And now the good news -Fewer dogs than usual need rehoming

[Kenwouldmixitup]

Just leaving it here

Dogs cost about £2k these days, no ones giving them away for free

They seem to be all up for sale on Gumtree instead. Within 30 miles of my address we have:

A 5 m/o Jack Russell.
A 13 m/o Chihuahua.
A 3 y/o Rottweiler.
A 5 m/o whippet/chihuahua mix.
A 6 m/o Pomeranian.
A 3 m/o pug "reduced" for quick sale.
A 5 m/o American Bully (for 2k)
A 6 m/o French Bulldog.
A 7 y/o Shih-tzu.
A 4 m/o toy poodle mix.
Another 6 m/o French Bulldog.

None of them are being sold for anything less than £500 with most for over 1.5k.

Why would anyone go via a rescue when they can get their money back on Gumtree?

Seems they are just tied to bus stops or thrown from van windows in recent news.

Utter bastards..
Someone must recognise these ddogs and can identify the owners surely?

A 3 m/o pug "reduced" for quick sale.

Arseholes.

And that's on top of loads of litters of puppies, including:

Labradoodles
Cane Corso mixes.
Cockapoos
American Bullies
"Pocket" American Bullies
French Bulldogs
Beagles
Bulldogs
Great Danes
"Bully crosses"
Cavapoochons
"Exotic male puppies" (whatever those are!)
Staffies
Springer Spaniels
Husky x Malamute puppies

And plenty more....

@MrsTerryPratchett

A 3 m/o pug "reduced" for quick sale.

Arseholes.

I know, right? It's grim.

So many 12-14 week old puppies being "rehomed" because the owners suddenly don't have time for them anymore

The fact that there are very few dogs available in rescues isn't actually a good thing.

They may well have dogs, but not ready for rehoming as they've been handed in with behavioural issues which will take time to resolve.

I looked on Gumtree near me (within about 15 miles).

One adult dog. Loads of puppies - most of which I wouldn't touch with a bargepole.

I wish I hadn't looked on gumtree

The way the ads are written baffles me. No information on circumstances of rehoming. I hate to think of how many dogs suffer from being unwanted / stolen / abandoned.

There's currently a campaign worth signing up for - the founders lost their dog to Parvo and then found out the history of where it was from was a complete lie.

They are campaigning for proper vetting for any dog/animal sold online etc.

They have reached >100,000 signatures for the issue to be taken to parliament 🤞

https://instagram.com/justiceforreggie20?utmmedium=copyy_link

The thing is, as much as I hate to say it, I don't think rescues themselves help the situation.

They make it almost impossible for anyone to rehome and so people resort to dodgy breeders and online ads.

Plus, in my view, the massive pressure for 'responsible' owners to neuter their dogs has massively reduced the number of home-bred one-off litters. I'm not saying that any random bunging two golden retrievers together is a good idea, but I'd rather someone bought a puppy from a one-off litter out of a temperamentally sound family pet who got proper vet care than one born and raised in a gruesome puppy farm.

@icedcoffees is exactly right.

Prices went through the roof from March last year. Dogs stolen to breed from or sell on. Now the idiots who, in reality, can't cope with a dog want some cash back. God knows where those dogs have been and how many times they've changed hands in their little lives already.

Our local shelters actually seem to have many more available for homing but only the elderly ones.
Last year, elderly dogs were selling on Gumtree too.

It's heartbreaking. But the dog theft seems to have slowed at least

Several of the rescues I support are inundated and sadly having to turn dogs away, because those coming in all need comprehensive foster and assessment. The reason there are so few for rehoming is because the majority of dogs taken in recently need thorough assessment in a home environment, followed by extensive rehab/training. The foster homes they need have to meet very specific requirements when taking in an ‘untested’ rescue for assessment and there simply aren’t enough foster homes available.

