Don't bring strays to pounds. Bring them to shelters only.

nando

pinkyirl wrote:

As for microchipping - we have both our dogs chipped but I kinda think it might be a waste of time as there is no database of chipped dogs. SO if our dog was lost / stolen, we would physically have to phone every vet with a description & the chip number - there is no such thing as a random vet scanning the dog and checking a database to see my name & number match the chip. It's a bit of a con.

That's simply not true. There is a national database and although it has had some problems in the past it usually functions fine.

I've never had microchipped animal brought in and not been able to find its owner via the database. The problem is that out of the dozens of strays I've seen, only about ten of them were microchipped.

mjffey

What do shelders/spca's do with all the non rehomable animals when they have a no kill policy?

Sometimes you have to make the crual dicission to put an animal down. Better dead then for the rest of his live in a small kennel with only a walk a few times a day. That's not having a goog live.
Think about yourself; locked up in your bathroom and only allowed to go for a walk a few times a day. How would you feel?

What also has nothing to do with animal welfare is shipping them to shelters in the UK. For every animal from ireland that is shipped to the UK or to another shelter in europe, in that country an animal will be put down because of lack of space and for those who think that this does not happen....

Leitim Animal welfare shipps animals with truck loads to the uk. They even have their own truck and driver on a full time base! and they go every week to the UK.
Same for SSPCA, MSPCA and a few other shelters here in the West.
The SSPCA sent two weeks ago a car load of cats (sometimes up to 3 in a cat carrier with no littertray, food etc) and all infected with ringworm, to the UK.

I have this information from somebody inside who is to afraid to speak out loud, so unfortunately I can't do anything as long as I haven't seen it myself.


They call this RE-homing....... My ***** (excuse my French) this is only to make their numbers look good.

sambora

Paws is a great place. I've been out there a few times. The people are so lovely too

Being the softy that I am, when it comes to animals, I get very upset when I hear about cruelty towards them. Its terrible that some people have the mentality to throw puppies from cars?? I mean, its disgraceful. Would they throw their own child from a car and leave it to die at the side of the road? I don't think so.

Rigsby

Its terrible that some people have the mentality to throw puppies from cars?? .[/QUOTE]
This gets to the hub of things. Our atrocious attitude as a nation to animals in general. In this affluent era people wont pay to have animals neutered and micro-chipped. Around the second week in January is the busiest time for pounds, as the novelty wears off the "present" and it has to be got rid of. If people were more responsible the need for pounds ect. would be reduced in a short time.

http://www.ashanimalrescue.com/

Baldie

bullets wrote:

Opening Hours of Mungret Pound taken from Limerick city counsil website:
Monday to Friday 9.30 - 10.30am

~B
http://houndsoflove.ie.tripod.com

It actually says, "The Dog Pound, at Brookfield Kennels, Mungret is open from 9.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m., Monday to Friday."

Im thinking of going here to "adopt" a dog. What kind of questions should I ask to ensure I am getting a dog free from illness and will be safe for kids to be around?

tecno40

I totaly agree with this tread, too many animals are PTS in pounds. Any sick animals will be PTS in A pound also. Sice pound are owned by government we should protest. They say there's not enough money-room to support all the animals, but they don't PTS children in orphanages (not that they should).

corkimp

I helped out at a rescue centre here in Cork - its in Glanmire. The people who run it genuinely care for the dogs don't get me wrong but too few are being adopted. The last few that were adopted were pups from a german shepherd - the pups were gsd X belgian shepherd. Beautiful dogs.
There is one dog that is classed as "dangerous" - he is a rotti and has attacked people. If you go too close to where he is he lunges at you -thankfully theres a gate! They operate a no kill policy. They also take in horses and ponies, goats and more. Not sure many people give donations to them. A local bakery gives them stale bread to feed the dogs. People need to be educated. Animals are for life - unfortunately people give in to their kids screaming they want a puppy or kitten and they give in only to be left looking after them when the novelty wears off, and the chewing and digging snaps their mentality! When asking kids in a school I visited I asked them things about looking after the dogs and only 1/3 of the class helped look after the dogs - feeding, grooming and exercise. It was mainly the parents job. Both adults and kids need to learn the responsiblity and research everything before buying or getting a pet.

tecno40

So true, but when the parents get that pet they should know after the "newness" wears off the kids won't want to help anymore.

