Please Please can you recommend a Reputable Dog Rescue?

[L&J]

I have recently posted as I am desperate to find a new home for our recently rescued Border Collie.

He is a wonderful boy, but is not fitting in with our household at all, and my husband is about to put him in the car and take him back to the rescue (where I am told they put dogs to sleep after a few weeks).  I am desperately trying to find another solution asap.

He is very well mannered, he just cannot be homed with cats, and free range poultry, and he is causing so much stress to our family (of cats, chickens and ducks).  He is so sorry when he does something wrong, and obviously cannot help his chase instinct - at the end of the day he was born with it!

He deserves so so much as is a loving and loyal boy (he is so well behaved with me), but I am at breaking point as the stress on our other animals, and the family is getting more noticeable every day.

If anyone knows of a reputable rescue centre in the Normandy Area where I could take him, or a potential fosterer etc then please please get in touch, I just want him to have a chance in life.

Many Thanks for reading this.

As I write he is lying at my feet and I feel so dreadful, and I just long to find him his forever home, a place to call his own.

 

 

 

 

 

[val douest]

Hi – sorry, I can’t help with rehoming your border collie but felt very sad that no-one has responded to any of your posts.  I guess it is because it is a difficult one to help with: a border collie needs lots of space and exercise and that means the countryside. The countryside means livestock (ours and/or everyone else’s) and no-one feels like taking on a dog which will almost certainly cause problems.  But that doesn’t mean that people don’t sympathise with you and your situation.

I know you have contacted Phoenix and I am sure they will do everything they can to help.  If you do a search back through Christine Animal’s postings I remember she talks about various Animal Refuges and which ones are better than others.  If you do find a Refuge which will take him, it is obviously vital that they have the full facts about his chasing instincts.  It seems likely that this is why he was in the Refuge where you found him and it would be awful to think of him being brought back yet again because he didn’t fit in to a new home.

It might be worth contacting the Border Collie Rescue association in the UK http://www.bordercollierescue.org/. I know he can’t be exported there until he has all his shots and papers but they might have some suggestions or links to people or organisations in France.  As an interim measure could you sort out some kind of temporary enclosure or even somewhere he could be chained?  Not ideal I know but if he is brought into the house when you are relaxed and able to spend time with him, and is walked on the lead regularly then this will be a better life for him than being shut in a pen at the average refuge (though I know some places are very good).  This would take a lot of the stress off you and your husband, your other dog and the livestock and mean you could concentrate on your building projects.  If you worked with Phoenix and the Border Collie people you could then plan longterm on rehoming him in a knowledgeable UK home.  Of course something suitable may crop up locally in the meantime but at least you will have an end in view.  It sounds unlikely that he will ever be reliable with livestock so any rehoming will have to bear that in mind.

And meanwhile don’t despair.  If you can keep him under controlled conditions until you find a solution rather than trying to keep him alongside your other longsuffering and welltrained dog then everyone will be happier I’m sure.

Hope it works out and sorry I can’t do more to help.

Val

[Rob Roy]

Is there no way that you could train him to leave your livestock alone? Border Collies are such intelligent dogs, and of course are bred for rounding up sheep so are more than ready to 'chase', i.e. try and round up, anything that moves!

A shepherd I once knew started training his new pup by sitting in the armchair and making the pup sit still behind the chair; he then progressed to calling the dog to the left of the chair (go left) and when he had got that he did the same to the right. He also taught him to go to the otherside of the room, to sit and not move or to stop until told to go again.

I know it takes time, but training any animal to be obedient does, but it is so worthwhile as you get far more pleasure out of a dog who does as he is told.  

[L&J]

Many thanks for both the replies.

He actually sleeps a lot of the time so doesnt need a huge amount of exercise, all he actually needs is some love and a kind home. Our other collie is much younger (only a year old), and does need a lot of exercise, but then she runs freely around our grounds all day (or used to, cant let her out now as not fair on the latest addition), and was exhausted every evening.

With regards to training my family have always had collies so I know the breed very well, I have also trained my other collie for months and months - attended training classes and moved onto agility.  She is a breeze to own now and doesnt try and chase any of the family animals, of course would run after a rabbit, but her recall is so good she will stop and come back.

When we rehomed Badger it was always a risk, but he was so thin and sad that I needed to give him a chance, as to the training yes if I had hours to spend doing this then maybe I could make the situation better, but in the meantime my other animals suffer - especially the cats, who have to be kept shut away.  We have just embarked on a major 2 year renovation plan on our new house, where we are doing most of the work ourselves which means very long days of physical work, we have also rescued 2 young horses from the abbatatoir who also need careful handling and training, and I dont have enough hours in the day as it is. 

