# Problems trying to adopt a rescue dog



## bristol-dog (Nov 23, 2009)

Hi, 

I went to the Bristol dogs home (RSPCA) today because I am interested in re homing a dog, but was told i could not home a dog because i live in a maisonette because their rules state it must be a ground floor home. I have half a Victorian house which has been split into two homes. There is one flight of steps to get to the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and living room. 

I was wondering if anyone knows if the rules would be negotiable as I am very keen to re home a rescue dog rather than buying a dog/puppy? I have absolutely fallen in love with a dog their and I am gutted I was told I can't adopt just because I have a flight of stairs when you enter my home, just like most people have to their upstairs. I also have an enclosed garden which access is directly next to my front door, and live in a perfect area to have a dog as I live a 5 minute walk from miles of grass and fields and also a local park. 

Could any of this convince them to overlook the fact I have stairs when you first enter my house? Any help appreciated. 

Thanks


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## stefow (Mar 10, 2009)

i done no anything about this sorry 

but im sure someone will be along soon to help 

welcome to the forum :thumbup1:


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## Douglasdale (Nov 23, 2009)

Perhaps you could ask them nicely if they would come round to see your accomodation ??.......dont know if it would help, but worth a try.


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## SpringerHusky (Nov 6, 2008)

Hi,

I understand your difficulty, I was turned down by two rescues because my back gate is broken and unsecured and I have a very small yard. There is lots of dogs needing homes and many rescue organizations that rehome even to flats.

Dog Rescue Pages - UK dog rescue homes, centres and shelters guide
I would have a look on there for dogs needing homes.

Some rescues make it hard but there are rescues that aren't hard.

Good luck


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## belleboris (Oct 8, 2009)

I went to a dogs home and was not vetted , not asked about my home , and wasnt asked if i had had a dog before !!!! 
Luckey for them and the baby i got i had had a dog before , did live in a huge house , but i was quite shoked .
They also didnt tell me anything about may ( my collie i got ) i had never had a collie before brought her out to see and meet me and i was smothered with kisses 2 secs later so there ws no way she was going back into that pen 

I have heard quite a few people having problems with getting a dog from a rescue but to be honest the 2 other people i know who have got dogs from rescues have been apawling 
One got fed up within a week i mean she barked how was she expeted to keep her !!!! and the other just let the dog run riot ! no thought for other people or the poor dog its a shambles .


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## stefow (Mar 10, 2009)

we got millie from a boxer rescue 2 weeks ago and we had no problems they do look at your fence you have got to have at least 6 foot fence at the back to make sure the dog cant get out which is common sense really but apart from that they dont really look at the house 

they just want to make sure you no about the breed of dog you want and that the dog will be well looked after


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## SpringerHusky (Nov 6, 2008)

belleboris said:


> I went to a dogs home and was not vetted , not asked about my home , and wasnt asked if i had had a dog before !!!!
> Luckey for them and the baby i got i had had a dog before , did live in a huge house , but i was quite shoked .


Had the same, with Maya no questions no home check nothing. never asked if I'd have had a husky or anything all they asked was did I realize she's not always OK with dogs, I said yes and tested her with my springer got on well. Payed the money and took her home the same day  as if that wasn't bad enough they were sure she wasn't part malamute and were convinced she was husky x collie


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## bristol-dog (Nov 23, 2009)

Thanks everyone


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## stefow (Mar 10, 2009)

bristol-dog said:


> Thanks everyone


ur welcome and good luck with getting your dog xxx:thumbup1:


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## bristol-dog (Nov 23, 2009)

I have now been turned down by two dogs homes the only ones in my area, holly hedge and the bristol dogs home.


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## paddyjulie (May 9, 2009)

bristol-dog said:


> I have now been turned by two dogs homes the only ones in my area, holly hedge and the bristol dogs home.


you can look further away from your home, lots of rescues have helpers who help out with transport etc

juliex


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## Guest (Nov 25, 2009)

bristol-dog said:


> I have now been turned by two dogs homes the only ones in my area, holly hedge and the bristol dogs home.


 don't give up - I know somebody that was in a similar situation, they looked a little further afield and found a rescue that was much more lenient on accomodation, as long as you can put a good case forward and explain how you plan to tackle potential probs like the dog going to the loo etc etc, I think you might be in with a shot - good luck


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## stefow (Mar 10, 2009)

good luck i no JSR on here does homechecks so maybe worth while pming here and asking if she knows any rescues or any advice she is great 

again good luck i hope you get your dog :thumbup1:


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## Leah84 (Jun 22, 2009)

rspca can be so difficult at times, i`m adopting a kitten tomorrow and they complained that my backyard would have to be completely cleared which isn`t possible as a. we`re in the middle of having a conservatory built for the cats and b. it doesn`t make a difference as it would be an indoor cat. they like to make things complicated so don`t let that get you down.

if you can`t convince them then dogs trust is also another option. i`m not sure which one would be closest to you but probably bridgend?? ad trader always has a lot of adult dogs looking for homes as their owners can`t keep them anymore so that`d be the same as rescuing a dog


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

A lot of the better known rescues are constantly griping that they are full and can't take any more and yet they won't let animals go to perfectly good homes. A lady near me was turned down for the same reason - maisonette with own enclosed garden - but she walks dogs for miles every day!

