am I just wasting my time?

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MrVelvet

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right, I would love to offer a dog a forever home from a rescue centre. I am not fussy about breed, size, sex, looks etc etc! I live in a fairly rural area BUT I have no garden! I have two horses and so am out to them 2/3 times a day, I walk to the yard most days which is a 45-60 minute walk! The dog would never be close enough to the horses to get injured and I am financially stable enough to deal with things that may happen to the dog. ... So why do i keep getting turned down!, Is the garden thing really that much of an issue? shall i just give up and buy a dog? To me it seems very silly as i know of a lady who has both a front and back garden, 3 dogs who havent left the confines of ther garden in months!!! I can fully understand the need to check homes for suitability but I have written in every application that I would take said dog round one the hundreds of fields I have nearby to let it go to the toilet..... am I just wasting my time... please be honest :)
 
Try a smaller private or breed rescue, they might be more accommodating, it seems to be the mainstream rescues who are less flexible, sadly.
There are a couple of people on here who keep dogs in apartments or in houses without gardens, if anything I think people without gardens work harder to make sure their dogs are exercised and stimulated.
There are also a couple of people on here involved in rescue and rehoming, hint hint!!!
I can't imagine that the set up you describe is worse than a dog bouncing off a kennel wall or cooped up in a garden, as you say!
Good luck with your search :)
 
thankyou for your reply. I have contacted a couple of small rescue places that specialise in breeds, one told me they had around 20 applications per dog so they probably wouldn't contact me and another said I didn't match the criteria.. and that was it! I will keep trying though, surely theres a dog out there that would like lots of long walks, cuddles and live without having a garden to lounge in? hmm! I'm in Lancashire and prepared to travel realistic distances if anyone has any ideas...........
 
Thousands of people have dogs in tower blocks, not much of a recommendation but it sounds as if you could offer a lovely home and all the dogs needs would be met. Where would the dog go for that late night or first thing in the morning wee? Would you be on the pavement in your jammies at midnight waiting for the dog to 'perform'?

I suppose it's a lot more usual for dogs to be homed with a garden but perhaps the rescues should think out of the box while struggling to cope with huge numbers of dogs. As mentioned a certain person should be able to give you a definitive answer. CAAAAAAAAAAAYLA, where are youuuuuuuuuuu :)
 
Queen bee is trying to rehome a lovely looking girl at the moment i think.

Have a search for her thread, Dog rehoming in syresham
 
Oneofthepack said:
Where would the dog go for that late night or first thing in the morning wee? Would you be on the pavement in your jammies at midnight waiting for the dog to 'perform'?
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You want to see me out by the washing line at 1am in my dressing gown and wellies chirruping 'peee peee! It's peeepeee times!'




Actually, no you don't....
 
haha!! I may be in my jammies if its the last walk at night, but id at least wear a coat over the top .. so as not to embarrass (sp) the dog! haha! but yes I'd just go for a quick walk round near my house last thing at night...armed with torch and doggy bag! haha! I live in a quiet area on the outskirts of town so am in the midst of country lanes :)
 
Hmm, we have rehomed 2 rescue dogs from Dogs Trust Leeds over the years and, although we do have a garden it's not secure as such and, as far as i am aware they didn't ask either! They didn't do a homecheck - maybe we just looked trustworthy I don't know but i suppose they maybe do just trust people a bit more. They have always seemed pretty helpful and are pretty good at telling you what dog is suited to your environment. Maybe it's just dependent on the manager of each rescue - at the end of the day, they have to be realistic, not all people DO have gardens these days - gardens cost money after all! That doesn't mean that person is not going to give the dog the exercise it needs. As you said, people who do have big gardens sometimes feel it's therefore ok just to let the dog in to the garden daily as it's 'exercise'. That in my mind is much worse than someone with no garden but who's going to take the dog out for exercise and stimulation.

God, i have just bee looking at the Dogs Trust website a few minutes ago (I do that far too often!). I would lurve to get my own dog now I have my own house but as I work 9 to 5, 5 days a week it just wouldn't be fair. i need a new job!!!!! :-(
 
ladyt25 said:
Hmm, we have rehomed 2 rescue dogs from Dogs Trust Leeds over the years and, although we do have a garden it's not secure as such and, as far as i am aware they didn't ask either! They didn't do a homecheck - maybe we just looked trustworthy I don't know but i suppose they maybe do just trust people a bit more. They have always seemed pretty helpful and are pretty good at telling you what dog is suited to your environment. Maybe it's just dependent on the manager of each rescue - at the end of the day, they have to be realistic, not all people DO have gardens these days - gardens cost money after all! That doesn't mean that person is not going to give the dog the exercise it needs. As you said, people who do have big gardens sometimes feel it's therefore ok just to let the dog in to the garden daily as it's 'exercise'. That in my mind is much worse than someone with no garden but who's going to take the dog out for exercise and stimulation.

