Why dont people get dogs from rescues?!

Honey08 said:
They do it because they feel superior??? Rather below the belt! A pretty awful thing to say.
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sad but true, it's been a few years since i have been on that forum but there were certainly a core of posters who totally looked down on anyone who had ever bought a dog from a breeder, there was no acceptance of why some may prefer a puppy in certain cases, if you did admit to buying you were usually told that you had caused 10 (or insert your own number) unwanted dogs to die. The one-upmanship between certain rescues was unbelievable and there were a few members who seemed to be having some kind of competition on how many rescue dogs they could own,there were more egos on that forum than there are on HHO'!!!:eek:
 
why are people saying rescue dogs come with problems??? Rescue centres asses the dogs very well to decide if they are dog safe, child safe, cat safe etc etc. they will put this on the dogs ad. Most dogs I have seen while working in rescues are loving and normal!! they dont have any problems at all. ok a couple may pull on the lead or not like cats. so what?! I would rather save a dogs life then buy from a breeder :)
 
Ibblebibble said:
sad but true, it's been a few years since i have been on that forum but there were certainly a core of posters who totally looked down on anyone who had ever bought a dog from a breeder, there was no acceptance of why some may prefer a puppy in certain cases, if you did admit to buying you were usually told that you had caused 10 (or insert your own number) unwanted dogs to die. The one-upmanship between certain rescues was unbelievable and there were a few members who seemed to be having some kind of competition on how many rescue dogs they could own,there were more egos on that forum than there are on HHO'!!!:eek:
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I dont think anyone should get rescue dogs just to feel superior. However when someone asks me where my dog is from I feel proud to say "he's a rescue". I then ask them the same question and they say from a breeder- sounds harsh but I do feel a lot better about myself and bigger than the other person. IMO before you all start again!!
 
hollieeb said:
I dont think anyone should get rescue dogs just to feel superior. However when someone asks me where my dog is from I feel proud to say "he's a rescue". I then ask them the same question and they say from a breeder- sounds harsh but I do feel a lot better about myself and bigger than the other person. IMO before you all start again!!
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And that is exactly the attitude which is alienating people on this thread...
 
Totally agree with Alecs post..... And Hollieb I find your post and undertone offensive, so it's not just the other poster not getting you?

All my cats have come from the RSPCA as adult cats, bar one of the current crew (indulged in a kitten as integration with existing cats would be easier), plus a 5 Month old semi feral rescued from the side of a road after weeks living in a rabbit hole.
However my Labrador is from fully health tested stock via a breeder friend, who I waited 18 months for.
I know her mum, Grannie, great Grannie, great great Grannie & Auntie. I wanted to buy from a breeder because.....
A) I love labs
b) I wanted to know what I was getting - blank canvas / knew parentage both health & temperament
c) had to be integrated with my mums very large English bull mastiff - doggy day care if I had to be in the office / away
d) was joining a house of cats unused to dogs
e) was going to be mixing with young relatives on a regular basis - therefore I had to be sure there was no hidden baggage as the dog would not see the children day in day out to get used to them if there was a hidden issue (& honestly not worth the risk - I'd never forgive myself)
f) I did not want the upset and stress of dealing with a dog that couldn't be turned round if there were issues.

My friend got a rescue Alsation. After owning the dog 2 months, the dog attacked her when she had her back turned in the garden (she bent down to lick up a plant pot). It was so out of the blue, and came without warning - she's an experienced dog owner. Turns out the rescue had not been completely truthful about the dog, and even worse, insisted it was handed back rather than PTS?????
She now has two pedigree chocolate lab litter mates, which she bought as puppies - a direct result of the unknowns with a rescue. Her labs are now 18 months old, and she's enjoying every minute of it.

As for the more money than sense comment.... Well quite frankly, you could apply that comment to taking on a dog period - at the end of the day, pedigree or not, you may or may not need a blank cheque depending on whether theyre healthy or get injured. £600 in the grand scheme of let ownership, may be money well spent if it means your odds of health problems are reduced.

