The importing rescue dogs question

CorvusCorax

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It's a gamble. The dogs are cheap, little to no home checking, but they haven't been assessed.
Having said that any dog will revert to 'itself' after a short period in a home/out of kennels.

'I got a dog from a council pound'

Does it roll off the tongue the same?
 

Crazy_cat_lady

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Only read this part of the forum as something to do as I'm not a dog person, however I disagree with the importing of the foreign dogs, like people have said we are very lucky to be touch wood free of some of the nasty diseases found in foreign countries, all it takes is for someone to be corrupt, forge paperwork etc and something like rabies could get in.

However I'm also of the opinion that all these inbred gypsy cobs that are being taken in by rescues, unless they are particularly good temperament wise should also be humanely pts.

However I do feel some of the rescues don't make things easy for people to adopt given some of the threads i read on the forum, potentially loving homes are being turned down even if it means the animal is left while the owner is at work, however surely a loving home is better than staying in rescue that then would free up another rescue space for another needy animal?

I'm not sure of the legwork involved in adopting a foreign dog is it quite easy? If I was ever to take on a dog I'd want to know the full history/ have it from a puppy
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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We took on a little rescue girly from Cyprus a few years ago.

Had tried the rescues here in the UK, and ALL of them, every single one, seemed to want to create problems rather than find homes for dogs. There was one place (Dogs Trust) which is a good one-and-a-half-hours drive away from us (so a three hour round trip). We contacted them re. rehoming a dog, and they expected us to make that journey JUST to fill in the poxy forms! And oh nooh we couldn't possibly see any of the dogs on that trip, no, we'd have to collect the form, fill it in, and go up there again with it! And all this BEFORE they'd even consider us! FFS!

Then there was the Blue Cross, again a considerable distance away. We went over to them, looked at some photos of dogs (weren't allowed to see, oh no!), and went away again, they said they'd "get in touch". That was at least five years ago, no, more than that!

So I went on-line, saw a lovely little ginger-nut coloured doggy, who the ad said was "on foster" to a family in our local town. We didn't know anything about Cyprus Rescue at this stage. We were given EVERY help and co-operation throughout the rehoming process. There was a rehoming fee payable, but this was a pittance compared to the expense that the charity had gone to in giving the dog all the vaccinations she'd need plus getting her here to the UK. We've been given every help from them since, they also have a FB group.

UK rescues need to pull their socks up!! I don't think our experience is unique either. Just so very sad for all the poor dogs who need a loving home. Yes appreciate they have to be very careful, but being plain unreasonable shouldn't enter into the process.
 

splashgirl45

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We took on a little rescue girly from Cyprus a few years ago.

Had tried the rescues here in the UK, and ALL of them, every single one, seemed to want to create problems rather than find homes for dogs. There was one place (Dogs Trust) which is a good one-and-a-half-hours drive away from us (so a three hour round trip). We contacted them re. rehoming a dog, and they expected us to make that journey JUST to fill in the poxy forms! And oh nooh we couldn't possibly see any of the dogs on that trip, no, we'd have to collect the form, fill it in, and go up there again with it! And all this BEFORE they'd even consider us! FFS!

Then there was the Blue Cross, again a considerable distance away. We went over to them, looked at some photos of dogs (weren't allowed to see, oh no!), and went away again, they said they'd "get in touch". That was at least five years ago, no, more than that!

So I went on-line, saw a lovely little ginger-nut coloured doggy, who the ad said was "on foster" to a family in our local town. We didn't know anything about Cyprus Rescue at this stage. We were given EVERY help and co-operation throughout the rehoming process. There was a rehoming fee payable, but this was a pittance compared to the expense that the charity had gone to in giving the dog all the vaccinations she'd need plus getting her here to the UK. We've been given every help from them since, they also have a FB group.

UK rescues need to pull their socks up!! I don't think our experience is unique either. Just so very sad for all the poor dogs who need a loving home. Yes appreciate they have to be very careful, but being plain unreasonable shouldn't enter into the process.


glad yours has turned out ok. and yes i agree our centres should be more helpful. i tried to adopt a lurcher from wood green some years ago and was interviewed by a girl who looked about 12, at the time i was 55 and had owned dogs for many years, i wasnt allowed to even meet the lurcher as i owned guinea pigs and they were in a cage in the house, said dog would have been coming to the yard where i worked every day so whatwas the problem? she said if i would like to look at the other dogs and see if i wanted one of them, there were all sorts including jack russells that i could have but not the one dog i wanted!!!!! i bought a lurcher puppy and my guiinea pigs died eventually of old age and not lurcher bite....... also so many of uk rescues say dog must be the only one in the house therefore cutting out lots of dogwise capable people,,,, no sense at all!!!!!
 

