Rescue Societies requirements for rehoming

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Delta99

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Have recently lost my old boy, followed very closely by the cat so my 10 yr old bitch is now left on her own totally.
OH has finally agreed to another dog so I have contacted a breed rescue society who has a few older dogs on their website... Thinking that the breed societies might be a bit more realistic about rehoming requirements than the Dogs Trust etc but alas, no! Dog can't be left more than 4 hrs a day!
OH only works 3 days a week and could take the dogs to work with him but no, they won't even consider it!

Yes, I understand that dogs are better off having company but tbh, even if I'm at home, they just go to sleep somewhere.
They get walked before work and I have my own yard with 7 acres where they spend their evenings, so they have a pretty active life.

In comparison, my next door neighbours are at home all the time with a retriever but never walk it and the dog has a square of concrete in the garden to toilet on, that's it. Does it have a better life than mine??? I don't think so!
The only people who are not working these days are retired or have kids to look after and no time to spend with the dog!
Really annoys me! So I'll probably end up getting a puppy when there are all these dogs out there in need of a loving home.
My old boy was a rescue (private) and let's be honest, how many people are willing to rehome an old GSD?!

Anyway, I'll stop ranting, just interested to hear peoples' opinions about this.
 
The dogs trust turned my mother and I down as a suitable home for their dogs - my late father had bred GSDs in his life and we still have a large outdoor kennel facility which joins the house to the stables, with concrete run, grass run, and two seperate kennels - one even had underfloor heating!! We have 40 acres of land, etc etc
They refused any application as I couldn't show them that we had a suitable 6' fence around the perimiter of my property, and they were not happy with dogs living outside overnight.... bit short sighted I thought, especially as many of these places struggle to home the sort of dog we specifically wanted to take on - something older that barked!
 
We had the same problems offering lovely county home. Village location with miles of footpaths. I am at home or on the yard dog always where I am. Rescues turned me down for my husbands job! He is in the army but home based and not deployable outside the UK. They all said no because they claim that high number of there dogs come from forces families. Tarred us all with the same brush. All I wanted to do was give one of these pore rescue dogs a new chance in life.
Happy out come was a lovely GSD puppy who is wonderful. All through one of the lovely members here who helped me with my search.
Good luck I hope you are able to find a rescue centre who will give you a chance.
 
Delta, have you actually spoken to the rescue or are you just going on what they say on their website. I ask because I know some rescues are more flexible when you actually discuss things with them, it might be worth a phone call if you haven't already spoken to them.
I do agree though that some rescues can be a bit daft with their policies, as you say, surely it is better for a dog to be left for a few hours each day, rather than spending months stuck in a kennel.
 
it is a terrible shame considering these dogs are currently kept in kennels and dont spend time with people so im sure they wont complain. Also what if someone was to take on a dog now they maybe at home but circumstances change and in a years time they may not be around all the time by which poiint most charities dont check.
My question would be do you really need to tell them you will not be around for that amount of time etc...how will they really know?
Another aspect i find interesting is that rescues do a home check but buy from many breeders and they dont want to come and check the house. Or at least thats my experience after having 3 pedigrees and 1 from rescue centre.
 
Are you close enough to any of the Battersea Dogs home sites? They are far more realistic and do actually want to get those dogs out of kennels! If a dog is suitable to be left a bit longer they will happily rehome it to you.
 
MurphysMinder said:
Delta, have you actually spoken to the rescue or are you just going on what they say on their website. I ask because I know some rescues are more flexible when you actually discuss things with them, it might be worth a phone call if you haven't already spoken to them.
I do agree though that some rescues can be a bit daft with their policies, as you say, surely it is better for a dog to be left for a few hours each day, rather than spending months stuck in a kennel.
Click to expand...

Yes, have been in touch by email.
Interestingly enough, have received another email this morning saying to phone, they might be able to help after all... wonder if they saw this post??!

HelsB - thanks for that, hadn't thought of Battersea but will give them a call.

Have also enquired about the Spaniel x bitch.
 
Do you like lurchers? If so try lurcher link. We foster for them and they have sensible criteria for rehoming.
 
I do think sometimes their criteria are a little strict and unflexible...it makes me laugh that anyone can go pick up a puppy from somewhere and these homes aren't vetted.

I know that if I applied to a home that because I work FT they wouldn't even consider me even though dog wouldn't be left alone for hours because my OH works shifts.
 
I think sometimes the problem is that rescue's have to do everything they can so that a dog doesn't get returned, waiting a bit longer for the perfect home is sometimes more beneficial to the dogs welfare than keep trying it in any old place and it going through stress. Often rescue's don't know if a dog will cope with being left all day and a lot don't so they run a high risk of the dog coming back with more issues than it started with. A lot of dogs come into rescue because they are not coping with being left and suffer SA. I think though that's why fostering can be so beneficial as people can get a real good idea of what a dog will be like in a household situation and the fosterer can give one to one support about a dog they know well if things go wrong.
 
Well i hope you have better luck with that rescue now they've got back in touch, if not perhaps have a look at some other rescues.

I adopted my 2 dogs while working full-time, the greyhound rescue were happy as long as the dogs had a toilet break after 4hrs which was fine as i'd pop home during my lunch hour. I could've got turned down by another kennel under the same rescue umbrella as they all have own homing polices. All rescues are different so you can't just assume none will home to you if you don't meet the criteria of 1, it may involve some legwork to find ones that are more flexible, but they are out there and many home out of their local area too which increases the options.
 
Why don't you bypass the middle man and go to the local pound? You sound like capable dog-people, so cut out the faffing in the middle if I were you!
 
Dont give up they are all different, last year I had a home visit from a very sensible lady from Dobermann Welfare. After walking around my garden none of the hedges or fences were 6ft she said in her experience if a dog wanted to get out it would.

I now have 2 lovely Dobes from them and they dont get out the garden as I supervise them plus they get lots of exercise and training.

This lady told me she was turned down when she was looking to adopt(not a Dobe) from another rescue because she didnt meet their very strict criteria.

I think rescues need to be more flexible otherwise they will never move any dogs on.
 
Just realised you are possibility looking for a GSD. Was it GSD Rescue you contacted, cos its definitely worth phoning them , the home checkers are definitely prepared to be reasonable if it is the right home.;)
 
I just have to say, I do wonder if places like the Dogs Trust differ criteria wise regionally. Our local one (Leeds) is generally pretty good although they too can make it difficult to soem degree as you ask about a dog (as we did) and they will find various reasons why it would not be suitable for your lifestyle. Still, I guess they know that dog but then their knowledge of it (especially if from the dog pound/ a stray) is limited and dogs behaviour in kennels is vastly different to a dog in a secure home environment.

However, eventually we did find a suitable dog (maybe that's as cos she's just come in and they knew naff all about her! lol). I think you need to persist with these places. They need to see you - not just am email really, best to see them face to face. They neer queried our garden (it was not secure) or anything like that and never did a home visit.

You will get there eventually. We also looked at The Blue Cross and some other local rescues. Just go visit them!

Hmm, just looked at our dogs trust site - there's about 3 GSDs and several other largish dogs wanting homes on there too.
 
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