Bad Publicity?

[sallyandtex]

Its good people are rescuing the shelter animals, but a real shame that they are encouraging people to take siblings

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/record-for-rspca-adoptions/2414363.aspx

[Ben and Jerry]

I understood the storey as though people were coming in having a look and leaving with a new pet. To me it sounds as though they may have been giving animals away too fast without doing the neccessary checks on each new family. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[Kavik]

What is more interesting is that they went in looking for a JRT and came home with 2 Rotty X Cattle Dogs - bit different . . .

[toy*dog]

I understood the storey as though people were coming in having a look and leaving with a new pet. To me it sounds as though they may have been giving animals away too fast without doing the neccessary checks on each new family. Hopefully I'm wrong.

most places make sure they are going to be the right home. We rescued 2 bitsa's from RSPCA and a rescue organisation and they asked alot of questions. But maybe there are some organisations that don't check enough but hopefully they are few and far between.

also the golden rescue had a number of forms to fill out. my brother felt like he said, he was going for an exam of some sort.

Edited January 12, 2012 by toy*dog

[sandgrubber]

Those of you who are critical, what is a suburban shelter to do with a cattle dog x rotti? People with the environment, skills and knowledge appropriate for such a cross are few in number, and they aren't likely to go to a shelter to get their pups.

The message I take away is too many people are dumping animals over Xmas. Shelters may think it's better to place with a degree of risk than to pts. Who knows, this placement may work out fine, despite the danger signs.

[Maddy]

Those of you who are critical, what is a suburban shelter to do with a cattle dog x rotti? People with the environment, skills and knowledge appropriate for such a cross are few in number, and they aren't likely to go to a shelter to get their pups.

The message I take away is too many people are dumping animals over Xmas. Shelters may think it's better to place with a degree of risk than to pts. Who knows, this placement may work out fine, despite the danger signs.

It may work out fine but ethical rescue is about carefully managing risks to ensure the best outcomes for the animals involved.

Is it better for a dog to be bounced from home to home just to keep it alive? I'm not convinced that's really in the best interests of the dog or the rescue/s involved.

[sandgrubber]

Those of you who are critical, what is a suburban shelter to do with a cattle dog x rotti? People with the environment, skills and knowledge appropriate for such a cross are few in number, and they aren't likely to go to a shelter to get their pups.

The message I take away is too many people are dumping animals over Xmas. Shelters may think it's better to place with a degree of risk than to pts. Who knows, this placement may work out fine, despite the danger signs.

It may work out fine but ethical rescue is about carefully managing risks to ensure the best outcomes for the animals involved.

Is it better for a dog to be bounced from home to home just to keep it alive? I'm not convinced that's really in the best interests of the dog or the rescue/s involved.

Morality is subjective. I could argue this case either way. But I wouldn't be quick to condemn someone who didn't have the heart to see puppies pts because they were X-breeds with two known larger breeds with reputations for attacking, and strong tendency to guard. Especially when you're talking about the placement of puppies, and the adopters have kept a JRT to 15 yrs. The girl is 11, I'd say, a good age for learning skills of dog management/training if she's seriously committed to the adoption and her Mum has the ability to keep her on track and support her in going to training classes, etc. We don't know the details.

I find it hypocritical that people who are against BSL are willing to accept BS euthanasia in rescue facilities. If you're going to adopt policies that, in effect, say 'kill LGD crosses first' in a shelter, I'd say it's reasonable to support restrictions on who can own and breed LGD's.

I'm now in California. Pit bulls (local definition includes SBTs and AmStaffs and X-breeds) are the #1 type in shelters. It's a moral minefield. Most shelters are anti BSL and there's a plethora of organisations working to promote pit bull adoptions. The forever homes aren't showing up, and a disgustingly large number of dogs are pts. Many of the pit bull rescue folks are in favour of mandatory spey/neuter.

Btw., in my book 'ethics' is when someone else tells you what is right and wrong and 'morality' is when you make your own decision based on your own values. I have deliberately avoided the word ethics here . . . because it's a situation where many ethical codes come into conflict. On this one, as the hymn says: "You gotta walk this lonesome valley by yourself."

Edited January 13, 2012 by sandgrubber

[Maddy]

Btw., in my book 'ethics' is when someone else tells you what is right and wrong and 'morality' is when you make your own decision based on your own values. I have deliberately avoided the word ethics here . . . because it's a situation where many ethical codes come into conflict. On this one, as the hymn says: "You gotta walk this lonesome valley by yourself."