Dobiegirl

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There are a lot of scammers bringing in these dogs, I follow a couple of rescues and their dogs bounce all the time and dogs go missing, dogs coming from Bosnia are very suspect as very few are legal.

Its heartbreaking seeing so many go missing every week with some rescues taking a very cavalier attitude as in well it happens.

Ive fostered 2 now for the Lancashire Heeler Welfare, as they are a very rare breed the welfare has brought in a few lookalikes. The first one was an absolute sweetheart and had obviously lived in a home, he only had one accident and he was very well socialised, he was rehomed to a lovely lady who adores him.

The second one came from a different shelter and was described as timid, when she came off the transport the girls told me she had bitten them twice which was hardly surprisingly as she was completely feral, she still had her ear tag in as they had not been able to remove it. Long story short it took about a year to get her where i wanted her, confident enough to walk into the vets on a lead and be examined without a muzzle or freaking out so she could have her booster. I have adopted her as the people who adopted her prior to this kept losing her and I spent 3 days looking for her in rural Wales and then again 2/3 days in Cornwall.. The rescue and I decided the only way to ensure her safety was if I adopted her so she lives with me and lives the life of Riley, she has really bonded with me and my dogs and is such a happy dog, she loves all my friends and is no trouble,100% house-trained and I love her dearly.

It seems to me that very few people are capable of keeping a street dog safe let alone a feral one and I would much prefer if money was sent out there to neuter/spay/vaccinate etc but sadly there is so much corruption out there it must be really difficult to make sure the money goes where its meant to go.
 

CorvusCorax

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Only read this part of the forum as something to do as I'm not a dog person, however I disagree with the importing of the foreign dogs, like people have said we are very lucky to be touch wood free of some of the nasty diseases found in foreign countries, all it takes is for someone to be corrupt, forge paperwork etc and something like rabies could get in.

I have no doubt, not just in this context, that there's a lot of dodgy paperwork floating around :(
 

ester

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DG why the lookalikes? If people want one don't they want an actual one or are they just after look?

Even with legit paperwork it's possible (and happens) for them to be bringing diseases in, particularly leish but no one involved seems to care about that.
 

Dobiegirl

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DG why the lookalikes? If people want one don't they want an actual one or are they just after look?

Ester LHs are on the KC vunerable breed list, all the puppies are snapped up and very few come into their welfare, having said that the lookalikes are black n tan, same height and my first foster did look like one. The one I adopted was longer haired and the photos from the shelter were not good but enough for our welfare group to fund all her treatment and paperwork to bring her over. The shelter did lie about her but her paperwork is all kosher, Im sure if they had told us the truth that she was feral they wouldnt have brought her over and she would have lived her life in a shelter terrified of everyone and everything and being small might have been killed by the other dogs there. Im sure if she had been spayed,vaccinated and released there she would have survived, its been so interesting watching her body language around strange dogs and her ability to read other dogs body language too as obviously her life depended on it. I have to say its been an amazing journey watching her grow which without my dogs would have taken so much longer. My dogs are so used to strange dogs walking into my house they just dont bother and with her they never looked at her at all until she sniffed at them tentatively and then they were just so respectful and kind.

I am in the process of writing a book about her(halfway through the first chapter lol) as she has been through so much as she is such a sweet loving dog.

I just wish rescues that take foreign dogs in would do it properly,provide RBU, explain thoroughly and in writing the hazards of adopting a street dog, provide good advice and do proper home-checks, there are just so many instances of people adopting them and then being left high and dry by the rescues, these dogs then end up in our pounds and rescues.
 

ester

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I’m aware they are on the vulnerable breed list but unless the lookalikes are being accepted as being appropriate to breed from I’m still a bit confused as to why.
 

CorvusCorax

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It's not unusual. A lot of breed specific rescues take crosses or in my own breed's case, black and brown dogs with pointy ears. Only a (proper) DNA test linked to a breed database will really prove what something is or isn't. I've seen crosses that just looked like poor examples of purebreds and vice versa.
 

ester

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I know most breed rescues take crossbreds/similar, are they importing them too?

I guess I just don’t see why if someone really wants a particular rare breed (and presumably all the traits that come with it) why they would want a foreign import look a like? Or why it would be worth the rescue importing them.
 