I got a dog once from the local pound where the dog warden takes them and they are destroyed after 7 days if unclaimed. There is bound to be such a place near you and believe me they aren't fussy, all I got was a doorstep visit from the dog warden.

Liz


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## dodigna (Feb 19, 2009)

HI, there are loads of rescues out there which are desperate for adopters! The RSPCA is way too fussy if you ask me. Meanwhile dogs live in kennels...

I understand their point, but they rally need to relax, I mean I once went for an interview and they have somebody sitting behind you watching your body language and if you turn they stop asking questions and tell you to ignore the second person???? MI5?

back on track

This boy needs a home badly! They cannot even find foster parents and he is in kennels 100miles away from the rescue centre. I know they are desperate for him to find a for ever home. Please don't despair and don't go off the idea of rescuing... please, please, please.

This is Zak, he is recovering well and getting back into shape! 
West Yorkshire Dog Rescue :: Dogs looking for homes


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## Mese (Jun 5, 2008)

Dont give up hun
we were turned down by so many rescues for various reasons
In the end we found a rescue that agreed to homecheck us , already knowing our 'faults' (kids under 10 and no fencing at the back ... but our dogs never go out the back) , we passed the homecheck with flying colours , it was a four hour round trip to get to the rescue to meet Teddy 
we fully expected to have to visit a few times before taking him home ... but the rescue owner decided we were perfect with him & he obviously adored us , so she allowed us to take him home that day

sorry to ramble on , I just wanted to give you hope that not all rescues are the same 
You may not get the dog you wanted at the first rescue you went to ... but just think , it could be fate pushing you towards your perfect furfriend in another rescue :thumbup1:


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## ad_1980 (Jan 28, 2009)

stefow said:


> good luck i no JSR on here does homechecks so maybe worth while pming here and asking if she knows any rescues or any advice she is great
> 
> again good luck i hope you get your dog :thumbup1:


Yes JSR is a great help, she works in rescues i believe and she will prob be able to help you. I'm going to PM her the link to this thread and hopefully you'll get some help somewhere.


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## ad_1980 (Jan 28, 2009)

bristol-dog said:


> Hi,
> 
> I went to the Bristol dogs home (RSPCA) today because I am interested in re homing a dog, but was told i could not home a dog because i live in a maisonette because their rules state it must be a ground floor home. I have half a Victorian house which has been split into two homes. There is one flight of steps to get to the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and living room.
> 
> ...


I have just PM'd JSR for you and shown her this thread. Hopefully she'll be able to help.


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## JSR (Jan 2, 2009)

Hiya
Sorry didn't see this thread. Can you pm me and tell me what exact reason's the 2 rescues turned you down? I would certainly contact the smaller rescues in your area. Have you tried looking on Dog Pages and Dogs Blog? You can register yourself on DP and put a post explaining your situation and I'm sure you'll get help there. I'm about as far away from Bristol as you can get so I'm afraid I'm not a huge amount of help cos I haven't a clue about that area!! Would you be willing to travel a bit to visit the dogs? I know a rescue in South Wales who are more flexiable that might be worth contacting?


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## Road_Hog (Dec 8, 2008)

I must echo some of the points made here and I'm glad to see that I'm not the only dog lover that feels the same.

I read dog forums and often hear that rescue centres are full up and desperate for people to adopt dogs. Then they put all these obstacles in the way and charge some extortionate prices. I say charge but the word is 'donation', however in my book donation is a voluntary contribution and if you demand money then it isn't a donation.

Please don't get me wrong, I'll always donate to animal charities (although I'm starting to have second thoughts about the RSPCA with their policy of putting animals down) and I have the utmost respect for the people who give up their time (and money) to help dogs (cats etc.) and I probably come across as a bit mean and ungrateful.

But my experience of adopting dogs has always been difficult and in the end I've ended up buying a puppy because it just becomes mind numbingly
annoying. I remember when we got our first dog (never had a dog as a kid) we soon realised it was unfair on it as we both went out to work 9-5 everyday, so we wanted to get a companion for her. We contacted rescue centres and asked about puppies (BTW, all our dogs have been cross breeds, we're not after pedigrees) because we had 3 cats and we didn't want to introduce an adult dog into the house. We were treated like lepers and with disdain for wanting a puppy even though there was a valid reason.