Don't get me wrong, I would not rule out a rescue, especially when mum doesnt have the Bully and my brothers kids are older, but for now it would be irresponsible, and plain stupid to go down that route.

I also believe there should be better regulation of breeding, and that all pet dogs should be neutered.
 
Well I'm proud that I bought my animals from reputable breeders that don't breed from animals with genetic problems. A lot of these terrible genetic conditions could be eradicated if only animals that were tested negative were bred from (and I include HYPP in quarter horses).
 
Not sure everyone on this thread realises that the OP is a teenager, so not had the circumstances in life to realise that rescues may not fit every bodies lives.

I got a pup because I love a specific breed. That breed just do not end up in normal rescues (I've never seen one on battersea/many tears/RSPCA or blue cross anyway). There is a breed specific rescue and when one does become available they seem to be snapped up with lots of homes offered. If any GSPs are spotted to dumb tree etc the breed rescue also seem to always try and get involved. So I have no guilt getting a pup. If there was a suitable rescue at the time I would consider it but it had not been the case. A pup was also important to me as I have kids around me a LOT and I need to know that I can trust the dog as much as possible. With a rescue there is always that element of doubt as you do not know the dogs past experiences.
 
hollieeb said:
I dont think anyone should get rescue dogs just to feel superior. However when someone asks me where my dog is from I feel proud to say "he's a rescue". I then ask them the same question and they say from a breeder- sounds harsh but I do feel a lot better about myself and bigger than the other person. IMO before you all start again!!
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I'm sorry but that is awfully judgemental of you.
 
galaxy said:
Not sure everyone on this thread realises that the OP is a teenager, so not had the circumstances in life to realise that rescues may not fit every bodies lives.
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Yes I realised the OP was very young just from her first post.

I have had a number of dogs from rescue centres in my earlier life and they were great dogs. In my later life I have a lifestyle which does not accommodate rescue centre dogs. I need dogs from puppies where they grow and learn to live in the environment without the worry of them injuring stock or vice versa. Training a dog is MUCH easier than untraining a dog and I don't have the time to untrain dogs nowadays so I always buy puppies from reputable breeders.
 
Ibblebibble said:
sad but true, it's been a few years since i have been on that forum but there were certainly a core of posters who totally looked down on anyone who had ever bought a dog from a breeder, there was no acceptance of why some may prefer a puppy in certain cases, if you did admit to buying you were usually told that you had caused 10 (or insert your own number) unwanted dogs to die. The one-upmanship between certain rescues was unbelievable and there were a few members who seemed to be having some kind of competition on how many rescue dogs they could own,there were more egos on that forum than there are on HHO'!!!:eek:
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LOL, sounds just like my village...there is a definite contingent of morally-superior people (funnily enough they ALL live in the big, new, expensive houses) who all have rescue staffies and sneer at/put down those who choose to buy a pup. A sort of inverted snobbery.
 
Sadly, but understandably, our local rescue won't rehome to anyone who lives near a busy road. Ours is a country lane, but a busy one, so that ruled us out.
 
hollieeb said:
I dont think anyone should get rescue dogs just to feel superior. However when someone asks me where my dog is from I feel proud to say "he's a rescue". I then ask them the same question and they say from a breeder- sounds harsh but I do feel a lot better about myself and bigger than the other person. IMO before you all start again!!
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Oh. Dear. :o

I don't generally meet people who ask where I got my dogs from. They ask what breed they are and what temperaments they have and the like. I don't believe in all the years I've had dogs anyone has asked me where I got the dog from. I have met many many many people who are very quick to tell me that THEY have a rescue dog though. And then they go on to tell me how much effort and time and energy they have put into their rescue dogs and I often get the impression they are waiting for me to pat them on the back or give them a box of chocolates for being so incredibly amazing. When I have had dogs from rescue centres (probably about 6 in all) the moment they leave that rescue centre (in my mind) they are no longer "rescue" dogs, they are my dogs and I've helped them through their psychological issues and they all came out the other end. I find it quite intolerable to hear from people who wallow in self-pride telling you they have a dog who is rescued who has this problem and that problem (most would be easily overcome issues if the dog were with someone who knew what they were doing) and then you ask how long they have had the dog and they say something like 7 years and I stand there thinking :eek: ... how come the dog has not improved in all that time then!
 