Ouch05

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We took on a little rescue girly from Cyprus a few years ago.

Had tried the rescues here in the UK, and ALL of them, every single one, seemed to want to create problems rather than find homes for dogs. There was one place (Dogs Trust) which is a good one-and-a-half-hours drive away from us (so a three hour round trip). We contacted them re. rehoming a dog, and they expected us to make that journey JUST to fill in the poxy forms! And oh nooh we couldn't possibly see any of the dogs on that trip, no, we'd have to collect the form, fill it in, and go up there again with it! And all this BEFORE they'd even consider us! FFS!

Then there was the Blue Cross, again a considerable distance away. We went over to them, looked at some photos of dogs (weren't allowed to see, oh no!), and went away again, they said they'd "get in touch". That was at least five years ago, no, more than that!

So I went on-line, saw a lovely little ginger-nut coloured doggy, who the ad said was "on foster" to a family in our local town. We didn't know anything about Cyprus Rescue at this stage. We were given EVERY help and co-operation throughout the rehoming process. There was a rehoming fee payable, but this was a pittance compared to the expense that the charity had gone to in giving the dog all the vaccinations she'd need plus getting her here to the UK. We've been given every help from them since, they also have a FB group.

UK rescues need to pull their socks up!! I don't think our experience is unique either. Just so very sad for all the poor dogs who need a loving home. Yes appreciate they have to be very careful, but being plain unreasonable shouldn't enter into the process.


My OH and I had the same problem. We wanted middle size dog not bothered by breed really but were rejected by a couple because we both work (I did say that I work 1/4 from my house and go home every lunch time) not good enough. Dogs trust I would never go to again, I called and said I want a particular dog that we knew had a lot of issues but I had years of experience with the breed. They said we had to go down that day but if someone else came in first they would get it. It was a 1 1/2 drive I phoned them half way there and yeap they have rehomed it.

Also when you look in to the dogs in the re-homing centre most have issues of some sort there really aren't that many that are just unwanted pets. They are ones that need re-training or medicine all of which I was willing to do.

So I went on line and found a lovely rescue, She is cute but funny looking. Looks like a lab that has had the wrong legs attached. I loved her at once. They talked to me on the phone through the process and I had to face-time them my house so it could be checked out. She is a real gem completely in love with her. two months later we went back to the same place and got her a friend another weird looking thing but just perfect to us. One is from Crete one from Portugal. Both where around 6 months old had them over a year and love them so much.
 

Ouch05

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Just to add. The company I used will take the dog back off you if the partnership is not working and they have an excellent FB support group.
 

Dobiegirl

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I think what it is with the LH group someone sees a photo of one of these dogs in rescue and it touches a lot of peoples hearts as it reminds them of the breed. The welfare then fund raise separately so the money goes specifically for this dog and is not taking any money away from any dog that comes into welfare. I know they fund raise more than enough for these Romanian dogs and the surplus is given to them to neuter and spay any others

Ester a lot of rescues are taking in foreign dogs in fact some are only taking in those, it is so open to abuse with dogs coming in not through the normal channels as there are so few customs at the tunnel.
 

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CorvusCorax

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Also when you look in to the dogs in the re-homing centre most have issues of some sort there really aren't that many that are just unwanted pets. They are ones that need re-training or medicine all of which I was willing to do.

I don't know if that is true, certainly not here. Most dogs need training/re-training to be fair.

Just going to embark on a ramble here ;)
I do agree a lot of places don't make it easy. I couldn't afford dogs if I didn't work. I spend most of my time outside of work walking, training or just Doing Stuff with my dogs.
Most of the dogs that live around me are fat, lame, or both, they don't get groomed and they poo bright orange roundabouts six times a day, judging by the state of the road/pavements. I'm surrounded by dogs shut out in gardens or yards, barking at nothing.
Are dogs 'happier' because someone is at home with them all day? Or, is being in a home where people work better or worse than being stuck in a kennel and getting walked occasionally by a well-meaning volunteer up and down a dual carriageway (I'm referring to a centre near me).
A lot of kennels are now advertising irresponsibly imported or bred livestock guardian types to 'experienced hands only' that have no business being anywhere near a pet home and that sort of thing really worries me.
Having said that, a lot of rehomers (and puppy buyers) have really sucky attitudes, the 'I WANT THAT DOG NOWWWW' people, who are not prepared to wait/travel/listen to reason and then strop off and get something else.
A lot of kennels are manned by volunteers or very poorly paid staff who have other stuff going on in their lives and do not deserve the crap that gets thrown at them.
You may think you are innocently making a phonecall or sending an email. Times that by 100. The person on the other end is dealing with not only you and the dog you want but hundreds of other people enquiring about multiple dogs at the site. They often don't have TIME to individually show every single person the individual dog that they are interested in, and use the forms as a filtering process.
I am not involved in rescue currently but some of the emails and approaches I get regarding dogs have to be seen to be believed and it tends to make you a bit defensive/cynical.
 

