Rescue centres, do they actually want to rehome dogs?

Hmm if I went to the pound I doubt I would manage to come back with just one dog! :o

I need to ask rescues what they want people to do at night, some people sleep for longer than I'm at work, and dogs aren't bothered imho whether they sleep in the day or night, when we were kids our dogs lasted all day and all night with no accidents, with obviously a walk before and after school. If a dog can be left for 9 hours at night, surely that's the same as 9 hours in the day?
 
which is why we bought a puppy!!


rescue centres ive spoken to are utterly unreasonable....not all!! just the ones ive dealt with.

shame really.
 
I really wouldn't offend the rescue centres you are approaching for a dog ;) The answer they will give is that you are still in the house and therefore company and if anything should go wrong you would wake.

If you can't find a rescue that will give you a dog do you have a local rescue that you can walk the dogs for? That way you still get the pleasure of a dog and they will get to know you in which case may give you a dog you bond with.
 
Stencilface said:
Hmm if I went to the pound I doubt I would manage to come back with just one dog! :o

I need to ask rescues what they want people to do at night, some people sleep for longer than I'm at work, and dogs aren't bothered imho whether they sleep in the day or night, when we were kids our dogs lasted all day and all night with no accidents, with obviously a walk before and after school. If a dog can be left for 9 hours at night, surely that's the same as 9 hours in the day?
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I think the issue is more the lack of company. It is a long time for them to wait but both mine can manage that and longer, not that we leave them longer but my JR x refuses to go out if its cold! He gets made to but he is obviously not bursting!

At night, they have company, essentially, depending on where they sleep.

I don't agree with the 9-5 rule, I think each dog is individual and some cope, some don't. I do think a dog walker or friend who can pop in is a good idea but I could never do that when I worked in an office as my dog is highly dog agressive and someone who really knew her needed to walk her.

You'd just have to be very strict on yourself if you went to the pound, worth it though. :)
 
That's because they are not the same.

Pounds are run by a council or local authority. Dogs have limited time in which to be PTS/sold/rehomed/reclaimed. There is a high turnover of dogs. The dogs are either surrendered as unwanted or collected by the dog warden as lost/straying.
What you see is what you get, you pay a small fee and take home an unknown quantity.

Rescue centres are usually charities/voluntarily run, dogs stay there for longer, they hopefully get proofed with cats/other dogs/children, they have a lot more human interaction than pound dogs. They are usually vaxed, chipped, neutered before rehoming if they have not been already. They make themselves aware of the dog's needs/personality and try and find a home to suit.
 
What she said. :p The place you've linked to, though a registered charity, does sound as if it functions as a pound - it says on the website that they take stray dogs from the council and hold them for their seven days.

Nothing wrong with that, just explains the lack of home check. To be honest you can't win, the rescues are apparenly too demanding, the pounds (IMO) a bit lax in letting dogs go with no homechecks.

ETA: A lot of the dogs on there aren't neutered which again is pound rather than rescue, I hope they offer a voucher or some sort of incentive for neutering. :(
 
Not sure how everyone has done this but I've just been thinking I walk a number of dogs who have come from the Dogs Trust and the SSPCA. These people work FT or at least have some days when they are not at home all day and hence need me. They've adopted dogs and I have been asked by the owner's in advance of collecting dog to walk them so it was obviously part of their adoption criteria. So line up a suitable dog walker and persuade away.
 
A dog walker would be an excellent option, but even though I work ft, sadly not in a profession that would allow me to afford it whilst also affording to feed myself and the dog! lol

And I don't want to offend the rescues, far from it, just feel that every solution I suggest hits another brick wall.
I should in my new job have more flexible working, with working from home an option, I think I need to be more positive on this aspect instead of being realistic with the worst case scenarios for the dog. There's a chance my parents would also help out, but again, I dont want to offer this as a definite when applying for a dog, but then maybe I should present it as an option. I'm just too honest!
Black cob - actually I struggle some nights to sleep 6 hours without a wee break :o
 
