So disappointed... Please cheer me up!

[Frettchen]

Not sure why I'm posting here, just need to vent, and perhaps a little sympathy...

My 11 year old dog was PTS 3 weeks ago today. It's been hard, but what's kept me going was the knowledge that I was getting another dog, so my empty house wouldn't be empty forever. I've been watching Action Aid for Animals on facebook for a long while, and one poster put up a post saying she had two puppies in need of a home. I let her know I'd be interested and we set about making plans. She gave me dates of travel, and I paid an adoption fee (plus a voluntary donation on top).

I picked up my old dog's ashes earlier this week, and was, understandably, feeling a bit fragile. I then got a message from my AAFA contact saying she was having family problems and wouldn't be around for a little while. This means my puppy won't be put on the transport she'd arranged for the 18th.

Now, I've checked out as much as I can check out and she seems genuine. The people in charge of AAFA know her, and I've messaged the puppy's fosterer who corroborates her story. I'm still covered by paypal's buyer protection, so will get my money back if it seems like it's all falling apart. It sounds very like she's not very organised, and hasn't arranged for someone else to sort it out in her absence.

I'm just so disappointed. I'd gotten my hopes up about meeting my puppy a week tomorrow, and to hear it's not happening is really rather rubbish.

Please, talk to me about your wonderful puppies... I need cheering up! Am spending tomorrow in a field, doing some charity fundraising, heading over this evening to set up, and can't spend the weekend with a sulk on!

Suggest you enjoy the time you have without the puppy ie doing stuff you won't be able to do soon!
We love our lab puppy (10 months old) but it is hard work and changes things forever.
Fingers crossed it all works out.

Thanks, but the last time I didn't have a dog was when I was at university - my grown up life has always been the life of a dog owner; there's nothing I would normally do which I couldn't do once the puppy comes...

You have my sympathies - when our last dog died suddenly, nothing felt right till we got our current one.

It sounds like it will happen, but not knowing when is difficult - if you knew it wouldn't be for a while you might be able to do something like fostering maybe, but you're left in limbo.

Enjoy the fundraising event - should have a nice day for it!

Lots of rescues in the UK have pups desperately seeking homes. Evesham Greyhound and Lurcher Rescue have some gorgeous ones in at the moment, and can home nationally. Ditto Lizzie's Barn.

I know. I really do know, and up until a month ago, would always have said I'd rehome from a UK charity. This all just happened to fit together at the time I was looking.

If it falls through, which I do hope it won't, but have to face the possibility that it might, then I'll be starting the search again within the UK.

Oh scuttlebutter I love a greyhound/lurcher. My old girl (no longer with us) was a border collie/lurcher cross and boy could that girl run

she was shockingly headstrong and bossy though :o

After a weekend of giving it some thought (in between preventing small animals from overheating on Saturday - the heat is lovely and all that, but really not good for cool-weather-loving critters!) I've pretty much decided that if they can't get back to me this week with a solid, definite transport date I'm calling it off.

I'm off work next Monday (was supposed to be a day for settling the new pup in) so will spend the day canvassing the local rescues; seeing what's available around here (West Berks/Hants) and shall work from there.

I'm already decided on my criteria; male, under 6 months, large or medium-large... and that's about it - I'm not too fussy, don't have any specific breeds in mind (although am now softened toward Samoyeds having done a fair bit of research into them. Doubt I'll find any in the regular rescues, but might also look for breed-specific rescues, just on the off chance there's a sammy pup over here in need of a home.)

Kenilworth dogs trust has a Samoyed, but he is now reserved (unsurprisingly - pretty dog, good with children of any age etc etc, they get reserved fast). I only know one, who is a big softie, but does bark a lot - this might just be my perception based on my two dogs who almost never bark though.

Thanks Magrat (awesome name, btw!) I've found the website of the Samoyed Rescue UK, which has telephone numbers for a few of its rehomers, so I'll give them a ring at lunch time. As you point out; they're fairly sturdy, pretty-looking dogs, so realistically speaking I'm not expecting to find one - it would be nice, but isn't the be all and end all.

On a completely different topic - does anyone know if rescues accept donations of dry dog food which has been opened? I have the best part of a 15kg bag of dog food which I bought for my old girl about 3 weeks before she was PTS and, as I'm looking for a puppy, I won't find any use for it and I really don't want to throw it out. I'm going to e-mail the local rescue and check with them, but thought I'd ask on here anyway in case there's some unwritten health and safety reason why they wouldn't take opened bags...

Hmm - long shot here but my totally idiotic step daughter bought a rotty/ Great Dane cross recently - he's about err 5 or 6 months old now- she had him from 8 weeks. He is .... A chunky boy shall we say!! ; )

She wouldn't listen to sense and now is struggling with him because - shock horror - he is growing quite big and she has suddenly realised that its not working in her small one bed place.

She is talking about getting rid of him- which I predicted would happen. He's bouncy, friendly and well, puppy ish. I've not got involved apart from to roll my eyes so far but do ping me a message if you'd be interested. I'm a very long standing NC ing poster.

Hey, thanks for the possible hint Shouty but in the past two days everything has turned around and we're back on the original plan. My contact in Bucharest is back and I've had confirmation that pup should be put on the transport tomorrow morning.

I don't think I'm going to fully believe it until he gets here. Am still reeling a little from it all falling apart in the first place.

Sorry I can't help with your step daughter's puppy. Sounds a tricky mix. Where, roughly, are you? Someone else might be able to help.

Hi Frettchen, saw on another thread that your pup is on it's way. We've also had some hiccoughs with rescues and it's so upsetting when it doesn't go according to plan, as you already have so much emotion invested in your potential new family member.

Hope he's with you really soon and you can start your new life together.

Oh no worries : ) it was just a thought. I'm in west Berkshire

So glad to her it all on for you gain!

Oh, great! Fingers crossed it works out this time.

Thanks moose and Grimma I'll be sure to let you all know if it comes through as planned. Fingers will be crossed and breath held for the next few days, just hoping everything happens when it's supposed to.

Shouty - It was a lovely thought. I'm also in West Berks. Let me know if she really does need to rehome the pup and I can see if I know anyone who might be interested.