How To Decide Which Rescue Group?

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Yes dog mad you are asking if 'someone' who is in perth can go and check someones house and yard. It seemed like you have asked for anyone on the forum who could help. If the request was for an official of a perth rescue group would have thought the request would have been for a perth rescue to contact you re assistance in a matter. Clearly your intentions are to make sure all is good for the dog but you wont know anything about someone saying 'yeah i'll do it' out of the blue with no other connections to people you know in real life.

I cannot see why provided photos that correlate to what you can see on google would not show if the yard was secure.

You have no idea who I am and what I do then. I have been rescuing for 8 years. I was expecting a Perth rescue group to contact me - I didn't get off the last bloody banana boat so I'll thank you to take your attitude somewhere else. If you want to discuss what I've been doing for the last 8 yrs and how i operate, let me know by pm. I have used Google photos in the past but in this case in particular - not that it is any of your business - it won't do.

And I ask you again - do YOU know the address of this potential home, which suburb they live in even? No, because i didn't post that as you incorectly stated.

Edited August 15, 2012 by dogmad

[keetamouse]

Yes dog mad you are asking if 'someone' who is in perth can go and check someones house and yard. It seemed like you have asked for anyone on the forum who could help. If the request was for an official of a perth rescue group would have thought the request would have been for a perth rescue to contact you re assistance in a matter. Clearly your intentions are to make sure all is good for the dog but you wont know anything about someone saying 'yeah i'll do it' out of the blue with no other connections to people you know in real life.

I cannot see why provided photos that correlate to what you can see on google would not show if the yard was secure.

You have no idea who I am and what I do then. I have been rescuing for 8 years. I was expecting a Perth rescue group to contact me - I didn't get off the last bloody banana boat so I'll thank you to take your attitude somewhere else. If you want to discuss what I've been doing for the last 8 yrs and how i operate, let me know by pm. I have used Google photos in the past but in this case in particular - not that it is any of your business - it won't do.

And I ask you again - do YOU know the address of this potential home, which suburb they live in even? No, because i didn't post that as you incorectly stated.

I will back dogmad on this, the requests here on DOL for home checks interstate are done by people who have been listing on DOL for years, the ones who put their hands up are either rescue people or people who are trusted here on DOL and have a reputation, we do know each other, if you are talkng about an out of the blue person who has listed a couple of times then that is different. I ask the person to take photo's of the people and their fencing, anything really so I get a feel for the home/family. There are 2 issues here, 1. can you trust the person doing the home visit, 2. and the new owners, we do get a feeling during the phone conversation with both people.

We also ask the potential new owner if they are ok with someone coming and doing a home visit and every one that I have had done interstate have been great homes.

I will and have rehomed to property's where you can't see the fencing and this is not a problem, the dogs are inside or in an enclosure with shelter when the people arn't home, the dogs are inside/outside when the family are home.

Also remember that the new owners can also tell us if they wern't happy with the person doing the home visit, so it goes both ways.

I only rescue the smalls and I know if the dog I am sending is going to get along with the resident dog, I don't have to make sure the dogs get along before hand I know they will before I put the dog on the plane.

The longer you do rescue you acquire skills to know what is right and what is not regarding a potential new home.

There is nothing wrong as I mentioned with asking on DOL if there is someone interstate who can do a home check with full permission from the prospective owners

It is good to ask questions but they do annoy the crap out of us sometimes when people don't accept what we are saying, which is based on years of experience, heartache, seeing abused and neglected animals, this is what is important to us all in rescue and we will NEVER send a dog interstate that we are not 100% sure it will work, which it has in my case every time.

Maree

CPR

[koalathebear]

rubiton - as other people have mentioned, rescue groups help each other out. I've seen a person affiliated with one organisation temp caring for a dog for another organisation until it could get picked up. I've seen rescue groups share transport runs as well and do checks for one another. These are volunteer organisations and do not have a huge network and unlimited resources so have to help each other out.

All the rescue groups I've seen say that a yard check/background inquiries like checking of references is needed, so by submitting an application to foster/adopt a dog - people do this with the full knowledge that this information will be used by the group to make an assessment about whether a home is suitable. From a strictly legal perspective, in terms of whether the provisions of the Privacy Act apply, please see this site. Most rescues are small with turnover well under the $3 million annual turnover so are not bound unless they choose to opt in like these organisations have

I do appreciate that privacy is a concern but rescue groups are also attacked if they do not do their due diligence when placing a dog with a home so a yard check is a fairly basic prerequisite in the checklist of due diligence items. If people are concerned, they can always make a request that their information is not further shared without their consent.

Edited August 15, 2012 by koalathebear

[HazyWal]

See there is a thread in this very forum where if I was the new home being 'checked' I would not let a random forum reader past the driveway let alone in the yard or house and Id be quite annoyed by the resuce handing out home address details. I know the rescue means well but just to ask someone reading a forum if they could go to someones address and into someone private property. Isnt it easier to check google earth and ask for some recent photos of the yard to show fencing clearly? Google streetview will even show the view from the street for any escape points in the front fences. Clearly if google and the supplied photos dont match you have a reason to ask further questions

I have done house checks for rescue groups on DOL and as I am no longer fostering for any group I guess that makes me a random forum reader. The greyhound rescue I have done house checks for state clearly that all adoptions will require a houecheck and I don't know one person who has had a problem with it. I recently did a house check for a small dog rescue group with clear instructions for particular things to be checked. I found a small gap in the pool fencing that a little dog could have easily gotten through. This would not have been seen on google earth nor would it have been seen in a photo taken,it was found because I was looking for it. Sure it would be easier to rely on google earth or photos but the rescue groups I've done home checks for are far more thorough than that.

[Cheyd]

I am helping Dogmad with her house check in this instance - we have our own rescue group and will quite happily explain as much of the process as possible to the adopters - we also make sure they are happy for us to come and do the check prior to arriving at their home

If anyone wants to adopt from us, we stipulate that we do home and fence checks when we speak to them or email in response to their enquiry

I also foster for other groups and will network and help here necessary and hope to receive the same in return from other groups