Anyone with insider knowledge of Dog's trust? a WWYD

[Bubble2bubble]

I have walked in the same place for years and there's a nice, friendly dog walking community of people who also walk there everyday.
Someone who moved to the area about a year ago and who I meet every day with their elderly dog recently adopted a pup from Dog's Trust. The owners is late 60's with not great mobility, their other dog is also very elderly and not in great health. The newly adopted pup was a six month old Border Collie. This pup had been found dumped and was very obviously traumatized when she came here, hand shy generally very nervous, and had had no training.
This owner quite clearly struggled with the new pup, and 3 months on the pup hasn't learnt to walk on a lead, and has a tendency to run off to play with other dogs and not come back.
Myself and others ( when asked ) have variously suggested local training classes ( they went once but didn't like it), contacting DT for advice, as well as basic recall techniques which usually work, but frequently in my presence this woman has screamed and threatened the pup when she hasn't immediately come back. The pup is quite clearly scared of her, has her tail between her legs all the time. Yesterday in front of my friend she whacked the pup with the lead for not coming immediately, screamed at her and then offered a treat which the pup refused.
She has also told me that the punishment for running off on walks is to be closed in a crate for the rest of the day, and I have found the pup tied to the seatbelt inside this woman's car while the other dog was being walked, also as a punishment for running off :( I did slightly lose the plot at this point

The result is that a sweet, biddable, clever pup who should have been a dream to train is now - 3 months on - still traumatised, entirely untrained and quite possibly a danger to herself as she keeps trying to run away.

Thank you if you've got this far...my question is, would the Dog's Trust want to know that this placement is really not working out, and would they do anything about it? Obviously there is nothing illegal in hitting your dog, but it does go against current advice....

The owner has also told my friend that the pup was officially adopted in her daughter's name, presumably because the DT may not have been keen to home a BC pup to someone of her age, though her daughter does not live with her and has nothing to do with the pup.

I think you should definitely report her - if the Dogs Trust isn't able to do something maybe someone else can?

I would raise concerns, a quick visit can't hurt!

It's not just that the placement isn't working out though is it? She's clearly abusing the dog - I'd definitely call them as soon as possible.

Definitely contact them, poor wee thing. It needs a proper understanding home with the skills to train the dog. xx

Thank you, I don't feel I can do nothing anymore, but worried I would just sound like an interfering old git.
The fact that she will hit the pup in public makes me fear for what is happening at home :(

I'd contact Dog's Trust and the RSPCA immediately, I don't have any idea why you're hesitating frankly.

God, ring them. I don't know if they'll act or not, but at least give them the chance to do so.

RSPCA too - can you film the behaviour?

Nothing wrong with informing them, you'd feel worse if anything happened and you hadn't raised your concerns wouldn't you. I hope the dog gets help poor thing!

Definitely call dogs trust they actually offer extensive training support and even run their own training classes with 3 separate categories (pup, adult, rescue dog). So she really has no reason to not get good training advice and support in implementing it.

The fact she has got her daughter to get the dog from dogs trust but daughter has nothing to do with dog and does not even live in the same house, may mean dogs trust can seize the dog back under the adoption agreement t&c's without needing to prove abuse (which is hard for any organisation to do).

Please contact them as soon as possible. Surely they're in breach of contract for adopting the dog this way for a start. I hope something can be done to help this poor puppy, what a horrible start to life it's having.

Please do it now.

Please contact them asap

That poor pup

Well I spoke to Dogs Trust and they said they do get calls like mine quite often :(
However they did say my concerns would be passed to the local centre, and would be followed up.
At least they didn't say there was nothing they could do,so maybe this poor pup will get some help after all.

The owner has also told my friend that the pup was officially adopted in her daughter's name, presumably because the DT may not have been keen to home a BC pup to someone of her age, though her daughter does not live with her and has nothing to do with the pup.
This is the key part of your OP. You have to sign an agreement with DT when you adopt a dog that if the placement doesn't work out you will return it to DT and not pass it on to any other individual or organisation so, yes, I would fully expect them to do something if you've told them this very relevant piece of information.