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Brits dumping dogs


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Sarros/Sarah - what a splendid thing you did stepping in to rescue the two

doggies - well done!  It makes my blood boil reading about all the

Brits that are piling back to the UK and just leaving their dogs behind

hoping others will step into the breach or abandoning them to uncertain

futures in a country that doesn' t exactly have a brilliant record for

caring for unwanted dogs!  It's inconceivable to me how they can do it

with such disregard for these poor creatures.  I know that some people

have genuine reasons and it's a real shame (though I DO question how

life back in dear old Blighty right now could be better than finding a

way to stick it out here given all we read in the press...??) and I

believe there will be those who genuinely care what happens to their

animals and think ahead and do their best to make arrangements.  But

how the devil do you get to the day before you leave and not check the

dogs' passports? Other stories/pathetic excuses mostly,  you read,

equally beggar belief and it makes us no better than the people we dare

to be critical about here in this country.  I thought we were better

than that and I think people should think very very hard about taking

on these poor dogs who already have had a bad time in most cases and

then just dumping them.  We have three rescued dogs and life isn't

always easy but if ever it came to the crunch, our dogs are family and

respected for the joy they bring us and the part they play in our lives

- where we go, they go too no matter how inconvenient or difficult,

there is always a way........... would be like leaving the kids for

heaven sake, only worse as the dogs can't speak!

Grrrr from the Aveyron!  Get a grip you miserable Brits and be loyal to your pets!!

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Doesn't bear thinking about, don't tell me people who know they are in difficulty don't think about renewing the dog's passport till just before they leave? Surely you have a bit of notice that you are going to need to return to UK?

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Perhaps its a case of being bothered to do it?    Personally I would not dream of abandoning ANY of my creatures to go back there, yet  I guess for those who are going back and face living on someone's sofa for months or years, well they may see it as there being No Alternative but to dump their animals.    There is always an alternative - if you look for it.

I actually know someone going back for money reasons.  It does happen.

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A friend of mine found a stray dog last week and because she already has two rescued of her own and a small house she knew she couldn't take on another so she set about finding the owner at the same time as trying to find a place to settle it in the meantime.  The local SPA was full to busting and turned her away (they complained about French as well as English giving their dogs up for lack of funds!) so she searched further afield and came across an English lady in the next department who runs a rescue place for dogs and she said that since January she has had 21 dogs and armfuls of cats from Brits leaving who couldn't be bothered to organise passports!  She was still getting frantic calls from such people with all sorts of excuses why they couldn't take their pets back to the UK and needed to leave them behind.  Our friends at Phoenix recounted stories of Brits who simply left their dogs on the property and took off - neighbours found them!  These are not just the odd cases here and there and several other rescue places who reported the same thing.  My friend did manage to track down the owner of this dog (she was a young pure bred German Shepherd in season, not chipped, no collar and running scared!) and give him a piece of her mind, but in that week she was unable to find anywhere that would help the dog or her because of overloaded kennels with unwanted recently thrown out dogs.  It's just awful.  I wish I had the cash to set up a holding kennels for people who don't get their act together with pet passports in time and do the paperwork for them (it's not rocket science, I've done it) and hang on to the dogs till they are ready for return.  But I lay bets it wouldn't help as most of these people just don;t want the expense or responsibility - fact!

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 In these hard times its not just dogs.....also horses.   In the UK it appears they are now being put down as there are not enough  places to have them cared for ...The silly thing is my son who has 2 newly fenced paddocks on his property and offered to take a couple  was told by one nationwide organisation for the care of animals as he had not kept horses of his own they would not even consider his land for them ....He even has a field shelter ...

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Newcomer - the German Shepherd was taken back by her owner and one can only hope that he will take more care of her after my friend advised him strongly to have her micro chipped and either spayed or at least kept in whilst in season!

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People do some terrible things to animals when in financial crisis but I cant imagine anyone who is returning to UK being so hard up that they cant keep their dog.  Many years ago, someone I know did shoot 2 horses when they became bankrupt and did a moonlight flit.  They were a nice couple - had they asked if anyone wanted the horses they would have been easy to rehome so many people, including myself were shocked by their actions.  At the time, they probably thought they had no choice.  Its not easy to disappear with lots of horses and furniture overnight.

However .... sometimes one has to be practical for the animals sake in the event of job loss, illness etc  Horses for example are not like having to rehome a dog.  My oldest horse is 16 years young, huge and lively.  I have had him 12 years and he is NOT suitable in any way for a novice rider or owner.  He would be difficult to rehome for various reasons but is brilliant to do in many ways which makes up for the quirks. It would take someone experienced to manage him although he can seem quiet 60% of the time.  Unfortunately an experienced rider would usually want something to compete on and he is retired due to recurring injury.  The kindest thing to do would be to put him to sleep rather than give him away, should the worst happen.  So often horses get passed from pillar to post and labelled dangerous when they are just too much for an owner who doesnt understand their equine instincts. 

