Finding a rescue

[petitdonkey]

I know this has been done to death but please can people tell me a good way to find a rescue? My nearest is Canterbury Dogs Trust but all of their current dogs are large or unsuitable for dogs or young children.

We have a much loved labrador x and would like to adopt a small dog to be his pal! I have three children but the youngest is 7 so I think well able to be sensitive to the needs of a dog if it was nervous.

I have emailed Wild at Heart foundation - is it a good thing to adopt a rescue from another country or should I be looking in the UK.

I have learnt a lot since getting my dog 5 years ago, mainly from advice here. I feel that we have room in our hearts for another dog and feel strongly that it should be a rescue but I want to make good choices - for the dog and for my family.

Am thinking JRT type size but am not too led by breed. I would love a staff but feel they are just a bit too big - I already have one walking carpet!!

Any advice would be gratefully received - I know this won't be a quick process.

It's worth looking around to see if there are any small, independent rescues near you. A quick google suggests there might be quite a few. There are also rescues which cover the whole country and will rehome anywhere they can manage to get a home check done and transport a dog to.

When it comes to overseas rescues I would make sure they offer back up in this country in case you have problems. I'd also make sure you're happy with the work the rescue is doing in whatever country they're working from. Personally I like to see a rescue working to improve the situation for dogs still there via education or by running TNR programmes.

Thank you for the advice Trionic - I will google independent rescues now.

You might find some http://www.rescuereview.co.uk/mobile/index.php here

If you adopt a dog from abroad you will have no accurate information about how it is with other dogs or children which are your major concerns.

Have you spoken to Dogs Trust , they do have a lot of centres and might be able to be flexible about matching you with a suitable dog from a bit outside your locality ( I look at their site quite a lot in dog lust, they always seem to have the cutest dogs in Ballymena, though if you are near Canterbury this is a bit too far!).

Try asking your vet too, they might know of local dogs in need of rehoming

Have you looked at Many Tears? A lot of the dogs they rehome have come from puppy farms and need to be rehomed with another dog for company.

Sorry forgot to put link www.manytearsrescue.org

Have you tried Forever Hounds Trust? They have lots of lurchers that are various crosses and are very careful to match you with the right dog for your individual circumstances, so worth speaking to. Www.foreverhoundstrust.org

Thank you everyone! Murphysgirl - Many Tears was the website that I couldn't remember that I had read about on Mumsnet - I knew someone would suggest it.
Viques great idea to ask at my vet's too.

I am really heartbroken to read about so many ex-breeding dogs - it seems to callous to use them and then dump them.

Silver Fox
Desperate Greekies Look at Scooby, Ziggy and Athina
Help Pozega Dogs
Griffon Adoption Group
Many Tears
Balkan Underdogs
Last Chance Animal Rescue

Even rescues working abroad, usually have some dogs in foster in the UK. Silver Fox specialises in smaller breeds.

I thought I didn't like terriers and loathed jrts, snappy, nippy, yappy. Other than roaring at the foxes and detesting anyone in a fluorescent jacket, ours is the sweetest thing on four paws, and remarkably good with children. They do have minds of their own, but there are some entrancing ones for rescue on the jrt site..if only DH would agree..

Orlanda - I have a yearning for a terrier but one of the rescues I looked at online said that the garden would have to be securely fenced otherwise they would not consider you. Our garden is a terrier's heaven but not secure really!! There's a bog on one side (my dog loves that!!) fields at the back and woodland at the other side…. I fear a terrier may chase one rabbit never to return!

Bagel - I am working through your list! Thank you!
Countrybump - I think lurchers are beautiful but, for some reason, I always thought you needed specialist knowledge (isn't there a PointHound thread??) - Also, DH will accept another dog but no way is it getting on the sofa, I don't think I have seen many pictures of lurchers not on sofas!!

It's overwhelming isn't it??? I know that if someone asked me tomorrow to take a dog in need I would but this almost feels like shopping which feels wrong…. Does that make any sense at all???

I think most rescues will expect a fully secure ( fenced) garden before they will rehome anything to you , it's not a terrier thing .

Fwiw I have a whippet sized lurcher who does not go on the sofa and is great with kids (as she's calm). She does not bark. She communicates with her eyes (stands by food bowl looking heartbroken when hungry).

I could never have a small terrier type dog as they bark so much and are so much work by comparison

I did need to fence the garden in part to be allowed to take her home (and my kids were older than 8, which I think was a requirement too)

Terrier type dogs amuse me, but goodness they are full-on by comparison!

Mmm yes, sweetest thing on four paws does get into next door's garden sometimes if I haven't secured the fence enough, dreadful for them, but then they should do something about the rat colony under their decking. No rats, no terrier... and they are sympathetic to the foxes....Our terrier keeps all rats, foxes and squirrels at bay.

He is full on when not asleep, really like a 2 1/2 year old. Entrancing and demanding. Can be quite intelligent and def manipulative.

Mind you, next time I'm going to go for a lurcher type if I can, will keep the cats out and I'll get even more birds back.

my lurcher scared of cats

Interesting regarding fencing… I have a couple of shelters to call so will ask advice. I would say my garden is fenced all around (we never lost DDog when he was a pup) but I know that if he chases a car down the lane, he always comes back and can get in… It is over an acre so I know there are some gaps. (Some of it is hedging rather than fence which I guess might be an issue)

Thank you very much everyone for your very valuable input - I will keep looking and call some rescues. We are away for a week before Christmas and then have a houseful so January will be a much calmer time (and I assume that the process takes some time).

(My youngest will be 8 in March so hopefully this will be the perfect time for us)

They'll take you more seriously in Jan!

As you're not just getting "a puppy for Christmas"

Try this rescue - our gorgeous boxer/ staffie cross came from here. They have lots of different breeds.
rescueremediesdogrescue.co.uk/index.php

If you're in Kent it may be worth travelling up to Basildon to their dogs trust. We have a dogs trust dog we got from 3 counties away, she'd been returned a few times and had been sat in kennels for several months as she is dog reactive but otherwise the ideal family dog. They reduced the children's age from 14 to 8 for us because dc is sensible. So use the age limits as guides.

Be patient the right one will come along.

Also go for a 2-5 year old as they're out of the idiot stage

Just looked at SilverFox rescue fb page. Have you seen Abigail? I'm in love!

I can't seem to find Abigail Possum!

Ah, just found her! She reminds me of our old corgi… I have never had a bitch before, not sure why..

I am drawn to Esmerelda and Belinda!

I live in Broomfield Kent and have fostered for a small local rescue in Swalecliffe, they are all pound dogs. The rescue is called Redwood Rescue run by Jo who does a fantastic job taking these dogs into her home and foster homes.