Michael G

cowzerp wrote:

there is an animal shelter in coleen in meath i think? i got my rotty there and hes the business-animals well cdared for there..

Collon. Sadly, it's closed. I understand the lady who ran it died recently.

Michael G

Arcadian wrote:

The DSPCA will however send dogs to the pound, where they probably will be put down.

I'm fairly sure that isn't true. The DSPCA keeps all surrendered dogs until they are homed. The only exceptions are dogs that are dangerous or in pain in which case they are put down. Because the DSPCA is the biggest animal welfare group in the country it attracts a certain amount of envy and begrudgery and this is often reflected in allegations that are either untrue or were true once, long ago, when policy was less enlightened. Anyone who has doubts about the DSPCA approach should contact them here.

All dogs homed by the DSPCA are neutered and microchipped.

HunterS

Took in a stray cat a while back and rang the DSPCA after, unsuccussfully, trying to locate its owners. After initial doubts about if they'd put him down I was reassured that short of a major disese they would do their best to rehome him so I left him in their care with a donation. Sure enough a couple of weeks later he's gone to his new home. Enjoy it Mr Hammi (aka mongohead).

lurchin along

Sadly it is VERY difficult to get an animal into a shelter,they always seem to be full to overflowing.I never say no at my shelter,I'll always find a way to squeeze another one in but I can only manage coz I dont advertise and very few know about me...Even on this basis though I have more than 20 on the list -not all are ready for homes yet,there's a few medical issues to sort out and a lot of emotional ones.Some of these dogs arrive traumatised...

kimkze

I've rescued several dogs over the past couple of years, one from the Louth dog pound, one from the MSPCA and one from Drogheda Animal Rescue, a shelter here in Louth

The lab i brought home from the pound was very sick for quite some time. But i found that pound to be very spacious, very clean, and i know it is a fairly new facility, but the (completely over-worked) dog wardens there seemed quite on the ball and concerned about the dogs, as well as completely honest on dog's health and what they'd noticed behaviour wise in short time dogs were with them. And the fact she was so sick i put down probably to the fact she'd been straying for so long, eating i don't know what, sleeping where she could. i do know however they stick quite firmly to the 5 day rule.

My rescue from DAR was another eye-opener, they are great, fostering dogs in homes, and they'll spend all day taking you from one home to the next, until you find the dog that fits best. They do a thorough house check before they'll let you adopt, and insist on neutering before release.

I also recently rescued one from the MSPCA in Monaghan, now that place is a SHED (literally, their office IS a shed), completely overcrowded and underfunded, but i've never met people who work so hard to care so well for animals as them, and to place the dogs in the best homes they can. Although my boy did have kennel cough, they treated him, vaccinated, microchipped & neutered and all they asked for was a €90 donation. They do it completely for love, as they also have an excellent dog boarding kennel business, and get little funding for MSPCA. And although they technically go by the 5 day rule, if they have a dog they think they could rehome, they DON't pts. i think it's so overcrowded purely because people from the area know taking a stray there they have a better chance of surviving and being rehomed than in the newer Pound in Louth. i also saw first hand how upset they were, the last time i was there, coz the vet had had to pts some dogs they couldn't home. It's good to know some people DO care about these unwanted animals

sorry this post was so long, btw!

pinkyirl

to the OP - it's a ridiculous and uneducated generalisation to say all dogs in the pound are disease ridden etc. they do have a greater chance of kennel cough, but you bring them to the vet for boosters to get rid of it, worm them - and treat them well and they'll be fine. both of our had kennel cough but it was treated and went after a week or so. and it's not all mangy strays either, some dogs are simply abandoned by careless, thoughtless people who buy a puppy without being aware of the amount of work or dedication owning a dog requires, they get lazy and dump them in the pound.

we rescued both of our dogs from the pound simply because dogs in the pound are worse off than dogs in shelter - dogs in the pound WILL be destroyed after 5 days if they're not reclaimed by owners, or rescued - whereas dogs in shelters can stay there indefinitely if they're not rehomed.

both our dogs were house trained when we got them, so had obviously had reasonably good owners before us, who knows why they were abandoned - but who cares. we have them now, they live very happy lives, they're much loved and they escaped death by us taking them!

rescuing a pound puppy is the best thing you can do if you want a new dog.

mugginsgalore

not happy to hear bad news about pounds,but suggest that people wanting a pet go there first because of the five day death sentance.:mad:

Cathmandooo

I hope I'm posting this in the right place. I need help asap. I brought home a stray westie dog on Stephen's Day night, he was soaked to the bone, filthy, had sores on his back and was limping. It was a stormy night so I took pity on the poor thing and brought him in. We think he had an elderly owner as he got very excited yesterday when he saw my grandad. So we're guessing his owner passed away and the dog was left to fend for itself. It looks like it was loved for years.