About 18 months ago one of our original two dogs died (riddled with cancer) and the other dog began to miss having another dog around, so we were torn with getting an older dog for our other old dog and have the risk that one of them died and leave us the same problem of having one old dog, or get a puppy which might not be an ideal companion. I went to our local NCDL (with the idea of getting an older dog), who to be honest were less than helpful (their opening times, viewing times and interviewing times are not in keeping with modern working hours). So I got on the Internet, then the phone and the next morning drove a fair distance to pick up a lovely Border Collie/GSD cross puppy for £100.

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w55/Road_Hog_UK/P1010420-3.jpg

Molly is gorgeous with a loving temperament, great with any dog or any human, a real bundle of joy.

So when I hear rescue centres moaning (about being full), I do sometimes feel that perhaps they need to adopt a different attitude and sometimes the charges are a bit high, I know on a similar site to this there is a rescue centre that demands a 'donation' of £150-£160 for an adult cross breed dog. You have to remember, by adopting a rescue adult dog, you lose the fun part of a dog growing up, your input into its character and you take on a risk that you don't know its past history.

For anyone that thinks I'm more concerned about money than animal welfare, one of our cats was involved in an RTA, the total cost of treatment worked out at approx. £150 with our vet, £650 for a week stay at the RVC and £200 follow up treatment. That was about 15 years ago (so a lot more in today's money) and no, we weren't insured, it came out of our pocket, and it wasn't a pedigree cat either.


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## bristol-dog (Nov 23, 2009)

I've given up on dog's homes but have found a staff x beagle for free which I went to see today


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## Ratdog (Mar 10, 2009)

bristol-dog said:


> I've given up on dog's homes but have found a staff x beagle for free which I went to see today


I hope it went well!

We recently adopted Dodge from Hollyhedge and they were very thorough when we were there to make sure Dodge and Shelby got on (thankfully they did) but our home visit was literally to check the garden fenceing and that was it. Apparently they will revisit 6 weeks after we got him, so in the next week or so.

There are loads of ads on trade it, gumtree etc for dogs that owners can no longer look after. Be careful with these though. Hopefully though you wont need to keep looking and the staffy x beagle is the one for you!!


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## fluffybunny2001 (Feb 8, 2008)

with regards to the donation,please remember that most charities rely on peoples donations to run!!!and that "donation"includes,spaying/nuetering,microchip,vaccination and 4 weeks free insurance.al of which would cost double that at your own vets!!!


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## bristol-dog (Nov 23, 2009)

Ratdog said:


> I hope it went well!
> 
> We recently adopted Dodge from Hollyhedge and they were very thorough when we were there to make sure Dodge and Shelby got on (thankfully they did) but our home visit was literally to check the garden fenceing and that was it. Apparently they will revisit 6 weeks after we got him, so in the next week or so.
> 
> There are loads of ads on trade it, gumtree etc for dogs that owners can no longer look after. Be careful with these though. Hopefully though you wont need to keep looking and the staffy x beagle is the one for you!!


I hope this is the dog for me, the visit went well he is an adorable dog with a lovely temperament and the family seem very genuine about re homing him to the right place, which they said I was the perfect candidate. I am going to visit him again soon. :thumbup1:

P.S Hi everyone, thanks for welcoming me to the forum


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## JSR (Jan 2, 2009)

Loads of luck. I have a Staffie x Beagle and please don't think me rude but if this your first dog or you are an inexperienced owner please do think again. My bitch is wonderful and of course I adore her but it certainly hasn't been an easy ride!! I'm a qualified behaviourist and trainer and I've had days when I've sat in a corner and wept and nearly given up. She's perfect in the home but she has a side to her that is pure evil and I'm not joking. Please please do tread very carefully and ensure you know this dog before you take it on, 2 of my favourite breeds but they most certainly do not make a sensible cross. :frown2:


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## Sophs (Nov 30, 2009)

Hi, I know you seem to have found your perfect dog but, in case it falls through, or for other potential owners experiencing difficulties, I'd like to tell you about Walkies.

I've been having the same sort of problems... I keep being turned down because I can't afford the 'donations', I have a child under 10 or (most infuriating of all) our current dog hasn't been spayed yet (I wouldn't mind, but we're trying to adopt another girl and, as far as I'm aware, two girls can't make babies!) 

Walkies is a family-run business. They take unwanted dogs into their home (no kennels), work on any problems the dog may have and then re-home them. They do home-checks, but seem to be more concerned with the dog having good owners than a tall enough fence!

They do require a small donation, but, again, they seem more concerned with finding the dog a happy home.

