Rescue Dogs and current media...

[TooOldForGlitter]

I'm sure nobody has failed to read the news and the story of the poor little girl killed by one of her family pets. Utterly tragic and I refuse to make any judgement about should or should not have had this pet etc.

However, am I alone in despairing now about the bad press 'rescue dogs' are going to receive? You only have to read the AIBU threads to see tail after tail (deliberate ) of how all rescue dogs are unpredictable monsters. I feel quite sad tbh. I think i'm just getting this off my chest tbh.

I said tbh too much.

It was a dog from a pound not a rescue centre - there is a huge difference. (although the press seem to not recognise this)

I know, I read that too. Just don't think the 'masses' will distinguish.

The press don't seem to be able to tell the difference between a Bulldog and a Bulldog cross either.

So much damage being done. I feel equally sad and angry.

Haven't posted on the AIBU threads, it can be hard to get across that whilst the human tragedy is awful and unbearable, the potential for dog suffering becomes huge.

I grew up with rescue dogs, as did my brother, natch. My SiL is heavily involved in dog rescue from Spain/Greece/Turkey and the dog she 'brought in to the family' was a rescue.

They now got their first own family dog - a very cute (how could she not be?) purebred brown lab puppy from a very nice, small-scale breeder.
And why? 'Because you can never be sure about a rescued dog's previous history/experience'

This is of course true and they are thinking of their 6 year old daughter, but it still made me sad...

I think there will be an immediate knee-jerk reaction, but hopefully situation will revert to normal sooner rather than later.

I freely admit I am too 'much' when it comes to rescuing not buying dogs and I do try to keep a lid on it but I have read the AIBU thread (all 32 pages!) and the sheer amount of, "this is why we bought a puppy" posts, are saddening.

Yes I think it is very sad and very unfortunate - because all those lovely puppies - well some will end up in rescue centres won't they? because ignorant people haven't done their researched, haven't socialised their "perfect puppy" which chances are came from a back yard breeder or puppy farmer...........

the other thing that I can't stop thinking about is that said dog allegedly pulled her out of her bed, she was asleep - it really goes against the little I know about dog behaviour.....and well can't help thinking that there has to be more to this.......and I know that sounds awful to say, but it has just been bothering me.

Well yesterday we said goodbye to our amazing old boy.We rescued him 13 years ago literally off the streets.He used to follow me home on my regular walk and the local postie knew the family who 'owned' him,but lobbed him out in all weathers and when I went round and asked if we could keep him they didn't give a damn where he went.We had 3 DCs and he was a staffie cross.My DH had been brought up with Labradors ,and we had had one of our own when the DCs were tiny.DH was keen to get another lab and initially unsure about another rescue.Yesterday he sobbed for the loss of 'his' boy- because that dog and he became inseperable.
There will never be another dog like him.You couldn't breed one if you tried.Loyal and loving.Gentle and tolerant with the DCs and our crazy cats.We have so many memories of the most special dog who found us and enriched our lives in more ways than I can ever say.
So I am up early nursing a cup of tea despite the fact for the first time in over 20 years there's no dog to get up for.And I'm terribly sad he has gone but proud and grateful that we gave him a chance and a loving home.But I am also sad and angry for the effect this latest tragedy will have on the plight of rescue dogs ,and reputable rescue centres.

Its very sad for all involved. But media attention focuses on the wrong things!
They should be discussing why there are so many dogs in rescue (irresponsible breeding and lack of education) and why there should be some sort of regulation of dog ownership brought back.

The situation is bad enough for rescue animals, this is going to make things so much worse!

Oh snugglepiggy i'm so sorry for your loss

He sounds like a lovely boy

Well said noitsachicken I would love to see some focus on the reason for the overflowing rescue centres also.

The problem with rescues is that it is difficult for a novice owner to know whether or not they are dealing with a good and responsible organisation.

In the cases of dogs in particular, there are probably more dogs with significant problems in rescue than there are suitably experienced and willing people to adopt them.

I suspect that in less responsible organisations this can lead to challenging dogs being re-homed to unsuitable owners, sometimes with terrible consequences.

I think that the answer to this is that firstly, dog/animal breeding should be much more strictly controlled to produce fewer, well-bred and responsibly homed dogs; and that secondly, there needs to be a greater acceptance that dogs which cannot be responsibly re-homed should be humanely destroyed, unpalatable though this is.

However, if puppy farming/backyard breeding was wiped out, the number of healthy dogs needing to be destroyed should be drastically reduced.

Mrslaughan I totally agree with you no dog I have ever known has done this more to the story I think.

My experience is that the mainstream rescue organisations are very, very wary of letting families with young children adopt a dog unless they are sure that the dog is bomb proof. This is also reflected in other threads on MN.

I do also think there is more to this particular story than we will be told. I am in no way minimising or judging the horrific place that family must be in right now but if only something could be done to prevent the 'rescue dogs are unpredictable beasts' horror that is around atm, i know id feel happier.

I'm not sure why someone would take a rescue dog that has the capacity to do so much damage when they have small children? ive always had rescues, before children, Ive had Great Danes and Rottiesand , now I have children I wouldnt risk something that could kill them if it turned, our elderley corgi could hurt a child if it wanted to I'm sure, I doubt it kill them though. There is no need to only 'risk a puppy' just use common sense

It wasn't a 'rescue' dog. It was a council operated pound with 7 days to rehome dogs before they would be euthanised. Not a reputable rescue. I honestly don't get what you are saying?

Surely even a pound, though would have a responsibility to check a big dog like that was going to a home with plenty of garden space & no small children?
As previously said I think we haven't heard the full story , but either way a child is dead and yet again rescues are getting a bad press...so sad.

A friend recently rehomed her springer spaniel (to a farm where he is a working dog and by all accounts much happier than as a family pet) after he had bitten her child. Sad child had been 'doing nothing to provoke it'.
Except (IMO and I was of course not present when it happened) the child had been lying next to him on the floor with their arm over the dog and may have crowded his space and not responded to signals that said 'get off me'.

I think many new owners had no idea what they are getting in to with any dog. Or people who maybe had dogs when they were children and think they know all there is to know...

Personally, I am desperate to have a dog again. But will simply be waiting until DS4 is a bit older and less insane. That was the plan even before the latest tragic events. When the time comes, it'll be a rescue dog .

Oh, and I am quite sure that the full story is not in the public domain at present.

I must admit I don't know very much about what goes on in so-called pounds. Perhaps there is little or no home checking before a dog is rehomed? All in all I think we all agree just how tragic this incident is and desperately hope we don't hear of the same again. Except we will