Looking for a dog?

[lankeela]

Thanks to all the bad publicity the breed has had recently after the BBC programme, there has been an influx of Cavaliers from puppy farms who cannot now sell the puppies and Many Tears Animal Rescue have got loads to find homes for, plus many other ex puppy farm breeding animals.

http://www.freewebs.com/manytearsrescue/dogslo okingforhomes.htm

Please have a look and if you can offer a home or make a donation please get in touch with them.

[Ronny44]

Hi lankeela ,

I have been contemplating having a dog for the past few months, and have been in contact with the RSPCA and other agencies.

I took to a dog on your web-site but when it came to filling the form on-line, I felt it was to intrusive and cancelled the application.

I could offer a dog a good home with a large garden, but I dont need interogating as if I was adopting a child.

[jakep]

I disagree Ronny. Some of these dogs have been traumatised and the rescue centre needs to know that a new home will be totally suitable and be for ever.
The commitment should be the same as if you were adopting a child.
I wish I had the funds to add to our family of two labradors.

[lankeela]

Well if you saw how much 'interrogating' I do to prospective puppy buyers, you would run (not just walk) away. The alternative is to go to one of these puppy farms, pay your money and walk away with any dog they offer you - no questions asked. That is why so many people end up with unsuitable dogs or the dogs with unsuitable homes, and so the circle begins again when they have to be taken in by a rescue centre, who only want to ensure the dogs get a 'forever' home if at all possible.

[jules77]

Ronnie, I am interested to know what questions you found intrusive?

I have looked at the application form and cant see anything that I dont ask when doing a home check. If you dont feel obliged to answer the questions, maybe a dog is not right for you at the moment.

[twaflooers]

I have to agree with Ronny44 on this one. Not about any particular rescue centre but about rescue centres in general.

My husband and I recently began sourcing rescue centres online in a bid to find some company for our labrador. Rather than buy a puppy we thought we would do the 'decent thing' and offer a home to a dog in need but given the hoops we were expected to jump through its no wonder some people are put off rescuing and go buy a puppy.

I have never been without at least one dog as a pet. My dogs have always had regular visits to the vet, have had all of their vaccinations and follow up boosters, were neutered and given any additional vet treatment as and when necessary. I have trained the pups myself and have only ever been complimented about their behaviour. I therefore take umbrage with some of the rules, or should I say commandments, that the rescue centres dictate ie

What gives a complete stranger the right to demand access to your home to conduct an inspection or �homevetting�? What qualifies them to decide whether or not I and my home are suitable?

Why should I have to prove that I am attending training classes when I am perfectly capable of training a dog myself? Having paid for the dog/puppy in the first place and paying for its food and vet treatment I then must shell out more cash to have my pup trained by someone else? Perhaps my budget doesn�t stretch that far, perhaps I am just as capable of training said pup?

I could go on but I won�t, however I will say that if perhaps the rescue centres were a bit more accommodating and a bit less dictatorial with regards to the adopters then there may be more dogs rescued and less puppies purchased.

[leelapops]

Hm, I have to agree that the rescue centre has every right to complete reasonable checks on prospective owners to ensure they are suitable dog owners. While I understand your point, twaflooers, perhaps not everyone who enquired about a rescue dog would be as experienced as a dog owner, or as capable. Checks are done across the board to ensure that the very reason the dog entered rescue in the first place won't recur.

I really feel that if somebody wants a rescue dog that much, they will be more than willing to sympathise with the rescue centres, who do a great job and are already extremely overstretched, and to jump through EVERY hoop to get the right dog for you, and the right home for that dog.

Lisa x

[lankeela]

Surely you can see though that anyone could put any answers on an online application form, you could say you were the queen and lived at buckingham palace! Home checks are necessary to ensure that the environment is suitable and things like fencing are in place to prevent the dog escaping.

I would not let a dog go anywhere without knowing where it was going and who was going to have it. Thats how so many of them have ended up in rescue.

[lankeela]

I once went to home check for a greyhound that a lady was offering to take on. When I got there, she was expecting the dog to live in an outside coal house with no windows, no heating and just a blanket on the floor which she had 'got ready'. Suffice to say I did not even get the dog out of the car to meet her. No doubt someone will have let her have a dog to live in solitary confinement in a windowless cell.

[HJT40]

I have a re-homed dog from a sanctuary. This one lets you go on and so long as you pay and can provide two forms of id. Obviously I am not saying that this is the ideal way. However, there are websites that I look on and their stipulations on what you must have and promise are above and beyond. I was turned down for a cat once because I refused to have a cat flap put in by the front door, where a burglar could have easily managed to gained entrance.

I have one cat taken in from a friend who could no longer keep him and another cat from a sanctuary who did a home visit, who at the time did not mind that I did not have a cat flap (these are who turned me down later for another kitten!)

Some also ask for a suggested donation, but go on to say that if you can't afford it then you should question whether you should have the animal and larger donations are always welcomed. Does it mean because someone pays more that they are in a better position to look after an animal and less likely to mistreat it?

They also take great delight in slatting the previous owner who, for what ever reason, has taken the animal to a shelter rather than leaving on the street or having it put down.

Personally I do look in to what the sanctuary are "requesting" before I would go. I do not have a lot of money but my cats and dog are well looked after and well loved.