Wiz201 said:
Neuter and vaccinate a rabbit? I've never heard so much rubbish, we never did.
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Rabbits can indeed suffer some horrendous viruses, prevention is better than cure and a heck of alot cheaper in vet fees. Neutering as I already mentions will help rescue like the one mentioned not be stacked high with 80 rabbits, no doubt all coming from the less than bright people who let them breed like rabbits;) (excuse the pun):D
The ones we took on came from exactly this scenario, the girl got 2 free rabbits (as you do):rolleyes: they bred and she ended up with a hell of alot more:rolleyes: she tried to rehome them and they where all idiots coming forward, she got concerned realised she has been stupid and contacted us for advice.
Had we given them to the school entire they would all have bred amongst one another (they wanted them to remain together) it also too the humping and aggression from the male bunnies away:)
 
I will agree some rescues have very strict stimpulation but it also amuses me that everyone thinks they are the perfect home;) we fail home checks:eek:;) shock horror.

The thing about kennels an comparison between rescue and homes is that the rescue is/should be temporary, they need means to contain a dog after all, and giving a day away fro the sake of getting it out of a kennel is not good enough im affraid, it has to be a suitable home, or why bother rescuing/rehoming the dog in the 1st place?

There will be suitable dogs for most homes just as there will be alot of unsuitables ones and believe me everyone is excited to get a dog and will say anything to get it, inc, "we will put up with anything":rolleyes: the dog then gets returned 2 days later for the most tedious reasons.

Like I said, we deal with complete an utter nutters, I accept this it's part and parcel unfortunately.;)
 
Fools Motto said:
One of my local dog rescue centres has a policy 'we don't put healthy animals to sleep'. Probably true to many.
BUT,
It is a shame that, many kennels/runs have dogs that;
Must be the only pet
Needs a 10ft secure garden
Not suitable with children under 18
Needs £x spent on ongoing veterinary care
Must be kept on a lead at all times
Must not be left alone
Is not house trained
and various other 'issues'. And still 'they' want £100 odd pounds!? Some have been in kennels years - Why? Waiting for their Euro ticket, chance of that is a fine thing. Poor dogs.

No wonder places are so full! I find it increasingly shocked that when good homes pop up there is still problems rehoming. It makes no sense! I also believe that 'the perfect home' has to be even more 'perfect' now than ever before...
I' had been on the lookout for a lurcher whippet type (before we had to move house, not now suitable sadly). I got no phone call, even after passing the home check.. and even when a potential match was on the web site... I had to keep phoning them, never managed to speak to the 'right person'!
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Indeed it is a shame dogs have to have such labels to rehome, and all caused by the complete and utter plebs that discarded of them in the 1st place, I would imagine it's easier to put these instructions on them too after they have been returned for the umpteenth time because people wanted a more perfect rescue with none of those issues and where not prepared to work with them, like the girl on her who took the akita cross on and said the kennels "left his kennel empty" ready from return (how sad) but how true, plenty wanted him but none where prepared to wrok with him and give him the chance like the young girl on here did;)#To be fair a donation must be asked, it the dogs where free they would literally be taken from kennesl and be sold on/end up on pre loved or used as bait dogs, this is a perfectly good reason a charge must be put on them!

As a rescue we work hard to get through those issues above, but kennels large kennels/pounds don't have that option/ability and belive me we still get folk wanting a dog that is a perfect citizen or the re mould of their last dog:rolleyes:
 
Oh no, I am under no illusion that I would be able to offer the perfect home, but it would be a home, and not a life in a rescue kennels. :)

I don't have a specific type of dog I'm looking for, anything under about 6 or so years, nothing that has big aggression problems (its the OH's first dog, and I want to make it a pleasant experience for him) I'm not really into staffies/greyhounds etc, more into the heinz 57 look, something thats a bit rough and tumble, not constantly yappy (again more for the OH!). Size wise, medium - large, and previously I would have said no to collies, but I have just seen a lovely little collie on one of the rescues, and if its friendly (and not got that collie nervous aggression I've experienced from many farm dogs) it would be perfect.
 
