Just Andrea

Hi Eleni, I have the lovely scruffer from Narrandera in care now that may suit. He does not have a profile up yet but will shortly. His picture is in the urgent Narranderra thread still (pen 3 as terrier mix, post 4 on the the thread). He is fine with other dogs and my carer had lots of family visiting over the easter weekend including kids and he was fine with everyone. He is small-medium to medium so I think about the right size. He is a young adult. Let me know if you think they might be interested. Cheers, Andrea.

Exactly - that's what counts.

If my direct account of how rescue works and explaination of why people don't always get what they want is enough to stop said persons "prospective" adoption through all rescues then clearly there is no committment in the first place. As to the OP, clearly a lack of response is not suitable over such a long time and I am sorry for them they were turned off by a lack of feeback. A good rescue does not need a "perfect" home for an animal but one that sees both the animal needs met so that both owner and animal are happy for a long time.

Seriously? The owner who will be living with the dig and paying for it should have no say? I would never ever get a dog from a rescue far too much non-common sense in that sector. From what I read in this forum I wonder if some rescues actually want to rehome dogs, sometimes it seems to me the word rescue is just another name for hoarding. Yes very seriously. I am not sure how you can think a new owner would have any say because if they didn't meet the needs of said animal they wouldn't be getting it in the first place - so moot point. Some animals have very specific needs - which is why many of us spend many hours painstakingly writing up their profiles to explain this to potential adoptees so they can match up what they are looking for with the animals available for adoption. Its a matching service where the rescue groups ensures the needs of the animal are met and matched up with what people are looking for in their new best friend. If through discussions with a potential enquirier the animals needs are unlikely to be met, then I would be setting up that animal to fail in that new home if I rehomed to that situation. Then neither the new owner nor the animal would be happy and that animal would be back where it started. Not something any good rescuer would do. That doesn't mean I won't suggest other animals that might suit the potential adoptee where the one they enquired about doesn't - none of us like to "waste" good enquiries. At the end of the day if I say for example, an animal needs to go to a home with doggy playmate in its profile - it is because this animal will not cope on its own - we have good reason to believe this is the case - it still doesn't stop the 10-20 calls I get from people thinking they are the exception to this rule and putting their wants over clearly what is needed for this animal. Despite people regularly ignoring profile information and just ringing because of a cute picture they saw, I still take the time to respond to each and every one of these enquiries and I discuss either different animals with them that may suit or alternate options of access to doggy playdates, how much time they get inside, how much time they are home etc as to whether this will be sufficient to cover those needs. However, if your sense of entitlement dictates that you should have a young pup on its own outside only, you work long hours, can't be bothered commiting to at least a weekly doggy playdate or puppy school (for socialisation as well as training) or some way of socialising it each week either because you haven't got the time or inclination OR you want an active breed dog to inspire you to exercise but you've never been active to begin with and your idea of vigorous activity is throwing the ball in the backyard for 5 minutes a day OR you want a playmate for your dog and when we meet with my foster dog, your dog spends the whole time snarling at it, guarding you, snapping at it and trying to chase it away repeatedly and you can't understand why I say it won't work out, then I am wasting my breath and most likely I'll be rescuing one of your animals in future from the pound that you get from someone else that doesn't give a damn. Many animals in pounds are there because their needs AND the expectations and committment of the owners have not matched up. I take offence to any reference to hoarding - its is completely out of line and disrepectful to all of us who work our arses off each week trying to save animals in this rescue forum. There is nothing rescues want more than to find good homes for their foster animals and in turn being able to save more but getting it right the first time means it has a good chance of lasting the distance. That's what matters. Such arrogance!! As a potential purchaser of a rescue dog I take offence and I will take my business elsewhere. Arrogant how? Because I actually know what I'm talking about? I've explained that rescues are a matching service and that our priority are making sure that the needs of the animal are met so that both animal and owner are happy and the animal does not end up back in the pound. I've also explained that despite people still not reading an animals profile properly that we do take the time to discuss animals with people and have rehomed many other more suitable animals this way not just fobbed them off for no reason as all enquiries are valuable. I've also indicated that when you don't get the animal you want there is a good reason behind it and we are not setting up our animals to bounce from home to home because it was a poor match to begin. This is good rescue practice - we match animals and homes, we respond to people even if their initial enquiry isn't suitable for the animal they want. If you don't like a well-matched animal to your situation then that is your perogative to go elsewhere.

