# 'Rescues'.



## Alec Swan (23 June 2016)

I've delayed posting this,  to be sure of my thoughts.  I generally have a rather jaundiced view of those who operate 'Rescue Centres',  and I feel with good reason.  There are those who maintain an ethical stance,  but they're few and far between.  I've recently fallen out and seriously,  with someone who runs a rescue for lurchers.  Previously I held her in the highest regard,  not just because of the problems that life has put before her,  but because she 'knows' her dogs.  The DG and I have sponsored her 'shows' and helped her in any way that we can.  This is the story so far;

The woman concerned had two merle coloured adult lurchers come in with two of their 4 month old pups.  Both pups are both blind and deaf.  Both pups have now been re-homed.  

For any dog to have a balanced and intellectual relationship with a human and on any level,  there has to be some sort of rapport and contact,  obviously.  How does one house-train at the start,  or ever let the dog off a lead?  How great would the risk be of a sleeping (or even wide awake) dog being suddenly touched and reacting with alarm,  the list of what-ifs goes on and on.  How does a dog find its way around it's own environment using it's only other two faculties of it's nose and sense of touch?  Is it possible for any dog which is denied the two primary senses of sight AND hearing to live a life with any propose and from the owners viewpoint,  how would they ever interact with the dog?

Who with any experience would really want to take on a dog with such life limiting problems,  and despite the good intentions,  what future do these poor creatures have?

The former friend,  it now transpires,  had a greyhound bitch for re-homing, had a litter of pups from her which she then sold and then re-homed the now adult,  bitch.  Strangely perhaps,  I'm ok with that,  or at least I'm uncertain as to where the line is.

I wrote to her pointing out that I was staggered at her actions,  and withdrew any future support.  I also put a block on the FB page,  and she published my private message to her,  so I'm told.  The reaction from her other FB page and charitable supporters was predictable,  with well meaning fluffy-bunnies to the fore!  I've no problem with that,  in fact I couldn't give a flying fig.

What I find equally disturbing is that following my letter which she printed for the world to see,  she's opened up a 'Just Giving' page with donations adding up,  again so I'm told.  Perhaps she should thank me for my letter,  a nice little earner! 

I understand the need for those who act in a charitable way to find the funds to support their 'work',  but when the subjects of their work are 'used' as tools which prise money from the well intentioned,  then in my view that's wrong,  very wrong.  Those two pups should be humanely PTS and I'm staggered that she feels otherwise.

Alec.


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## Clodagh (23 June 2016)

So apart from not immediately having two pups PTS which any sane person could see would be the only way forward; she then 'rescued' a bitch, made use of her womb for profit and then sold her? The woman is appalling. I don't know any genuine rescues, nutters or sane, who advocate breeding more dogs, deliberately, in their centres.


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## MotherOfChickens (23 June 2016)

I do wonder if some can't see the wood for the trees or just develop a weird sense of perspective once they've been doing it for a while. I know of someone else on another forum who takes in blind and deaf blind dogs from Eastern Europe (she's in the UK). She means well but the stuff she posts about them is heartbreaking, I'd rather give my money to have them humanely PTS there.


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## Alec Swan (23 June 2016)

Clodagh,  the only 'OK' aspect of the rescued greyhound bitch,  for me anyway (!) is that there are also responsible breeders who take in those dogs of their preferred breed or type ,  and re-home,  so as I see it,  a bit of wriggle-room,  perhaps.  I'm trying to look for any positives,  I accept that! 

It's the pups which concern me the most.  30-40 years ago,  and even now amongst the responsible,  the right thing would be done,  rather than using them as a means to support 'Just Giving' and viewing them as an income stream.

Alec.


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## Chiffy (23 June 2016)

I am with you Alec, and Clodagh. Terrible, can't understand how anyone was willing to take them on. There are so many healthy dogs needing help.
I despair of rescues, I have just had trouble with a whippet rescue who don't think my garden is secure enough. They want 5 foot fencing, I have dry stone walling round a huge garden in the countryside, it has laurel and rhododendrons inside the walls some of over 6 foot but no, the dog might jump out. I have never had a dog jump out, my own or visiting ones.
Sorry, you caught me at 'rant' moment!


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## Fidgety (23 June 2016)

MotherOfChickens said:



			I know of someone else on another forum who takes in blind and deaf blind dogs from Eastern Europe (she's in the UK). She means well but the stuff she posts about them is heartbreaking, I'd rather give my money to have them humanely PTS there.
		