Ouch05

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That's the whole point through isn't it. I was willing to drive and wait but they 'told' us that if we want that dog it was first at the centre first accepted.

I have no issues completing the forms as I did for both the blue cross and the dogs trust plus a load of local and not so local centre's to me.

I spent months trawling the websites calling only to be told it had been re-homed already, That's fine with me I get they don't have the staff to update websites etc but as for your comment CC that the staff do not have the time to show people individual dogs can you explain just how you are meant to pick one and check that it is what you are actually looking for. The whole timing thing I understand too. I have rescued two Bull Mastiffs over the years but both from small rescues and they were excellent allowed me to bring my springers to meet them behand and also one let me bring my cat. These wanted a 'donation' and paid well over what I would of a big centre but to me they were worth every penny (rest their souls). My two were also well over the cost of rehoming from a UK centre and I would of got a couple of very nice KC puppies for that cost too but I wanted a mutt and I want to rescue.

We completed the form was told the dog was suitable for us but as we could not go that day but the next someone went in that day and they got the dog!!!

I am not sure where your comments about fat, lame, or both and the lack of exercise has to do with buying from overseas centres. I see this around where I live with dogs not from overseas. I agree that they don't need someone home with them 24/7. I walk my girls three times a day every day my life is worked round them and my horses. I see that same dedicated people out walking theirs everyday and I also walk by dogs locked in gardens or walked around the estate only.
 

ester

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Yup I know plenty take in foreign rescues and some do it exclusively- those are the ones who seem completely blasé about the actual Leish situation.
What I didn’t know was whether many breed specific rescues were doing so (unless breeds likely to be in those regions)
 

CorvusCorax

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That's the whole point through isn't it. I was willing to drive and wait but they 'told' us that if we want that dog it was first at the centre first accepted.

I have no issues completing the forms as I did for both the blue cross and the dogs trust plus a load of local and not so local centre's to me.

I spent months trawling the websites calling only to be told it had been re-homed already, That's fine with me I get they don't have the staff to update websites etc but as for your comment CC that the staff do not have the time to show people individual dogs can you explain just how you are meant to pick one and check that it is what you are actually looking for. The whole timing thing I understand too. I have rescued two Bull Mastiffs over the years but both from small rescues and they were excellent allowed me to bring my springers to meet them behand and also one let me bring my cat. These wanted a 'donation' and paid well over what I would of a big centre but to me they were worth every penny (rest their souls). My two were also well over the cost of rehoming from a UK centre and I would of got a couple of very nice KC puppies for that cost too but I wanted a mutt and I want to rescue.

We completed the form was told the dog was suitable for us but as we could not go that day but the next someone went in that day and they got the dog!!!

I am not sure where your comments about fat, lame, or both and the lack of exercise has to do with buying from overseas centres. I see this around where I live with dogs not from overseas. I agree that they don't need someone home with them 24/7. I walk my girls three times a day every day my life is worked round them and my horses. I see that same dedicated people out walking theirs everyday and I also walk by dogs locked in gardens or walked around the estate only.

They were general observations about a range of issues. I did say it was a ramble and my post didn't pertain to everything you had said, just the line quoted.
I can't and don't speak for individual rescues, my point was that running a dog kennels is not like running a business in the service industry. Or at least, it shouldn't be.
 

LaurenBay

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I recently looked at rescue centres in the UK before getting my current Dog. I filled in forms and emailed them over for several centres. Only 2 responded to me, both said I couldn't rescue a Dog as I work full time. I emailed back to explain that my partner often works from home, I go home every lunch anyway, I also have a dog walker lined up (starts next week) they didn't respond to me. At the same time a friends mum applied for a Dog from Romania. He is home already and the process seemed a lot less strict. I was very wary of getting a Dog from abroad, as others have pointed out some of them have little to no contact with people. I can't risk them being around a young child and I do not have the experience of training Dogs such as them.

