Why dont people get dogs from rescues?!

what really grates on me though is people who turn against rescues just because you got turned down!! or comments like "we gave up with rescues so went to a breeder" or "we wanted to know the history of the dog".

The amount of dogs in rescues is unreal and you are not going to find your perfect dog after just a couple of trips to the local rescue. I would travel miles to go and see a rescue dog (in fact I travelled 4 hours to wales to help in a rescue in summer)

Just. ugh. makes me slightly angry :)
 
my parents first dog was a rescue from battersea a flatcoat x retriever and she was the sweetest dog ever she was around before me and my sister and i remember growing up with her and we both used to use her as a step to get onto the sofa as toddlers she passed away at a good age then a few years later we went to the blue cross for our next dog who was fab - he was a pedigree working english pointer - very stressy due to being in kennels for the first year of his life before we got him but he was mega - he was just the best dog ever he converted many friends who were dog phobic into lovers and he had the softest ears! we lost him a couple of years ago and it left the biggest hole in our family, after a lot of soul searching my dad decided he wanted another pointer there arent many near us in charities/rescues then he thought about breeding them so we needed to go to a breeder as pretty much all rescues neuter/spay making it impossible to breed, however we picked up our puppy but as he grew up it became aparant that he wasnt going to be any good at stud work and was a pain with other dogs so he was cut! but he is still lovely a bit neurotic but lovly all the same!! in future we'll go back to the charities i think - the only reason we went to a breeder was for the pedigree and background parentage on the dog
 
Goldenstar said:
My brother and SIL were turned down because SIL works one hour a day !!
Perfect house experiance have another dog no wonder the shelters are stuffed with dogs.
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Ah, well, pick the right rescue. I got my fabby little JRT from www.wolfwood.co.uk and can't recommend them highly enough for applying common sense and judgement regarding their homing policy.
 
i for one would love a rescue dog.

ive even been looking but the rescues make it very hard to get one. Sometimes i think they dont want to give them up!

I have an amazing job which lets me work from home, i have a lovely home, with my lodgers dog ( elderly staffie ) and land and gardens for a dog. Im looking for a small JRT type. but the rescuers dont seem interested.
 
We picked up our rescue dalmation yesterday :D & so far she is perfect! Not only is she is a rescue dog shes one of those regularly overlooked in kennels at 10yrs old. Her old owners claim to have given her up due to personal circumstances, but tbh it looks more like she came to the end of her ability to provide them with a continuous supply of puppies. But shes perfect for us as we needed an older dog to keep our 12yr golden retriever company. He was bought from a breeder, but since deciding to get a rescue dog we will never go back to a breeder & plan to adopt older dogs from now on!
 
I have a rescue greyhound, wouldn't hesitate to get another. He is exactly as described by them, they thoroughly checked us out but took it as an individual case rather than we don't fit the standard requirements. Matched us with an utterly mad 1 year old greyhound so not old but past the puppy stage.
I don't see why anyone would get a greyhound from a breeder when there are 000's in rescue of all ages even puppies occasionally!
 
ZondaR said:
There is a risk taking a rescue dog, a lot of them come with baggage and people don't want to deal with it. If you go to a breeder, you can see the parents, you can meet the breeder and you are basicly getting a blank canvas, a dog who has not bonded with anyone else and who is a complete baby, lots of people want a dog from a puppy (who doesn't love puppies?). Also, if you have children you definately don't want any risk of biting and you will (should) have done research on the breed so you know the dog is child friendly. Some people want a particular breed which may not be available as a rescue when they want to get a dog.

I kow you can get a lot of the above in a rescue, especially the puppies, but getting a dog is a big decision and commitment and a lot of people want to know what they are getting and don't want to take a chance and those are some of the reasons they go to a breeder and not a rescue.
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but if you arnt willing to sort out a dogs problems then IMO you shouldnt have a dog in the first place. any dog can end up with problems
 
My cats are rescues. But many of the dog rescues shoot themselves in the foot with totally unrealistic expectations. A 'small garden' shouldn't be a problem if you walk your dog on a regular basis and it should be possible to leave a dog for a couple of hours. Not all day and not everyday, but we were once turned down when my son's shift and mine overlapped by two hours and the dog would have been on his own for that time twice a week!!
 
digitalangel said:
i for one would love a rescue dog.

ive even been looking but the rescues make it very hard to get one. Sometimes i think they dont want to give them up!