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A long term forum/FB friend (12 years) 'rescued' a dog from Romania.  The dog turned out to have a serious leg problem which required surgery.  Friend couldn't afford it so set up a page asking for donations for the surgery.  I had to stop following her for a long time because of the extremely upsetting posts showing shocking cruelty - stuff in countries I haven't a hope in hell of being able to influence.

I just don't get the mentality of importing animals to 'rescue' when there are so many (generally fit and healthy to boot) in this country that are deserving of a second chance.


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## MotherOfChickens (23 June 2016)

Fidgety said:



			because of the extremely upsetting posts showing shocking cruelty - stuff in countries I haven't a hope in hell of being able to influence.

I just don't get the mentality of importing animals to 'rescue' when there are so many (generally fit and healthy to boot) in this country that are deserving of a second chance.
		
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the heartbreaking stuff I was referring to were updates on how the dogs were coping (mostly not) over here and bringing a deaf-blind dog all that way etc although I agree, some of the stuff happening abroad is atrocious and I really do understand why people want to help-just not sure that rehoming is always the answer. I used to house sit for someone who was a serial rescuer of just about anything-no thought was ever given to their existing animals and what they needed, there was just this overwhelming urge to save everything. She's now heavily involved in bringing dogs and cats over from Eastern Europe as well.

As for rescues here though, its not always that easy! None of the breed specific rescues would look at me because I work full time. I did get a rescue earlier this year who is fab, but the same rescue won't all ow you to meet dogs before you foster them unless they are already in kennels (which she was) and I am not about to let a dog into my home without meeting it first (having had a very unsocialised rescue in the past). And then the local DT, with over 100 dogs, didn't have a single animal who could 'cope' with my rather nice rural home with fenced paddocks, a nice older dog for company etc etc.


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## EQUIDAE (23 June 2016)

Sounds similar to one I am no longer involved with - always taking on dogs with serious long term health issues and behavioural issues. One dog was taken in as known aggressive, was put with a fosterer and bit the fosterer, was then put in kennels. It wasn't looked on well when I suggested that the dog should be PTS as it could never be trusted in a home if an experienced foster carer was having issues. Then there were the pups that I fostered from birth - the owner of the charity had pick of the litter and chose the most lovely little bitch pup. The most placid and friendly of the whole litter. Pup develops food aggression and dog aggression to the point it needs to be rehomed. This person is a behaviourist and trains people how to deal with difficult dogs yet couldn't even deal with a blank slate, placid pup. I no longer have any dealings with them...


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## Bellasophia (23 June 2016)

Blind and deaf pups? I agree with you Alec should be PTS.
 Also ,I have seen some rescues who have two legged dogs as their poster children...
"help us to help them slogan "etc...also should be PTS IMO.
There is a tidal wave of healthy but unwanted dogs in rescue..,let us help them first ,and then perhaps , address the cases that will take a disproportionate amount of money to get stable,never mind fix.


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## Biglets Mummy (23 June 2016)

Bellasophia said:



			Blind and deaf pups? I agree with you Alec should be PTS.
 Also ,I have seen some rescues who have two legged dogs as their poster children...
"help us to help them slogan "etc...also should be PTS IMO.
There is a tidal wave of healthy but unwanted dogs in rescue..,let us help them first ,and then perhaps , address the cases that will take a disproportionate amount of money to get stable,never mind fix.
		
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Exactly and well said Bellasophia.x


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## tabithakat64 (23 June 2016)

I've been heavily involved with several rescues and have seen cases where the rescuers believe that any life is better than pts no matter what the quality of that life is for the animal concerned. 
I find this saddening as all they are actually doing is prolonging suffering but the emotional burden of continually making life of death decisions has become too much. Sadly sometimes the animals need rescuing from the rescue itself.
I also agree with others that 'we' should be concentrating on those animals in the UK who need rescuing and rehoming rather than importing rescue animals from abroad.
I'm part of a volunteer home check network and the increasing number of rescues that are expecting people to adopt without ever having met the animal which they are adopting is alarming and surely a recipe for disaster.


