The importing rescue dogs question

Cinnamontoast

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On a days shooting, when people gather at the start the ones who haven't bothered walking their dogs first are the ones whos dogs do orange mini mountains. I don't know if there is a link between idleness and crappy dog food but I am working on a theory that there may well be.

I think you're right! Being able to pick up poor quality dog food along with the weekly shop is easy, lazy, imo. I'm sure we can all name a poor quality (according to our own opinion) food available in supermarkets. Mr Whippypoos are generated by poor food that isn't processed. Researching decent food takes effort, not much, but I know some people find it easier to just throw a box of whatever in the trolley.
 

marmalade76

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My friend recently adopted a Romanian dog ("it was only £150" she said). It's a small dog of 11 years old that has at some point in it's life had it's jaw broken. It barks a lot, continuously quite a time after we arrived on a visit and then again every time someone laughed or raised their voice slightly. Friend has since discovered that if she puts a blanket completely over him when he's upset, he will go quiet so this is now the drill when she has visitors. She told me she sent the rescuer a pic of herself with the dog sitting on her lap - the reply was "wow, you can touch him!?! We couldn't!".

So they sent an 11 year old traumatised dog that they couldn't touch on a plane to this country. Totally wrong IMO.
 

Rowreach

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I think you're right! Being able to pick up poor quality dog food along with the weekly shop is easy, lazy, imo. I'm sure we can all name a poor quality (according to our own opinion) food available in supermarkets. Mr Whippypoos are generated by poor food that isn't processed. Researching decent food takes effort, not much, but I know some people find it easier to just throw a box of whatever in the trolley.

All three of mine look fabulous (as do their poos) on cheap supermarket dog food, including the Irish rescue with gut problems, on whom I spent a lot of money buying her expensive, researched, vet recommended products which did not help her at all. So I shall continue to be a lazy dog owner, and fire it into the trolley every week.
 

CorvusCorax

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I travel with dogs. It's chuffing expensive. Paying 150 for a dog that has travelled that distance, with I hope, all the associated medical requirements, doesn't make any sense to me. Even if there were ten in a van (how does that work at ports, as I have to get mine out to have their chips scanned, would it not be chaos?) it still seems very cheap.
And if flying, I imagine being cooped up in a box and going into the terminal/cargo area/hold is pretty terrifying as well for a dog that's of that disposition.
I think it's similar if not cheaper to get a dog from a council pound.
Of course I realise that there is probably fundraising/there are benefactors.
 

Ouch05

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My two foreign rescues would given the chance chase a cat I have no idea what they would do if they got it as I don't let them chase them they are kept on the lead on the estate and TBH they are now kept on the lead on walks as I am surrounded by woods full of deer and squirrels. I don't worry about the squirrels as they just run up the trees out the way but they chased the deer and that is not acceptable. Upsetting for my OH and I is we worked on on recall and they were and are amazing until they see something furry and fast running. They just switch out from us and give chase and as stated we are surrounded by woods.

We have watched all the training videos read all the books and played all the games (one is not food oriented at all) in an enclosed area even with other dogs they are great just as long as there is no furry distractions. One was born in the shelter and is very nervous of people the other was found at the side of the road with her dead puppies (killed by the cars) They are both smashing in the house and walk on the lead nicely. and frustrating I can let one off on the walk home and she walks to heal sits and waits at the road and is just awesome. Just the damn chasing in the woods. Both were neutered, wormed, flea'd and chipped and tested with children and other dogs before we collected them.

I would go to this rescue again my girls are truly amazing and instantly loved by every (dog loving) person they have met.
 

Sussexbythesea

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So they sent an 11 year old traumatised dog that they couldn't touch on a plane to this country. Totally wrong IMO.


He was lucky to be sent on a plane! So many come over in van loads taking several days for the journey.[/QUOTE]

Mine came over in a van. A converted ambulance actually. He travelled from Zante with around 15 dogs and some kittens. They are well-looked after but of course it is traumatic for them for a whole 3 days but probably less traumatic than being dumped in the heat to die on the side of a road as part of a litter of puppies or spending two years or so in a rescue kennel.

