Secure gardens only?

Discodog

boomerang wrote: »

We have a no-kill policy so we're happy to wait for the right home to come along. It doesn't usually take long.

I agree with most of your post & your principles but the longer a dog waits to be rehomed the more Pound dogs die that could of occupied the space. No kill is a bit of a misnomer in Ireland.

Surely the key to this issue is common sense & flexibility. I could not rehome from many rescues yet my dogs enjoy a wonderful life. The last thing that we need are rescues that turn into zoos especially if the dogs are in far from ideal conditions.

All rescues should have a simple rehoming & appeals procedure to allow non qualifying people to show why they are suitable for a dog. Unless there is a genuine likelihood of the dog coming to harm then surely a rehome is worth the risk. The dog that is next to die would probably agree.

No matter how "humane" euthaniasia may be it is ethically a wrong solution & it has been relied on for too long. In any event anyone could rehome using a friend/family address or move after the rehome.

Hellrazer

Boomerang like Discodog I agree with most of your post--the point Im trying to make is that should having a secure garden be the deciding factor in whether someone can rehome a dog.

Twice in one day Im agreeing with DD in that I also feel that a rehome should be the option over euthanasia or leaving a dog sitting there for months waiting on a perfect new owner that meets all the criteria of the rescue to come along.

Like DD says as long as there is no harm that could come to the dog then a rescue should be the number one option.

Ive also been refused rehoming because of what Id consider ridiculous rules from some agencies namely the one I mentioned earlier that the dog should have company during the day---thats a bit much dont you think?

cjf

Again I can only speak based on my experience with rehoming dogs and while there are homing guidelines in place including that ideally the dog should not be left for more than 4 hours on it's own there is flexibility based on the circumstances of that home. It's not an immediate no the purpose of this is to establish if the dog is going to be left alone from 7 to 7 each day. Dogs are social animals who can become destructive etc if left alone for long periods. If there is another dog in the household this will be considered as the dog will have company. I work 9 to 5 four days a week and come home on my lunch each day to let the dogs out. In my experience we are looking for a loving secure home for the dog and will consider each application this is why we do home visits to have a chat with the potential adopters. We try to match the dog to the home so there is the best possible chance of this being the dogs forever family. While there are many decent loving people out there looking to adopt for all the right reasons there are some people just looking for a cheap pedigree dog or who think leaving a dog tied to a kennel from morning til evening is a suitable way of keeping a dog. As I said before the guidelines are not there to discourage people from adopting there are there to make sure that these dogs and pups who have already had a false start in life are not being geared up for another one.

boomerang

But that's the very thing - our dogs don't have to wait for months for their new home. And we're lucky to have great facilities for them, lots of interaction, plenty of exercise space, and some lovely volunteers who come to walk them. For a lot of these dogs, it's more stability and comfort than they've ever known before.

We don't have a relationship with the local pound and don't take in poundies. So there isn't the pressure on us that a dog is holding up a space while another needy dog is on the PTS list. I would venture to say that we intervene faster than the dog warden and pick up most of the waifs and strays in our area. We're better known than the pound, have longer opening hours, and answer the phone 24/7. The ones we're not diverting from the pound are the ones that have been seized by the warden or surrendered by their owners. I appreciate the point you're making, though. I still stand firm though - I don't think we should lower our standards to push more dogs through the system.

The only dogs that have to wait months with us to be rehomed are the greyhounds and lurchers - and that's not because no one wants them - not because there's no one offering them homes with secure gardens. But of all the breeds, greys probably cope best with kennel life, as it's similar to the life they've come from.

Discodog I honestly believe you are in a very small minority of dog owners who are willing to make great efforts to keep your dogs safe in the absence of a secure garden. I think you're lucky in your chosen breed also, as your guys are probably pretty docile and laid back once they get their daily walks. I also doubt it's the kind of home where they're just left sitting on the front doorstep for the round of the day, with no one home.