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If people have already proven they can look after a dog I think it's a damm shame they get turned down. After all not many live for 17 plus years. Even those that don't and their owners have experience of a dog and it's health issues get turned down whilst those on benefits who can't actually pay for vets treatment without going to a charity are given dogs and have never had a dog before. Makes no sense.
 
I just ended up buying a puppy(ies!) and would do so again. It royally chuffed me off that I was turned down for a rescue dog BECAUSE I had two terriers...:confused: they hadn't met my terriers...but no because I had them I was refused?!
And now I live in doggy heaven and those rescue dogs are possibly still sitting in their 6x12 on one boring walk a day while their "rescuer" thinks they are better off ;)
 
Ah ok I see the difference do I got my girl from the pound and yes they new nothing about her or how she behaved etc, no she was not spayed and no insentive to get it done but we did anyway last week. Well I'd say go take your chances with a pound dog , we scored a very good wee girl. Surely you would rather give a dog facing being PTS than one that's although in kennels will be kept a live and will eventually find a home..?? I know what I'd rather do, also no questions asked so you should have no problem getting one and if it does not work out for what ever reason you could always return it so nothing to lose really but everything to gain, you could end up giving a right cracker a chance to live :-)
 
ladyt25 said:
The thing is it's a bit of a contradiction in terms really though isn't it. How many people actually are lucky enough to be able to (a) no have a job as they are supported by their other half (b) work from home or (c) can take dogs with them to work? The answer? Not many! The fact is, from what rescue centres stipulate, their 'ideal' owners are in fact those who don't work at all so have ALL the time in the world to spend with dogs. Now for me, these people fall into 3 categories (1) People rich enough to not have to work (2) retired people (3) people who are claiming benefits and have never worked and have no intention of working! In reality MOST people work and the majority I would say work office type hours.

This means though they are not able to be with dog 24/7 BUT can at least afford to have said dog!I work 9-5 5 days a week. I got a rescue in Dec. She goes to my parents everyday when i work but she knows I am her owner and she knows HER house. It's not hard and her eing with my parents is no different to her having a dog walker daily or going to a doggie creche. She has her stability at the end of the day. i think this is what rescies overlook to be honest. i fully understand them being wary but they do have a tendency to put off potential owners!
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My retrievers are in that kind of situation - mum still has them but she works part time too so I go and look after them when she's not there, and they recognise me as an owner and trainer, and respond to me just the same.
Having to have a dog walker or even just someone popping in to let dog out for a wee isn't a bad thing, I think being in a rescue centre would be far worse.
 
The only thing that really stops me from having my own dog is the dog walking charges. At present I work 6:30am to 2:30pm and it takes 45 mins to get home so I always end up getting home at 3:30 - 4pm if I stop on the way for shopping. So I could do a short walk in the morning as the field isn't too far away at 5:30 and then leave the dog from 6 so I'll have to have someone popping in between 9-10am for a good hour's walk, then the dog would have to wait from about 11:30. Having to have that every day mon-fri would end up costing £50 a week.
 
Before I was lucky enough to have my super-duper job offers I was resigned to spending £50-80 a week to have the dogs walked once a day while I worked 9-5. I worriedly mentioned it to OH, expecting an "if we didn't have those dogs we'd be well off etc." but all I got was a sigh and "well, it's cheaper than childcare." There goeth a resigned man. :p

FWIW I'll be taking on some dog walking clients as part of one job. Obviously everyone wants their dog walked at the mid point of their working day so it goes something like: travel to dog one, walk 11.30-12.30, travel to dog two, walk 1.00-1.30, that's pretty much it. Once you've taken any petrol and insurance costs into consideration it's peanuts.
 
I would fail the criteria for some of the big rescues mentioned on here. We both work full time, small house and a lower fence on one strip of the garden.

I do understand the need for the strict criteria though, as CAYLA said, everyone thinks they have the perfect home. Whilst many that are turned down will have a good doggy set up im guessing a huge amount of them don't?

