Hi All, my name is Dave and i would like to share a problem with you all(because it will make me feel better). About 5 months ago my friend and her handicapped daughter went to have a look for a dog at a dogs home near to us, they sought the help of the staff there so they could find one that would be ok sitting on her daughters lap to stroke and cuddle whilst in her wheelchair.After careful consideration they fell in love with a 3year old white Jack Russell. So they paid for the dog and duly took her home, after the initial settling in period, the dog wasnt responding to any calling or noises of any description and getting her attention was a chore in its self. She took her to the vets and he confirmed that she was deaf and probably had been from birth. My friend phoned the dogs home and explained that the dog she had picked was deaf and didnt respond to any commands or noises of any description, and because of this felt she had been misled with her purchase. The reply was the lady who deals with this kind of thing is away at the moment but when she comes back i will ask her to phone you. 4 months and countless unanswered e-mails later she is still awaiting a reply from her, we are talking a major dogs home here, probably the second biggest in the country after Battersea, but you would think she had dealt with a backstreet kennels with the lack of response and proffesionalism. We all love this little dog (Lilly) she is a beautiful dog but she is far too boisterous for a child who suffers spinabiffida and is wheelchair bound, she also runs the house and is in need of proper training. We cant possibly send her back to where she came from because they obviously dont give a damn about who has what dog regardless of speciffics, i want this dog to have the best life possible because she really does deserve that. I would like to know if any of you dog lovers knows of a place that would be able to rehome her with the hearing disability that she has so that we dont have to put her back up for adoption at a mainstream dogs home, because you can guarentee that the same thing will happen again to her if the home doesnt give the dogs history from the start. Any help would be a blessing and i am prepared to travel anywhere to get her the life that she deserves. Thankyou for reading this. Dave Shaw.

Hi,

Well, thats just a terrible thing that has happened. Usually (in the shelters ive worked at), they INSIST on at least 3 visits to the shelter to see the dog you're interested in. Then to bring any other pets you have, into the shlter to meet the dog you're after, to see that they get along. After all that is well, they send someone round to your house to do a suitability check, and ask you  a few questions. Then they make their decision whether you can have it or not.

It sounds like this was a rush job, unless im reading it wrong :) Where about is this dog?

I am currently looking for a dog, and one of my mum's dog's is deaf. She's has trained her's in basic sign language if you like. She goes of the lead, looks arouns at mum, when her hand goes up, she comes back. Different arm suggestions mean different things.

Good luck :D

If this is the shelter I think it is, then part of their adoption clause is that if you find you are unable to keep the dog, that it should be returned to the shelter -this is a legal obligation on your part if you take an animal from them (and two wrongs don't make a right ;)) if your friend is thinking of taking this action, perhaps she should make it clear to the shelter?

Not that i would usually condone breaking a rescues agreements, BUT...... once the dog is sold, its sold and the 'agreement' is NOT legally binding AT ALL.... in the same way that breeders puppy contracts arent either.

Is it possible that, with instruction in the right kind of training, this dog could stay in the home its in?

Em

:( That is very sad spangles. The home should have checked this dog at the vets WAY before he was put up for adoption :( Because they havent done this simple procedure it has caused the family and the dog a great deal of stress.
Why dont your friends go to the home itself at DEMAND to be taken notice of?
Or why dont you take it to a breed rescue? Im sure they'll find a great home for the little chap :)
If they want to look for another rescue home in their area than this website will help you out :) (there is breed rescues at the top)
http://www.dogpages.org.uk/      
I wish them a lot of luck :) 

Hi Dave, I agree with you and admire you for taking the trouble to contact this board for advice (many wouldn't.)  It is reassuring to know that you are willing to put some effort into rehoming this little dog and not just send her back, where you rightly say, this would probably happen again.  I also respect the decision of your friend to consider rehoming - as I know I wouldn't be able to give the proper amount of time that this little dog deserves - and I dont have children, never mind a disability to live with.
Sorry my advice isn't more constructive as I can't help you with regards to finding a home for Lilly.  I hope it all works out for you.
Sarah :)