Rescue centres and big fail

[MolliewithOllie]

I lost my beloved 'lurch' last summer and only now getting round to looking for another pointie hound.
I eventually phoned a local greyhound and lurcher rescue to test the waters about adopting an 'older' rescue (I was certainly not looking for a puppy)
I can only say that my request was dismissed as a big FAIL
I was too old to consider even a 'older than a puppy' dog - even after I pointed out that I was an experienced lurcher owner and not one of them (the dogs) thought I was too old or that my fence was too low.
Apparently their dogs are all in foster - so I would have to go and see (anywhere in the country) any dog I was interested before they would do a homecheck (which unless I lie I would fail anyway)
The person I spoke too was a bit dismissive of my positives like - home all day, fields to walk/run in, safe rural home and I ended up apologising for disturbing her at all (being a cravenly polite person)
To me the rescues are being far too 'picky' when dogs would thrive in some less than perfect homes.
Not everyone can hare all over the country to view possible dogs only to FAIL in the end.

I had encountered this previously (9 years ago when I rehomed my last dog ) but it seems to have reached a whole new level of strict criteria. As I pointed out - I could go on gumtree and buy a puppy without anyone asking how old I am or the height of my hedges.

I don’t think your age should be relevant however the height of your fence / hedge is , just because it was ok for all your other dogs doesn’t counter the fact that most rescues will want fences at least 5’6” or 6’ as a minimum , that requirement is for a sensible reason .

Devastated I read your post now op. The beautiful boy I was fostering was pts a year ago after no home could be found. You sound perfect, I hope you find one soon.

I agree that rescues are far too strict on rehoming.Its incredibly sad that so many dogs are missing out on loving homes and spending far too long in shelters or worse and never finding a home.
Family friends for example live in a huge house in it's own grounds,both retired but not elderly,wealthy they have their own swimming pool.They have an agility course in their garden for dogs.They recently lost both their elderly dogs and have tried to adopt from local rescues.None of them will consider as they havnt got a 6ft enclosed fence around their land.They have a 5 ft stone wall.Now I could understand if they wanting to adopt a puppy or a dog that's known to be a great escape artist or a jumper.They wanted to adopt a shitzu who was 8 or 9 with only one eye.I hardly think she'd have been scaling their walls.
All the rescues have this policy.
I tried to adopt a cat but I can't because I havnt a cat flap and that's policy in my area.I can adopt if I put a cat flap in first but I live in a character cottage and our front and back doors are restored wood they were so expensive and I don't want them ruined.Ive owned cats all my life and never needed a cat flap.
I really think they need to look more at each individual animal rather than have a one size fits all policy.

I recall reading an open letter by someone who used to head up one of the smaller rescue charities, basically apologising to all the animals (dogs) he had 'let down' by refusing them homes that would have been better that staying at the rescue just because he was too literal and hard headed about the rules.

SOME dog and cat charities are becoming big business - with all the flaws and arrogance that entails. They are not doing what is right by the animals. They are just pig headed that their way is right and everyone else/the public are idiots that the animals need protecting from at all costs.

In my opinion they have allowed the risk balance to tip too far in favour of attempting to be absolutely sure the dog/cat will be looked after. Whilst I can understand why this is tempting - and the harm post-rescue problems can cause - the reality is that rescues are overwhelmed by animals who are force to remain in kennels (and all the issues and stress that causes) or face being pts.

While this rescue clearly isn't going to work out for you, I think it's going to be a case of ringing around some others and seeing what they say. Each have their own rules (though shinook's friend's experience is, from what has been said, frankly ridiculous).

I know there's a poster on here who home checks for EGLR and should be able to advise, particularly if you can post which county you're in.

I foster for EGLR, and there are no hard and fast rules at all - several dogs have gone to live on houseboats for instance. The dogs are in foster across a wide area, but if someone will be travelling a long way then we can homecheck in advance and then they can visit and collect in one visit (as is happening for one of mine tomorrow).
We have some lovely dogs who are desperate for homes (none of ours are ever pts unless they are medically unsavable), so please give them a call.

I don't know where you live but Battersea Dogs & Cats Home get loads of lurchers and greyhounds of various ages and they are quite sensible.

Also, my local RSPCA were very keen for me to adopt a lurcher (I have teeny tiny garden and low fences!!!) - I declined as I couldn't safely let it off the lead anywhere as far as I could tell and went for something that was less of a flight risk but could still be allowed off lead.

Keep trying different rescues until you find one that reviews each case with some common sense. It would be a great shame for a rescue dog to miss out on a good home.

You phoned one rescue centre, singular, and apparently didn't fit their rehoming criteria. There are loads out there...

Yes, rehoming requirements can be tough but they have all been arrived at by the rescue organisations through years of (sometimes bitter) experience and for the benefit of the dogs. And it's often much less unsettling for a dog to wait for the 'right' home than to go to a 'maybe' or a 'not quite' home only to bounce.

Spend some time on the internet looking at dogs available for adoption; you could try the Oldies Club first, which is an umbrella site where dogs not in their first flush of youth can be posted by rescues all over the country. Some of them aren't that old, either:

www.oldies.org.uk/

Are you prepared to travel to see a dog? Dogs Trust have lots of lurchers but their shelters aren't always the easiest places to get to. Rumour has it they are keen to rehome them at the moment

How old is "to old" to adopt a dog?
It seems wrong to have arbitary age limit. Surely each potential owner should be assessed on an individual basis?
I see loads of elderly people with dogs.

sorry for my rant - the phone call to the rescue was after I was already bruised by being called a 'stupid old hag' by a lout on a motorbike because I had done something he didn't like
I am afraid that after the phone call to the rescue I was half relying on |(and about to make a donation to) I sat and cried for about an hour because I really really wanted my lovely 'lurch' back and I just could not go on anymore when doors kept closing in my face and no-one seemed to appreciate how I am STILL grieving no matter what brave face I put on. Trouble with living alone - things can get out of proportion and this has been absolutely the worst winter I have ever known.
Time to regroup and keep trying - my old dog will never be back.