I've spoken with Charlie, the lady who runs it, and it's quite obvious that she LOVES the dogs they take in and simply wants them to have the best lives possible.

Anyone looking to rehome a dog should look them up and definitely give her a ring; she's so helpful! 

Home <-- link to their website.


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## brownhare (Nov 11, 2009)

ask for a home visit, explain that your home is a little different and ask the RSPCA to send a home checker to see you. They only won't re-home if the home is unsuitable and the only way to determine that is to come and take a look.

I had someone come and check that my wall was un-scrambleable by a very wriggly, springy BC. He is still here, luckily he hasn't discovered the rappelling gear in the shed yet.. LOL

Good luck, the RSPCA do a pretty good job of screening out homes that could bungee dogs straight back. Which for a dog must be a terrible experience. I hope you are your chosen dogs "forever" home xx Good luck xx


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## bristol-dog (Nov 23, 2009)

Sophs said:


> Hi, I know you seem to have found your perfect dog but, in case it falls through, or for other potential owners experiencing difficulties, I'd like to tell you about Walkies.
> 
> I've been having the same sort of problems... I keep being turned down because I can't afford the 'donations', I have a child under 10 or (most infuriating of all) our current dog hasn't been spayed yet (I wouldn't mind, but we're trying to adopt another girl and, as far as I'm aware, two girls can't make babies!)
> 
> ...


Thanks I will look into that if this doesn't turn out to the dog I want


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## kitty 333 (Nov 22, 2009)

Hi. I live in Glastonbury, 8 years ago I also fell in love with a dog from bristol cats and dogs ho me they wouldn't let me have Sophie because I was out at work even though I explained that my mum would be round and I was going 2 be working from home in a few months. The man who did the house check said we couldn't have her , but I wouldn't give up I can't remember how but we got her in the end , and still have her now . We have got our last 2 dogs from .wwww. freewebs/manytears. We have 6 dogs now . Good luck.:confused5:


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## Ratdog (Mar 10, 2009)

Sophs said:


> Hi, I know you seem to have found your perfect dog but, in case it falls through, or for other potential owners experiencing difficulties, I'd like to tell you about Walkies.
> 
> I've been having the same sort of problems... I keep being turned down because I can't afford the 'donations', I have a child under 10 or (most infuriating of all) our current dog hasn't been spayed yet (I wouldn't mind, but we're trying to adopt another girl and, as far as I'm aware, two girls can't make babies!)
> 
> ...


Whilst looking for our 2nd dog, I came across the same family business that rescue dogs. Charly was VERY helpful, and offered help with our 1st dog to iron out a few problems she had. Altho we didnt rescue a dog from her, I would recommend her to anyone. I think she is in Cardiff but that isnt too far from Bristol.


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## DerbyMerc (Dec 1, 2009)

Sorry but did someone say a rescue turned them down for a rescue bitch because they already had a bitch in the house that hadn't been spayed ? I was thinking of getting a rescue when our oldest passes away - he's nearly 15 - but we have an unspayed bitch. 

I was thinking of getting a neutered dog so no worries about breeding - are rescues going to object to our bitch remaining unspayed ? What would the rationale be of that. 

I'd be reluctant to get our bitch spayed because our previous one died of a cancer that is supposedly three times more common in spayed bitches so I think it's swings and roundabouts in terms of health and as her seasons are very light and not a problem to us I didn't see the point in putting her through a major operation for no reason.


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## 2Hounds (Jun 24, 2009)

DerbyMerc said:


> Sorry but did someone say a rescue turned them down for a rescue bitch because they already had a bitch in the house that hadn't been spayed ? I was thinking of getting a rescue when our oldest passes away - he's nearly 15 - but we have an unspayed bitch.
> 
> I was thinking of getting a neutered dog so no worries about breeding - are rescues going to object to our bitch remaining unspayed ? What would the rationale be of that.


It all depends on that particular rescues policies DerbyMerc, but there are so many rescues about that its likely that you find'll another one which would be happy to adopt to you.


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## celticmann (Sep 9, 2009)

hi. i had a very similar problem recently here in glasgow with some very awkward SSPCA officers at the local rescue home, so i empathise with your difficulty. please persevere and is you can find out the centre's registration name or number for the dog you are really interested in. With this info, I went over the heads of the local rescue centre and made a formal email complaint to the SSPCA head office. the next day the Area/Regional manager called me and negotiated a sollution with the stubborn manager of the centre. Basically i agreed to have my new adopted dog neutered and i agreed to a home visit to confirm i had a garden.(this took 2 mins). On Saturday i went to the centre and brought Jasper, a timid border collie cross home. And to say he was happy is an understatement. So Please do not be put off by awkward local staff. Remember even they have a boss. Good luck and best wishes with your planned adoption.


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