http://uk.news.yahoo.com/dogs-trust-christmas-reasons-why-people-give-up-dogs--122646030.html

My local Dog Trust was on local television and said those things plus one other which was "it's big and black and too big for their house" yet the potential new owners had come and walked it many times.  I'm sure I know the one they were talking about as I visit the homing centre every couple of months.  Funnily enough I checked the web site before this news came out and saw this dog was no longer being advertised so luckily it has found a home.

And then there was the man I heard yesterday whose family did 2 months prep for new dog including building a kennel travelled 300 miles to pay 400 pounds for Good quality pedigree pup( his words) had it home for a week and wife didn't want it she decided she didn't want the reponsibilty. He rehomed pup for free to another family who were complEte strangers apparently . He thought planning for 2 months was long term and still wife changed her mind

It makes you want to weep doesn't it?

This week I heard about 2 dogs left in the forest in this freezing weather.  They were in good condition, and had obviously been cared for.  Even a bag of food and belongings including toothbrush!  The bag was frozen solid. 

The Rottie and Staffie were left together with their beds!  When found the Staffie stayed in its bed trembling, and looking as if he was waiting for someone to come back for them.  I cried when I read it.

I'm getting very sad seeing the number of ads where dogs are being offered up for new homes because in no particular order
a) they are moving b) don't have the time c) allergies

Some of these dogs in my breed are veterans 7-10 years old..

With regard to the Rottie and Staffy
It makes you wonder if they really didn't want to give them up til the last minute and then no rescues would take them
as they are full. Had a friend who was an executor of her friends estate (man died in his 40's) and there was a dog involved there.
When approaching some of the rehoming centres she was told they were full. Eventually a home was found via a breed rescue.

Breed rescue would always be the first option. Most of them would not turn away a dog unless they had no room & no fosterers. You can also be more certain that those who contact breed rescue for a dog do actually want that type of dog, have researched it or owned one before and are not making an impulse buy of a cute looking dog because, "I have always wanted one of those."

My work friend had completely forgotten that I had dog contacts and thus was contacting
the big well known dog rescues.
Once she had those breed rescue contacts she realised that they were more active and interested in helping
her home the dog.

The dog was found a super home and my friend was very relieved.

> Some of these dogs in my breed are veterans 7-10 years old..

It is rare for my breed to come into rescue at that age, and I still don't know how it all came together, but almost 2 years ago when an older Malinois appeared on the radar I found out about her through breed contacts and something called to me.... There were loads of reasons why I couldn't have her but the barriers fell away... She lives with my sister in the next town and now has a great life with an extended family, Ii have a lot of contact with her and adores me; it seems she was kept mostly kennelled before and hadn't lived in a home. I had thought she would make a good companion and playmate for my BSD cross, but she turned out to be so institutionalised that he has ended up being her teacher, and I've seen a gentle side of him I never knew existed.

Once you have taken on an older rescue dog, I think your whole viewpoint changes; they're so different, yet so rewarding.

Excuse me, but I have had the heartbreak of re-homing due to an allergy.  For me, I had an allergen to a particular type of coat, not all dogs, which made it impossible to live with this particular dog.  It broke my heart.  He was perfect in every way.  I tried loads of medications but only one took the edge off the intense itching.  I scratched my own skin till it bled, an itch that drove me insane.  I tried keeping him outside, wiping his coat before he came into the room, herbal remidies, everything.  I even changed him to a raw diet.  Nothing made a difference.
So, next time you read an ad like that, please think of the other side.  I bet the decision wasn't an easy one.  It certainly wasn't for me.

Whoa,

I too have allergies, my Doctor advised for me to rehome all of my dogs and cats.
I told them that I wasn't prepared to rehome my animals and paid to go privately
and get allergy testing.

One of my allergies is dust mites, which isn't helped by having pets as more things in the house
with skin scales being shed = more food for the mites.
I am lucky and I'm not allergic to my dogs and cats as proven by the testing
but if the Doctors had their way I wouldn't have any at home now.