I have an amazing job which lets me work from home, i have a lovely home, with my lodgers dog ( elderly staffie ) and land and gardens for a dog. Im looking for a small JRT type. but the rescuers dont seem interested.
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of course rescues want to give them up? :confused:
they just want to make sure the dog has the best life possible so it does not end up being left at home- past around- back at the kennels
 
PingPongPony said:
Just to add, 3 months on and that poor dog we wanted to rescue is still stuck in the kennels :(
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That is absurd, even if you are not "the perfect home" they are seeking it has to be better than stuck in kennels for possibly the rest of its life, if they rehome one it means there is space for another to be rescued rather that pts.
 
I rescued a little mongrel dog who 2 months later took a chunk out of my cheek and left me facially scarred. Most dogs in rescue centres are there because they have issues - whether it be aggression, possesive-ness, they might mess in the house, or chew ..... Its a big risk getting a rescue whereas with puppies you can be sure they're properly trained. I feel awful for all those poor dogs and do as much fundraising as possible for the home I had to send my rescue dog back to. Xx
 
I do understand and I do donate regularly to my local cat rescue.

I don't think that pedigree animals bred by a breeder are any less deserving of a good home.
 
ZondaR said:
There is a risk taking a rescue dog, a lot of them come with baggage and people don't want to deal with it. If you go to a breeder, you can see the parents, you can meet the breeder and you are basicly getting a blank canvas, a dog who has not bonded with anyone else and who is a complete baby, lots of people want a dog from a puppy (who doesn't love puppies?). Also, if you have children you definately don't want any risk of biting and you will (should) have done research on the breed so you know the dog is child friendly. Some people want a particular breed which may not be available as a rescue when they want to get a dog.

I kow you can get a lot of the above in a rescue, especially the puppies, but getting a dog is a big decision and commitment and a lot of people want to know what they are getting and don't want to take a chance and those are some of the reasons they go to a breeder and not a rescue.
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Exactly - and these type of people, who aren't prepared to take anything other than a "clockwork" dog with potential from a breeder are mostly the ones who give up the minute the going gets tough, and thats why there are so many dogs with problems in rescues. Our second lab had four homes in the first year of his life and was lucky he ended up at a lab rescue who understood he just needed a lot of exercise and a good home. He was difficult for about two months, but turned into a wonderful family dog. Two of his homes only kept him for a week.. Weren't prepared to put the slightest bit of work into him..
 
ZondaR said:
There is a risk taking a rescue dog, a lot of them come with baggage and people don't want to deal with it. If you go to a breeder, you can see the parents, you can meet the breeder and you are basicly getting a blank canvas, a dog who has not bonded with anyone else and who is a complete baby, lots of people want a dog from a puppy (who doesn't love puppies?). Also, if you have children you definately don't want any risk of biting and you will (should) have done research on the breed so you know the dog is child friendly. Some people want a particular breed which may not be available as a rescue when they want to get a dog.

I kow you can get a lot of the above in a rescue, especially the puppies, but getting a dog is a big decision and commitment and a lot of people want to know what they are getting and don't want to take a chance and those are some of the reasons they go to a breeder and not a rescue.
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Sorry but what rubbish!! And what a generalisation! A lot of reacue dogs are actually so blooming pleased to be out of kennels and with people they are even more attached to their new family. Staffords in particular rehome extremely well as they are such big people lovers. They are known as a breed to not show themselves off well in kennels. Mine look like they have been with me forever. So I missed the cute puppy stage. I stopped 3 healthy fun dogs from being PTS. I knew exactly what sort of dog I was getting as they had been thoroughly assessed, and I was given time to assess them as well. So just in the last 10 minutes on my Facebook,there is a plea for a 2-3 yr old collie cross, 1yr old JRT, and under 1 yr staffie cross. In pounds, time nearly gone. On the PTS list. Pounds will not rehome to the general public but rescues can take them, if they have the space.

