[AmberNero]

We picked up a dog today for rescue, it was advertised for free, but the owner luckily submitted the dog to rescue instead after we had a chat. No malice was intended on this dog- not yet a year old, and yet through people just not being careful enough and not being sensible enough- he has just had the most terrifying experience of his life.

He was so, so, so nervous, and he has nervous aggression, he went for me three times, grazed me with his teeth once, and by the time we got him home he was absolutely shattered from being so stressed for about two continual hours, and through the day being stressed from other things out of his control. He was falling asleep sitting up, but too scared to let himself lie down let alone drop off. All because he has had zero socialisation.

Very sad all round- but at least the owners gave him in to rescue in the end and wanted the best for him. He'll be ok, just needs a lot of time and understanding- he went on the second transport leg to his long term foster home after an hour with us, but I just feel so sad, all his fear was so avoidable.

*sigh* and out of five people I've contacted in the last two days about not letting their dog go 'free to a good home' and offering rescue support/space they were the only people to listen and accept the help.

 

[Rah]

Be pleased that you've helped one

It might not seem like much but you can't do everything on your own and you can rest knowing that pooch will one day have a carefree and enjoyable, loving home that we give to our own.

Don't fret too much

Good job.

SJ

 

[Gertrude]

Awww thats so sad, I hope he'll be ok

Why oh why do people advertise dogs 'free' ?
They obviously know the dogs have problems and think they'll 'get shot of them' quicker if they offer them for free!

Sad to think what happens to so many of the free dogs

 

[Guest]

That is the great sadness. The numbers are overwhelming, and you never feel you are gaining. It is cold comfort, indeed, but if you rescue cats, the numbers are far worse. Hugs

 

[Kinjilabs]

Poor dog, good of you to do your bit tho, I flippin hate people sometimes

 

[AmberNero]

That is the great sadness. The numbers are overwhelming, and you never feel you are gaining. It is cold comfort, indeed, but if you rescue cats, the numbers are far worse. Hugs

Oh God, the cats never ending litters. Blind cats, old cats, stray cats, farm cats, injured cats, abandoned cats, kittens in boxes, kittens given away too young, badly bred kittens with congenital problems. So many of the poor things. On gumtree you have ten animals free to a good home- 7/10 will be cats.

I don't foster cats at the moment, but most of my friends foster both, there are two kittens one friend has who can't find homes because they have eyes which won't grow, so they aren't 'pretty' anymore- purely down to bad breeding that one is. They are lovely little things but will need their eyes monitored and cleaned every day for the rest of their lives and that small thing is apparently too much for most people.

Bloody bloody idiots with cats and staffies and staffies and cats breeding and breeding and breeding and then dumping them on rescues.

 

[babycham2002]

really sorry to hear that
thank you for all your hard work on behalf of all the needy unwanted dogs out there

xx

 

[Guest]

Happy story to enjoy and share, call it a pathetic wedding present - even 2nd hand...

'It's like she has radar': The incredible blind dog with NO EYES who loves to play fetch | Mail Online

 

[Dogless]

I hope you're feeling a little stronger this morning knowing that that poor dog is at the start of a new life.

 

[Pointermum]

You can't save them all but well done for helping the ones you can

 

[AmberNero]

Happy story to enjoy and share, call it a pathetic wedding present - even 2nd hand...

'It's like she has radar': The incredible blind dog with NO EYES who loves to play fetch | Mail Online

Now that is lovely, cheers

Have just called to see how he was overnight and this morning- he is still scared but has started to trust his foster mum, they are taking things very slowly and giving him lots of space. So he's ok, and he will keep being ok, which is a good thing

 

[Bagrat]

I'm sure that news will help a bit. It's just so tough to see the mayhem people cause to animals.

 

[Goldstar]

What a lovely person you are. At least you know that little dog has a chance now.

 

[Shadowrat]

That is the great sadness. The numbers are overwhelming, and you never feel you are gaining. It is cold comfort, indeed, but if you rescue cats, the numbers are far worse. Hugs

I imagine so. And with rats, even worse still, given they cost less than £10 to buy and you can pop to the shop to pick one up whenever you fancy, like a damn tin of beans (at least dogs and cats have, in general, gotten out of the 'pet shop' trap) and that most people can't sex them and they can have 20+ in a litter, and that they're quiet and locked in a cage so can suffer without bothering the owner.
And the free to good home rats often end up snatched up by snake owners and thrown in with their snakes as a free meal, whether they kill them first is optional. And if they do, well....I dread to think how. Its a huge problem with them.

