General Chat

Its heartbreaking to see these poor dogs looking for homes. Those that have to move home may have have no option other than putting their dogs in a rescue centre but I fear many people just dont get the message about pets as Christmas presents. Animal charities have been trying to make people understand for years, its such a shame. Our dog came from a rescue centre and was spayed and microchipped before we got her, also a dog license is required where I live.

Cath xx

Since last week when I looked at the Dogs trust site for the rehoming centre near me, they have added 5 new dogs for rehoming.

We have to have a dog licence for each dog, it's a lower price per year if the dog has been spayed/neutered.We get another small reduction for having two or more dogs. And now we have four!!

Control of Dogs Act 1992 (this applies to England, Wales and Scotland)

Wearing of collars by dogs
2.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) below, every dog while in a highway or in a place of public resort shall wear a collar with the name and address of the owner inscribed on the collar or on a plate or badge attached to it.

(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to—

(a)any pack of hounds,.
(b)any dog while being used for sporting purposes,.
(c)any dog while being used for the capture or destruction of vermin,.
(d)any dog while being used for the driving or tending of cattle or sheep,.
(e)any dog while being used on official duties by a member of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces or Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise or the police force for any area,.
(f)any dog while being used in emergency rescue work, or.
(g)any dog registered with the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association..

This act also makes it illegal to not clear up after a dog.

The law is there but is ignored and many people, including some policeman, do not even know it exists.

A tag on a collar is very easily lost or removed. A better way is to also have an electronic tag which is implanted under the dog's skin, and no, it does not hurt the dog any more than any injection. These are registered with the owners details so they can be traced.

My heart goes out to those who are being forced to give up their pets because of losing their jobs and homes. We have two dogs, both from rescue centres and I can imagine how I would feel if we had to give them up.

Full Rescue centres are not just a problem at this time of year. Many of them are full all year round and not just with mongrels. Many pedigree dogs that cost hundreds of pounds end up there too - a symptom of our throw-away society.

Some suggestions have been made that licensing should be brought back and that insurance should be made compulsory. Both good ideas, but if the laws that we have at the moment aren't being enforced, what chance is there of new ones succeeding.

Fred.....well said, don't why it was stopped before!!

So many poor dogs are status symbols. Have you seen how many Staffies there are in all these rehoming centre's.

Perhaps someof these irrisponsible people need to have their Gran, granddad or even parents kicked out because they are getting on in age!!
These people have no feelings....grrrrr

jude

Fred, in N. Ireland for over 20 years at least that I know of - dogs have to be registered and wear a blue identity tag as well as normal name tag. If they are picked up by dog patrol there is a fine and if a dog is not wearing the blue disc there is a further fine.

Hear Hear!
Am in total and absolute agreement with you Badger.
Also exotic pets, i.e.snakes, lizards, dragons etc., people buy with no idea how to look after, then get bored.and set them loose.
Of course, the people who would lose out would be those genuine animal lovers, who care for their animals properly.

Time for the government to step in ,and make people have to have a licence to even buy any pet '
It would make people think twice before getting one,These pets should also be tagged with the owners name and address,any returned ,or abandoned would incur a massive fine ,and a life ban from owning animals after a conviction.Fred

What heartless people! They wouldn't give a child away when a new baby arrives!

Norfolk dog rescue centres full
Emily Dennis
Sunday, 12 December, 2010
19:58 PM

The region’s animal rescue centres are at bursting point after being inundated with unwanted dogs and cats in the run up to Christmas, with staff describing the situation as “horrendous”.
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Centres such as Meadowgreen Dog Rescue Centre at Hales, near Loddon, People for Animal Care Trust (Pact) at Woodrising, near Hingham, and the Dogs Trust at Snetterton are all full and are being bombarded with calls from people asking them to take in animals.

Rescue homes expect a surge in unwanted pets at this time of year but have found themselves busier than ever.

Meadowgreen, which is run by mother and daughter Sue Cootes and Cherie Williams, can accommodate 42 dogs but all the pens are full.

Mrs Williams said: “We get a lot of requests to re-home older dogs at this time of year. People are thinking about getting puppies for Christmas and the existing dog is being pushed out. These are family pets and it is heartbreaking.

“We recently had a call from someone who had quite a rare breed dog, six years of age. They had got themselves a puppy and the dog had tried to bite the puppy. Instead of sending the puppy back they wanted to get rid of the older dog. It is much easier to re-home a puppy but people do not consider that.”

Mrs Williams said the economic downturn had also had an impact.

“We have people ringing up who cannot keep their dog. They are losing their homes and being put into rented accommodation where they cannot take pets. They are backed against a wall. They have got to have a home for their children but they do not want to give the dog up. People sometimes drop the dog off on the way to their temporary accommodation and you see grown men crying their eyes out. They have lost their home and their children are so upset.”

She added: “People do not realise that the average dog lives 14 years and is a full-time commitment.”

George Rockingham, administrator at Pact, said it currently has about 28 dogs at the sanctuary and another 40 are on a waiting list.

He said the situation is so dire the trust is currently paying for eight dogs to be boarded in private kennels.

It is a similar situation with cats and Pact has about 60 cats and kittens looking for new homes.

Mr Rockingham said: “The situation is so bad at the moment. It is getting horrendous. You cannot paint it black enough.”

Fay Durrant, assistant manager at the Dogs Trust at Snetterton, said it is currently looking after about 60 dogs while another 60 to 80 are on a waiting list.

“Any animal needs to be given lots of consideration before it is taken on as a pet,” she said.

Meadowgreen, Pact and the Dogs Trust do not re-home animals during the Christmas period and all are appealing for people not to buy puppies for Christmas.