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## Cahill (23 June 2016)

agree with the last 3 posters


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## Bellasophia (23 June 2016)

I am a Brit in Italy..just this morning we walked my two dogs and I said to hub I heard an animal in distress( like a lamb screaming)....we crossed a busy main road and found a goat that had jumped a wire fence  and has hanging by itscollar,strangling itself. my hub managed to get the animal dislodged and sent it back it over the fence.
He was cut ,scratched and bruised but we were well pleased. The animal had been seen by many passing cars but had been left to its own sad end.
 In Italy people don't tend to get involved and the more outsiders do for animals the happier they are.
 I have been feeding eight starving donkeys for years now..I regularly complained to the police,the animal welfare and the commune administrators..no one will take a stand...two months ago they went to be slaughtered for salami..the farmer laughed in my face  .The mentality is very different over here,so animals that are imported will have come from a completely different " care, set up and probably won't be able to adapt to a more civilized uk lifestyle.


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## Alec Swan (23 June 2016)

Considering that my knowledge of the situation in the opening post is only what the 'rescuer' has posted publicly,  I can't state this as gospel,  but I'm also advised that the owners of the dog and the bitch and the pups also,  firstly looked in to having the pups PTS but elected for re-homing.  I also understand,  and just to compound matters,  that the parents are full brother and sister,  and that it was an accidental mating.

If the above facts are correct and if the person doing the homing was aware of all this,  then their involvement leaves me speechless!  This is indeed a sorry story you'll agree.

Alec.


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## ihatework (23 June 2016)

Agree Alec, but unfortunately you can't educate pork


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## planete (23 June 2016)

Not a very genuine rescue organisation by the sound of it.  No registered rescue breeds and sells.  And no genuine dog  person rehomes pups which are not viable.  There are plenty of genuine, above board, registered charities which go many extra miles for dogs in need.  As a fosterer, I have been very careful to investigate the legal basis and practices of rescues I have supported, particularly their finances and their rescuing policies.

Do I understand the pups resulted from a merle to merle breeding?  Numpties abound indeed if that was the case.  Poor little s.ds.


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## Alec Swan (23 June 2016)

I'm now advised that my former friend hopes that one day I'm also deaf and blind and such spiteful and puerile comments say little for her argument.  Neither do they encourage others to consider her worth,  I'd have thought.  Another 'Rescue' centre who've lost their way.  Perhaps it's the temptation to make money out of misery,  I'm really not sure.

Alec.


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## Brownmare (24 June 2016)

I saw this on Facebook and both OH and I were shocked that there was even an attempt to rehome them. Very sad that they will lead miserable unfulfilled lives in order to generate cash for this 'rescue'


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## Leo Walker (24 June 2016)

Brownmare said:



			I saw this on Facebook and both OH and I were shocked that there was even an attempt to rehome them. Very sad that they will lead miserable unfulfilled lives in order to generate cash for this 'rescue'
		
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That was my initial reaction as well, but I've seen some videos of the pups behaving like normal pups, and apparently they arent blind, just partially sighted. I'm the first to say PTS an animal like that but having seen the videos I'm torn!


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## PippiPony (25 June 2016)

Blind or deaf ok to rehome but not blind & deaf.  Were they pale coloured?  Think they may have come up on one of the sites I am a member of.
Shocking.  Agreed they should have been PTS.
As for 2 legged dogs I am staggered.  Another rescue group I do follow was pilloried by some folk for having a dog PTS rather than having some sort of cage with wheels made for it when it broke it's spine being hit by a car!
There are some odd folks out there.


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## Peter7917 (25 June 2016)

What's the name of the rescue? Can PM me if preferred. Want to look it up


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## brighteyes (25 June 2016)

Rescue and breeding in the same breath?


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## Country_gal (28 June 2016)

Chiffy said:



			I am with you Alec, and Clodagh. Terrible, can't understand how anyone was willing to take them on. There are so many healthy dogs needing help.
I despair of rescues, I have just had trouble with a whippet rescue who don't think my garden is secure enough. They want 5 foot fencing, I have dry stone walling round a huge garden in the countryside, it has laurel and rhododendrons inside the walls some of over 6 foot but no, the dog might jump out. I have never had a dog jump out, my own or visiting ones.
Sorry, you caught me at 'rant' moment!
		
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I had similar issues with a rescue centre and a lurcher I looked into re-homing (was about 5 years ago now)  My fence wasn't big enough...I have had sighthounds for years and none of them had ever jumped said fence - I think it was over 5 feet with laurel type hedging.  Then they told me they don't know if the dog could be kept in a house because he peed on everything....WTF


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