Staffies

[Magnolia]

I'm posting this on behalf of some friends who are looking to adopt a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. They're experienced handlers and already have a bitch who is an absolute delight. They have no preferences to its sex.

Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance

[dragonrouge]

Christine Animal on this site is an angel and heavily involved in animal welfare protection and the like.  She appears regularly under this section.  Suggest you send her a pm or a direct email and she will let you know the up to date position.

We love Staffies but ours is now 16 and coming to the end of her life.  She too has been devoted and an angel

[Magnolia]

Hi Dragonrouge,

many thanks for that suggestion. I meant to email Christine yesterday but got carried away doing other things.

Touch wood she'll be able to help

[Christine Animal]

Hello Magnolia.  I did have a quick look yesterday, but the ones on Rescue all seem to have been adopted.  Where are your friends and I can put a request if you like.

 

[Magnolia]

Hi Christine

The people who are looking live just up the road from us here in Leoville, Charente-Maritime. I'm popping up to see them later to give them your contact number (I got it off of your site) so i'll ask them to call you to have a chat if that's ok.

Thank you so much for your help - as always. You're a star.

[boxergirl]

Hi Magnolia ... did you ever find a Staffie ?  If not, I may be able to point you in the right direction of two needing a home ...

[Magnolia]

no I didn't. I've emailed you with my details. Thanks

[Shane]

Talking of Staffies, just had a panic phone call from some friends who live here in France and they have 3 non pedigree staffies (staffordshire bull terriers) . Today they had a fosse inspection and the french lady saw the dogs and told them that they are dangerous dogs, should be muzzled, registered at the mairie and could be put down if seen by a gendarme. Well to say the least they are very alarmed.

As it is they never take the dogs out in public, they live on a remote farm and have another two dogs, five in total, so it is not practical to take them out anywhere, plus the fact they walk them on their own land and they are all getting on a bit in years too.

They do go to the vet regularly for medication or vaccinations and the vet has never commented.

Is this all correct? They thought it was only pedigree staffordshire terriers which were on the category 2 lists.

[Christine Animal]

No it's the other way round.  A pedigree Stafforshire Bull Terrier is not on the dangerous dogs list.  There have been several threads on it on here if you do a search.

The problem if they are not pedigree is that you cannot prove what they are and they can decide by their morphology that they are a Pit Bull.  That's how daft it is and goes for any dog who may be unlucky enough to have that morphology even if its a Boxer crossed with a Poodle.  The fosse lady obviously doesn't know the breed, the vet is more intelligent and they probably have their vaccinations and chips under Staffordshire Bull Terrier, non?

 

[eve]

Can anyone confirm what the up to date legislation is for staffies (and so called "dangerous dogs" in general)  please? I have done searches on google and on here but there is so much conflicting information out there. I have a GSD and a staffie/JRT cross and have been coming back and forward between France and the UK regularly with no problems for three years. I have also previously brought a  full staffie in and out of France with no problems. I will be adopting another staffie in January and we will all be moving to France then permanantly. My new staffie boy will be neutered/chipped/vacced and have a pet passport. He is also old and blind and a danger to no one. We live in a rural area in Pas de Calais and though we go out "in public" with our dogs, in reality we don't meet any public. Will I have to muzzle my old boy when go for a walk when we are permanent residents? 

[cooperlola]

Here are the French regs:

http://www.languedoc-roussillon.pref.gouv.fr/securite/Securite_civile/chiens_dangereux/chiens_dangereux.shtm

Here's the form for your permit for the Staffie:

http://www.ville-garches.fr/images/stories/admin_municipale/chiens/demande%20de%20permis%20chien%20cerfa.pdf

but how you go about importing one, I can't get to grips with from what I've found so far.  I'm sure Christine or somebody similar will know.

[eve]

Thank you. The old boy (we've called him Alfie) is a stray, and saved from a pound by a rescue in Ireland so I would never be able to prove that he is a pedigree staffie. I guess I have to hope that the pet passport will suffice. Nothing seems to be enforced in the area where I will be living but I don't want Alfie to be the exception.

[fandango]

I think I have already replied to you on another site, but will do so again. Christine Animal on this site was really helpful to me when I wanted to bring our non-pedigree Staffie over 3 years ago. I will again point you in the direction of the directive from the "Ministere de L'Interieur http//clubcaninrochois.free.fr/Reglementat-ion/staffordshire.html

I can assure you that Staffies are welcome in France. Just make sure that your vet puts Staffordshire Bull terrier on his passport.

[Richard51]

"The problem if they are not pedigree is that you cannot prove what they are".

This is a truism rather than a problem.

Eve, you obviously don't have a dog that you consider to be a problem and I hope that you enjoy his companionship for as long as possible.

However, I must point out Staffordshire bull terriers were bred for fighting and although pedigree characteristics are now stated to be very "domestic", they do have the potential for considerable damage, by design.

By all means ensure that those in existence are well cared for, but please don't perpetuate the problem: in 10-12 years the dangerous dogs could be removed if drastic action was taken. If they are muscular enough and even look like a pit bull, then they should be under control ALL the time.

Don't think that I'm a dog hater - we have always had a dog, our current being a rescue (neutered) Labrador cross (there is some snobbery in having a cross) who is, despite his breed, very protective of his owner (or the one who feeds him) - must be the other bit of the cross that we don't know about!!

Perhaps this should be another thread - what breed should one have. Our neighbours in France are into hunting and their dogs are wonderful. They are kept outside and when being exercised will bound up to you and, if you are not on guard, will quite easily knock you over and lick you to death. However, they would never be let lose on their own.

Mr R51

[eve]

Hi Mr R51. I have had staffies and staffie crosses for many years and they are definitely not a problem, or indeed anything other than soppy cuddlemonsters. Even if they had been bred for fighting they were bred for fighting other dogs - not attacking people. So I'm not sure why they are deemed any more dangerous than any other dog or why you felt the need to mention it? Did you know that many lab crosses have been siezed under the DDA in the UK as they have similar "looks" to pitbulls?  My dogs are always under control and on lead when out and about until we get to a safe space to let them play off lead. Anyway, I'm honestly not having a go at you I really just wanted the up to date legislation on what is deemed as a dangerous dog in France and how to comply with any laws that there may be, as there seemed to be conflicting advice out there. Thank you for those who sent me the links to the regulations

[fandango]

Eve, please do not worry, as I said before, as long as your vet puts Staffordshire Bull

Terrier on the pet passport you should have no worries. As Staffie owners we are all aware of what they "could" do, just as any other dog could. My 14 year old would lick you to death and would let any burglar in ( and has done so!) However, I would never leave her unsupervised with small kids, but that would apply whatever breed of dog I had. I hope you get to France and enjoy your experience here with all your animals, Good Luck!

[eve]

Thank you Fandango, I know I must come across as ultra defensive of my dogs but I hate the way staffies are demonised when any other dog is just as capable of harm in the wrong circumstances. I wouldn't leave any child unsupervised with any dog either. I will be moving to France in a few weeks time and am really excited about it!. As are my dogs - they love it there.