Of course we're not idealogues, we try to be pragmatic, but really with all the RTAs we deal with, the needless injuries and the enormous cost of treating them, a secure garden really is top priority. It's not the only rehoming criteria obviously, but it is a deal-breaker with us. We just won't take the chance. I'd like to think that in some small way we are creating a cultural change here, and that the idea that they should be kept safe from straying and theft is sinking in with people who hadn't thought about it until they applied to us for a dog.

Here's a question to anyone who's argued on-thread that it should be ok to rehome a dog to someone with no way of keeping them on the property. If you had to rehome your own dog, would you give them to such a home? It's a point to ponder and would appreciate any replies.

piperh

I adore my dogs and my previous ones and go to extra lengths to make sure my garden is secure because they do like lying on the decking and having the freedom to come and go as they please. But another factor to this argument is nuisance, why should my neighbours put up with my dogs getting out and running around? and possibly messing on their garden? what about the poor driver of the car who accidently hits them? or the children and adults that are scared of dogs why should they have to put up with dogs that have got out and are running lose? So no size of the garden shouldn't matter but security should.

Hellrazer

Fair play Boomerang and thanks for explaining that you dont have dogs waiting months for rehoming.You ever come across Husky/Samoyed/Malamute cross puppies by any chance?

Discodog

boomerang wrote: »

I think you're lucky in your chosen breed also, as your guys are probably pretty docile and laid back once they get their daily walks. I also doubt it's the kind of home where they're just left sitting on the front doorstep for the round of the day, with no one home.

I have had quite a few dogs over the years including several Boxers. My newest addition is a 15 month old Collie/Lab cross - so pretty active . Two of mine do get left all day & sleep through 99% of it just as they do when I am home. But even when I had secure gardens my dogs would always want to be with me & not outside on their own. All of my three dash out for a pee & are back in very quickly - especially if it is raining !.

boomerang wrote: »

Here's a question to anyone who's argued on-thread that it should be ok to rehome a dog to someone with no way of keeping them on the property. If you had to rehome your own dog, would you give them to such a home? It's a point to ponder and would appreciate any replies.

Well mine never leave my property except when they go for a walk. Personally I would never trust the security of any garden - an awful lot of dogs go missing or get killed by escaping from secure gardens. I once had a walled garden & one of my dogs got out because a gate latch failed to close. There is a danger of complacency if one assumes that the garden is secure.

If something were to happen to me then they are registered with the Dogs Trust Canine Care Scheme.

boomerang wrote: »

The only dogs that have to wait months with us to be rehomed are the greyhounds and lurchers - and that's not because no one wants them

Thanks for mentioning Greyhounds as it gives me the excuse to reiterate that they are wonderful pets. My only regret is that I didn't get one many years ago. I am about to take my pack for a walk. The Lab/Collie is too clever to fall for the old "pretending to throw the ball" trick so he waits for me to throw the ball. My Greyhound has the intelligence to work out where the ball will land so she wins every time. I had never imagined a Greyhound as being intelligent but she is the brightest dog that I have ever owned.

piperh

Discodog wrote: »

Well mine never leave my property except when they go for a walk. Personally I would never trust the security of any garden - an awful lot of dogs go missing or get killed by escaping from secure gardens. I once had a walled garden & one of my dogs got out because a gate latch failed to close. There is a danger of complacency if one assumes that the garden is secure.

Lol i have an 9ft brick wall surrounding my back garden and the gate is permanently padlocked(not even sure where key is ) and only gives a 2in clearence at the bottom for opening. Saying that we are due to move into our new place next month and one of the delays is having the 0.8c tree lined garden secured because i'd never forgive myself if anything happened to one of them. We used to have a dog that would jump out of bedroom windows to escape!!

Steve30x

The first thing I done before I moved into this house last year was made sure the back garden was at least fenced off from the neighbours. My last house had an 8 foot wall all round the back garden and there was no gate for the dog to run out of (Just like my current back garden). If the garden was'nt secured I wouldnt have moved in here until it was secured. I dont want my dog wandering into my neighbours garden or getting out to the main road.