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We took on a Springer from the RSPCA - what a palaver! They had to see our home, and our place of work (we own a pet shop/feed store) as our dogs come to work with us, the dog met our other dogs, no problems, then when we went to collect him we were told that we couldn't take him as he hadn't met all of our 'family' at least twice. We were confused - we had met him two or three times, and we have no kids. They meant our other dogs - I don't refer to our dogs as family, and found that most odd. He is a sweet dog, but I actually wonder if he was on some type of mobility drug before we collected him, the back/limb/hip issues which arose within the month of us having him were extreme.

We did also approach the Labrador Rescue to take on a dog - well, that woman was bonkers! She told us that Labs are sedentary dogs, they mustn't have too much exercise as it's bad for them, and that our home would be far too active for a Labrador, and then said that the dogs must have access to the outside 24/7, but live indoors "my husband doesn't like it, but I leave the french windows open day and night, all year round"! She felt we should only have an elderly dog - we live on Dartmoor, and walk a bit (generally an hour tops), but we don't do anything extreme, but that was too much for a Labrador. She rang us a few weeks later to ask if we would like an elderly dog, and we told her that we'd bought a health tested puppy, which her attitude had driven us to.

We've now decided never to go down the rescue route again, the challenges can be too great, and you just don't know the history. We can't take the risk that a dog is bad with livestock, or bites kids (again, dogs are at work with us, kennelled, but why oh why do parents encourage their kids up the kennel to 'see the doggies'!) - OH works his dogs and we like to train them from a puppy. We've also bred - our Labrador bitch had a litter this summer, she was fully health tested, hips 4:3, elbows 0:0, eyes clear, and we picked a proven working low scoring stud dog. The litter was healthy, and we are in touch with seven of the pups, and see three regularly.

I know of an active elderly retired couple who were rejected by the RSPCA. They wanted to take on a small dog, any age, but were rejected as they have a back yard, not a back garden. They bought a Westie from a puppy farm in Wales.
 
Spring Feather said:
Oh. Dear. :o

I don't generally meet people who ask where I got my dogs from. They ask what breed they are and what temperaments they have and the like. I don't believe in all the years I've had dogs anyone has asked me where I got the dog from. I have met many many many people who are very quick to tell me that THEY have a rescue dog though. And then they go on to tell me how much effort and time and energy they have put into their rescue dogs and I often get the impression they are waiting for me to pat them on the back or give them a box of chocolates for being so incredibly amazing. When I have had dogs from rescue centres (probably about 6 in all) the moment they leave that rescue centre (in my mind) they are no longer "rescue" dogs, they are my dogs and I've helped them through their psychological issues and they all came out the other end. I find it quite intolerable to hear from people who wallow in self-pride telling you they have a dog who is rescued who has this problem and that problem (most would be easily overcome issues if the dog were with someone who knew what they were doing) and then you ask how long they have had the dog and they say something 7 years and I stand there thinking :eek: ... how come the dog has not improved in all that time then!
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Agreed!!!
 
It is wonderful when people are in a position to rescue a dog and I have seen some rescue dogs who are wonderful and achieve huge success in differed doggy sports.

I have always bought from a breeder who is responsible and does full health testing, DNA testing, hip scoring, eye testing and hearing testing.....good breeders need to be supported for the benefit of the breeds.

