Stop *buying* puppies & kittens, animals are not a click-and-collect item!

[Former_Antelopee]

Can't help but feel a little sensitive about this post. I have just bought a puppy.

I considered rescue for 3 years, applied for 5, and a 'failed' assistance dog. There were not many that fit my criteria plus a lot of rehoming charities would not even consider me as I work 35 hours a week, despite the fact that my mum and dad walk my current dog on the 3 days a week I work all day.

The criteria for rehoming via UK based rescues frustrates me massively and contributes to the problem.

I thought long and hard about getting a puppy, but genuinely didn't want to wait any longer. My older dog is getting older and she isn't going to live forever. It would affect my MH massively if I was without a dog. I started looking in October 2020 and I brought her home 5 days ago. Yep I paid money for her, after 3 years it was the right decision.

Do I support breeding? I guess so, but very particular.
Do I support puppy farming? Definitely not.
These are not one in the same thing.

If breeders stopped breeding, where would we be in 10 years?

However in the past 12 months a lot of people have bought a puppy without full consideration and we are already seeing the fallout of that. And don't get me started on people complaining about vet fees.

I agree with this, rescues make it too hard for a lot to adopt. Also I’ve never worked at a rescue so may be wrong, but surely these dogs are alone the majority of the day in a kennel alone?and can be there for weeks/months/years.
I also think breeding can be done right and if it is it can cost the breeder a lot (e.g. blood tests for genetic conditions, X-rays for hips/elbows, sales contracts). For example I follow a breeder who tests for genetics to see if a urinary condition will be less/more likely and hearing tests all the pups as it’s common in the breed and only breeds from the healthy ones.
About people who complain about vet fees, I absolutely hate to see people do this, especially when they’ve just spent 2k on a french bulldog It annoys me so much especially when they say ‘you never see a poor vet’, ‘if they love animals they should do it for free’.

 

[Happy Lady]

My friend runs a local dog rescue and even throughout lockdown all necessary checks have needed to be carried out before handing over any dogs. Gardens still need to be secure for the safety of the dog. Homes need to be checked, once again for the safety as well as cleanliness. The prospective circumstances need to be checked too. As a charitable organisation nothing can be overlooked otherwise they'd not receive any grants to help with costs when each new stray or unwanted dog enters their care. They are fully in the know which dogs are most suitable for whichever household and can offer advice whenever it's needed.

Each dog is taken immediately to the vets to be flead, wormed, vaccinated and checked over, and only a small donation to cover these fees is requested when rehoming the dogs. They never expect, or ask for, costs to cover the bedding, food, collars, leads, etc, and all staff are volunteers.

They raise money by holding charitable events, and the whole operation of caring for each dog, establishing whether they have any special needs or behavourable issues, and the finding a forever home is a great responsibility and takes time.

As you can tell, I can't speak highly enough of dog rescue centres, and would recommend them over breeders any day. Dogs are not fashion accessories, and will give you years of enjoyment, happiness, love and faithfulness.

 

[klakstrom]

I’m really surprised reading the stories of not being allowed to rehome. When I was younger, I volunteered at an animal shelter for three years at the weekends. The turnaround of animals, especially dogs, was quick and I saw little pushback from the shelter to rehome them, so I’m guessing the rules are more stringent now.

 

[under the ivy]

I’ve had rescue cats growing up, from a local shelter. When my last cat died, I contacted numerous cat shelters and they said ‘no’, despite owning several cats over the years, having time to care for them, space and safety.

Same with puppies/dogs. They always say no. I have been brought up with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels who my family have bought (shock horror) from the same breeder for years, going way back to the 1980s. I don’t agree with puppy/kitten farming at all. Nor do I agree with people buying a pet during lockdown ‘cos they’re bored’.

I’m going to sit rather uncomfortably on the fence for this one, I’ll enjoy the splinters

 

[Happy Lady]

I’ve had rescue cats growing up, from a local shelter. When my last cat died, I contacted numerous cat shelters and they said ‘no’, despite owning several cats over the years, having time to care for them, space and safety.

Same with puppies/dogs. They always say no. I have been brought up with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels who my family have bought (shock horror) from the same breeder for years, going way back to the 1980s. I don’t agree with puppy/kitten farming at all. Nor do I agree with people buying a pet during lockdown ‘cos they’re bored’.