When your rehoming practises can have big impacts (positive or negative), the rescuer/shelter is no longer just dealing with appeasing their own morals. You have other peoples' families and pets to think about when you make rehoming decisions and doing what satisfies your own morals could have horrible results for someone else's family.

Yes, these two dogs will die unless this family takes them (not that you have to PTS just to make space- manage your shelter better, get community involved happening, foster carers, whatever) but you have to think of all the possible outcomes and weigh up the risk of rehoming against the benefit to not just the dogs but also the family.

Two days ago, I had someone very interested in one of my dogs- the dog won't be an easy rehome because although he's a popular colour, he's a very pushy, assertive, big boy who isn't suitable for a home with cats, other dogs (unless it was a very quiet dog) or children under 12 years old. I could've offloaded him onto this unsuspecting family (several kids and two cats).. morally, I'd be happy- dog rehomed and my job is done because it left here alive, whatever happens next is not my problem. But ethically.. god, no.

And I'm afraid I just can't feel warm and fuzzy about other people doing what I consider to be taking unacceptable risks with other peoples' lives.

typo

Edited January 13, 2012 by Hardy's Angel

[sallyandtex]

Oh dear I think my main point may have been missed.

I am all for the correct placement of rescue dogs, it's just that I have found some shelters wanting to "off-load" 2 puppies, especially an active breed like that i wish they would get the people to read all the problems siblings can bring, and maybe think a week or so about taking 2, especially after having only 1 small breed.

I know the shelters foster people do an AWESOME job, but i worry that they should give the clients requesting 2 ("to save 2 lives") maybe consider different aged dogs.

[Souff]

Oh dear I think my main point may have been missed.

I am all for the correct placement of rescue dogs, it's just that I have found some shelters wanting to "off-load" 2 puppies, especially an active breed like that i wish they would get the people to read all the problems siblings can bring, and maybe think a week or so about taking 2, especially after having only 1 small breed.

I know the shelters foster people do an AWESOME job, but i worry that they should give the clients requesting 2 ("to save 2 lives") maybe consider different aged dogs.

You raise a very good point. Like you, I admire the work done by the shelters but .....

What happens at the end of the January holidays and the new pups are left alone when families go back to work and school?

Is this really very different to the impulse buyers who get a pup from a pet shop during the school holidays?

The pup that they buy from a pet shop might well be sent to a shelter in March because it is no longer cute and has eaten a few cushions and screen doors (after having been such a fun pup to have during the holidays?

I also think the practice of sending two pups together is very wrong, and I also think early January is a bad time to promote the re-homing of dogs from shelters.

jmho as usual.

Souff

[Souff]

Those of you who are critical, what is a suburban shelter to do with a cattle dog x rotti? People with the environment, skills and knowledge appropriate for such a cross are few in number, and they aren't likely to go to a shelter to get their pups.

The message I take away is too many people are dumping animals over Xmas. Shelters may think it's better to place with a degree of risk than to pts. Who knows, this placement may work out fine, despite the danger signs.

Y

es, it may work out, but it also may not.

Placements with risk can mean that a dog ends up on the revolving door of doggy welfare. And every failed placement creates more emotional damage to the dog.

Souff has had some of the damaged dogs that went down this track and they all started life as cute pups.

Some were turned around and are in their forever homes; some were sent to God.

Is the needle kinder? Sometimes it can be in the long run.

Sometimes the damage cannot be turned around successfully.

When lights are flashing red, Souff baulks, and when I see two large breed pups homed together with a family who have been used to a small breed dog, well,I see those red lights flashing.

Souff

[huck house]

Agree fully that siblings or even two young pups shouldn't be going together. Especially when it is a small feel good article- sends the wrong message to the less informed.

In my 15 years in newc I found the The Herald and one of its chief collumists to be extremely negative about specific breeds and dogs in general . in that sense I'm glad to see rotties featured in the article. ( Newcastle council also has a distinctly anti dog attitude as well. )

The Rutherford RSPCA is an extensive modern facility that is also the Pound for greater Newcastle . Any dog caught or found in town are taken to an interim shelter closer to the city. It is very difficult ( was 3 years ago) to have a dog released back to the owner from here either by way of them denying they have the animal or paying a maximum fine. It seems they want the dogs sent to Rutherford where they will be checked for microchips, owners contacted and fined. There must have been ( probably still is) certain protocols or quota system happening. State of the art facilities don't pay for themselves.

The RSPCA had/has a real image problem up there so I hope the collaborative effort is genuine .. I thought badly of the RSPCA but am having my faith in them restored down here in vic .