Seriously? The owner who will be living with the dig and paying for it should have no say? I would never ever get a dog from a rescue far too much non-common sense in that sector. From what I read in this forum I wonder if some rescues actually want to rehome dogs, sometimes it seems to me the word rescue is just another name for hoarding. Yes very seriously. I am not sure how you can think a new owner would have any say because if they didn't meet the needs of said animal they wouldn't be getting it in the first place - so moot point. Some animals have very specific needs - which is why many of us spend many hours painstakingly writing up their profiles to explain this to potential adoptees so they can match up what they are looking for with the animals available for adoption. Its a matching service where the rescue groups ensures the needs of the animal are met and matched up with what people are looking for in their new best friend. If through discussions with a potential enquirier the animals needs are unlikely to be met, then I would be setting up that animal to fail in that new home if I rehomed to that situation. Then neither the new owner nor the animal would be happy and that animal would be back where it started. Not something any good rescuer would do. That doesn't mean I won't suggest other animals that might suit the potential adoptee where the one they enquired about doesn't - none of us like to "waste" good enquiries. At the end of the day if I say for example, an animal needs to go to a home with doggy playmate in its profile - it is because this animal will not cope on its own - we have good reason to believe this is the case - it still doesn't stop the 10-20 calls I get from people thinking they are the exception to this rule and putting their wants over clearly what is needed for this animal. Despite people regularly ignoring profile information and just ringing because of a cute picture they saw, I still take the time to respond to each and every one of these enquiries and I discuss either different animals with them that may suit or alternate options of access to doggy playdates, how much time they get inside, how much time they are home etc as to whether this will be sufficient to cover those needs. However, if your sense of entitlement dictates that you should have a young pup on its own outside only, you work long hours, can't be bothered commiting to at least a weekly doggy playdate or puppy school (for socialisation as well as training) or some way of socialising it each week either because you haven't got the time or inclination OR you want an active breed dog to inspire you to exercise but you've never been active to begin with and your idea of vigorous activity is throwing the ball in the backyard for 5 minutes a day OR you want a playmate for your dog and when we meet with my foster dog, your dog spends the whole time snarling at it, guarding you, snapping at it and trying to chase it away repeatedly and you can't understand why I say it won't work out, then I am wasting my breath and most likely I'll be rescuing one of your animals in future from the pound that you get from someone else that doesn't give a damn. Many animals in pounds are there because their needs AND the expectations and committment of the owners have not matched up. I take offence to any reference to hoarding - its is completely out of line and disrepectful to all of us who work our arses off each week trying to save animals in this rescue forum. There is nothing rescues want more than to find good homes for their foster animals and in turn being able to save more but getting it right the first time means it has a good chance of lasting the distance. That's what matters.

Voted. Good luck. Great project.

I am not sure where this photo came from and have no comment about the motivations behind the photo nor the person themselves however I personally think this photo belongs back in this persons's personal facebook, twitter, flicker or website page or wherever it came from and has no place here. I don't wish to see a dead cat hanging by a noose anymore than a dead feral dog, rabbit or fox here despite the need to control all of them. I rescue cats and dogs. I eat meat and so do my cats and dogs. I know where it comes from. I also believe in feral animal control and believe skilled huntsmen are a necessary part of keeping our ecosytem intact. However, we are not a "boars are us" website or any other hunting site where people can promote their hunting achievements or prowess so all this photo does it upset several of us - although not the likely aim of the original OP, this is what has happened. I no more would like to see this photo in a working area of the forum where many of us try to save cats and dogs than I would a photo of a slaughtered cow on the wall at a restaurant I went to for dinner. Hopefully this whole thread is removed soon.

Thank Kalindi - sorry to hear about your fall. Hopefully it helps a kitty there for someone - I think there is one possibly due Thursday at Wagga. Cheers.

