A DOG IS FOR LIFE, NOT JUST TO MATCH THE SOFA!

[HHO admin]

A press release from Dogs Trust , which makes interesting reading...

HHO Admin

----------------------------

Thirty years on from the birth of its famous slogan “A dog is for life not just for Christmas®”, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity Dogs Trust is today revealing the top ten most irresponsible reasons people have given for abandoning their dogs.
 
Reasons given to Dogs Trust staff as to why owners could no longer look after their dog:
 
1. “My dog doesn’t match the sofa.”
2. “The dog looks evil and has different coloured eyes, just like David Bowie.”
3. “My black dog doesn’t match new white carpet, can we swap him for a white dog?”
4. “My current dog is too old, can we swap for a puppy or younger model?”
5. “My dog ate the Christmas turkey cooling on the worktop.”
6. “My pet guinea pig got worried with a dog in the house.”
7. “The dog opened all the presents on Christmas Eve.”
8. The owner accidently knelt in dog wee while cleaning it up so brought the dog in the very next day.
9. The puppy was bought as a present for elderly couple with dementia.
10. The owner was paranoid about recent bad press on Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and the dog was given up through no fault of its own.

To help prevent people thoughtlessly buying dogs as Christmas presents, the charity’s 17 Rehoming Centres will stop rehoming dogs from Sunday 21st December to Friday 2nd January in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and from Sunday 21st December to 3rd January in Scotland. People will still be able to visit the centres and reserve a dog, but will not be able to take it home until the New Year.
 
Dogs Trust carries out rigorous checks to ensure dogs in its care are rehomed for life to responsible families. However, with 16,000 abandoned dogs per year coming through the charity’s doors, and the opening of new stop-and-shop puppy ‘superstores’, people are still taking on the responsibility of dog ownership without enough consideration of what it entails.
 
Clarissa Baldwin, Dogs Trust Chief Executive, explains:
 
“The A dog is for life, not just for Christmas slogan is just as relevant today as it was when I created it 30 years ago. Some of the reasons we hear for dogs being abandoned are truly outrageous and saddening. Having a dog is a long-term commitment and our anniversary offers the perfect opportunity to remind people that dogs are not fashion accessories or disposable items that can be upgraded or discarded after just a few months.”

 

[GinaB]

Such sad reading. 16,000 per year? Awful.

 

[mattilda]

How we can call ourselves a nation of animal lovers when people behave like that is beyond me. They are a disgrace.

 

[Nailed]

6. “My pet guinea pig got worried with a dog in the house.”


Only valid reason on that list.

Lou x

 

[Bright_Spark]

Words fail me

 

[Clodagh]

My sofa matches my dogs pretty well now, they have slept on it so often.

Seriously that list is appalling.

 

[_Acolyte_]

I read an article in the Times this week which said that Battersea Dogs Home is near capacity for the first time ever - they are taking in more dogs than ever

The newspaper tried to blame the credit crunch, but I have a feeling it is more a cultural thing connected with society's disposable attitude to everything nowadays

 

[CAYLA]

The list does not suprise me at all

I visited the pound last weekend to collect a rotti, that had been secured a home in Nuneaton, I volunteered my mams OH to take him, as he works down that way, and we took a colli, as we had a foster home lined up...............other than that, there where 62 dogs being PTS that morning, it was heart breaking, and angered me, all I could think of was the unscrupulous breeders that take no responsibility when they dish these dogs out for dosh, over half of those dogs that where chipped, owners where contacted, and they said.."we don't want the dog back", some even gave breeders details....of those contacted, the breeder said no, I cannot take an adult dog, and some because they had more littera at home

We also stop rehoming from now, till the middle-end of January, and we are packed at 53 dogs

 

[Bright_Spark]

Oh Jeez Cala, that is just heartbreaking. 62 dogs pts in one morning

Shame on the owners for not wanting their dogs, and shame on the breeders who wont take their dogs back, especially if they are still bloody churning more pups out.

Its bloody sickening

 

[Tia]

[ QUOTE ]
shame on the breeders who wont take their dogs back

[/ QUOTE ]
Totally agree! That does anger me. I took one of my pups back as owners were divorcing - I also took their other dog which I did not breed. Found fantastic new homes for both dogs. Some people just don't seem to take their responsibilities seriously.

 

[severnmiles]

That is so sad!

Can I ask why do the government not change the laws, everything is microchipped at 6 weeks (not tattoed as you can bet some would cut the ear off), if people who buy them as pups are unable to keep them for whatever reason they are returned to their breeder. If you are happy enough to breed something in the first place you should be happy enough to take it back and make sure it has a secure future. It would eradicate all unscrupulous breeders/puppy farms e.t.c I know it wouldn't work all of the time but it surely would be heading in the right direction?