The Pound on River Road dont answer their phone. Just have an answering machine where I've left a message. They havent been open when we've driven by.

The dog has piddled all over the kitchen so we've had to keep him in the garden and made a bed for him in the shed. Last night he got himself stuck in the fence at the back of our garden and between ourselves and neighbours behind us we eventually got him out. He's seriously stressing us out at this stage but we cant find anywhere to bring him. We won't just put him back on the street as it would be very cruel.

I've posted up a few messages on 'dogs found' forums. but have gotten nothing yet.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as we're at our wits end with the dog.

Thanks a mil, sorry for the long post!

lurchin along

There's a Westie rescue in Cork - lovely people and I'm sure they'll help you.They're pretty good at sorting transport too.
Can't find their number just now but someone on the forum will know them.

Cathmandooo

lurchin along wrote: »

There's a Westie rescue in Cork - lovely people and I'm sure they'll help you.They're pretty good at sorting transport too.
Can't find their number just now but someone on the forum will know them.

Thanks, I have a westie rescue in Louth that will meet me tomorrow hurray!! I'm glad i took him in but man it's been stressful!!

dizzydub

I rescued my dog Jasper from the DSPCA in Rathfarnham a month ago and he's gorgeous. He's only 7 months old but had been brought back to the shelter twice. The first owner took him and his brother from the litter and brought them home without telling his wife who was pregnant. She brought them both to the DSPCA. He was adpoted by another couple in October but they returned him in November....They refused point blank to have him trained. It's ridiculous that people don't think carefully before getting animals and just dispose of them when they get out of hand. The DSPCA is full at the moment and are appealling for people to adopt. People need to realise that a pet is a long term responsibility and requires care attention and training, and that it is absolutely not acceptable to have this "throw away" attitude to them!

tish@petstop

I had a bad experience with a pound in cork a few years back. I got a puppy but the mother wouldnt let me keep it,it was brought to the pound. The next day my mother wracked with guilt, went to get the dog back. within two days of having it back home it was dead from parvo. The dog was perfect going into the pound! The standards are horrific, animal welfare needs to be prioritized. Wardens and spca officials cant do their jobs to the best of their abilities without sufficent funding. Its a catch 22 and it sucks!!!

dori_dormer

Michael G wrote: »

I'm fairly sure that isn't true. The DSPCA keeps all surrendered dogs until they are homed. The only exceptions are dogs that are dangerous or in pain in which case they are put down. Because the DSPCA is the biggest animal welfare group in the country it attracts a certain amount of envy and begrudgery and this is often reflected in allegations that are either untrue or were true once, long ago, when policy was less enlightened. Anyone who has doubts about the DSPCA approach should contact them here.

All dogs homed by the DSPCA are neutered and microchipped.

I worked a summer job for an SPCA before and they DO send animals to the pound. They are only supposed to take injured pets and cruelty cases. That means that if you hand in your healthy pet for rehoming and there is nothing wrong with it, they will more than likely send it to the pound after youve left due to space issues. They did this a number of times when i was there. Its seems cruel but its not their job to rehome unwanted pets, thats what the pound is there for. They are there to rehome injured and cruelty case pets. They just dont have the space for healthy animals.
It is sad that the pounds PTS animals so soon tho. Thankfully I rehomed a lovely collie from there before it was too late. Shes a bit neurotic tho.

Michael G

dori_dormer wrote: »

I worked a summer job for an SPCA before and they DO send animals to the pound.

Since I last posted, I confirmed the position as regards the Dublin SPCA. They definitely do not send dogs to the pound, or put down healthy dogs themselves. There is no space problem. Dublin SPCA is an entirely independent organisation and is not affiliated to the ISPCA. Other SPCAs may not have the space or resources to keep every animal that comes in.