I don’t think everyone who got a pup during the pandemic is going to dump them, a lot of people’s work circumstances have changed and made it easier to get a dog when they have desperately wanted one for years. Those people are no less likely to be fully committed to their dogs than those of us that have always had them. Sadly though, the sheer number of pups taken on means the quantity of them that will be abandoned or given up will be proportionally higher and it will be those that haven’t bothered training them and care for their health needs properly that do. So they have health issues and/or a complete lack of training or behavioural issues that need a lot of work before they can be rehomed. Hence it taking longer for rescues to be able to put them up for adoption.

I had a look on gumtree.... So many 6-9 month old dogs needing rehoming, starting price £700+ (and yes some "reduced for quick sale" and "paid £1400, would accept £750" like the dog was a 2nd hand sofa or something )

Seems a lot of folk trying to get their money back rather than approach shelters.

@CrumpetswithMarmite - you do know that you can buy from a licensed breeder. Not a 100% guarantee, but something worth looking out for.
At least a licensed breeder can be reported, investigated and prosecuted if necessary.

Also looked on gumtree (Plymouth) there are pages and pages of puppies. Loads of American bulldogs. Loads of bloody random cross breeds they want £700 for ffs.
God people are twats.

Also I switched the car radio off this am because dd2 heard the start of a news piece about the discovery of a breed network in the uk who will cut ears. For fucking fucks sake.

Glad to hear that for blue cross. Rescue local to me have had to close to new rescues as they are utterly overwhelmed

My local gumtree for "rehoming":

18 month staffie cross, £200 "needs a new home as an only dog"
6 month old lurcher/staffie cross, £450 "we're moving house"
18 month old french bulldog, £500 "increased work commitments"
7 month old american bulldog, £500 "needs a firm hand" "dominant"
2 year old rottweiler, £600, "recently weaned a litter of puppies"
7 month old saluki, £700 "ready to leave"
4 month old puppy (looks like a staffie) £850 "my other dog doesn't like him"

This thread has prompted me to go on gumtree. Only 13 adds for dogs in my town. ALL 8-10 weeks old puppies with their mum. Not one a puppy or dog to be rehomed.

I guess differences depending on geographical area?

Just looked on local gumtree. Absolutely stuffed with pups ready to go now or in the next couple of weeks.

One 1 year old cockapoo being sold due to work commitments.

@Ylvamoon thank you yes don't worry I am aware :) it just baffles me when some sellers put such poor ads and information up.

@icedcoffees

The thing is, as much as I hate to say it, I don't think rescues themselves help the situation.

They make it almost impossible for anyone to rehome and so people resort to dodgy breeders and online ads.

Dogs Trust reported they've rehomed over 5,000 dogs so far this year, but in one month had 20,000 rehoming enquiries.

Dogs are being rehomed, but a lot more are being signed over with complex behavioural or health issues. As others have said, there's a lot of dogs waiting "in the wings" so to speak as they're not ready to go to a new home. Or those that are ready, have quite specific needs. I've seen so many young dogs being signed over because they're boisterous or have resource guarding issues - and then rescues get moaned at for not rehoming to families - that kind of dog should not be around young children. Sigh.

Rescues shouldn't be the ones getting it in the neck for being cautious about rehoming their dogs. Their priority is to find each dog in their care the right home. Their priority is NOT to supply every applicant with a dog.

27 ads on Gumtree in my town, including

• 3 month old Cane Corso puppies for £1k, no pics of parents but puppies stood on a crate for shipping dogs :(
• Toy poodle "ready today" for £1,200
• Litter of Chihuahuas for £1,800
• 4yr old Frenchie for £800
• Frenchie pup "selling urgently" for £1,200 (that one could also be a scam and I've reported it)
• 1yr old Pom for £600 because of "work commitments"
• 6 month old Doberman for £800
• 16 month old Rottweiler for £700 because of "life changes"
• 4 yr old Shepherd x Husky for £800 who sounds insane the amount of times they mentioned his energy levels
• 1 yr old Shepherd who sounds reactive "due to being attacked by another dog" but they also have "housing issues"

Sigh.

Jesus-I’ve just checked gumtree and not only is the amount of dogs for sale is insane but so are the prices
No vetting,no nothing on where these animals are going
I’d take them all but can’t have pets for lots of reasons
Cheapest I found is £1,175 for a bog standard puppy
There needs to be laws about this