The problem isn't people not buying from rescue it is with the unlicensed and unscrupulous puppy farmers and bad breeding practice, control a lot of this and there will be a lot less dogs in rescues
 
Actually, I think that those of us that go on about our rescue dogs do so in the hope that others consider having one themselves, as there are so many desperate for homes. More so now that I've read on here that so many people think all rescues are nutters and not safe to have around kids..
 
Meandtheboys said:
Because it is just too difficult.................if you work hard to give a dog a lovely home, then you are not eligible because you are not at home!!
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Agree with this completely! We live in a large flat with our 2 small dogs. Dogs get walked early morning and usually at the yard in the evenings or have a walk in the forest. Have a dog walker in 2-3 times a week. Our dogs are in super condition, well trained and very happy little girls. We have tried numerous times to rehome another little one to join our little family and have been turned down because we work full time and also that dogs don't have constant access to a garden. But even when we had a garden I couldn't let the smallies out there when I wasn't there for fear something may happen them when I wasn't there. It's a terrible shame as we would love to rescue a dog but instead I think our 3rd dog will come from a Pomeranian breeder again.
 
My first dog was a mongrel puppy from Battersea 28 years ago we were threatened with a visit. But never happened. Great dog lived until 17 years(from abandoned litter, we brought home on underground in a box with a diet sheet of smooth food and it vomited great big lumps of meat at 8 weeks)!!Sorry too much info!
Then pedigree poof dog, bought local breeder both parents seen etc family home etc. We did look at our local rehome but lots big dogs german shepherds and I had young children etc or jack russells galore. Too risky if history and needed time spent on them.
I know people that have had fab elderly dogs and also others that end up with psycho dogs. One friend felt a failure when they returned their mad rescue dog. Another rescue staffy cross type is on its 5th owner who muzzles it and walks it when everyone else is at home as it attacks other dogs hence muzzle.

Another had the softest dopiest spaniel ever who was the families bestest friend! Old person had died and that dog landed on its feet.

I did find the same with rescue horses too. Why dont people get horses from rescue? Someone has possibly ruined them somewhere. A rescue dog is pot luck too. But yes I would most certainly rescue again as long as it didnt bite!
 
Because the only experience I had with a rescue centre was that you weren't allowed to keep your dog in a kennel, that is were all our dogs live, and when they are not in their kennels, they have an active, playful time around our farm, they rarely have to be on leads and are fit as fleas, it's a shame they can't see past the kennel as a safe and appropriate place to keep a dog.
 
just because im 'young' does not mean I am inexperienced within rescues. I have dedicated so much to my dogs, rescue centres and animals in general- its my whole life so that comment hurt a bit.

This has all got blown out of proportion, I did not mean to be offensive towards anyone and if you took my comments offensively then sorry. However this is a forum and things may not come across as they intend to.

I dont agree with breeding full stop. if that would be puppy farms or reputable breeders. There are way too many dogs in the world who need forever homes so why breed more?
why pay ££ for a puppy when you can rescue one?

I feel very proud to tell people my dogs are rescues because we have been through so much and now they are perfect dogs.
I also tell people my dogs are from rescues because I hope maybe they will think about getting a rescue dog as well. I would never go around saying "My dogs a rescue there for I am better than you". I rescue dogs FOR the dogs and no one else. Yes, when people tell me they got their dog from a breeder I do judge them a little bit. but we all judge, like it or not.

I asked why people go to breeders instead of rescues and some people have answered that (rescues are a hassle etc). So Thankyou for answering. But to me if a rescue centre would not let me have a dog I would try and try again- I would build a 10ft fence in my garden if I had to!
 
oh and I know big rescues make it extremley difficult. but smaller rescues are easier, most just insist and secure garden, someone at home every 4 hours and they dont rule out busy roads and young children.
 
I'm the very proud owner of a 14 year old staff who I've had for 13 years she is the best dog in the world ! Who I love so much ! She was an rcpca case burnt with cigarettes ! From head to toe ! I would always rescue as there are so many dogs out there who need a loving home & take it from me treat them how they deserve to be treated & you will have a best friend like no other xxx
 
I dont agree with breeding full stop. if that would be puppy farms or reputable breeders. There are way too many dogs in the world who need forever homes so why breed more?