A friend of OH's put a cocker over his staffy bitch and then whined when he couldn't even get £50 for the puppies, thankfully it's put him off of ever breeding again (that and the fact it was 'such hard work and costly'. When I saw the pups they were in a wooden shed (germ harbouring) with s**t up the walls and trampled in their empty food and water bowls, was really disgusted and its surprising nothing got campylobacter!

There was a program on S4C last night about puppy farms.

 

[ivenoidea]

Here's the 2007 stats (see bottom of page). Poor dogs in Northern Ireland (almost half of the total PTS).

http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/press_office/pressreleases/2007/stray-dog-statistics.htm

On a happier note about half of the 'new' dogs on my local park come from the local Dogs Trust, so there is hope for some.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Yep, we are the worst in the UK, are we not?

Stacks of people are dumping dogs over here because they say they can't afford to keep them in the current climate. The wide screen tellies, beer and fags are still rolling in, though.

 

[ivenoidea]

I gather that a lot of our local Dogs Trust dogs are imports from elsewhere as it's easier to rehome in the South East. The latest recruit on the park (Patterdale cross JRT) is from Ayrshire in Scotland.

 

[keeperscottage]

I don't care if my dogs don't match the sofa......

One of our Springers has one blue eye and one brown eye......SOOO?

My daughter slipped on puppy pee whilst recovering from major surgery on her leg......needed treatment from GP as her leg was so swollen......"Have you sorted out the puppy now?" asked her consultant....."Yes, I make sure my daughter wears non-slip shoes in the house!" was my reply!!!

 

[suzyseymour]

My older dog who I got from a rescue at 6 months. The owners had her for a weeks, decided she was unscocialised with cats and she bit them so they got rid of her. Find my a puppy that doesn't bite! It obviously didn't cross their minds they may have to socialise her themselves with the cat!!! She is and always has been an absolute sweet heart. Never shown the slightest signs of agression to anyone.

 

[CAYLA]

People could not give a sh!t, they find any old excuse in the book, to get shot

The colli, I took, they said, she was savage with dogs, but lovely with humans

, she is a full boarder colli, very pretty and dainty......I took, one look and thought...how the f8ck is that gonna savage something

it's a bloody feather weight, that self and same dog, is now lying in the duty roon sanwiched between my rotti and akita, she nearly shat herself, when she met all my dogs today, NO AGGRESSION WHAT SO EVER

....SHE WILL BE OFF TO HER FOSTER HOME ON FRIDAY, she just missed the pts, that morning, she would have been 63, we simply could not take them all, we only had a fosterer for a colli, alot where staffi types, prob half, the others mixed breeds and pedigrees and the pound had kept them as long as they could...i.e there weekly council allowance and 1 week extra week, and paid for pts, by the council, if not rehomed

I could not bare to look at all the dogs, the woman was just rhyming them off

You would think the council, would enforce fines, for the dogs with chips, to recoup monies, and teach the feckers a lesson

As suggested SM, they should all be chipped at the breeder, and returned, come what may, and breeder and buyer should be made to enter a contract, to sign a return to breeder, and accepted by breeder...if need be.

 

[echodomino]

[ QUOTE ]
6. “My pet guinea pig got worried with a dog in the house.”


Only valid reason on that list.

Lou x

[/ QUOTE ]

Well not really. There are ways around it without dumping either animal - if our Guineas manage in a household with 11 dogs then one dog/one GP will work.

Makes me so cross and sad when things like this appear and we realise what really goes on.

 

[Lottie7]

I've always had rescue dogs but tbh try to close my mind to the scenario you are describing. At the moment I can only have one dog. The chap I've got at the moment came from the Welsh pounds and was just days from being PTS. He loves humans and is so friendly he would have kissed the hand that held the needle.

But thank God there are people like you around Cala!!

I feel very strongly about the breeders though. I'm sure there are breeders around who love their dogs but I simply cannot see any reason for breeding except to make money. This is surely an area which needs to be much more tightly regulated. I know of breeders who give wrong information when registering puppies to enable a bitch to have more litters. Its just commercial greed. Even breeding from a bitch for sentimental reasons is wrong in my opinion.

I don't mean to offend anyone but the statistics of dogs being put to sleep is just plain wrong.

 

[a1b2c3]

[ QUOTE ]
6. “My pet guinea pig got worried with a dog in the house.”


Only valid reason on that list.

Lou x

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't agree at all... did the owners not think of this before buying the puppy? That is not a valid reason.