Tordelback

With regard to the DPSCA, (which I have extensive past experience of as volunteer, fosterer and adopter, but am NOT an employee or currently a volunteer, and am far from oblivious to their flaws) the clue is in the name: "...Prevention of Cruelty to Animals...". Their focus is animals that have been abused, or suffered injury or illness through neglect (which of course can include strays), NOT stray or surrendered animals per se.

They take the not-unreasonable position that the government provides and funds a service, however cockeyed and inadequate, for dealing with stray dogs in line with legislation. The state does NOT provide any such service for abused/injured dogs, or other types of animals, despite relevant legislation, and thus the DSPCA's on-the-ground resources are largely aimed in this direction, while they still campaign for a change to the pound service.

They also put a strong emphasis on changing the environment that generates abused and abandoned animals through an excellent education facility (both in visits to schools and groups, and on-site tours and taljs), and a programme of investigation and prosecution of cruelty in cooperation with the Guards. Reducing the flow of abused animals has to be better than just endlessly putting stray dogs in kennels for the rest of their lives.

It's a reasonable and pragmatic position, but can be very frustrating to deal with as an individual. They're a good operation, with an excellent spotless shelter set-up (paid for largely by the recent sale of their old shelter in Rathfarnham for development, NOT the pathetic drip-feed they get from the government), some seriously dedicated and compassionate folk, but they suffer from (IMHO) a pretty poor front-of-house strategy/policy that fails to address the concerns of members of the public who don't understand their role, philosophy or resources. It's short sighted, because they do good work, but (other than their education department) they can't seem to get across to the individual caller - who ultimately fund the whole thing.

BlackCat2008

hi, please forgive me if i make any mistakes as i am new to all things internet. I have read as much as i can about the post on pounds.I have run a small rescue centre from home for nearly 18yrs and have dealt with most pounds and rescue centrers.I am very picky when it comes to handing animals over when I am packed to the raffters.I get no funding and work all the hours I can to keep all well and healthy.Hope to reg. soon as I can no longer go with out funding or volunters to help if anyone has any advice about this I would value your input. I will post any I have to rehome as soon as i work out how to post pictures.

I have to say a few things about pounds you's are directing your anger at the wrong people, they do the best they can with what they are given. It is local council that run these pounds and don't put enought money into them to give these poor animals a chance.One pound belonging to Dun Loarie fingal is a disgrace they have a hugh amount of land and lots of old hugh buildings that could be pulled to the ground and rebuilt to house these dogs properly to stop disaeses spreeding insted of cramming them into two small yards were no dog could to well.I have meet and seen staff who work their and I know how hard they work just to keep ticking over.One of the last times i was there they were trying to rehome a dog thet was handed over and had a disaese that affected it nerveus system and could drop dead with a fright, although I wasn't there to rehome a dog I tuck many out for a walk and watched the staff gentley care and get the dog out of the noisie yards and sit and hug him.It is not the staffs fault it's the councils so get your pen and paper out and keep lobying them until they change the way they run these pounds, keep a copy saved and change a few words every week and keep posting one every week until they change, and do whatever u can to advoid giving them a dog to rehome.If u think u can spear an hour a week go and walk some dogs give them a break and the staff too.

Tordelback

Well said, BlackCat2008. It's poor state resourcing of the pound system that's a real problem - and one unlikely to get any better soon. I might add that several full-time animal welfare people I know started out working in the pound system, so it's certainly not always lack of compassion on the part of the staff that are the issue. And ultimately it's us dog owners that are (generally) at fault for causing the problem in the first place.

BlackCat2008

Poeple must understand just because this is not right on your door step dosen't mean you have to ignore it.Don't just moan about it keep writing to those that can make change happen.And if u think it's hard to go to a pound or shelter just to walk or pet a dog and cry when u leave just think how hard it is for the dogs stuck there. Walking and socialising them gives them a better chance at a new home, as heartbreaking as it is to walk away think only of all the good things you can do to help them get a home sooner.

testdog

ive recently found a stray dog with no collar. ive been minding it but id like to bring it to a shelter/rehoming place. i dont know any of these places. i would love to keep but i dnt havthe room.

coco_lola

Limerick Animal Welfare in Kilfinane are absolutely fantastic, give them a call, they're opened from 11-3 Monday to Friday 063 91110 or 087 6371044

http://www.limerickanimalwelfare.ie/

They have a no-kill policy, and are absolutely fantastic at what they do!!

testdog

thanks very much ill try that