Frederick - The horse charities sometimes work to very silly rules BUT unless someone who has a few paddocks with their house is accustomed to caring for horses it would be unwise to give them any.  Laminitis can catch out even the relatively experienced owner but is more often a result of well meaning people sticking a pony in the field because they are trying to help out.  Its is a very serious and painful condition which is avoidable but catches many people out.  The patient rarely makes a full recovery, needs special farriery, care and attention and is prone to the problem re-occuring.  I know of someone who 'resued' lots of new forest ponies because they have a smallholding - most of them have laminitis on and off and suffer from other problems due to their lack of knowledge.  These ponies need 'rescued' from their rescuers although if checked upon they would appear to be well looked after so not worth reporting.  If they had come from a charity organisation they would probably have been returned for expensive veterinary treatment that the centres can ill afford  -  the decision is not always just a welfare decision, ultimately there are financial implications to placing animals in the wrong homes.  Maybe your sons grazing was simply too rich but the fact that he hadnt recognised this would make him a higher risk. 

I have to agree, however, that pet charities guidelines often do rule out perfectly good homes by sticking to their checklists too religiously. 

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[quote user="scotslassie"]

I have to agree, however, that pet charities guidelines often do rule out perfectly good homes by sticking to their checklists too religiously. 

[/quote]

We came across this problem with a local rescue charity here in the UK.  We have had dogs for many years and had recently lost a well loved rescue cross who had been with us for 12 years.  Our home is a cottage in an acre of garden / orchard / wood, surrounded by fields...but only fenced in with sheep netting.  We have never had problems - our dogs have always being kept under close control until we knew they were ok without a lead.  We approached the rescue charity (the same one our rescue cross had come from) who did a home visit.  The woman from the charity said we had to get the entire acre fenced...or move.  I explained our background and expressed surprise at her comments.  She said that had we lived in a terraced house with an enclosed yard there would have been no problem!  We approached another rescue organisation who were completely different.  The guy was a former dog handler, chatted to us for a while, took one look at the garden and pronounced us 'ideal'.  So Digby arrived...and he is still happily with us 10 years on.

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Scooby, that doesnt surprise me at all. 

I have had horses and dogs all my life - they are more important to me than people sometimes and they couldnt be much better cared for.  I work full-time, live in a flat and dont have a garden (or a 'life' other than animals, work, animals, work...).  Bet I wouldnt qualify either!  The fact that the dog spends every minute with me when I am not at work would be irrelevant.  He even comes in the car to the shops or dentist but knows by my routine when I am getting ready for work and just goes to his bed.  When I ride he follows me round the farm and chases bunnies and deer to his hearts content (no roads nearby).  He undoubtedly gets more exercise than most dogs I know despite his owners lifestyle shortcomings! I must add that I do also have an 86 year old dog walker during the middle of the day which is as much to give the old boy something to do as to exercise the dog - demonstated by the dogs reluctance to go out if its raining !  I wouldnt leave him all day whilst away to work but have been known to take him to work and leave him in the car on the odd occasion.  He loves the car so is more than happy.  My career has always been hampered by my animals but this has always been my choice and I wouldnt change anything.

ps I wish I had your garden, Scoobs!

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This subject just makes me cry.  As we are the so called Brits dumping our dog.  Firstly it all sounds so easy to some just to get a passport sorted out.  I love my dogs they are my babies and l will not abandon them and just dump them.  But you know what we hhave nothing can't even afford shoes for my kids.  We are selling everything we have to go back and start again not easy.  I will make sure my dog goes to a good home other wise he will not go.  So not dumping him.  Life is not easy and you can't see what the future holds Wish l could.

Fact is we saved rufus from a bucket of water at birth and made him a lovely home which has made him a lovely dog and it breaks my heart to rehome him. 

A good friend has offered to have venus for us while we sort her passport out so we get to keep one of our babies.  Even though can't afford it that will come out the food bill

But because we are renting when we go back 2 dogs will be impossible to find somewhere believe me tried.

We are'nt bad people just people that can't cope no longer after five years of trying.  Yes our life is a mess.

People judge you just like that.  I am so upset by this.

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Brent / Lisa : I thought what was meant by "dumping" was just leaving the dog behind with no effort to find a new home. Or "putting them to sleep."

This is obviously not what you are doing.

We are planning to go back too (if and when our house sells) and are in two minds about our border collie who we love very much. But she would be just miserable in a town house with only a backyard.

