Breeders Should...

[Leema]

Haredown Whippets, how many rescue dogs have you been able to get assistance from the breeder (or a breeder of their breed) for?

You said "[m]any breeders assist dogs of their own breeding", but I haven't found one yet. You must've had a much better success rate in rescue.

[Bjelkier]

I think you will find the nsw samoyed club does a huge amount to help any samoyeds they know about regardless of where they come from and yes, there are breeders involved.

I've been asked to take two samoyeds over time (not my breeding) and I've not been able too simply because I don't have quarantine facilities set up and I'll be damned if I'm going to put my own dogs at risk. But that doesn't mean I don't try to help in other ways

Edited June 19, 2014 by Bjelkier

[Leema]

I don't know about other rescues, but for mine, the biggest problem I have is finding a place to put the dog until they get adopted. If I don't have a place to put the dog, I can't take the dog. For all those saying, "I can help in other ways" - unless that help is paying for boarding, you're pretty much no help to me. But as a breeder, you don't have to help, so it's all good.

[Bjelkier]

I don't know about other rescues, but for mine, the biggest problem I have is finding a place to put the dog until they get adopted. If I don't have a place to put the dog, I can't take the dog. For all those saying, "I can help in other ways" - unless that help is paying for boarding, you're pretty much no help to me. But as a breeder, you don't have to help, so it's all good.

Now you're just being unpleasent.

Some of us don't have the facilities to take dogs. What part of that are you not getting?

What would you like someone like myself to do Leema? Take a dog straight from the pound with possible health issues they can pass onto my dogs? Would you like people with less than pack friendly breeds to toss another dog in the mix with the possibility of a lethal fight?

Why aren't ypu putting the responsibility on the people breeding these dogs? Why are responsible breeders the target here?

[Leema]

I have taken on about 50 dogs from pounds and less-than-desirable places around Australia. The only thing my dogs have 'got' is fleas. (I've since perfected my methods for bringing in flea-ball dogs and so far, no cross-transmission.)

My dogs don't get along with all dogs, so dogs that don't get along are not mixed together. I don't let fights happen.

The idea that rescue dogs are diseased and aggressive is unpleasant too.

I recognise my ideas are 'wrong' now and I have unrealistic expectations on breeders. I have accepted that breeders are not the people I thought they were, and it seems I'm in a minority when it comes to the obligations of breeders. I can understand all the excuses that breeders come up with so they don't have to assist rescue (and they don't have to assist rescue - they're breeders). I don't know what else I can say.

What do you want me to say? What would make you happy with the conclusion of this discussion?

[JulesP]

Why do you think breeders should rescue dogs they haven't bred?

A friend's dog got ripped to pieces by a rescue dog btw, which has always put me off rescuing. Friend was a very good instructor too. So bad stuff can happen. I have hooked quite a few dogs up with new owners though.

[Leema]

Anyone is welcome to come to my house and meet my dogs, including any rescue dogs in care. :) My number is easily accessible if anyone would like to talk to me or visit me.

[espinay2]

I have taken in a rescue of my breed (breeder couldn't be identified). She was basically unrehomable due to behaviour and health issues but lived out her life with me (you can find 'Liza Jane in the in memory part of my web page). I have assisted with the rescue of some others including a crossbreed. Harvey actually went to live out his life with a maremma rescue person, though I loved hearing about him throughout his life. In this area there has actually been no other need for rescue for my breed that I was ever made aware of. (Last 15 to 20 years) though on occasion I have taken in other breeds (including a 10 year old GSD who passed away here today at 14 1/2 so exuse me for being raw about that ). Of course I don't count the dog I bred that has lived with us for the last 4 months while the owners had to live away from their home in non dog friendly accommodation through no fault of their own. I am driving him from near Canberra to Melbourne on the weekend to go back home. Or another of my breeding that comes for regular holidays when needed by his owner. So frankly the snide comments about breeders not 'helping' are not appreciated. Just because we don't take in very dog out there does not mean we are not doing our bit.

Edited June 19, 2014 by espinay2

[kelpiecuddles]

When every pet shop and BYB breeder is also required to take back every dog they breed/sell then I will expect the same of every registered breeder.

If I bred a litter of a breed that lived for 15 years and ten years later moved overseas how could i possibly be expected to take back a dog from that litter if the need arose? Life's not always simple. I do know that recently when there was one of my breed in the pound up here I was talking to 5 or 6 breeders to work out options for him. Thankfully he was adopted from the pound but he had plenty of options available to him from those 'good for nothing' breeders if he needed help!

[JulesP]

I have breeders from 3 different breeds regularly on my FB page and they all do rally around when one of their breed is in need.

[Bjelkier]

I have breeders from 3 different breeds regularly on my FB page and they all do rally around when one of their breed is in need.

I'd say about 90% of the breeders I know well are the same.

[Dory the Doted One]

Can I ask what 'rally around' means?

It's nice to have a bit of encouragement and emotional support, but when the person who is actually doing the dirty work of getting these dogs out and looking after them is asking for something a lot more tangible..ie, funds, transport, housing, advertising etc. How is 'rallying around' equate to doing much of anything at all? It's all piss in the wind and does nothing to really help. Unless by rallying around you mean that they actually do something rather than offer verbal support and little more.