I’m going to sit rather uncomfortably on the fence for this one, I’ll enjoy the splinters

What reasons do they give you Ivy for rejecting your applications?

 

[Sarah honeysuckle]

I’m really surprised reading the stories of not being allowed to rehome. When I was younger, I volunteered at an animal shelter for three years at the weekends. The turnaround of animals, especially dogs, was quick and I saw little pushback from the shelter to rehome them, so I’m guessing the rules are more stringent now.

My first dog growing up was a rescue. My dad was a police officer and he one day brought a stray home that had been handed in. Got to love the 80s!

 

[no-no]

I really don’t like it when it’s the “on-trend” breeds, especially the brachy ones that need caesarians. I see a lot in pairs around here, they get dragged on walks because they’re just cash cows not family pets. I’ve been in the PDSA dropping a family member off and have seen bulldogs being bred and having subsidised c-sections - one woman was bragging about how the four puppies she had in the cardboard box would earn £2.5k a pop yet she didn’t even leave a donation.

I don’t think a lot of people know there are breed specific rescues for dogs that mightn’t pop up in general rescues often. I’m glad their restrictions are tough though because you read some horror stories from America where they’ve been lax. If you’re genuine and a rescue has refused you try another because if everything is okay with you and your home (fencing etc) then they’ll accept you. You need to treat the rescue experience as a hopeful suitor, some people will want a certain breed that isn’t a match for their lifestyle and I think the good rescues will be aware of this so reluctant to rehome. I seen a clip of that channel 4 show where the French bulldog cross had been dumped 7 times, classic example of people just wanting dogs like they’re a designer trainer and dumping them when they don’t fit.

 

[under the ivy]

What reasons do they give you Ivy for rejecting your applications?

They always say it’s because the house is near a road - even though the back garden is relatively enclosed and I always look for indoor cats.

 

[Rita Chevrolet]

I’m 100% with you on this. There are so many rescues, including breed specific ones out there and they’re overflowing with neglected and unwanted animals. All my cats, rabbits and alpacas are rescue ... rescue is the best breed there is

Our dogs have always been a very special breed - adopted and rescued; There is no excuse for lining someone's pocket at the expense of an animal, particularly as there are already too many creatures that need a kind loving home

All my pigs have been rescues, likewise our goat, the geese, my donkey and a lot of the chickens too.

 

[Barbie2020]

I’m an animal lover and we bought our dog almost 3 years ago. We chose carefully and it took a while to find someone I felt happy with. I didn’t get good vibes off some breeders but we finally chose ours and she was amazing with the dogs you could tell how much she loved them. She still keeps in touch now to see how ours is getting on.

I love my dog so much and I don’t feel guilty or bad for buying her. I do think people who rescue animals are amazing! We’ve always said we want to rescue whenever we get another one. We were hoping to give a home to a dog that is abandoned after lockdown as we can provide one with a nice life but it’s hard to rescue when you already have one dog I don’t think it’s fair to basically say you’re bad for buying a dog/cat etc as long as you do your research and buy from a reputable breeder.

 

[Kim Mild]

We bought our dog from a family I'm a neighbour town who's family pet accidentally got knocked up. In this case, Should the pups have ended up in the shelter before going to their lifelong family @Oohthedrama
?
We did visit the local cat and dog shelter to be told they wouldn't match us with many of the dogs because we had kids and the majority of them were too boisterous ( ironic as our dog is rather boisterous ).

Someone I knows mil went to the same shelter, she lied and said they didn't have kids in the family ( she looked after grandkids). They told her to see if a dog took to her, , I think dogs do often choose their owners.

 

[Chickenandgravy]

Slight offshoot from cats and dogs but rabbits....People who buy them for their kids out of pets at home for Easter!!! Then proceed to put them in the back garden in a tiny hutch, absolutely breaks my heart

I've got 3 rescue rabbits, one was someone Easter gift that got too expensive (he was from pets at home and their breeding isn't great so he has loads of problems and cos rabbits are classed as exotics the vet fees are huge), the other was kept in a tiny hutch he couldn't stand up in and my 3rd was kept in a drawer with 7 other rabbits . They all now free roam in my house (you can litter train rabbits!) And I would describe them as much closer to the personality of cats and they also have complex needs due to their delicate gi systems!

