Are all rescues difficult?

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NellRosk

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Went to see a lovely little dog in her foster home today, we took her out for a walk with my dog ruby. At the end when I was putting Ruby's lead on and the rescue dog was nearby ruby snapped at her, I presume she was just a bit jealous over space. They were fine off the lead. Anyway just had a woman from the rescue on the phone (she wasn't there today) saying she could not consider us to have the dog or in fact any other dogs from the rescue. She got quite aggressive and swore a lot, saying these dogs had had a s*** life and didn't deserve to be attacked by my dog 24/7 for the rest of their days. I'm completely taken aback! The dogs didn't even have a fight today! Ruby can have the odd snappy terrier moment but she lived with our old dog for 2 years in the same house and she plays with other dogs fine.

Feeling a bit rubbish now and not sure if I want to rescue a dog now seeing as ruby is clearly the antichrist and cannot be trusted :eek3:
 
No, all rescues aren't difficult. But they do tend to attract people who are extremely passionate about what they do, and who want the best for the dogs they rescue; in this case it sounds like that translated into someone behaving and speaking very inappropriately to you in a way that is unacceptable.

How did you react when Ruby snapped at the other dog today? The foster person may have given the rescue lady a completely different view on the events than the one you have, which may have caused her extreme reaction on the phone - not that that would excuse her swearing at you and being aggressive!
 
Yes Lévrier, I felt like I was being interrogated somewhat and the vehemence in her voice shocked me! Quote: "these dogs have been to ********** hell and back' and she made me out to feel really horrible for wanting to rehome one!

I didn't really do anything when she snapped, certainly didn't smack her or anything because I thought that would probably make the situation worse. I just clipped her lead on and moved her away from the dog.
 
Crumbs she sounds very unpleasant :( I think personally that you did the right thing in that situation, I would try a different rescue as they are definitely not all like that! Sorry you have had such a bad experience :(
 
We really struggled to rescue hence why we got a puppy. Why? 1. Our fence is too low (5 foot at lowest point but being a stone wall we couldn't make it taller) and 2. On a Monday I am at work all day so despite having a dog walker that wasn't acceptable. All other days someone is home for most of the day!
 
Try the Cinnamon Trust - they have been very pleasant flexible and helpful and we have a lovely girl from them. They did of course do a home check but were not at all intrusive. Their dogs usually come from elderly people who have passed away or are incapacitated in some way. They had quite a few dogs when we got our girl. They have been very supportive in follow up too and I cannot imagine any of them swearing at me!!
 
Sorry that the rescue reacted like that. I think that is appalling behaviour from them and sometimes I do wonder about these places. Dogs are dogs at the end of the day - you can't wrap them in cotton wool and most dogs will react in some way meeting strange dog.

Mine can come across very aggressive - she's not, she's nervous but somewhere in her past she's learnt if she shouts louder at a dog she finds scary, it leaves her alone! She's much better but that's always going to be there with her. However, once she knows a dog and is happy then she is brilliant.

I think you need to contact a rescue that is more realistic about dogs! Of course, if your dog really disliked a new dog (some just never gel) then YOU would know as YOU know your dog but for a rescue to jump on you like that is wrong. Also I think the fosterer maybe isn't the best if they're one that overreacts with normal dog behaviour!
 
This is sad, for all the dogs that need homes and won't get one because of someone who sounds really rude and horrid. No home is perfect - none of us would be allowed to have children if such strict guidelines were applied.
I do remember years ago trying to get a rescue cat. I was turned down flat because I had a three-year-old child. How did cats and dogs manage when we were kids? (rather well as it happens).
 
NellRosk said:
Went to see a lovely little dog in her foster home today, .......

Feeling a bit rubbish now and not sure if I want to rescue a dog now seeing as ruby is clearly the antichrist and cannot be trusted :eek3:
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I'm a member of a fairly well focused Gundog forum, and there's a lady on there who rescues working cockers. Just about everyone has given up with her. Being Christian, she's an idiot.

I'm NOT lumping all "Rescues" into one group, but I see so many who really haven't a clue what they're doing. With the best of intentions, these people take in those dogs which others had no business acquiring in the first place, again with the best of intentions they take these dogs in, and from a position of complete ignorance, assess the dog and then set up conditions which are so unrealistic, as to be ridiculous. I'm honestly prepared to believe that they've no intentions of parting with those dogs which they "rescue" (if that's actually the right word), as dogs equal fund raising.

NellRosk, Ruby was just laying down the rules and establishing a pecking order! Had you been taking a dog from me, that's what I'd have expected. Buy yourself a puppy, at least that way it'll be saved form the ignominy of ending up in a rescue centre!

Alec.
 
Alec Swan said:
I'm a member of a fairly well focused Gundog forum, and there's a lady on there who rescues working cockers. Just about everyone has given up with her. Being Christian, she's an idiot.

I'm NOT lumping all "Rescues" into one group, but I see so many who really haven't a clue what they're doing. With the best of intentions, these people take in those dogs which others had no business acquiring in the first place, again with the best of intentions they take these dogs in, and from a position of complete ignorance, assess the dog and then set up conditions which are so unrealistic, as to be ridiculous. I'm honestly prepared to believe that they've no intentions of parting with those dogs which they "rescue" (if that's actually the right word), as dogs equal fund raising.

NellRosk, Ruby was just laying down the rules and establishing a pecking order! Had you been taking a dog from me, that's what I'd have expected. Buy yourself a puppy, at least that way it'll be saved form the ignominy of ending up in a rescue centre!

Alec.
Click to expand...