 

[bandit]

It's so sad that people breed so many litters, 'just for the fun of it', and don't really know what they're in for. Also the puppy farms are a disgrace and should all be shut down.

those breeding pedigree's for a market, yes wil do it for money, but also for a market that is established.

Too many novice and one off breeders exist and they usually have friends who take the animals not aware of what goes into having one.

There is the same thing for cats too, people do not neuter their toms, and some people won't spay thier female cats in the hope they'll have a litter, because they're cute????

I got my cats from a rescue centre, and would again.

As for dogs, I have no idea, as haven't owned one myself, but have had them as a kid, and they've always been pure breeds.

I'm responsible enough to know that I couldn't and wouldn't have an animal where I am now as I can't commit to the time to look after one.

I'm so saddened to hear so many are PTS needlessly. Something does need to be done!

Bx

 

[Thistle]

I have a lovely well bred lab, I always wanted puppies from her and would have homes for at least 6. However i have decided to get her spayed after Xmas (she is due in season soon) and look for a staffie rescue (I grew up with EBT and had a staffie a few years ago too)

I also have a loony castrated boxer, a staffy would fit in very well.

Just hope there is a nice little bitch left for me after xmas that has survived all the PTS.

I can't have one before xmas as I want to get through labs season, and any visitors I then go skiing for a week.

Am trying to persuade OH to let me start making enquiries now.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Well done, Thistle.
Our boy may not have his boy bits for much longer, either!

 

[Oneofthepack]

[ QUOTE ]
6. “My pet guinea pig got worried with a dog in the house.”


Only valid reason on that list.

Lou x

[/ QUOTE ]

Assume this is a joke! This is NOT a valid reason! There are very few valid reasons if the proper research is done BEFORE people get a dog. 62 dogs PTS in one day at one rescue! That is just too sad and a bloody disgrace.

Re the credit crunch issue, yes it is getting more expensive to feed a pet. I'm spending more on 4 dogs a cat and 2 rabbits than I do on myself but thems the breaks. You take on a commitment and live with it.

 

[Oneofthepack]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a lovely well bred lab, I always wanted puppies from her and would have homes for at least 6. However i have decided to get her spayed after Xmas (she is due in season soon) and look for a staffie rescue (I grew up with EBT and had a staffie a few years ago too)


[/ QUOTE ]

That's lovely. You can look now I believe and reserve for after christmas at most rescues.

If we ALL went and took on one more dog we could make a difference!

 

[CAYLA]

Agreed, how refreshingly sensible....I know of a few rescue with E.b.t's and staffs, give me a shout if u have probs finding them...when u are ready

 

[nijinsky]

Another story, and then I think someone should post a joke to cheer us all up after these sad posts.

A friend of mine found a lurcher female dog tied up outside a not very pleasant guy's house in our village. It was very early on Sunday morning, freezing cold and raining. No idea how long the dog had been there but friend untied her, took her home, fed her, got her warm & then called police.

Police came & took dog to pound and said they will keep for 7 days and then the dog would have to go to local dogs home. Friend decided she would like to keep the dog so rang police station every day and on the 7th day was hoping to be able to go & collect her.

In the meantime she had knocked on not so nice guy's house who claimed to know nothing about the dog.

So on 7th day she rang the station. Police said dog's owners had been in touch, they were coursing the dog when they saw police so had tied it up outside friends house to get it later but they were refusing to pay the pound costs. Police wouldn't release dog and informed owners it would be going to dogs home & they said they knew all about girl who brought it in & if she takes it they would come & take her from her.

Friend was terrified & upset obviously & now this poor dog is in kennels where she could have had a lovely life with my friend but these guys are nasty pieces of work.

So if anyone is looking for a young female lurcher I know where's there's one.

 

[severnmiles]

Stupid idiots!! Hope she finds a good home.

When I ride out the pointers we pass two dogs, they're always sleeping on the grass on the front lawn on the damp whatever the weather, they don't have any shelter and although not thin their coats are so dull and poor looking, I'm sure they'll be dead before the winter is out. One girl who I ride with has put a complaint in.

Why would anyone have dogs to do this to them?

 

[Oneofthepack]

That's a real shame nijinsky. With all the rescues so full I hope she finds a place. Could Lurcher Link help? They usually have fosterers for any lurchers that get to the end of their 7 days

Joke.....man went to doctors with a strange complaint. He told the doctor he had a steering wheel stuck down his underpants and when the doctor looked he was aghast and said it looked really uncomfortable. The man replied 'yes it is doctor, it's driving me nuts'

 

[xSandraMx]

Just astounding and saddening.