I think people genuinely do think free will attract people quicker, and I do think a lot is naivety. Back in the day, free to a good home genuinely did mean what it says: to a GOOD home. Was a day when free animals were pretty normal, and while Im sure some did suffer for it, I don't believe its anything like it was today.
My mum tells me that when she was younger, there were always free puppies around, free kittens and such, and no-one had the concerns they do now about whether they'd end up somewhere nice.
I genuinely think a lot of people don't realise the problems with giving away animals free these days. Its not always malice or laziness, its just ignorance.

I've mailed a lot of people on various ad sites who are offering their rats as 'free to good home' and urged them to charge a fee for them, otherwise they're just offering a free meal to a snake owner (and in case anyone wants to say 'Im sure that doesn't happen that often!', trust me, it does. Several of my rescues over the years have almost gotten themselves wrapped up in that fate, and ask any rat rescuer about 'free to good home' rats and they'll agree its a huge issue. I just picked one up yesterday after its owner wouldn't put a fee on it. At least one is safe.)
And when I tell people, they're shocked.
They say 'omg, I had no idea people would do that!' because it just doesn't cross their mind that people could be so vile.

I took on 4 boys once, and when I mailed the owner to arrange it, she told me someone had messaged her that morning asking if she would let the rats go as snake food. Well, at least this guy asked and didn't just lie to obtain them, as most do

Its pretty sad. All we can do is try and raise awareness. I used to have an ad on one of these sites just warning people to always charge a fee for their animals, to deter snake people, and had so many mail me to think me as they'd never considered it.
It got removed in the end, though, for not 'meeting guidelines'

It is still a lovely romantic image, of the 'free to good home' animal, where the owners only want a great home, aren't bothered about money, but thats not the world we live in now.

The one thing I will say on dogs is that free to good home dogs have more chance of being passed around time and time again. People can often put up with a cat with some behavioural issues, or a rat; they won't take over your life if they have some problems. But a dog with issues is usually just thrown out as easily as it was obtained

Sounds like this little dog will come right under proper care, and while its depressing to know you can't help them all (I've come close to closing my rescue's doors a couple of times because of that) you can only focus on the ones you CAN help and really feel good about them. Its that, or you go mad

 

[HandsomeHound]

You've raised an interesting point about people advertising dogs for free. We are wanting to rehome another rescue OES next year, but it doesn't stop me looking at ads. on various sites. I've always looked at the ads. wanting money as greedy people who are just interested in the money rather than the future welfare of their pet. I wouldn't pay someone who'd just got fed up with their dog, because I feel it's just perpetuating them treating them as a commodity. It makes me so when I see people trying to sell their pets on, rather than contacting the breed rescue to see if they can take them, thereby ensuring a good home. I know some breed rescues are just inundated and can't help, but it just doesn't sit well with me to pay someone who just wants rid.

 

[Luz]

You've raised an interesting point about people advertising dogs for free. We are wanting to rehome another rescue OES next year, but it doesn't stop me looking at ads. on various sites. I've always looked at the ads. wanting money as greedy people who are just interested in the money rather than the future welfare of their pet. I wouldn't pay someone who'd just got fed up with their dog, because I feel it's just perpetuating them treating them as a commodity. It makes me so when I see people trying to sell their pets on, rather than contacting the breed rescue to see if they can take them, thereby ensuring a good home. I know some breed rescues are just inundated and can't help, but it just doesn't sit well with me to pay someone who just wants rid.

I wouldn't mind paying the same as you might pay a rescue but it annoys me when people are selling their older dog/cat on for the same price as you would pay for a top notch puppy or kitten.

 

[HandsomeHound]

That's exactly how I feel Luz, when we got HH, we gave the OES rescue what we'd have paid for a puppy, and I'll be doing the same when we (hopefully) get another, I'm just not prepared to give someone money for a dog they just find is too much of an inconvenience now.