Right to be annoyed?

[Jules001]

As you may remember from previous posts, we are looking to rehome a dog at the moment. We couldn't decide on a breed as myself and daughter wanted a small dog ie Bichon Frise/shihtzu, Mr Jules wanted a bigger dog ie Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (but I was concerned about moulting/shedding) as a compromise we decided on a Miniature Schnauzer (bigger dog, no shedding). We found one on a rescue centre's web page and got in touch with them to see whether he was still available which he was, we then straight away filled out and emailed the rehoming questionnaire back to the centre. It is a home based rescue and they did say there might be a delay in returning phone calls etc, so we held off contacting them when we hadn't heard anything back from them. Yesterday was nearly a week since submitting the form so contacted them again only to find the dog has already been rehomed. We hadn't heard a thing from them and feel that we have missed the chance to get the ideal dog for us, due to their failure to communicate - so am I right to be annoyed with them and can anyone point us in the right direction for a miniature schnauzer needing a home?

[welshlibranr]

Maybe have a look at this website: www.manytears.co.uk they have lots of dogs needing a new home, some of which are ex breeding bitches, there are some miniature schnauzers on there at the moment..............hope this helps welsh

[wiggal]

Hi Jules,

I can understand that you would be annoyed yes, and I think I would be slightly as well.
But maybe the dog hadnt yet been rehomed, but other people had already filled in the forms and so on and they were being looked at when you called?
You should of been informed yes, but also their main priority is to concentrate on rehoming dogs, not making phone calls and such to inform you that the dog had since been rehomed.

Maybe as you had not contacted them for a while, they thought you weren't that interested?

[lankeela]

Miniature Schnauzer Rescue
Mr & Mrs A Leadbetter, Milford Haven, Dyfed. Tel: [phone]

You may have to wait for the 'right' dog, but these people are the experts when it comes to rehoming Mini Schnaus

[Illyria54]

For fear of sounding horrible, if you hadn't even been to see this dog and am assuming you have never had a miniature Schnauzer, how do you know that it could have been the ideal dog for you? I am really puzzled by this, whenever we get a dog from a rescue centre we always go there and look at the dogs, take a few for a walk, go back and do it again a few times until 1 dog just sort of 'clicks', the last time we went we wanted a puppy but none of them were right for us, we took 2 older dogs for a walk then as we were putting 1 of them back this little Lurcher just 'sold' herself, we took her for a walk and we knew we had then found the right dog, she was 6 months old, we lost her 3 years ago when she was 17 and a half years old. Go to your local shelter and see what happens, I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised, tell the staff what you are looking for, they want these dogs re homed so won't let you take a dog they fell isn't suitable for you.

[thugulike]

Hi Jules
It's not just dog rehomers who behave like this. Many years ago Mr thugulike and I decided we could foster children and give them a happy home. I work for the county council and made enquiries. Absolutely nothing, even after a few phone calls. We got a rottie pup instead. Good manners cost nothing. You have a right to be annoyed.

[showcatbenga]

lankeela has it right, contact the breed clubs & societies of any pedigree animal that you would like to rescue. These animals tend not to have the unknown history of other less fortunate rescues because many breeders will go straight to these when they hear of someone in 'trouble'. These can be ex-breeding animals - some are quite young, they just didn't enjoy being 'mum'. Or rehomers for people who purchased a pet & then their circumstances have changed. You will also become linked into the 'breed' network & will get breed specific advice & support.

[Jerk]

buy a hamster and teach it to bark.

Hope this helps

[lankeela]

Contact details for the Miniature Schnauzer Club - Mrs Kidd is the secretary and also the rescue rep.

01785 760557 http://www.the-miniature-schnauzer-club.co.uk


You should also be aware that their coat needs regular stripping or trimming, which can cost anything up to �50 every six weeks or so if you have to pay someone else to do it. Although they do not moult like other dogs, they do still lose some undercoat and if you are worried about allergies then all dogs can affect people, even hairless ones, as it is the dander from the skin that sheds and causes a reaction rather than hair itself. The Mini Schau club have a fun day this coming Sunday at Weedon Bec Village Hall, Northampton. Maybe you could go along and have a chat with people and ask about rescue dogs, also there may be some breeders who have older dogs for rehoming.

[Jules001]

Hi thanks for all your replies, we have looked at the many tears rescue site, but the majority of the dogs are ex breeding stock and most say that they need to be rehomed with another dog to show them the ropes, which we don't have. I appreciate that the priority for the centres are to rehome the dogs, however I contacted them on the saturday by email to ask if he was still available and was told he was so we completed a form and sent it back via email so there was very little delay, we hadn't contacted them for a while as they specifically said on the site that there may be a delay in them getting back to people and communication by email was the quickest way to contact them, so assumed that they would contact us by email too. We had mentioned on all our emails to them and the phone call that we were very interested in the dog.
Illyria we hadn't been to seen the dog as the dog wasn't actually at the centre, it was being rehomed from a house where the owner was ill and unable to care for him anymore, the fact that he wasn't your 'standard' rescue dog with little or no history and some of the associated problems with rescue dogs was the reason I stated he seemed the ideal dog for us. We regularly go the local rehoming centre, but they rarely have this breed to rehome.
We also thought some of the delay might be due to the owners ill health and the rescue centre not being able to contact him/her so we didn't want to push it and thought they would be in touch. We just felt that we should have been notified as the website wasn't updated and so assumed that no news was good news. - obviously a lesson learned on our part. Thanks for the links Lankeela, I will be following those up.

[bellawalsh]

hi, i am a homechecker for muttsindistress, once i have passed the home check the pass form then is taken to the kennels by the people that want to offer a dog a home, and then they can look around and if they see a dog then they can take the dog home with them, of course if they see a dog on the website it is wise to see if it still available because if say a person or couple interested in that dog as well perhaps they cannot get to the kennels say for a couple of days the potential couple may have visited the kennels before them, if you see what i mean.

[brenda]

For goodness sakes grow up
This is all about what you want ,
What about the dog. I went to the rescue centre 2 years ago, to get an Alsatian, but came away with a 4 year old J. Russell cross, she is absolutely wonderful and so very affectionate.
Get living , have some fun ,a dog is not a status symbol.
You are right to be annoyed , but so what, at the end of the day give a dog a home, why don't you.?
Brenda

[Jules001]

Brenda, I resent your comment about growing up, yes it is about what I want as I am trying to be a responsible future dog owner and get the breed of dog that is right for us, it's not about owning any old dog which could then not prove suitable and then have to go to a rescue centre. We have done our research and feel that this breed of dog is right for us. I am living, I do have fun and giving a dog a home is just what I was trying to do :)

[brenda]

Good for you, now what about the dog ?
Brenda

[Jules001]

Brenda, I have said I will give a dog a home WHEN I find a miniature schnauzer to rehome. I am not prepared to give a dog such as a staffy a home as I don't like them and therefore wouldn't give it the loving home it deserves, if you or anyone else wants to so be it, but for you to suggest I should give any dog a home is ridiculous and irresponsible.

[brenda]

I do not think I have ever suggested that you gave any dog a home, that would be irresponsible and ******** in the extreme.However I would suggest that sometimes there are breeds of dog other than your pre-determined preference
which would make a loving and faithful addition to your home.
Best of luck with your search
Btenda