Ditto most of what NicB said. At the end of the day, particularly those of us who's rescue efforts are self-funded (not coming from a rescue group kitty or publicly donated tax exempt charity), it is absolutely our choice for each and every animal we save - it is our time, money and resources invested in every one of them. No-one has any right to tell me unless they are going to pay for them etc, what I should and shouldn't take instead. If there were 6 dogs on the list, 5 were healthy maltese dogs and 1 one was a bulmastiff adolescent with a suspect hip issue potentially costing thousands and I am setup to take and prefer large breeds then I am going to take the bullmastiff. If I take this dog and people who appreciate what I do or want to support me decide to donate some money to this dogs cause if we put up a donation appeal then that is 100% their choice - its their money. No-one has the right to decide that my dogs cause is less worthy of charity than someone elses. At the end of the day it is up to the person donating as to where and whether their hard-earned money goes. If a rescuer has taken on a few special cases which have cost considerable money (possibly even more than expected) and they put a donation appeal on their site, hold a raffle etc etc to try and cover their costs I say good on them. You have a responsibility to remain viable in rescue. Anyone who wants to be a martyr feel free but I would rather put my hand out and ask for help when funds are low to cover the extra costs so that I can continue for many many years to come. No-one is any good to any animal if they go bankrupt or are broke. This same point is equally valid for rescues not taking special cases. There are always unexpected costs that aren't anticipated. If you are running into the red all the time and are too proud to put your hand up when you need it, more fool you. NB I do believe there is a fine line between "milking" it and getting some support for some special cases and I do believe you should have the funds or be able to get them to support what you do without relying on public donations but they certainly do help and no-one should be ostracised for getting support to help them through some big bills if they chose. Side note: I have no knowledge of the group in question which instigated this thread nor wish to. Either they are genuinely taking in special cases and seeking support or they are just using special needs dogs as a way bleed the unsuspecting public dry. I hope its the former.

I must be having one of those blonde moments again............How exactly does her "sanctuary" save these former breeding dogs from the cycle of being permanently bred with again... I must have missed something? And great a large pen with a kennel at one end........and two males permanently in the females run the second she goes on heat again.... no rest for the wicked apparently. Poor girls (and boys). With the large and every growing export market overseas I am sure they are vetting "quality" homes too.

A vet can certify, that due to medical grounds an animal cannot be desexed at x age for said valid reasons i.e. reasons you have stated........there is a known disposition to issues with this breed if done too early. If I had any concerns thay any of my animals were at risk of complications by being done at said age, I would discuss it with my vet and if they agreed, we would delay it as necessary. If I was concerned about the council implications, I would get the vet to put it in writing. This would be considered a reasonable defence (which are often included in some of the Acts I've read) to a ranger issuing any potential offence/infringement notice even if they did for rehoming an animal at 12 weeks nondesexed or might even be considered an exemption given the vet certification. Either way, this could be contested reasonably and with just grounds if you were considered to be committing an offence. I would never take the risk of any surgery if I had valid medical grounds to delay a procedure. PS. I have no knowledge of the new laws in Victoria however, this is just how I would deal with the situation here if I had to. Sorry for your loss. Very sad indeed.

Ditto the above. I have read several posts in utter disbelief. It is your job as a dog owner (or a parent for that matter) to control social interactions so that they are positive experiences, particularly critical while they are very young and are forming their behavioural, social etc values. If you had a small child out in a shoppping centre and a heap of people went up and mobbed your child without your permission (touched it, picked it up, played with its hair, screamed or squeeled at it etc) and you could see that your child was uneasy - has that become a positive experience for your child? Would you be happy? I think not. Similarly, a puppy in its critical socialisation window gets mobbed by a whole heap of people that just shove their hands in, poke and prod and pick it up at once - puppy is uneasy - has that been a positive experience? I think not. The OP is not saying she doesn't want to interact with people and socialise her dog but the point is it is bloody rude to inflict your wishes on someone else and interact with their property or person without their permission. And if they decline for whatever reason (training etc etc) - so be it - it is their choice. Not to mention how dangerous it is for anyone to touch someone else's animal without checking first. There is a big difference between a child or adult politely asking if they can pat your dog and then doing so with your permission (win win situation) then a child or adult just coming in and molesting your animal whether you or they appreciate the attention or not. Its about respect and manners - to both dog and owner. Sadly lacking in much of society these days. PS Side note: some kid ran up to me while I was running one of my dogs not so long ago and said (while holding stick in hand) "Can I hit your dog?" Wonder where he learnt that charming sentiment?!. At least he asked though :rolleyes: Should I be rude and deny him the opportunity to hit my dog? Yup.

Got my two yesterday. They look great. Thank you for all your efforts putting this together.

