We have a phone appointment with an overseas rescue :)

[CloseYourEyesAndSee]

I'm very excited!
it's a reputable rescue - I have a friend who has adopted through them and now volunteers for them. DS has wanted a dog forever but I WOH so couldn't. DP has semi moved in and he also wants a dog so a dog we are getting :)
DP has had dogs and I have when I was a child and teen. I have a cat so that's something that will need to be managed. DP is self employed and his office is close to fields so he will walk the dog during breaks.
I will be asking for lots of advice here I'm sure but for now does anyone have anything they think I need to think about??

Precisely this. There are so many soppy wallies in the UK who think it is al going to be fine. People need to engage brain a bit.

I am expecting the government to review importation at some point as we have far too many dogs now, limited space in dog shelters and rising incidences of bites/attacks.

Cat tested just means they're temporarily fostered in a home with a dog-savvy cat who then ignores them (and so they ignore it), though.

Going on to introduce them to a cat who has never been around dogs before, and it can be very, very different story.

These dogs would be best helped by being neutered and wormed then left where they are.

But some countries don’t neuter and worm them, they put them down and not always in humane ways. My boy is a Spanish Podenco, a much persecuted and abused breed, bred for hunting and killed (usually by their owner, not by a vet) if they don’t perform. I am so glad I rescued my boy from that fate (he’s a rubbish hunter)!

The rescue dogs I know would not work out moving from pillar to post like you describe. Add a cat to the mix and you're asking for trouble.

So battersea dog home has no dogs or the many other places in Britain? Or have you simply not passed the checks required ? I never understand why we are bringing animals from abroad when we have plenty here needing assistance

@Purplecatshopaholic yes I realise that. My point is that rather than rescuing these dogs and bringing them here, the well meaning volunteers could do the necessary welfare.

I dont agree with rescuing from abroad, mainly because the genuine street dogs dont need rescuing, they are street dogs, others perhaps they are mistreated and thats dreadful but as you say there are animals here to focus on but you get woolly types going abroad to 'save' people and animals, its so patronising

BUT there is a huge issue in this country with regard to rescue centres. A few years ago we lost one of our cats, we needed another cat so that our other cat didnt get used to being the only cat, we left messages, spoke to rescues, filled in numerous forms, badgered the RSPCA which is where we have got all of our cats from. No response, not from any of them and yet all we could see on their website were cats that would be suitable for us, some very elderly which we are not averse to yet no contact from them. Too much time has passed now and our cat wouldnt take kindly now to a new cat coming in so we have lost our chance and so has another cat.

Dreadful

Battersea has ONE dog on their books that could live with a cat and a teenager.

I also don't differentiate between U.K. dogs and dogs from other countries sorry but that is so weird. A dog is a dog; all dogs need care and a home. Why should people adopt local dogs above overseas dogs? For what reason?

My DS and DiL took a foreign rescue dog in. He's proven to be extremely aggressive and after months of training he's still very reactive. He wears a muzzle if he's out, plus a harness with "Reactive Dog" written all over it. He can't go near other dogs, cats or men. The only man he tolerates is my DS who is his trainer and feeder; they've come to care for each other a great deal.

But even now - a good year into ownership - he has to be crated in another room if there's company in the home. He can only go off the lead in a dedicated hire-by-the-hour private enclosed field.

He's lovely but .....

The RSPCA locally refused us adopting a dog because we’d had previous pets up to sleep- there’s a big notice stating this in the reception area.
I applied to 17 different rescues across southern England and Wales, no luck. Most wanted us to already have a dog (not sure how that’s supposed to work!), several ignored the fact that we’re retired, live rurally, would take dog on holiday and not use kennels, are at home nearly 24/7, love walking and have had dogs for the past 45 years!
We have a wonderful Romanian rescue now, she arrived a year ago today as a 18 week old puppy from a kill shelter. She’s been the easiest dog that I have had to train, she’s an absolute joy.
Good luck OP, fingers crossed for you.

As many of us have reported from our own experience, Battersea, RSPCA etc have not answered enquiries, we haven't even got to the point of passing/failing checks...

Can’t believe you’ve asked that.

Because we have too many dogs which dont have homes here, they will end up being put down. Other countries will need to find their way to deal with their dog problem (if in fact they have a problem, the way UK people thinnk about other countries is often quite patronising). The dogs who are already here which are over bred or puppy farmed often end up with problems and need rescue, then importing animals with problems ends up needing more dogs in rescue centres. Its a growing problem, certainly after lockdown where people got dogs and now cant manage them having got back to work.

Why should people adopt local dogs above overseas dogs? For what reason?

There are lots of issues with importing dogs from overseas - the main one being disease. Leishmania is the one that springs to mind, but rabies is another. Yes, a good rescue will vaccinate and not import infected dogs, but many dodgy puppy farms encourage the illegal import of cheap foreign puppies in order to charge a fortune to people over here.

Also (as has been pointed out numerous times) there's a BIG difference between adopting a dog that has lived in a home, and one that's come from the streets. Don't underestimate how terrifying some of these dogs find daily life.

And our foreign rescue has been lovely from day one, no aggression and we're now nearly 2 years in...

Neither anecdote provides any useful information about the pros or cons of getting a dog from an overseas rescue.

I know half a dozen other foreign rescue dogs that we meet regularly in the park, and all are easy, not aggressive. Of course, the ones that are difficult and aggressive are not likely to be hanging out in the park.

With any dog, puppy, UK rescue, overseas rescue, do your homework and ask the questions that are important to you. Then decide.

Please ensure that any overseas rescue has been blood tested for diseases which can be passed on to humans. We don’t see brucellosis in this country much now but it is endemic in parts of Europe and is notifiable here. It’s seen in un-neutered animals.
Leishmaniasis is another one which can affect humans also.
Many rescue charities don’t carry out the most basic of tests.

I cant remember where I read it now but also there is concern that because of the need to build the business of imports,, there are unscrupulous breeders abroad, puppy farmers, who are supplying the dogs that UK people adopt.

As someone says above, anecdotes arent that helpful but the statistics are and vets certainly are more and more concerned about this practice.

And what if local rescues won't let people adopt the dogs? That is what is happening 🤷🏼‍♀️

of course rescues let people adopt dogs. They just choose the best home for each dog.

owning a dog is not a right.

Can’t believe quite how many people on here disbelieve anyone who says UK rescues won’t let them have a dog. We were experienced dog owners, with a huge enclosed garden and someone home most of the day. Having children under 12 ruled us out for everyone from Battersea and the RSPCA to a myriad of smaller centres that we tried.

I have only ever wanted rescue dogs, but when my DC were younger, we ended up with a pedigree pup from a breeder because there was not a rescue dog to be had.

With the kids older, we went to a rescue centre, where we got our Romanian dog. Hadn’t gone looking for an import, but she was the only one who wasn’t a Staffie or Husky type - which all the home grown potential adoptees were. There is a definite look to the East European dogs, so I often get talking to other owners out walking. We all love our dogs.

Of course it's not! But when you have people with suitable homes who want to care for dogs isn't it a bit bonkers not to let them?

I agree, we are experienced owners in the countryside with an enclosed garden and two people at home and the charities in the UK wouldn't let us get a dog so we went abroad.

I know its happening, I have said so throughout and its happened to us too. The challenge is changing that or having a different system, not to import more problems.