Oh and Battersea may get a lot of visitors, but you cannot turn up, choose and walk away with a dog..
 
Personally don't understand it. Mum has 2 ridgebacks (one threelegged), both rescues, as were the previous 2 ridgebacks. All of them have been fantastic dogs, albeit all needed a bit of work at the beginning. All our cats have been rescues too, or randoms that turned up and needed a home. There are so many unwanted cats and dogs, why breed more. If people keep buying from breeders, they will keep breeding.
Friend of mine has just got a springer spaniel from a breeder, first thing I asked was why?
 
I looked at several rescue places but all they had were staffies and dogs with severe behavioural problems so i went to a breeder and got a puppy. I would rather have been able to take on a rescue but there was nothing suitable over a 3 month period even remotely local!
 
If I was looking for a dog I would definitely rescue. I don't see the point in paying hundreds for a dog when you could rescue one... The more people buy from breeders, the more the breeders will breed and the more rescues there will be... Vicious cycle IMO!
 
My kitty was a rescue! She was found as a tiny kitten, alone and wandering the streets. She had a good 18 years with us before she passed.

My dog potentially could have been a rescue, I got her from my friend who...well, she has more animals and money than sense. She's given away several animals and not really bothered to keep in touch or look at the home before hand. While they are with her, they have a great life, but when she gets bored...who knows what happens to them.
My little Annie was just too good to go to a rescue centre, my parents couldn't turn her away and we have had her for 12 years now!

Annie and Holly were the best thing to happen to this family :) I would happily rescue again and again!
 
I think the piont is a lot of rescue center don't want us.
I have had dogs from the RSPCA and Wood Green in the past. The first dog was, which one do you want and sign here, the second took us 3 weeks to get because my husband works very long hours and they had to see him. By that time the dog had caught mange and came to us with bad diahorrea. Both dog had problems but we coped and they both died of old age.
When the last one died I phoned and spoke to a few rescue centers. I have a large house and well fenced garden, no small children, do not work and live in a village and most importantly have the commitment to persivere with a difficult dog. My phone calls were treated with what amounted to suspision and at the least poor customer skills. They seem to have there own agenda and will not let a dog live out side in a kennel(ours have their own room in the house and sofa) but are quite happy to let them live in their kennels. You are just someone to be talked down to and they do not seem to realise that if you are going to have an animal that can disrupt your life and pee on your carpets you would like a say in it. In the end I thought WTF and went out and actually bought one, which I felt guilty about but it has been a lot less stressful and we have the joy of having a dog with no hangups.
My second dog I have just got through 'private adoption', try preloved.co.uk. A lovely rottie x GSD who had out grown her home. Met he in her own home with her family before bringing her home and she has been a joy.
Rescue centers are their own worst enermies, the hoops they want you to jump through just get smaller and seem to see all potential rehomers as potentail abusers. I have no time to suck up to them.
 
We tried four different rescue centres and were turned down by all four due to both me and my partner working.
Turned down at the application stage apart from one that Even came out to do a home check which we passed to be told that because the dog was going to be alone for more than 4 hours we weren't suitable to rehome.
The dog would have been alone from 8.30 until 12 then 1 until 5.30!
I come home everyday for lunch to walk our other dog. None of the rescues had a problem with us having a dog already and obviously we were only looking at dogs which were able to go to homes with other dogs.
Our current dog goes for a mile walk at 6am, again at 8am and a 2 mile at lunch all of them through the woods. At night both me and OH go across the fields where we meet lots of his doggie friends for over an hour. When he's not asleep upside down on the sofa he's playing with his toys or running in the garden but this isn't good enough for the four rescue centres involved?!!?
We fell in love with one dog which we met. They brought him out to us and we took him for a walk and then took our current dog to meet him, they got on fine. We were all set to take him home but the woman just said that they were really sorry but she hadn't noticed the amber highlighter on our file and said that we were unsuitable for this dog because of our working hours. I asked is it because this dog had separation issues or something and she just replied "we don't have any dog which would be suitable" we asked if we could be kept on the waiting list but haven't heard anything since.
So we are looking at getting a puppy from a breeder after Christmas, sorry if this offends people but I know we give our current dog a wonderful home and also have room for another and shouldn't be punished because we work, we are not bad people, we tried the rescue option and are fed up of being rejected.
 