God, i have just bee looking at the Dogs Trust website a few minutes ago (I do that far too often!). I would lurve to get my own dog now I have my own house but as I work 9 to 5, 5 days a week it just wouldn't be fair. i need a new job!!!!! :-(
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I've not actually tried Dogs Trust, and I'm quite close to Leeds! I shall follow this up.. thanks!!
 
Dont, its taken me 22 years to realise Cumbria isnt in Wales OR Scotland...

I was going to say, if you were closer, i go to bucks quite often and could try to help, but then OH pointed out to me that lancashire isnt in Yorkshire.
 
ThePinkPony said:
Dont, its taken me 22 years to realise Cumbria isnt in Wales OR Scotland...

I was going to say, if you were closer, i go to bucks quite often and could try to help, but then OH pointed out to me that lancashire isnt in Yorkshire.
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haha! geography isnt my strong point! but I am very near Lancashire/North Yorkshire border near... Leeds ish and also Manchester ish.... if that helps!

eta.. im also close to west yorkshire... im not sure how that works =/
 
MrVelvet said:
haha! geography isnt my strong point! but I am very near Lancashire/North Yorkshire border near... Leeds ish and also Manchester ish.... if that helps!

eta.. im also close to west yorkshire... im not sure how that works =/
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Its sad that im quite chuffed i got it nearly right.

Hope you find a dog. maybe have a browse on dog lost as they often need rehomers for unclaimed dogs.
 
Another group that are not so pernickety over gardens et al is Oldies Rescue for older dogs.

I trolled the web for a suitable dog for my 90 year old mother and was turned down by all rescues until I found the 'Oldies'
I was honest with them and knew that I would be turned down because we have so many dogs. My sister would be turned down as she works so it was no good saying it as for either of us.

They are pleased to rehome any dog and do not ask for a fee, just a donation. Although the dogs are classed as 'old' the one I collected is meant to be 10 years but is very active and absolutely dotes on my mother and she on him. A match made in heaven.
 
MrVelvet said:
I've not actually tried Dogs Trust, and I'm quite close to Leeds! I shall follow this up.. thanks!!
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The centre is dangerously close to where I live. I haven't even been since they moved to their new location as I daren't!!! Lol

The Blue Cross up near Topcliffe (towards Thirsk) are also very nice (we got a cat for our stables from them last year).

There is also Whitehall Dogs Rescue in Leeds, I don't know if you've already tried them?

http://www.whitehalldogrescue.com/
 
oh wow I have lots more leads to follow!!!! (no pun intended :)) thankyou all so much! Il keep you all updated on my progress, I am especially interested in the oldie rescue one, an older calmer dog would suit me down to the ground :) .. ooh im getting excited!
 
Good for you! I love the oldies...I got a 10-11 year old lurcher from Bristol dogs home a few years ago and she was such a poppet, bloody sad that you only get a few years with them though :(
 
Gardens are overrated, IMO. We spent June and July outside the city, in a house with a one-acre garden, and though they were walked twice a day, my dogs mostly stood at the back door waiting to be entertained, whereas in the city they are so wiped from their longer walks, that they will quite happily snooze in a different room to me. Very handy for bathroom trips, but that's about it.
 
Try Midlands Ridgeback Rescue, I did enquire and they were really nice, but we had someone else in the house that just will not tolerate a dog in the house and I didn't think it would be fair for a dog to be in that environment.
http://www.ridgebackrescue.co.uk/ridgebacks_looking_for_new_homes.htm
Give the lady (Janice) a phone before you complete the application form, most of these dogs need rehoming rather than rescue dogs.
 
If you have an idea what breed you might like you could try the breed spcific forums. I am a member of one and there are often people trying to find homes for thier own dogs. You will still be rescuing a dog as it will most likly end up in kennels but you wont have the support of the rescue and no home checks
 
Just echoing the advice to try breed-specific rescues, groups and forums. I had no luck with Dogs Trust, RSPCA etc. or a couple of local rescues but the Siberian Husky Welfare Association passed us no problem after a home check, despite having no garden. Please note that I am not recommending a husky. :p

Don't get me wrong, there were a couple of times last winter when it'd be midnight, I'd be in my PJs with an overcoat over the top, feet shoved in damp wellies, ankle-deep in snow, holding the other end of the lead while the dog refused to pee because she'd just seen a cat catcatCAT! and wishing desperately that I could just kick her out into a garden for the bedtime wazz instead. :o

Apart from that it's fine, if anything I'm a bit neurotic about making sure they get plenty of quality time outside and they get walked more than any other dogs I know.
 
thanks for your replies :) I have sent a few applications off today, so I will keep you all updated! hopefully pictures to follow!

haha I would love a husky, but I have seen the amount of hair they lose! I once knew of a puppy too and it was the most energetic bouncy thing I've ever seen! I have a young baby though, so perhaps something a little older a quieter would be best :)
 
The greyhound rescues often will home to places without a garden (not sure if there your thing, but fit calm bit) so sure there are other places that are open minded, just have to to look around and not worry about any knock backs.

Could look on these for a few more places to try
Dogsblog
Dogpages
 
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