Sadly a rescue dog is not an option :(

[Mr H 10]

As some of you may know I'm wanting to introduce a dog to my family next year and I came to the conclusion that an older rescue dog would be a great option.

 

However.....

 

I live in Beauchief in quite a large semi detached house with a large garden. Most of my neighbours have dogs (some are really expensive pedigrees) and my next door neighbour (who has successfully raised dogs for 20 years) decided that rather than buying another pedigree, to rescue a dog from a shelter.

 

Unfortunatley, (and this is a long story cut short) all of our gardens are leasehold and basically, we are not allowed to errect any sort of fence etc...so in a nut shell, it is impossible for us to have an enclosed garden.

 

Today, some homechecker came out to visit him and said he would not be suitable since he didn't have an enclosed garden so he is going to get himself another pedigree puppy.

 

After speaking with my other neighbours in turns out quite a few of them have tried rescue centres before but because of the garden situation they have always been turned down and they've gone out and bought a puppy.

 

Apparently according to one of them, it was easier to adopt a child than get a rescue dog

 

So unless somebody knows a rescue centre that doesn't stipulate that you need to have an enclosed garden I'm just gonna have to find alternative arrangements.

 

(just for the record, none of my neighbours can remember any negative incident involving a dog escaping / being injured because of a lack of enclosed garden).

[JoeP 11]

When we adopted two cats from rescue we found it a very strange process.

 

I have tosay that whilst it'snecessary to ensure good care is given to the animals,Ido feel that sometimes the checking is rather OTT.

 

Best of luck.

[Lotti 10]

Some of the breed rescues are less strict about it. We didn't have a secure garden when we adopted our elderly dalmatian, that was because they knew he was going to a good home where he'd get walked with our younger dally two - three times a day so a secure garden wasn't essential.

 

I can see why they do it, but it makes me fume - always going on about how there are too many dogs needing homes and dogs are being pts, and then they won't let damned good owners take one off their hands because of a bloody fence!

[rubydazzler 11]

I can see why they want to home check but some of their stipulations are way OTT. When someone I knew wanted to adopt a kitten, they weren't allowed cos they live on a main road. This was a half grown feral kitten that had been scavenging round the bins of a McDonalds for three months! Like, if it wasn't streetwise by then, when would it have been?

 

Part of the reason may be that most of these rescues are orginally set up and run by people who are a little over sensitive and therefore they want to get the best of all possible worlds for the animals. And they end up making it almost impossible for some people to take any of them home.

 

You might be better just looking for someone who's wanting to rehome a dog from here, Mr H.

[Mr H 10]

I agree with all the comments on here so far.

 

I do think rescue centers should do home checks because the last thing they want is for a family to take on a rescue dog that is unsuitable and will probably end back up in the centre.

 

I've been talking to my neighbour again this morning and apparently when the homechecker lady was 'interviewing' him he said he felt like he was being spoken to like a child who had never had a dog before. When he told her he had 20 years experience of dog ownership apparently she said that doesn't prove he was a good dog owner. I can appreciate where she was coming from but if they always adopt this attitude then I am surprised any dog gets rehomed.

 

Also, I was talking to my friend last night who attempted to get a rescue dog but he wasn't aloud because when the homechecker visited his dad (who would be looking after the dog during the day and was a dog handler in the army) his dad didn't take too kindly to all the probing questions and said the homechecker "of course I know how to look after a f*cking dog you idiot, thats what I did in the army now shove your stupid clipboard up your ass and use your common f*cking sense".

 

My friend was later told by the resuce centre they felt his dad would be an inappropriate owner. (his dad doesn't tolerate fools but loves dogs).

 

They do say power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely and I suppose these homecheckers hold all the keys so its no surprising some can be up their own arses

 

(sorry for negative post but I'm gutted I can't help a rescue dog just because my garden (which is massive) isn't secure but breeders have no problem in selling me a puppy?!)

[Moonbird 11]

Thats a bit of an over generalisation Mr H .

I have been home checked 4 times over the years for dogs, and on all 4 occasions the home checker that I had was lovely and nothing like that at all, she was really friendly, sat for a good doggy chat with a cup of tea and fussed the dogs.

I certainly didn't mind the questions because I knew that the dog in question had a really rough time of it before, and she needed to make sure that he was going to be here forever, and well cared for... that is a big responsibility to take on and don't forget the checker does not know you at all and needs to be sure of what you know, just because you say your good enough may not make it so.

I am sure that there are home checkers who may not have the best possible people skills, but I am equally sure that it is not the norm, and I can equally understand why the checker would have been reluctant to rehome a vulnerable dog to someone who she perceived to be aggressive (as in the case of the dog handler) just because a person considers themselves the right sort of home for a dog does not mean that others will also see them as such, and each dog and home are carefully matched, for the right "fit".