Agree! Dogs have pecking orders as do horses and all other animals! When people get all precious over dogs when they are acting this way it does annoy me. Ok, so truly aggressive dogs is one thing but dogs will be dogs and they have to establish a relationship. If a dog (normally a younger one) pushes boundaries then it will get told off. It's normal.

Mine has a thing against Labradors and I think a lot of this is because the majority of labs are quiet frankly a bit loopy and have this tendency to be OTT and throw themselves on the floor on their backs. My dog HATES that! The lab rarely even notices my dog's reaction (ie barking) in most cases but this is my dog telling them she does not like that!!

You will find a more reasonable rescue I am sure! Maybe try Blue Cross in Thirsk or Dogs Trust in Leeds (York Road). There's also Whitehall Dog Rescue amongst others
 
Well so far over the years I have had 2 Dalmatians, 1 GSD, 3 lurchers and a jrtx from different rescues and have never even had a home check, so please don't give up on getting a rescue dog! I would never consider buying a dog when there are so many looking for a kind home - also I couldn't bear to pay the obscene prices people ask for pups these days. I had my last one from Little Dog Rescue who are in the north, if that helps.
 
Rescues are all individual so can't judge them the same.
I think rescue work can appeal to those who prefer animals to people & aren't great at communicating tbh. Not all by anymeans but have met a few rescue people I found touch rude or difficult to read.

Does seem a total over reaction & didn't require such rudeness. Its important to find a rescue you feel comfortable dealing with & can get support from if needed. Are lots of rescues about and many home out of their local area so can usually go elsewhere, but sadly some people are put off from adopting totally by a poor experience.
 
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No two rescues are the same, like life really and you wouldnt believe some of the rubbish prospective adopters come out with, not saying this about the OP at all but just to give you some idea what they have to deal with.

Can I pay for the dog in installments(quite a common one that) when I go on holiday can the dog come back here(FOC) etc Im sure Cayla could add loads more but these are the common ones.

I can only say what I would have done in the same situation, if one of my dogs had snapped at the rescue for no good reason I would have corrected it by saying leave it or something similar and told the dog off. If my dog had never done this before I would have told the fosterer this and what I would be doing in the home situation to make sure it never occurs again. The fosterer may well have been over protective with her foster dog who may have come in with fear aggression and had spent a lot of time training this dog to accept other dogs. This one incident may well have undone all their good work, how many times on this forum have people complained about their dog being fear aggressive and worked hard to overcome it and then some rude dog had set their dog back. I do not like 2 dogs meeting straight away on a lead, I would do parallel walking and then get closer so the dogs get used to each other and there is less focus on the meeting.

I do think this rescue was very rude, after all good manners cost nothing but if I was the Op I wouldnt be put off i would just try other rescues.
 
We have personally rescued 10 dogs, from certain death, by strychnine poisoning. Of these four were puppies, absolutely terrified and being threatened by a German with a carving knife. After a month of individual feeding, they were able to be rehomed with local people, who needed them to guard their houses.

Of the other six, who were already six months old, we have kept two and found German, Swiss, Russian and Scottish people who would take the others. Their behaviour is individual and does seem to depend upon the treatment that they received after their mother`s milk ran out and they were turned out into the street to fend for themselves.

I should say that they are more resourceful and possibly more grateful than puppies from a breeder. They are obsessed with food as they will never forget that they were starving. On the whole they have been friendly to other dogs, off the lead, and when there is no food, about.

They have particular hates, in this case Pit-BullxMastiff crosses, favoured by parts of the London community as guard/attack dogs. They have particular likes eg Labradors. Taking them to dog classes to meet and socialise with other dogs can help greatly. On balance, I do not believe that a rescue dog is inherently more aggressive than a bought puppy. On the contrary, when living wild, they learn to co-operate with other dogs, eg in over-turning dustbins for food. They will not risk a real fight since a serious wound means death.

But there are very many people, who mistake barking at another dog for aggression and react rudely and with more aggression than the dog.
 
Over the last few years I've had 3 dogs from the RSPCA. Each was an absolutely fantastic family dog, very loving and easy.
One specified that it wasn't good with other dogs, cats or children but I had one dog already, 2 cats and 6 children. The staff were brilliant, they said to bring the other dog and the kids to meet the rescue and see how they got on.
They said that often the former owners mentioned problems that weren't correct but the rescue centre had to err on the side of caution.
The dog was fine, a gentle animal that was so appreciative of being a part of an active family that he oozed love 24/7, bless him.

Don't be put off by one zealous fruitloop, OP. Keep looking.
 
We have just had an identical experience. In this case a dog, whom we rescued three years ago, was confronted by a very recent rescue from the same place, the Cape Verde islands. The dogs had played together and certainly knew each other quite well, in the Cape Verdes, where we fed them both. After an initial bout of establishing who was boss they had seemed to get on well together.

However, we made one clear mistake. The new dog was tied by its lead to the railings of our house. The resident rescue dog was brought out to meet him and erupted in fury.

I think that dogs understand much more than we give them credit for. In this case the resident dog feared that the new dog would be brought to live with him and put his own food supply at risk. He expressed his strong opposition to that idea.

Fortunately the new rescue dog is now living with a 7 year old Labrador - also a rescue - and they are becoming the best of friends.

I feel sure that our two Cape Verde rescues will be friends again, when they meet on neutral ground.
 
Sorry, I haven't been online for a day or so and was shocked to see all these lovely replies!!

Thanks for that everyone, it seems that this was (hopefully) a one off and I'll have better luck somewhere else!

I'll keep scanning other rescues in Yorkshire and see if anything suitable turns up. :)
 
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