Its probably my own fault Im in this situation as Im such a lover of animals and just cant see any animals come to harm. If I was retired and could spend time with him then I wouldnt hesitate in keeping him, he is a lovely dog in all ways, just not with poultry, cats etc (but fantastic with other dogs), but the house is to become our income, otherwise we wont be able to stay in France.

My husband has had enough........all of the other animals get along fine with no problems at all and its just Badger that really isnt fitting in.

I am just trying to do my best, but he cant stay here much longer.

Many Thanks again for the replies - I just hope I can get a good outcome for Badger and soon!

 

 

 

[Panda]

Hello

How sad, I really feel for you.  I almost found myself in a similar situation having just rescued a young dog.  My old dog really isn't overly impressed with the new arrival despite the fact the new one is such a well behaved pup, she doesn't jump all over him, she has obviously had lots of experience with miserable older dogs and she stays clear most of the time.  I had the stressy first few weeks and to an extent it's still here, the dogs are much better together but the pain I felt when I thought she would have to go back was terrible.  She too chased the chickens and the cat, as she is small both stood their ground and so she learnt it's not a great idea to chase them, she has been chased and pecked by the chickens and my old cat hisses at her if she gets too close.

I have relatives back in the UK who could definitely help you with the re-home of Badger if only we could get him back to the UK.  They have already rescued about 10 collies and know how to handle them, they also don't have any of the things he likes to chase. 

I wonder if there is anyone out there who could foster him for the 6 months required to get his passport?  Have you tried the regional specific forums like angloinfo, you might get more joy with someone local there.

Panda

 

 

[Will]

You did ask for a refuge in Normandy, and nobody has been able to come up with one (and neither do I know of one). However, Fougères is very near to Normandy, just over the border in 35, and I can certainly recommend this place, which looks after animals very well, does not put down healthy ones, and has a good rehoming record.

http://membres.lycos.fr/amisdesbetesfougeres/

 

[Christine Animal]

There is a forum for Border rescue, there are already quite a few, but perhaps you could give it a try.  http://bordercolliemonamour.forumdediscussions.com/Borders-collies-a-sauver-f19/

In the meantime, you could put one of those nylon muzzles on him.  They are inexpensive and are in many supermarkets.  He may even realise why he has to have it on.  Is he neutered ?

 

 

[L&J]

Thanks again.  The help and support from people has been  fantastic.

I have posted his details on every site I know of - inc Anglofile Normandy and Brittany.

Also posted him on the dogpages site back in the UK - from that a wonderful lady has contacted her friend in France who is the publisher of a French Newspaper and is offering to advertise him for me.

Another lady who is an agility trainer and breeder of collies who now lives in France has also been in contact (she cant take him as has 3 bitches), but she is advertising him on a few French Border Collie sites for me.

Wiccerways in the UK have also offered to help (dedicated BC rescue).

Plus have had so many kind messages of support - Im just so grateful to everyone.

If we could find him a temporary foster home (surely someone can squeeze in another boy, you would hardly notice), and doesnt have to be local as I am sure we can arrange to get him to a foster home somehow where ever that may be.

I am happy to pay for his rabies injections, passport etc until he can go to the UK, and sounds like we have an ideal home waiting for him there - thanks to Panda. 

Thanks again......

 

 

[Rob Roy]

"With regards to training my family have always had collies so I know the breed very well, I have also trained my other collie for months and months - attended training classes and moved onto agility.  She is a breeze to own now and doesnt try and chase any of the family animals, of course would run after a rabbit, but her recall is so good she will stop and come back."

Sorry, L&J, didn't mean to "tell my grandmother how to suck eggs!" I do hope you have some success in re-homing. We already have three dogs and just can't cope with, or afford, another one.

[L&J]

No No Rob Roy, please dont apologise!

Im open to all suggestions....

He is still looking for a new home though.

We have family staying next week, and Im dreading it - we have to be so careful as it is that doors are kept shut, cats dont come charging into rooms when you open a door, he doesnt sneak out and get the poultry and its stressful enough for us, without having to worry about other people making mistakes!!

Oh well fingers crossed he will have a new home soon.

Thanks again for all the replies.

 

 

[Gail Smith]

L?

Why dont you buy one of those leather mesh muzzles just in case of accidents if he is still there when you have visitors?

It is not ideal but it will save him killing something if he should get out.  I really hope you find a lovely home for him.

Gail xx