No luck trying to get a rescue dog

[talpiog]

Can anyone recommend some dog rescues I can approach / advise me on where I am going wrong?

I have been unsuccessfully applying for rescue dogs for the last few months but getting nowhere - as in not even a response or to home check stage.

My circumstances are as follows:

• currently have one rescue dog Lakeland cross terrier (male, neutered), age 12. Rescued at 10 months. He had a lot of issues originally but we invested in time and training and he is fine now.
• used to have a rescue JRT who died a few months ago. Rescued her at age 3, she was almost 20 when she died.
• one child, yr 6
• I work from home all day, have a terrier proof large garden.
• walk x 3 times a day, I also run so am happy to take a high energy dog if needed as used to run (on lead / canicross not off lead) with my other dogs before they got old.
• broadly happy with any terrier / terrier cross, male or female up to age of 5ish (could go older and indeed have applied for dogs up to 7 so far).
• happy to work with any issues apart from biting due to having a child in house.
• can't take a dog that's currently abroad as need to do a meet with my existing rescue first

I genuinely thought I would have no issue finding a rescue dog to match with. But there must be something in what I'm writing above that is putting off rescues.

I am on websites and Facebook multiple times a day, applying within hours of seeing a new dog arrive. I'm only applying for dogs where it says they can live with other dog and children.

Can anyone help or recommend rescues?

I am based in south east but have been applying to any rescue that says they home across the UK, and would be happy to travel anywhere to meet the potential rescue.

I don't want to list the rescues I've applied to as don't want to make it personal. But it includes every large national rehoming centre.

I can see how people end up going to breeders but I really don't want to do that.

Try Many Tears? They have loads that would meet your requirements.

We have also found this. Adopt-don't-shop is very hard to follow if you don't want a greyhound/very large male dog/ very young failed farm collie. Friend at a rescue said they had over 50 applicants in the first day an ordinary fairly untroubled dog was listed.

Have you rung them and chased up?

I follow a few rescues on Facebook and there are people responding saying they've applied and not heard, and the rescue then responds saying they never received an application.

Trevor! 😍

We got our dog from Pets 4 Homes 5 years ago, and whilst I am sure there are some unscrupulous sellers on there, our 'adoption' experience was amazing. We got her from a family who had caved in to children's pressures to get a dog, but had found after a few months that they were not able to look after properly. We adopted her at 7 months, fully house trained with her innoculations up to date. The only behavioural thing we have found is an obsession with lights and shadows, possibly because she had been left home along unstimulated as a pup.

Applied for a dog from them but never heard back. The dog is still up on the website

Honestly, it is probably the breed you are going for. Whilst I appreciate you are experienced with terriers the rescues only have your word for it that you know what you're getting yourself into. You have small children and terriers are well known for being unpredictable and temperamental at the best of times.

If you need a small dog I'd look at toy and companion breeds. I'd suggest a Chihuahua as they are very terrier-like but I expect you'd have the same issues, as they're also known for being unpredictable and temperamental at the best of times.

You might get further going for one of the bull terrier breeds like a staffie as they tend to be calmer once they're past the puppy stage and more evenly tempered.

If you really have your heart set on a terrier and you know you can cope get involved with your local rescue, volunteer to walk the dogs and help at charity events, let them get to know you and learn that you can cope with a terrier and keep your kids safe.

I chased two rescues as I worried they hadn't received my application but again nothing back (checked junk mail etc).

Most you get an automated response saying they have your application (online form) and if you haven't heard within 3/5/7 days you've been unsuccessful and they don't give feedback (understandable as they are busy volunteers, but frustrating for me when it's happening time and time again).

This morning after I posted the message I thought I'd tally up how many rescues I've applied to - it's over 30 different organisations.

Tried them - twice. Never heard back. Called them to discuss and they said put in a form and we will call you back. They never did

I'm just going to keep on plugging away. If the only thing seems to be child age and terriers then eventually I will match.

Maybe I should reapply for the dogs not yet matched to anyone else where I haven't heard back.

Have you tried Cinque Ports rescue , they are in Kent and might be able to match you with someone , they take mainly small dogs or EGLR who are mainly lurcher types but they get all sorts and often rehome where there is another dog in the home .

Dogs trust?

I’m always amazed when people recommend Many Tears; myself and several other experienced dog owners have applied to them in the past and been ghosted. It makes me so cross.

Some of the Spanish, Romanian etc rescue charities have dogs already over here in foster; worth a try?

Have you tried here www.jackrussellterrierrescueuk.org

Same here. I've had dogs since I was a kid, lots of border collies, different collies,a few crosses and a toy Phalene. Always had 2 dogs,he was actually a third.he lived till almost 18, plus 2 of our other dogs. He was PTS last year, DH said should we get a puppy, I said no,a rescue. I am also the SE ,near the beach, village,2 roads away is farmland, plenty of woods, forests. We have 200 ft of garden, retired. I tried breed specific, not even a reply. I didn't want an elderly dog,or one with huge health issues,DH didn't want a male, I wouldn't have a brachial face dog, although there was none. I don't like staffs,there was plenty of them. Then the others... reactive to other dogs,must be the only dog (we already have a border collie who was 7 at the time) reactive to cars,bikes, people,must be walked alone,no young children,even visiting,our youngest dgd is 2. We bought a border collie puppy! I discovered on dog walks this is why people adopt from abroad. In fact a relative went on holiday last year to Italy and bought a dog!

Have you tried Last Chance Animal Rescue in Kent?
Ian looks a possibility.

Hope Rescue in south Wales.
Rita maybe?

Also Rescue Remedies who use kennels near Gatwick.
They have Patterdales mostly but one or two might fit the bill.

Or if your up for a fox terrier, try Fox Terrier Rescue.

Good luck!

I originally did a 100 mile radius from home,to look for a rescue,then actually ended up England Ireland Scotland and Wales.

I think it's incredibly difficult to adopt a dog (or cat) in general. This is because the animals might have specific needs or the charity has very high expectations from adopters. Certain breeds are not popular with many adopters either. I am guilty of this: if I were to adopt (not in a position to atm, but still) I'd request a smaller dog over a larger one, and probably never a JRT because I don't like the breed. So that reduces my chances already.

I think these expectations sadly leave potential adopters frustrated, and they think, "f* it, I'll get a puppy from s breeder" which is not what should be happening.

Many Tears Rescue, Animal Haven Ireland ( do rehome to U.K.) try breed rescues

Have you visited any rescues, maybe give that a try

Thanks, I applied for Ian this morning! 🙏🏻 will let you know!

RR I applied and said I was happy to be matched to any dog if they thought circs suited, but I never heard back from them. Got to trust they know what they are doing though, I guess.

Not tried these, so thank you. Will add them to my list. I am determined not to crack and buy a puppy, even if it takes another 6 months of looking.

Are you trying the foreign rescues? They tend to be a bit more sane in their rules on who can and can't adopt. Loads on Facebook

I think you need to drop the idea that the rescue knows best/ what they're doing. Most are badly run with volunteers or lowly paid staff who don't have time. You need to be proactive and follow up, not being afraid to be persistent if you don't hear back

I am spending half my day on Facebook waiting for new dogs to appear 😜. I can't adopt directly from abroad because I've already got a rescue dog and so there would need to be a meet first before any adoption. Don't mind rescuing an overseas dog if it's already in the UK but haven't seen any which seem right. I probably need to do some more research to understand the different breeds from Spain / Greece / Romania etc