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Brent & Lisa  - Actually, I think you will find that the subject of Brits dumping their dogs was not , in fact, referring to your plight!  Read the thread again.  It was praising some folks who had stepped in to rescue some people who left it until the day before they travelled to check their animals' passports?  I am the instigator of this thread and have based it on correct information provided by people who are at the heart of this soul destroying business of rescuing dogs left behind and abandoned for a variety of reasons.  I read you plea for a home for your dogs and you at least are trying to find a way to provide for your dog's future for which I give you due credit, especially if, as you say, you won't just dump him on anyone.  Don't think I don't understand (because actually I really do!) and again, I think I was careful to mention in my post that there are indeed some very genuine people who are left with no choices and they are generally not the ones that dump their dogs.  I am very sorry to hear of your circumstances and fervently hope you and your family will manage to overcome your present problems soon.  Please try and contact Phoenix Animal Rescue in the Dordogne - it is run by an English couple Sheelagh and Richard who have a network of foster people who do an absolutely brilliant job.  That is who we got our dogs from and they really do their best to home dogs with good people.  Here is their telephone number - 05 53 54 94 81 and their email  address - johnson@phoenixasso.com.  I hope they can help and I wish you well.

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If we do return I think she will come with us - we have got her passport prepared. If she does go into a decline, pining for the countryside, I have relatives who farm in the Borders, who would take her.

I was going to ask this as a separate question, how easily dogs adapt to a new owner, not having experienced this before. We would miss her terribly, but would she be happier in the long run, on a farm?

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I live next door to a vet and have done a fair bit of re-homing of dogs that the owners, for various reasons, want to have put to sleep. He is very reluctant to put a healthy dog down so asks them to sign them over to him and he will re-home. I have had from him several dogs, of all ages, and each one seems to really appreciate 'a second chance' and all of them, even the elderly ones, have settled in really well.  The worst part is trying to guess what the previous owner used as treats. We re-homed one eight year old mongrel who would get so excited everytime he heard a wrapper rustle, but, when offered the treat, a crisp, bit of biscuit etc, would turn his head away in disappointment[:(] It was only when I tied him up outside a newsagents and returned to find him trying to eat the pavement did it twig.... toffees! Someone had trodden one into the pavement and he was desperately trying to lick it up[:D] so if you do have to re-home, give as much info as you can about their routine. Fred, the mongrel, lived with us for a further 6, very happy, years dying suddenly of a stroke without suffering. We currently have another from the vet which we re-homed at 11 months, she has again settled very well and, from being scared of men, now absolutley adores my husband and sons[:D] So while it might break your heart to give them away, they can settle and be very happy after.

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We adopted a one year old labrador here in France. We have had him for over two years now and on the day we collected him he walked into our home, had a good sniff around, then decided where he would sit and that was that. All animals respond to love and as  long as they know they have that they will be yours for ever and so loyal. Over the years all our dogs and cats have been rescue animals and we have had little or no problems at all.  So, whatever you decide I am sure your dog will be fine especially as it would be friends who would adopt  and love yourdog.
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I said in earlier an earlier post that I couldnt get rid of a dog.  Then I remembered aged 21 I went to stay in the States, originally for only a few months travelling given that my parents had moved there a few months earlier.  My German Shepherd at the time went to stay with my aunt, her family and Boxer temporarily.  They spoilt him rotten and loved him to bits.  When I returned almost 18 months later, he still remembered me but was perfectly happy where he was.  I got to see him every month or two but he was really settled with his new family and I couldnt have taken him back and disrupted everything (much as I wanted to - dog would have been fine, aunt definately wouldnt!). 

So to the couple who are really struggling - I hope things get better for you.  Maybe something will turn up soon but finding a nice home for your pet isnt abandoning them and if its really short term its just like leaving them at kennels when you are going on holiday.  In my youth, I somehow bounced around rentals, flat shares and friends houses with dog in tow for a year or two until I managed to buy my first house - it wasnt easy - usually because of the dog.  I can appreciate that its now a lot harder with a whole family and the state of the economy right now.  That being said, I work for someone who has plenty of rental flats and is pet friendly.  Most have the clause in the lease automatically but when you ask, many dont really mind but you may have to pay a larger deposit. Majority are ok once you have lived there a while and proved to be reliable.  Or, not suggesting you lie but some tenants 'forget' to mention their pet. I confess to doing so on the odd occasion years ago.  Most landlords dont inspect the property once it is tenanted unless there is a problem or a complaint from neighbours. Landlords are not all bad, plus many would rather have a huge well behaved dog in a rental than 2 kids aged under 8 scribbling on walls, jiggling radiators of the wall and climbing up kitchen units etc.  I hope you can keep both dogs but as long as they get caring homes they will be fine.  Maybe you should put the children on ebay though - they cost more to keep!

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