Because amazing breeds which people love don't often end up in rescues. Without being flippant if people stopped breeding there would be no dogs in 10-15 years time!
why pay ££ for a puppy when you can rescue one? Rescue dogs are not free! Not all responsibly bred dogs are expensive either. And you can easily argue that a responsibly bred dog with all the health checks could cost less in vets bills long run than an unknown history rescue (if you're a gambling person ;) )
 
Whilst your attitude is admirable its also very naive. There is a demand for pedigree dogs hence they are still bred. I know huge numbers of dogs end up in rescue homes or even wor se the pound. However they do not tend to be the pedigree dogs- for example we have Pomeranians and it would be rare to find one in rescue-even the Pomeranian rescue group of the uk doesn't have that many dogs to rehome. We have tried to rehome a rescue but will not be allowed whilst we live in a flat. Sad as this is it will suit me to go to the breeder who our current two came from and buy another Pomeranian. Rescue centres need to move with the times- realise that just because people work doesn't mean they shouldn't have a dog!
 
hollieeb said:
I agree that rescues can come with problems, my lab x collie was left on a balcony for days until my mums friend rescued him. when we first got him he hated cars, would not go near one! He was attacked so now is scared of other dogs. but would defo not put me off rescues and I would never buy from a breeder. Its so rewarding to give a scared, nervous dog a home because then they become your perfect pet and I love him to peices!!
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Good for you, you amongst millions of people, has given a rescue dog a chance. That is absolutely fantastic. However, never say never. Many a foolish person have lived to regret saying this classic phrase. I am sure you took into account your circumstances when getting a rescue dog and thought of all eventualities, if you did not you were perhaps foolish but very lucky.

Everyone's circumstances and requirements are different. I could not and would not contemplate getting a dog from a rescue with a young child in the family fold especially if it had a huge hole in its history. I have given a nervous dog who was emaciated and shocked into losing her bark a home, she is at my feet now fast asleep, but my children were much older and not so vulnerable as a toddler is. Whilst she has proven to be the most loving dog you could wish for she has her quirks and there is a tiny smidgeon of her that I do not trust.

What comes across from your post is the impression that anyone who gets a dog from a breeder is somehow a thoughtless, selfish person, when in fact they have given the most serious thought to their potential family member and want to ensure their choice is as right as it can be. Have you heard of the phrase 'horses for courses'? People need to ensure their potential pets are as suitable as possible and if that means a breeder purchased pooch then so be it.
 
Ive only ever had rescues, I don't even know why particularly. I will also, however, probably buy from a breeder later on, for various reasons.

I can't quote on my phone, but if you feel superior because you have a rescue dog when talking to those who bought from breeders, well, thats a shame.

I talk about my dog, and make a point that he is a rescue, because I'm so proud of him. Because he is excellent with people, and has a brilliant temperament. I know that I got lucky, and I can tell that (unlike many rescue mutts) that someone has definitely loved him alot is his old life. But the best bit is how amazed people are to hear it, and when they then tell me they're heading over to their nearest shelter instead of ringing the breeders they were going to before.
If someone doesnt have the skill/understanding of what rescuing can entail I would not point them in the direction of the nearest shelter.
 
galaxy said:
Because amazing breeds which people love don't often end up in rescues. Without being flippant if people stopped breeding there would be no dogs in 10-15 years time!
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I volunteered in a small rescue and in 2 days I saw: 2 chocolate labs, whippets, lurchers, boxers, collies, a litter of collie x boxer pups, a litter of collie x spaniel pups, a chihuahua pup, 2 pomeranian pups, a bichon freis, countless collie crosses, a little of beagle pups and a little of Basset hound pups.

so they arnt full of staffies :) and my view is breeding should be banned for 5 years although that will never happen and I accept people will ALWAYS buy from breeders
 
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