So sorry. I have to ask - how old are you??

I mean are you typing from your deathbed?

I have a neighbour who adopted his lovely greyhound a few years ago. He's just celebrated his 90th birthday!

Chin up. There will be a pointy hound on your sofa soon enough!

It's really hard to judge by a phone call, you may have also caught the person at the rescue on a bad day. Are there any nearby rescues you can go and visit like some of the bigger ones? Sitting down face to face with someone is much easier than a phone call. One thing all rescues aren't short of is greyhounds and lurchers unfortunately :(

Whereabouts in the country are you?

We have an adopted greyhound and our garden isn't secure. I called the rescue and explained our circumstances, they were fine with it, in face she didn't have a secure garden either. Dog gets 4 walks a day and when we're in the garden he's in his harness on a lead. He also gets a good run in a secure field twice a week.

Went off on a bit of a tangent there but the point is that some rescues are more flexible than others, please don't give up. I'm sure a dog will be much happier in your home than in a kennel. Rescue centres with such hard and fast rules are just fueling the puppy farmers and gumtree sellers Imo. It's sad.

for the loss of your beloved lurch.

I hope the rude and nasty motorcyclist gets bitten on the arse by a giant lurcher.

Chin up, chuck; you'll find another dog to love, and there are surely rescues out there without such stupidly inflexible rules.

I also applied to a local greyhound rescue for an older greyhound [over 3yrs] as I am home all day, retired [68], and very willing to give 2 walks a day. I have my own house, 6 ft fencing all round and have had dogs in the past. No children here, a quiet home. There are plenty of gorgeous walks where I live...beaches, fields, woods, cliff walks, country walks etc.

I got an e mail saying I would be kept on file although the website was appealing for fosterers and adopters and there was a bitch who would have been ideal from the description.

That was months ago. I am constantly looking for an older dog but cannot travel that far. Maybe I'm too old in their eyes but I am fit and very active, no health problems.

Incredulous at this! Older people are far more likely to tick the boxes for dog ownership - retired, so can be with the dog all day; unlikely to have resident small children; potentially years of experience of dog ownership.

I hope you find a more sensible rescue.

Most people fail rescue centre tests. Its hardly worth bothering.

Battersea said we passed home check but never had a dog they considered suitable. In the end, I found an abandoned ex-breeding 5 year old Labrador bitch in a council pound. She had 9 happy years with us.

@Branleuse that's not true. It's just people who fail will complain loudly, but the hundreds of people every week who successfully adopt are too blissed out and happy with their new pooches to say anything online. That's why there's an imbalance. I know those who have successfully adopted despite full time jobs, despite living in flats with no gardens, despite insecure gardens and despite small children or cats.

I always recommend going to rescues (or booking appointments to go if they're appointment only) as meeting face to face they'll get a better sense of you than over email or over the phone. And if you are near enough, go several times and keep in constant contact, don't expect to leave your name and details and for them to call you - they'll have loads of forms to go through so unless you have a more unusual request (like you really really want a slightly savage black or brindle mongrel who hates kids and other animals and you happen to be a hermit who also hates people - there are lots of troubled long term rescue dogs who would love that haha!) then you may get lost in the pile of paper.

Visit in person, more than once, follow up with weekly phone calls, get to know the staff and volunteers, take along photos of your home and garden.

Don't give up after one disheartening experience!

You need to find a different rescue with a more realistic attitude, and they do exist..
Several of my older fosters have been rehomed to retired people.
If you're fit enough to walk a dog and strong enough to lift him into a car if necessary, then I see no reason why a rescue couldn't find you a dog. Don't give up yet!

Lurcher link are quite flexible with homing depending what suits the dogs they have in, use foster homes & kennels. Their volunteers sometimes help transport dogs to new homes if necessary.
www.lurcherlink.org/llink/forum/index.php
Rescues are all individual as is the person you spoke to and will have their own opinions so try not to get too disheartened & try others.

I don't personally see why age is such a problem given rescues generally contract adopters to return the dog if cannot keep any longer. Yes dog & adopter need to be a good match to start & consider plans for likely circumstances, much like anyone.

I used to home check for various rescues so can see both sides, it wasn't my decision if they got a dog. Some adopters were rather naive/dismissive of potential issues pointed out from typical training issues to dog may easily escape and be at risk of harm. Some were very set on certain dogs which just didn't suit their home but would not consider others. Couple with a fence in state which may fall over at any time, didn't want to hear that it needed sorting to be safe so just got a dog from free ads instead.

I do think some rescues could be more flexible, I adopted my dogs while working full-time which some wouldn't approve. Ultimately they have to balance the risks of homing not working out & deal with the fallout and simply may not have time to consider each applicant's circumstances so set blanket homing policies.

Most people fail rescue centre tests. Its hardly worth bothering

Bit of a sweeping statement!

Completely agree with you. It's gone too far and common sense is out the window, sadly at the expense of the poor dogs.

We found smaller more local rescue centres rather than Dogs Trust etc were more sensible and considered the individual homes on a case by case basis.