I honestly think the sale of animals should be stopped especially in pet shops

 

[SpiceWeasel]

Slight offshoot from cats and dogs but rabbits....People who buy them for their kids out of pets at home for Easter!!! Then proceed to put them in the back garden in a tiny hutch, absolutely breaks my heart

I've got 3 rescue rabbits, one was someone Easter gift that got too expensive (he was from pets at home and their breeding isn't great so he has loads of problems and cos rabbits are classed as exotics the vet fees are huge), the other was kept in a tiny hutch he couldn't stand up in and my 3rd was kept in a drawer with 7 other rabbits . They all now free roam in my house (you can litter train rabbits!) And I would describe them as much closer to the personality of cats and they also have complex needs due to their delicate gi systems!

I honestly think the sale of animals should be stopped especially in pet shops

That is mental, what is wrong with people. I always feel so sorry for the bunnies in pets at home in the glass cages having kids banging on the glass all day and under the artificial bright lights, such an unnatural environment for them.

 

[KINGAA]

I’ve rescued one from RSPCA, one I bought but I see more as a rescue as he was being awfully mistreated by travellers so I took him from the side of a road and my third I bought but it wasn’t a breeder. It was a person local to me and her puppy got her witch pregnant somehow before his castration... my dog was a dirty one night stand!

I did find the RSPCA a bit, much... very very intrusive. I went to the dogs trust before the pandemic to expand the family and they wouldn’t allow us to adopt as we work full time despite someone would be home most of the time there may be the odd 2-3hr overlap but no as we both work so I can see why people do buy as it’s very frustrating!

 

[Sarah honeysuckle]

I don’t think a lot of people know there are breed specific rescues for dogs that mightn’t pop up in general rescues often. I’m glad their restrictions are tough though because you read some horror stories from America where they’ve been lax. If you’re genuine and a rescue has refused you try another because if everything is okay with you and your home (fencing etc) then they’ll accept you. You need to treat the rescue experience as a hopeful suitor, some people will want a certain breed that isn’t a match for their lifestyle and I think the good rescues will be aware of this so reluctant to rehome. I seen a clip of that channel 4 show where the French bulldog cross had been dumped 7 times, classic example of people just wanting dogs like they’re a designer trainer and dumping them when they don’t fit.

My dad once went to a spaniel rescue charity. He passed all the checks, despite living in a flat, and they said he was the ideal candidate for a rescue. He then mentioned in passing how his grandsons will love his new dog when he finds one. That was an instant no. You have children in your house every now and then was their reasoning.

 

[Pixipoppy]

Just to add, I would love to adopt a cat but every single one I see on rescue pages says they can’t live with children or only older children. That’s fair enough as I wouldn’t want to distress the cat, but if I do decide to have kids in a few years it’s a hard decision to make. I also have nieces and nephews who would occasionally visit.

 

[no-no]

My dad once went to a spaniel rescue charity. He passed all the checks, despite living in a flat, and they said he was the ideal candidate for a rescue. He then mentioned in passing how his grandsons will love his new dog when he finds one. That was an instant no. You have children in your house every now and then was their reasoning.

It’s frustrating but I can understand their policy. Maybe they’ve had a bad experience in the past where something has happened so it’s just a blanket ban to avoid the risk. Flats and kids aren’t barriers for a lot of rescues, though. Some actively promote a dog’s good nature with children. It’s a case of persisting elsewhere. When you look at it that you can have a dog for 15+ years it’s not too much to have to bang down a few doors.

 

[Devondoll]

That is mental, what is wrong with people. I always feel so sorry for the bunnies in pets at home in the glass cages having kids banging on the glass all day and under the artificial bright lights, such an unnatural environment for them.

My neighbours did this, by 6 months old they put them on Facebook for free. I adopted them. They are lovely. Got them a new bigger hutch and am working on building a permanent outdoor run (they have access to outside but I want to make it better). Only downside was I was told they were both female. They were not. We now have 10 rabbits. They are all going to friends and we are neutering both parents to prevent future litters. I love them though!

 

[I'm not Putin]

Watching this thread very interesting topic actually as i feel quite naiave to the subject

 

[under the ivy]

My auntie rescued 2 mini lop rabbits from someone who didn’t want them anymore, awful! They have a massive run, indoor shelter on a night and have been spayed as they’re 2 females who were quite territorial with each other.