's what I did for my dog.
The fact ll is scared of dogs is irrelevant. She wont be living with them! She never has to see your dog surely? Just give you notice, as required anyway, before her visit so a friend can have dog for an hour.

I feel desperately sorry for your situation and there are so so many abandoned dogs looking for homes it's so cruel and unfair to you all to break up your family for this reason.

I hope you can sort is so your Ddog can stay with you.

IAmBooybilee · 20/05/2012 16:46

i cant quite understand her reasoning of allwoing one dog but not two. she wont be living in the house and as long as you guarantee they wont be there when she visits then there is no issue. i would definitely go back to her and very calmly offer as many soloutions as you can think of.

theodorakis · 22/05/2012 17:50

Go to Citizen's advice get out of the contract and find somewhere else. I know life isn't all that easy but the other word for rehome is rescue kennels or foster if you are lucky. My dogs have travelled all around the world with me. I would no sooner give them up than I would my other family members.

gomowthelawn · 23/05/2012 17:59

FGS don't lie to the landlord. That is really out of order. You are paying for use of an asset subject to terms and conditions, and have to abide by those. It's a contract. I'm frankly appalled that people on here are telling you to lie and admitting that they have done so. Landlords are not the evil twin of satan, and are not responsible for housing your dogs.

The agent on the other hand is (the evil twin of satan) and lied to you to get the let/commission. Find somewhere more suitable, and demand your letting fee back. The agent is at fault here.

batteryhen · 23/05/2012 20:35

Oh :( I can't see that the LL being scared of dogs is really an issue. All her visits should be planned - giving you time to put the dogs away. If you can reassure her you will pay for any damage to the house or the garden, then she may come around. Don't lie for gods sake or you could find yourself without a home altogether!

As for the estate agent ....... knob.

YardBroom · 24/05/2012 22:15

bollocks to the house. /tell them you are off, and i bet she changes her mind about the dogs.

ellenjames · 24/05/2012 22:34

Is there an option of saying you will use a run/kennel at all, we had same situation as you regarding needing to find a property asap and with 3 kids, snakes, lizards, 1 dog and 2 cats we were lucky! Our landlord just wanted us to have a dog run for her but we have never used it and we have been here 2 years no problems x

nightswimmer · 24/05/2012 22:35

I think don't act yet, wait a little while, and then as others have said, go and see the landlord calmly and explain how upset your whole family has been over this as you love both your dogs and to give one up is unbearable. Just be humble and appeal to his better nature. Also stress the idea of moving again had occurred to you, rather then give up your dog, but moving house is a huge exhausting thing to do and you simply cant face moving again.

It really is worth trying to persuade him, you never know. I was in a similar situation and it worked for me.

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