The day I collected him, looking very sad.

MfehwkJ.jpg


The first few weeks when he wasn’t sure about leaving the house. We’d have to go through this every time we left he’d sit there and I’d have to cajole him to go any further.
yFeKXUe.jpg


Now - no doubt thinking being transported to England by van was the worst thing to ever happen to him....
EO8gKan.jpg
 

CorvusCorax

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I don't think your dog's case is comparable to dragging over dogs which are elderly, disabled and already traumatised (in that, they are immobile, they cannot be touched, are aggressive, as described above) to be fair!
Although getting 15 dogs (some of which may be flight risks) in and out of a van to be scanned individually at ports must be a bit of a faff, I imagine!!
 

Sussexbythesea

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The first pic makes it clear why so many seem to disappear from car parks.
He’s still a disease risk too.

I’m sure some do but then lots of people lose their dogs every single day because they’re incompetent. We used to have two springer spaniels that came throughout our fields and down the lane on the way to an A Road at least once a week. 99% of the lost dogs I see on FB are not foreign rescues.

I have read about the diseases of relevance and I do understand there is a risk so do not dispute your comment regarding that. As Chance has been tested clear (I know that is not always conclusive) and also has since a small puppy been treated for worms, ticks and fleas and kept in a pen except for exercise I personally think the risk from him is very low. It would be less so if he had genuinely lived as a “street dog” for years. I don’t see why he would be any more risk than a pet dog imported from the same area presumably a sand-fly or tick doesn’t differentiate between the two?

Personally I think global warming is a much bigger threat to spread of foreign diseases as it will most likely allow the main vectors to spread northwards.
 

Sussexbythesea

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I don't think your dog's case is comparable to dragging over dogs which are elderly, disabled and already traumatised (in that, they are immobile, they cannot be touched, are aggressive, as described above) to be fair!
Although getting 15 dogs (some of which may be flight risks) in and out of a van to be scanned individually at ports must be a bit of a faff, I imagine!!

I agree I do think some rescues here and abroad need to be more rigorous on this I certainly do not agree with keeping very disabled or very elderly dogs going when clear, they are distressed or in pain or rehoming and obviously aggressive dog when there are so many that aren’t. I don’t think this particular charity would do this and they do arrange individual transportation for some dogs that need it.

There is a lady I see on the beach that has a poor dog I think it may be a labradoodle within 3 legs (has a missing front one). She wheels it to the beach with her other two dogs and then let’s it out. She walks off with her other dogs and it struggles to get across the stones, it’s pitiful to watch and maybe I shouldn’t judge but I told her she was being unkind to it.

I think the Greek culture means that they don’t neuter their pet or hunting dogs even if they can afford to do so. Therefore they have unwanted litters of puppies which they may occasionally keep one of and dump the rest. They also seem to dump them if they are not good at hunting or are too old. I don’t see any that I would call a “street dog” at this rescue. Most of the problems do seem to be related to Romanian street dogs.
 

CorvusCorax

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Not that I am disagreeing with you, but just to point out that people do those things in these islands too.

'they don’t neuter their pet or hunting dogs even if they can afford to do so. Therefore they have unwanted litters of puppies which they may occasionally keep one of and dump the rest. They also seem to dump them if they are not good at hunting or are too old.'

I did see a video of a dog rescued from China on wheels/nappies the other day, which usually prompts me to feel a bit ill, but it was a bonny little thing and looked very happy. I do have an issue when the dogs are much bigger/weightbearing breeds and those which get distressed by not being able to clean themselves independently. It is the first time I have ever seen footage of a dog on wheels which didn't promote an instant reaction of nausea. Sorry to say that but it is my reaction :/
 

Tiddlypom

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The first pic makes it clear why so many seem to disappear from car parks.
He’s still a disease risk too.
This.

I simply wouldn't deal with any rescue, whether foreign or domestic, which hands over its charges in car parks.
 
