What rescues don't then?

The one I work with down here for starters!! Will PM you ...OOps - can't do that yet.

Anyway...we have a branch of a national rescue society...I work with them with problems dogs...if someone calls who is having a behaviour issue with the dog they refer them on to me...but the dogs are certainly not assesed by a qualified (whatever you take that to mean) behaviourist. Sorry.

I do trust you lol.. I often deal with the fall out of rescues homing dogs to the wrong sort of people.. who then find they cant cope..

I would be intrested to hear what rescues charge what price.. there does seem to be large diff depending on the area/rescue..

That is so bad that there are some rescues don't do behaviour tests, all the ones that I know of do, what a shame that some don't.

[QUOTE=spaceman;1511507

I believe it is very wrong for people to adopt a pet and rely on the PDSA. The PDSA is a charity, in times of economic doom and gloom, they may have to make choices too.[/QUOTE]

Ouch! Now I`m retired I rely on the PDSA for my old dogs because the insurance would cost about £50 per month EACH. Because of their age I won`t have any invasive treatments for them, so I just rely on the PDSA to help make their life more comfortable. One is on Metacam, which was costing me £10 per week from the vet, despite the fact that it`s sold for half that on the internet sites (and I`m sure they`re still making a profit).
My young dogs have reasonable insurance so that`s not a problem.
I do pay a reasonable amount to the PDSA when we go - I pay for the cost of the drugs plus a donation towards costs. I also buy their flea-treatment there because there isn`t the mark-up in price that you get with the Vet.
14 years ago I didn`t think - Oh I mustn`t rescue that dog because in 2008 I won`t be working. At each stage of our life our circumstances change. It doesn`t follow that we can`t provide for a pet in the difficult times.

I think puppy farmers actually usually charge MORE than a reputable breeder, never mind a rescue centre!

They are normally cheaper I have found but there animals don't last as long when you buy them.

Very true. We had weeks of planning and preparation before we brought Roux home. But I think the time it took was good for us all - the rescue ensured that he was fit and healthy, and his foster family were able to give us a realistic idea of whether or not he would suit our lives. It also meant that my OH and I discussed his adoption regularly, and ensured we were both still keen. The wait did feel unbearable, as we wanted to bring him home, but the rescue wanted to give us a "cooling off period" and to make sure that we wanted to give him a home for life, rather than just for the cutesy puppy phase. No doubt Roux will change a lot as he develops and grows, but if his current character is any indication, he is going to be a lovely lad

As a result of Roux's adoption, we have made several new friends who have had rescues from there and people who foster for the rescue, and we're planning to continue supporting the rescue (we have several dates in our diaries for next year already!), and we're considering sponsoring one of the dogs who require lifetime medical treatment. There seem to be a lot of people who have adopted from the rescue and continued to support them.

Totally agree

But there is only a finite amount of volunteers out there, although many rescues are run exclusively by volunteers already, and a limit to the time they can give so to get rid of paid staff would mean the closure of some rescues meaning less dogs getting homes.


See I don’t actually think this is the case as others have responded, IMO if someone is going out to rescue a dog they will not think its to expensive and go to a puppy farmer, in my experience once people have decided to rescue the will do the research and look on the web etc and that’s where the education about puppy farmers comes from, the rescue sites out there.

As I said I think if anyone decided to do that they are not the right people for a rescue dog anyway.


But if the credit crunch is taking effect on people being able to afford a rescue dog etc it’s the charities like the PDSA who suffer as people are less able to give to them. If dogs are being given to people who cannot afford vets bills its putting a heavy burden on other charities with more people using them and less money coming in.


I would much rather see whatever the donation is go towards helping the next dog to come in, whether its neutering, medical attention or just being able to save a dog from being put down

I don’t think there is that much money coming in from thousands of childless people – certainly not to the smaller rescues so how are they supposed to cover the costs if they are not charging enough to cover the costs of speys, treatments etc?

Surely if people can afford to feed the dog, cover routine medical bills etc they should be able to save that money in order to pay a realistic donation? Rescues have to be able to cover their costs or else go under and where does that leave the dogs?

I think it would surprise you to look on the balance sheets of SOME of these rescues quite honestly!

As I said before, I know a lot of people who couldn't just muster up £150 at the moment with everything getting more expensive, BUT, if they rescued a dog tomorrow, their wages would more than cover the keep of said dog. I would far rather a sad lonely dog goes into a loving home, as long as it's fed and cared for, than to be stuck pining away, stressing itself out in some rescue home, and if that means reducing the price for it, then so be it, to those who cannot afford it. I'd rather give my dog away tomorrow to somebody who could afford his future keep, than have him stuck in a rescue centre anyday! In the old days it was a tenner to adopt a dog from a rescue and I think £150 nowadays is beyond reach for some very good homes, and far too near to the local ad byb's imo.