I do applaud you for wanting to take on a rescue dog, and although you may hit a blank with some of the larger organisations, who will have a blanket policy on rehoming, I do think that some of the smaller rescues can be a little more flexible, so long as they are absolutely sure that the dog is going to be well cared for and loved for the rest of its life.

I do understand that some houses cannot be fenced off, but usually they can put up some fencing at the back?

And just to add I can see how disappointed you must feel as well, I understand that you have posted negatively because of that..... I really hope that you get the perfect dog sorted out for you ASAP

[Plain Talker 11]

Sorry to hear that, Mr H, you must be very disappointed!

[Moonbird 11]

I This was a half grown feral kitten that had been scavenging round the bins of a McDonalds for three months! Like, if it wasn't streetwise by then, when would it have been?

 

I see your point Ruby, but I do have to say that just because the kitten had lived on the streets does not mean that it would be street wise, more likely it means that it was simply very lucky.

And I can understand why the rescue would not rehome it onto a main road, surely the kitten had began life in the worst possible way, how sad that it might then be potentially killed on a busy road, instead of living the rest of its life being loved and happy.

If the home is not right for an outside cat then there are always lots of cats in rescues that will be really happy and well adjusted as an indoor cat (and many that have to be ) these cats are often less easy to place, and I'm sure that with a little more patience your friend could have got a little cracker, and without the worry of it ever being killed on the roads.

[clouded 10]

At the end of the day, the rescue centre are the people who know the animal best. They will pass their knowledge onto the homechecker and will know what type of home it would suit. I think people should listen to them, and take onboard any information they have. Just because one cat/dog isn't right for you it doesn't mean the same can be said for all.

I do agree that you will get some homecheckers that are a little patronising, it's just one of those things.

You have to bear in mind with rescue animals that they always have a history, so rescue centres have to be choosy over where they rehome them to.

They're only thinking of the animal!

[Mr H 10]

At the end of the day, the rescue centre are the people who know the animal best. They will pass their knowledge onto the homechecker and will know what type of home it would suit. I think people should listen to them, and take onboard any information they have. Just because one cat/dog isn't right for you it doesn't mean the same can be said for all.

I do agree that you will get some homecheckers that are a little patronising, it's just one of those things.

You have to bear in mind with rescue animals that they always have a history, so rescue centres have to be choosy over where they rehome them to.

They're only thinking of the animal!

 

 

 

I totally agree with this statement. When it comes down to the personality of the dog the rescue centre knows exactly what sort of home is the most suitable.

 

My only problem is this "no enclosed garden no dog" policy.

 

80% of my neighbours keep dogs and not one has an enclosed gardern (and like my previous post the are gardens are massive) so how can a resuce centre not let a family have a dog when it is very apparent they can care for the animal / they have experience / they have a large house with grounds / somebody will be with the dog all day and they can afford to keep one.

 

My neighbour opposite ended up getting a dog from a market in Manchester because a local rescue centre turned them down. This was 6 years ago and the dog has grown into a handsome, well trained, healthy adult and has not suffered one bit from not having an enclosed garden.

 

sorry for the rant ...it ends now

[clouded 10]

I can see why you're angry. You can obviously give a dog a good home, and wanting a rescue dog says a lot too. Why not ring round a few, explain your situation and see what they say? I'm sure there'll be somewhere that has something suitable and will be willing to let you adopt one. There is ways round not having an enclosed garden, and it's not like you're doing it out of laziness, you're just not allowed to do it full stop.

It's not the end of the world, if it's getting walked regularly it'll only need the garden at bedtime etc.

I'm sure somebody will let you have one

[Adz 10]

I think maybe you need to think how you can approach this in a different way.

 

I know of some rescues who will re-home animals to flats i.e. greyhound gap will rehome to a flat if you can demonstrate that your dog will be toileted during the day in a safe manner i.e. on a lead and it will have walks as any dog should for exercise. This is because of the nature of greys and them not needing to be outside all the time, whereas if you were wanting a spaniel, terrier or collie as examples then this probably would not be an ideal arrangement due to the energetic nature of these dogs.

If you could show that your dog would be safe in the garden i.e on a lead, tied to a stake on a long line when it needs to toilet and it would not be let loose then you stand more chance of being able to rehome.

 

I must admit there is no way i could have my dogs in a garden that was not completely secure, they would have to be on leads i could not trust nor would i expect them to remain in a garden that was not enclosed.

I can completely understand why a homechecker would struggle with this unless you could demonstrate how you would keep the dog safe i.e walks for toileting and exercise or using a lead when in the garden.