What a surprise! I have been waiting for this for 37 pages........... Guess what - you are not the first person to be attacked by a dog! Get the help you need please if you are still traumatised by this event and stop being such a breedist! The fact that it "may" have some APBT in it does not make it unique to inflicting serious harm including death. My step sister and I were attacked by two large dogs (rottweilers) when I was younger - she WAS bitten several times already, I had to literally throw her over a fence to get into our yard quickly and I got a nice chunk taken out of my arse as I flew over myself. Had we not got out quickly who knows what could of happened. Perhaps another media headline. Should I have called then for all rottys to be exterminated because of one dickhead owner? How is that fair to all responsbile rottweiler owners? Dog attacks will happen whenever there are morons who get dogs for status symbols (and as MANY others have said unfortunately the APBT is the current dog of choice for bogans), don't contain their dogs, fail to exercise them, fail to train them, fail to socialise them etc. For the record I don't own a ptibull so have NO vested interest in saying this but consider the only spotlight that is put on them in the media. For the one attack purported to be a APBT X you will never see the thousands of well-adjusted pure APBTs enjoying their normal family life in the media to balance out your view on them because what sort of a story is that? Nothing sensational is it? You will also never see any of the many thousands of bullbreeds and their xs (possibly what that actually dog was) currently living in homes with children, cats and other dogs living well adjusted lives to balance out your view. I remember living on the Gold Coast 10-15 years ago when there were some attacks in Ipswich by some large xbreed dogs - the mayor at the time in all his infinite wisdom in a vote gaining exercise thereafter was going to bring in some scale of declaring all large strong dogs danagerous - this was barely an hour away from where we were living and there was concern it was gaining momentum given the media hysteria created....and it could have moved to the coast. The criteria was scary...I can't remember all the exact details but it was things like head circumference, muzzle length, weight, height, muscle definition - if your dog was over a certain head width, muzzle width, size, weight etc then it fit the criteria and your dog was going to be seized and declared dangerous. At the time we had a beautiful bull mastiff x and an english staffordshire bull terrier x - our big boy would have been right on the chopping block - he did nothing wrong and he never had a mean bone in his body and yet he was almost in the firing line because of someone else's irresponsibility. Your ill-informed breedism is scary because it threatens the future of good owners of all breeds of dog - pure or not. Most of us can see that BSL doesn't work, where breed bans will head and the worst still, bans that have been proposed in the past even based just on size, weight, muzzle length etc alone which would eliminate all large and strong dogs altogether. What a sad place the world would be without the gun dogs, the guardian breeds, the livestock breeds etc. etc. It doesn't matter what pure breed or cross that dog was - the dog itself was a ticking timb bomb because the owner failed to raise it and secure it properly.

Ditto what Sheilaheel02 said. I support alot of what RSPCA ACT here does but this is certainly the exception. One of my former foster dogs "Andy" if you look it up was an EDD dog in the army - he was weeks ahead of his class when he went in and clearly needed a job to do. He was unfortunately killed in an off-lead training exercise but accidents happen in all lines of work, and while I'm sad for him I know he was always destined for something else. I also had him for 9 months without rehoming success because he was just "too much dog" for the average pet home. He detected a fire nearby, he would go for 5-10 km runs with me and come straight in the yard running around with the other dogs, always on alert, always watching our fence lines. There are many dogs like this that need jobs to do and are just too much for the average pet owner. I certainly would rather any of my high energy dogs be given a chance to do a job than have their life cut short prematurely by a lethal needle. I recently had a call from the army recruiters asking about a kelpie in care - while she already had a home to go to and was certainly too laid back to be suitable, if she didn't have a home waiting and I thought it was the right move for her/she was a likely suitable candidate, I would have no hesitation sending her on for testing.... As Shaz said, these dogs are treated like one of their comrades - they love them like a mate..........far better than some dogs I see regularly around the place languising in backyards bored out of their brain and lucky to get the occasional pat...or roaming regularly...

I did put that info in my order but I have emailed them separately as well now - with my DOL name and what to do with any leftover postage money and if all else fails they can ring me. Thanks.

Paid for my two also (paid $44) - I did make a note for someone to advise on postage costs for two books. Order number is 299 - if someone needs to look into it - if its more let me know - if its less, then consider it a donation. Thanks.