Sorry but some adverts placed on the web aren't truthful with reasons for rehoming, some people aren't honest sad but true.
As one rescue is finding out with one dog at the moment...dog rehomed as it was a 'jumper' supposedly.
Truth is the dog is suffering with severe separation anxiety and is getting in such a state that they are
having to consider the kindest options available...desperatly sad for the dog, the new owners and the rescue
that tried to help.

I do think of the whole picture and whilst some people in this world are honest and truthful but an awful lot aren't.
Plus also some some think that they are allergic to animals on their Doctors say so, but they haven't been offered
the option of allergy testing (or in my case was told it was going to take over a year to get test & find out) that the only option
is to rehome the dog or cat or other animals in the house..

I am sorry for your genuine case of allergy.

What utterly ridiculous excuses!! Its so sad that people seem to look at pets (not just dogs) as disposable items that can be thrown away when the novelyty wears off. Makes my blood boil and my heart bleed

You are right, Boxacrazy.  Docs will ALWAYS blame the pets.  We paid for allergen testing for both me and my asthmatic son after the Doc(NHS) blamed the pets.  Mine was an allergy to the fungal spores that one particular dog had as he had allergies(hence changing him to raw).  His skin cleared up quite a lot but it was still there in a tiny amount.  He is now in a loving home with a friend who has another of his breed and is very happy.  I am too now I'm not clawing at my skin.
I do believe that a lot of the allergy stories are true to be honest.  If I had to chose between my childs health and my pets, I would chose my childs health.  A lot of people would believe the doctor, no questions.  Only reason I took it further was I loved my dog.  Still do, only he's not my dog.

PS My son's allergen is dust mites and pollen so we hoover the dogs/cat daily and keep them out his room.  We have also removed all the carpets and have a leather suite.  It has helped immensely.

I didn't mean to wind you up, Boxacrazy, I just meant that I try to believe that humans cannot be so heartless.  But admittedly, I am proved wrong a lot of the time.
PS   I'm a homechecker for a breed rescue so I do hear a lot of excuses.  Helps if I see it from a 'non-doggy' perspective.

> If I had to chose between my childs health and my pets, I would chose my childs health.

Exactly :) and so will your doctor so not sure we can blame them when their responsibility is clear and funds must be allocated in the interest of people not their animals so widespread testing is probably never going to come via the NHS and not everyone is going to be able to afford to do so privately.

my best friend has become very ill , she is in her late 70 and works her dogs on shoots, she went to the doc and then was taken to hospital and she has a few weeks left to live, she has rehomed her two working dogs to people that she goes on the shoots with, and she has asked me to take on a puppy that she has not had for to long, she asked the breeder if she wanted the puppy back and the breeder said no, she had phoned a couple of rescue centers that could not help and she was worrying what was going to happen to them when she had gone, but now her mind is at rest that they are going to be looked after,if rescue centers cannot help and you have no where to turn to it must be awfull.

I know this is an old subject but I am allergic to one of my dogs and I have also got asthma. After I have touched him I have to wash my hands otherwise if I touch my face it will bring on an asthma attack. I also can't have anything to do with his bed, I can't give it a shake out in the garden or even get his bed out to put in the washing machine as doing that will bring on an attack. But no way would I ever rehome him, this is his home and this is where he will stay, if anyone has to make any changes it will be me and not him.

Sadly I remember years ago reading in a daily paper of a couple out shopping on the Saturday morning and passing a pet shop and going in a buying a puppy. They also bought the collar and lead, food, toys, beds, the whole kit. Then on Sunday night they realised that they didn't know what to do on the Monday as they were both at work and the children were at school. They handed the pup into a rescue on the Monday morning. Absolutely no thought given to the pup when buying it.

It´s very sad when something disastrous and tragic occurs which prevents someone from keeping their beloved pet/s forever, but occasionally these situations do arise and sadly there seems to be no help from the rescue centres.  Thank goodness your friend has you to take on her puppy so she doesn´t have this added worry on top of everything else.  Well done you.