I got my current Dog from word of mouth, he is not a rescue by any means but did need a home.
 

MotherOfChickens

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It’s stupidly difficult to get a dog from a rescue in the UK. Over the past 4 years I tried 5 rescue societies and was successful with one-I passes the home check for 3 and one I didn’t bother with a home check. I have a rural home with no neighbours, lots of space, an air locked door, am 15om from nearest road, secure back garden, I am an ex VN. I wasn’t successful because I work and because twice a week dogs come with me-bearing in mind that at work are about 20 vets at any one time. When not at work they stay at home with OH. If it’s too hot or cold they stay at home, very rarely alone. So I bought puppies. It was easier although I’d not buy from abroad, I do understand the temptation.

Eta I passed home checks with two but both occasions central office went against their welfare officer who actually met me-these were both breed specific rescues that I would not bother trying witty again
 

Leo Walker

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Yup I know plenty take in foreign rescues and some do it exclusively- those are the ones who seem completely blasé about the actual Leish situation.
What I didn’t know was whether many breed specific rescues were doing so (unless breeds likely to be in those regions)

I think its pretty common with the greyhound charities to bring galgos over from Spain
 

Blazingsaddles

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I think its pretty common with the greyhound charities to bring galgos over from Spain

Met a Galgos where I walk. Beautiful, sweet dog, but then, so are the many Greyhounds that need homes in the UK🙁 I think we need to get our own house in order before we start importing dogs. Citizens in these countries, who give a damn about canine welfare, need to lobby their own Governments and ffs will someone please educate dog owners in these countries about castration/neutering. After visiting Rural Portugal, where unwanted litters are routinely drowned/dumped in communal bins because of ignorance or lack of funds for neutering - honestly, if I won the lottery big time, I’d finance a mobile vet to carry out the deed! (Not a rant at you, LW😀)
 

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I am totally against bringing dogs in from abroad but having had a little experience of trying to rehome from the Dog's Trust, I can understand why some people might do it. We have a huge DT not far from us, rebuilt at huge expense (in excess of £8m) and dealing with the staff was not easy as they don't seem that bothered about trying to match dogs to new homes that effectively. We sent to see a dog that we were told would be suitable and it was patently obvious within a couple of minutes that he was totally unsuitable as we have a very elderly parent living with us (which they knew). We were advised that we needed to queue up on a Thursday when most new dogs become available and hope we got lucky. We bought a puppy that was bred locally and we could see both parents and how they were being kept etc.
 

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Met a Galgos where I walk. Beautiful, sweet dog, but then, so are the many Greyhounds that need homes in the UK🙁 I think we need to get our own house in order before we start importing dogs. Citizens in these countries, who give a damn about canine welfare, need to lobby their own Governments and ffs will someone please educate dog owners in these countries about castration/neutering. After visiting Rural Portugal, where unwanted litters are routinely drowned/dumped in communal bins because of ignorance or lack of funds for neutering - honestly, if I won the lottery big time, I’d finance a mobile vet to carry out the deed! (Not a rant at you, LW😀)

Its ok, I'm dead against it as well and would dearly love to see them spending the money on neutering and humane PTS
 

Sussexbythesea

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My Greek rescue has turned out to be totally awesome I’ve only had him since September and he’s better behaved and trained than most British dogs I meet. He’s not got an aggressive bone in his body, loves people and is great with my cats. He’s commonly mistaken for a flat coat retriever.

He was pretty nervous and unsettled at first having never lived in a house (I had to cover the TV with a blanket at first as he didn’t like it on or off and kept barking at it) or walked on a lead and I did lose a few socks and a laptop cable. But he’s never messed in the house and had come on fabulously and we’ve just started agility training. He come to the yard every day and helps with poo-picking....

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Blazingsaddles

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My Greek rescue has turned out to be totally awesome I’ve only had him since September and he’s better behaved and trained than most British dogs I meet. He’s not got an aggressive bone in his body, loves people and is great with my cats. He’s commonly mistaken for a flat coat retriever.

He was pretty nervous and unsettled at first having never lived in a house (I had to cover the TV with a blanket at first as he didn’t like it on or off and kept barking at it) or walked on a lead and I did lose a few socks and a laptop cable. But he’s never messed in the house and had come on fabulously and we’ve just started agility training. He come to the yard every day and helps with poo-picking....

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He looks an absolute star but a part of me believes you’ve been lucky. With foreign rescues, I do believe it’s the luck of the draw. I’m sure though, he’ll have a wonderful life with you.
 
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