Let us look at this from another angle: There is such a thing as dog park etiquette - "A Husky and a large Staffy x got into a nasty fight, the Staffy X was let into the park, very excited, ran in and bumped the husky." Any responsible owner would not just let their dog "run in" - they would get out of the car, dog on lead and surveil the park and settle their dog down first - walk around park, let dog have sniff on lead....etc, look at what other dogs were around and wait until their dog was in a less amped up state before allowing it to take off and enter the personal space of other people and their dog. Hyped up dog running into a park by itself bumps right into another - regardless of breed - what do they honestly think will happen.........? Let's not label the staffy anything - instead lets just label the owner a dickhead to begin with (and a gutless wonder for sculking away after his dog was allowed to instantly enter the personal space of another dog and his owners without being close at hand in a hyped up state and cause injury).

Sorry OT.....but this really broke my heart. What hope Is there when the law protects criminals, even though this one paid with his life but he also destroyed another family In the process My worry too Rottn and tdierikx - I am no more so trivialising this poor childs death than anyone else - it is tragic - but it does worry me the way the world is heading......... Where does ones responsibility lie for others actions.......it's getting absurd ..........when does an intruders rights superseed that of another and their loved ones in their own home! Should I now hope that if a person jumps into my very well secured yard in attempt to commit a crime against me my dogs will calmly sit by while they enter and leave my premises?.......might as well remove all security dogs in other places protecting property also as doing their job will likely cause them a green dream too.

Yes please one for me.

I would be speaking to the foster carer/group you got him from first above all else about how they handled him on lead etc. A lab x is a rather large change for you from a jrt or cavalier........ Just my opinion only: I generally wouldn't readily rehome a large dog who was strong on lead to someone who has only handled small dogs before (an assumption - apologies if you have)........small to large dogs is one thing.......small dog to unruly large dog is another. Perhaps he was well-behaved on lead with the person you got him from? Your first call should be the person you adopted the dog from for advice, any issues with the adoption.

Simple answer: NO. However, I have enough common sense to know when to stay away and not..... some of us actually do have some dog experience........ You are an adult and as far as I am concerned you can make whatever choice you like - however should a reporter ask you later how you got your face ripped open, or your legs, or your arms, would you be kind enough to tell them that you encountered an angry possum in the dark? Please? The dog world does not need the bad press that happens when people make such choices and get some part of their anatomy opened up. Souff

Does anyone in Canberra know who stocks good ones? I had a look at the site link for Jafco and while it says they will happily refund any "unused" ones I would assume once you put it on to try the fit I would expect it would be considered "used" by then even if it didn't fit....... I have wanted to get a good muzzle that dogs can pant, drink in for years but its not being sure of fit that's stopped me ordering one over the net......and I agree I want to fit it properly first. Can someone else tell me is there a particular "point" on the muzzle you measure to/from and what part of the muzzle you measure circumference from - thickest part at top?

It doesn't actually mean the mother WAS stopping for the child to get out. Its just what the child said she told her mother to the reporter........afterall I'm sure there was no embelishment in the story in the first place right? i.e. use of word mauling....... Like I said - unless you were there and actually spoke to the mother yourself you have no idea what her actual intentions were..... If I see a dog in distress - I will stop and help it - child or not - of course in my case I would have not let my child get out and likely have child locks anyway. But is beside the point.........I would stop to try and help a dog from being obliterated..........that certainly does the dog world more favours than just driving on.........

Perhaps a little hasty in judgement on the parent........ Kids will be kids.......we have no idea whether the mother was actually slowing down and stopping the car to attend to the dog herself and was going to tell the child to stay there, whether the kid just raced out herself...... who knows.......unless you were there........... Kids think with their heart not their heads and although not serving either the dog or herself very well, the motives were at least honourable. Perhaps the mother wasn't thinking straight either........who knows............if I saw an animal brushing with death on a highway I would do whatever I could to try and save it. I nearly lost my life when I raced onto a busy road at the age of 7 without a second thought to save a dog stuck in the middle of a busy road dodging traffic - I scooped the dog up (it could have bitten me but I wasn't the slightest bit concerned about that but it didn't) and made it most of the way across, then dog jumped out of my arms and got to safety - I wasn't so lucky. I was under supervision at the time, I was taught road rules from a young age, but all it took was a split second and seeing a dog in distress for all that to go out of the window and for me to race away from my mother and put myself in danger. It happens. Doesn't mean I have an irresponsible parent! So please lets not tarr and feather the mother.....instead lets save that for the person who let their dogs wander and put everyone in this situation to begin with and the sensationalist journalist who created this "mauling" article. I hope the child recovers wells without any emotional scarring.........and I'm sad for the dogs that are unlikely to have a future.