Why's it so difficult to find a dog to rehome?

[TheGirlWhoWrites]

Hello! Our gorgeous JRT passed away a few months back and we’re now feeling ready to get another dog. I'm desperate to rehome one! We can provide such a lovely life for a dog with me working from home and being here most of the time, a nice enclosed garden, regular walking holidays, great doggy support network for the times we can’t be there etc etc etc.

But it’s so so difficult. I’m often getting turned down as our daughter is just 3. And the dogs which are suitable for young families go so quickly.

Any recommendations before we find ourselves having no choice but to buy a pup from a (reputable well researched) breeder? I’m looking at smaller rehoming centres within a 60m radius, larger ones too. I have joined countless FB groups and am getting alerts. I'm checking sites like ManyTears. Maybe there are some I'm missing?!

Can i just comment about "waiting for rescues to get back to me"

Rescues, especially the smaller ones, are run entirely by volunteers. People with jobs, families and all the worries/stresses that entails.

They are so busy doing this, looking after the dogs on a daily basis, organising fosters, organising transports, receiving calls from people who want them to take a dog NOW, answering emails from prospective adopters, trying to organise homechecks, vets visits, worrying about running out of food, trying to help/organise with rescues abroad - is it any wonder that they don't reply on time to enquiries?

Yes, of course, they should as that may lead to a dog getting a home, but I understand why they sometimes can't. It's up to adopters to be proactive and to keep in touch by phone, email, FB group pages etc. It can be very frustrating, I'm sure, but it's the way it is.