Our last four dogs have needing to be rehomed before they came to us. The last time we had a pup from a breeder was about 18 years ago.

I have to say the next one I would like a pup from breeder or if its just wheaned as u miss that stage. It's not that I won't get a rescue again but that I would like a pup pup.
 
Because they make it so damn difficult! I knew a chap who wanted a springer, would give it a perfect life, out with him all day in tractor etc but rescue said no, reason was he didn't have a 6ft fence!!!! The dog would be in a warm building with 2 others, whom he met and got on with, when not with the chap and with him all day, yet they still find fault. The criteria is getting more and more ridiculous. So unless you are a rich stay at home lady of leisure or retired you have no chance.
Another is that some people will buy pups, me included, I know it's history, no hidden past. Also especially in the case of working dogs you may want a certain bloodline. There is NOTHING wrong with buying a pup if you go to a respectable and knowlegable breeder. I do have a massive issue with these puppy farms and backyard breeders trading in "designer dogs" though.
 
I got my dog from a rescue centre, she was five months old she is the most genuine dog ever and has a lovely temper however, she was one of the few dogs in the centre that they would consider re-homing to a home with a young child and it was nearly a deal breaker when I worked two hours too long a day, they really had to think about that one :eek:
 
I found my dog as a stray little scrap on the road. Think she had been evicted from the gypsies and she's yorkie x jack Russel type. She's been fab, was a bundle of nerves at first but is now a proper little character and most importantly on the yard with me all day and brilliant around the horses. I would go to a rescue but would almost rather not as I need a dog good with livestock, and I don't see how you could test this.
 
maisie06 said:
Because they make it so damn difficult! I knew a chap who wanted a springer, would give it a perfect life, out with him all day in tractor etc but rescue said no, reason was he didn't have a 6ft fence!!!! The dog would be in a warm building with 2 others, whom he met and got on with, when not with the chap and with him all day, yet they still find fault. The criteria is getting more and more ridiculous. So unless you are a rich stay at home lady of leisure or retired you have no chance.
Another is that some people will buy pups, me included, I know it's history, no hidden past. Also especially in the case of working dogs you may want a certain bloodline. There is NOTHING wrong with buying a pup if you go to a respectable and knowlegable breeder. I do have a massive issue with these puppy farms and backyard breeders trading in "designer dogs" though.
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I agree with this post I love that know where my dogs where born and the lovely people my dogs mum lived with its the best chance you get of easy well rounded dogs if a dogs live to fourteen you keep them in your house so to my mind you need to select and chose and train with as much care.
As for the difficulty of adopting the case of my SIL was staggering a perfectly good home rejected because she went to work at the local primary school one hour a day, how do these people think the people they do give dogs to get to the supermarket or go out for a meal it was frankly ridiculous very few dogs have people with 24/7.
 
Sorry, havent read the whole thread but my last 3 dogs have been bought from breeders recommended to me by personal friends. I just found the whole rehoming from a rescue thing far too stressful and difficult. Both breeders knew me and my lifestyle and actually chose the pup which they thought would suit me best. All 3 dogs have fitted in perfectly so they obviously knew what they were doing. Personal choice I know but I like to start from scratch and have the dog brought up the way I want them to be. I also would really struggle to go to a rescue kennel and choose 1 dog, absolutely heartbreaking and I dont think I could do it!
 
We were looking for a dog from a rescue centre recently. I saw one which we were interested in on the local rescue centre's website and rang them. The person on the phone said 'Don't know why you're phoning about him - he was rehomed months ago'. She seemed to be suspicious as to how we'd got the dog's info. I told her I'd seen him on their website. I expected her to say something like... Oh he's found a home now would you be interested in any of the others? But no, she actually seemed annoyed that we wanted to re-home a dog. Like others, we have a home in the countryside, large enclosed garden I don't work, children grown up and left home, etc, etc - what more could we have offered?:confused:

We decided to go for a 'brand new' dog and bought a lovely Border Collie puppy!
 
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