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MotherOfChickens

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Most of the problems do seem to be related to Romanian street dogs.

true the behavioural ones often do but much of the disease risk comes from those kept in warmer climates. I am glad you have a lovely dog and I am glad your dog has a great home but I can't agree with the action of it. Pet dogs and dogs bred 'well' for showing etc should be wearing anti-sand fly collars from pups, sadly the hunting dogs are seen as purely disposable and do not. Even without the presence of the vector in the UK, dog-dog transmission and dog-human transmission of leish has already been identified (saliva). The other issue is that many rescues are not informing rescuers exactly what a life with leish means-both from a cost POV and the fact that it shortens the dog's life. There are vets on this board in the UK seeing cases of leish weekly-a disease that should not be here. And even without the vector, dieases (especially parasitic ones) adapt and evolve.

there are rescues who specialise in blind street dogs-I've seen them discussed on another board and a woman I used to house sit for now runs fundraisers to bring dogs in because they 'must be rescued at any cost'. Same woman kept a cat and a rabbit alive far longer than her vets advised.

Norway has already banned the import of street dogs from abroad, you need to prove ownership and having lived with the dog for 6 months before importing. Dogs are being brought in by the van loads, often without the right paper work-look at that racket being run in the NW that came to light last year.
 

Cinnamontoast

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Going blind is something I'd pts my old boy for. He wouldn't cope.

The trolley thing makes me very sad. There's a springer on a FB group I use in a trolley. Breaks my heart. I would pts rather than condemn any dog of mine to that.
 

Clodagh

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Going blind is something I'd pts my old boy for. He wouldn't cope.

The trolley thing makes me very sad. There's a springer on a FB group I use in a trolley. Breaks my heart. I would pts rather than condemn any dog of mine to that.

I had my kelpie bitch pts when she went blind, apart from the eyes she was hale and hearty and it was an awful decision, but she was in a permanent panic and kept running into things, she hid under my desk and just lived there. That was in a house and with others she knew well, the thought of rehoming her in that state beggars belief.
 

SadKen

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I did see a video of a dog rescued from China on wheels/nappies the other day, which usually prompts me to feel a bit ill, but it was a bonny little thing and looked very happy. I do have an issue when the dogs are much bigger/weightbearing breeds and those which get distressed by not being able to clean themselves independently. It is the first time I have ever seen footage of a dog on wheels which didn't promote an instant reaction of nausea. Sorry to say that but it is my reaction :/

It always prompts nausea in me. Haven't seen this specific one but it would have to be very happy! I think the use of trolleys is incredibly unethical. Their use is tfor human wants not dog needs.
 

Blazingsaddles

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It always prompts nausea in me. Haven't seen this specific one but it would have to be very happy! I think the use of trolleys is incredibly unethical. Their use is tfor human wants not dog needs.
I agree it makes for uncomfortable viewing, but I know of a dog whose rear legs have been removed & uses a trolley & he appears to be as happy as his other owners dogs - but he is still a young dog.
 

Cinnamontoast

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It always prompts nausea in me. Haven't seen this specific one but it would have to be very happy! I think the use of trolleys is incredibly unethical. Their use is tfor human wants not dog needs.

I completely agree. Once we found out about Zak's dysplasia, we decided that we wouldn't restrict him, he would live a full life and enjoy himself but when he became too lame, we'd re-evaluate and consider his future. No way would I consider a trolley. He's 8 and he now needs a certain angle to jump into the car: that's pretty much the extent of it so far. Big dog, at nearly 16 (!!) needs lifting in and out, but that's it.
 

meleeka

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I agree it makes for uncomfortable viewing, but I know of a dog whose rear legs have been removed & uses a trolley & he appears to be as happy as his other owners dogs - but he is still a young dog.
In sure he’s very happy when he’s out on his trolley. The bit I wouldn’t put a dog through is when he’s at home and he’s not wearing his trolley. I don’t believe they can wear them all day so it’s got to be terribly frustrating.
 
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