I'm not really qualified to comment at all, on this topic. I'm just feeling that Leema is coping a kick in the guts when she's feeling like none one else gives a crap.

I for one, am very grateful to Leema.

And I'm am one of those people who, 'wishes I could do more'.

[kelpiecuddles]

I don't think anyone was saying they weren't grateful for the work the Leema does. I think they were feeling a little slighted by the implication that the large proportion of breeders that will assist in whatever way they can are being lumped in to the same group as the unhelpful ones that leema has experienced.

[trinabean]

A friend of mine is a registered breeder (and DOL breeder/member) who very rarely breeds a litter. She will, as many others here will, take back and re-home any dog she has bred. In all the time I've known her there is only one of her own pups she has had to take back, and she stays in touch with all of her puppy buyers.

However, she has assisted countless other dogs of the same breed, mostly BYB, often needing expensive veterinary treatment and months of care before re-homing. She has taken on old dogs, dogs from pounds, and even a heavily pregnant bitch (then raised the puppies and found good homes for them all). She often organizes fund-raising for breed rescue too, both here and for resource-stretched breed rescue interstate. Quite frankly, she's not one to blow her own trumpet, and she barely has time to be on DOL anyway.

Breed rescue for my breed in WA works very hard (run by a registered, ethical breeder too). So I think it's unfair to tar all breeders with the same brush Leema. I do understand that you must have had some incredibly frustrating experiences, and might be feeling despondant, but all is not lost. There are some very good people out there too. :)

Edited: bad grammar and spelling.

Edited June 19, 2014 by trinabean

[Rebanne]

I don't know about other rescues, but for mine, the biggest problem I have is finding a place to put the dog until they get adopted. If I don't have a place to put the dog, I can't take the dog. For all those saying, "I can help in other ways" - unless that help is paying for boarding, you're pretty much no help to me. But as a breeder, you don't have to help, so it's all good.

you are being very insulting

[OSoSwift]

Now you are just having a tantrum.

I have taken dogs on not of my breed or that I have bred.

Not everyone is an arsehole and not everyone can be expected to take back any dog of their breed that shows up.

I have my own dogs, a business, young children and a variety of other pets that I will not risk, I am not going to take on anything just because you believe I should.

I have taken on half dead flea ridden dumped dogs myself you are not a martyr.

Thank you for everything you do, every dog is worth a second chance, not everyone has the ability or facilities to take on all and sundry.

I also have rescued horses, cattle, sheep, goats and cats. Who are you to judge what people can and cannot take on.

Edited June 19, 2014 by OSoSwift

[Diva]

Decided to delete and not bother, other people's dissapointment is not my problem.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Diva

[OSoSwift]

Rally around means making phone calls, finding someone who can take a dog, picking up dogs and moving them around, donating money, donating food, trying to find suitable homes.

YOu know what this has totally pissed me off.

I have kids and other pets that I value highly. I take in what I can when I can but I WILL NOT put my children, cats, dogs, pet Alpaca, sheep, goats or horse at risk because someone thinks against their measure of perfection, I don't do enough. People do and give what they can, if that is not good enough for you then tough shit. At least they are doing something.

If you are getting pedigree dogs into rescue and the breeders don't care then chances are they are shit breeders, because you know what, all the ones I know would move heaven and earth to get one of their dogs or puppies out of the pound or from rescue. Would they take any and all of their breed? Quite possibly not and I don't judge them for that because they are doing all that they can, which is a hell of a lot more than some.

How dare you accuse breeders on here of not caring or not doing or giving enough, do you know their personal situation? no, woohoo good on you you do everything for all dogs that are your breed or look like them, well done big pat on the back for you - guess what not everyone can. They are doing what they can. You might deal with some scum bucket breeders, but you know what I know of a few dogs just recently that have been rehomed or returned to breeders from their owners for various reasons and rescues and pounds and shelters have never heard of them because it has all been sorted behind the scenes - shit must be bad breeders not rescuing from shelters/pounds.

You may have had a crap time recently with dumped dogs/breeders but that is no excuse for treating people like selfish arseholes. Not everything is black and white and if you continue to expect life to be like that youa re constantly going to be disappointed.

Edited June 19, 2014 by OSoSwift

[Rebanne]

OSoSwift

thank you

[~Anne~]

When I was rescuing I never had any problems with breeders assisting or doing what they could for dogs in my care. Luckily, I was always in the position that I could take care of them and I never expected the breeder of any pug I took in, to take the dog or doing anything.

I had the opposite problem. I had a breeder insisting she be given back the dog. I only contacted breeders to let them know a dog that they had bred was in rescue, as a courtesy. Nothing else. As I said, I was Iucky, I had ample resources to help the dogs.

I also had one lovely breeder in particular who picked up dogs from pounds, paid release fees, drove dogs from one of the state to the other and generally did whatever she could when she was aware of a need I had. Not one of the dogs were from her breeding programs either.

Do I expect that breeders take back dogs they've bred? No, but I would think that, if asked or of they were made aware, they would help in whatever way they might be able to.