Betsys routine is hectic (to me... she is pretty chilled with it) she has bad seperation anxiety which is entirely my fault :( So when I go to work mon - fri she comes with me and luckily I managed to blag a space in a kennel with my managers dog. She loves going there because she is walked / played with all day. Weekends are more tricky, she either goes to my mums, OHs parents or comes and sits in my car and has wee breaks / a walk at lunch. She is left most evenings for an hour or possibly two. Managing her SA is difficult and I can see why others would hand a dog into / back to a rescue because of it.
 
The thing that amuses me is rescues who say for large working breeds that you must be at home all the time and have lots of experience of guarding breeds but you mustnt actually have any dogs (and this is for a rescue dog that IS good with other dogs).

Now how many people who like particular breeds are going to not have one in their life.

It seems like the qualifier is also the disqualifier!

I would recommend the Mayhew home in North London, not as high profile as Battersea and while they have rules about rehoming to protect the dog, they are more sensibly applied.
 
I don't understand how you can be at home all the time? Even if you have the luxury of not having to work even part time hours, you need to be out of the house at some point just to do simple errands and live!
I know of some people who even take their dog with them to work and leave it in the car. Somehow I don't think security at my office car park would allow this, but some do. At least you can pop out at lunch time with the dog to destress and get away from it for an hour.
 
Agree with others, fence an area which is the area that the dog would have access to unattended, therefore is secure, then the rest of the large garden can be used when you are in the company of the dog. I know 2 people who've done this with no problem. Otherwise I can see why they would turn you down, until the dog knows you and where it can and can't go, in a large unsecure area, it could well end up on the run......

I feel for you on the fulltime work issue, unfortunately puppies cannot hold their bladders for a full day so can see why any rescue would have this as a barrier for pups, but older dogs can so if the dog matches the prospective owner/adopter, then there should be flexibility.
 
Wiz201 said:
I don't understand how you can be at home all the time? Even if you have the luxury of not having to work even part time hours, you need to be out of the house at some point just to do simple errands and live!
I know of some people who even take their dog with them to work and leave it in the car. Somehow I don't think security at my office car park would allow this, but some do. At least you can pop out at lunch time with the dog to destress and get away from it for an hour.
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Would never advise this during summer......... (unless you have a set up where the boot is left completely open)????
 
Yeah, the person concerned did leave the boot open. As I've said, its something I'll never try anyway as I don't think security guards at my office would like it.
 
Shame you don't like greyhounds, the rescue centres round here for them are very flexible about homes. Whenever I go pick up my parents dog from the kennels after a holiday they try and convince me to take one of my own home, even though I rent a small flat without a garden and (shock horror) work for a living. One lady I spoke to there had three in a studio flat! I think their view is a loving home is better than staying in the kennels, and the quicker they get them rehomed the more dogs they can save.
 
maggie123 said:
Shame you don't like greyhounds, the rescue centres round here for them are very flexible about homes. Whenever I go pick up my parents dog from the kennels after a holiday they try and convince me to take one of my own home, even though I rent a small flat without a garden and (shock horror) work for a living. One lady I spoke to there had three in a studio flat! I think their view is a loving home is better than staying in the kennels, and the quicker they get them rehomed the more dogs they can save.
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Although in fairness from what I've been told by greyhound rescue, the dogs are such 'lap' dogs that working owners, apartments etc isn't an issue so the criteria for such dogs is easier to meet than other breeds/types etc!
 
True - they're great city dogs and real sofa lovers. However the RSPCA etc wouldn't let me have a greyhound despite their lazy hound ways!
 
Its a difficult one. I can understand the need to home check etc but in the the words of captain barbosa, they should be more guide lines than actual rules.

I picked up a rescue in Ireland. No questions asked about what I was intending to do with it. No further checks at all. Pay the money and take the dog. Its the other end of the spectrum. I would much rather it be how it is in UK now, having no checks at all could just end up with the dog being in a worse place than it was to begin with.
 
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