adopting a rescue cocker spaniel from Hungary

[margaret48]

Looking at him he is 2 years old surely he would have been adopted earlier in his life if that were the case.

There are puppy farms all over the UK as well as Europe.  I don't think Hungary is any worse than parts of Ireland, England, Wales or Scotland for this cruel practice.

[williamsmum]

He looks gorgeous, and could almost be an English cocker, so I wonder if he was taken out there originally by a Brit, with the intention of using him for breeding? I ask this as my own rescue cocker, Twiggy, who I took on in Bulgaria, was actually brought out from the UK by someone who wanted to use her for breeding, and then dumped her in a friend's kennels when she either didn't perform, or he grew tired of having to look after her.
I don't know what Hungarian cockers look like, but certainly the Bulgarian cocker spaniels seem to look more like American cockers than English, which is why I was wondering this.

[ladylola]

I'd say he was show type with a very bad haircut. Sure it will look a lot thicker when it grows. Though some show types do have finer hair. I hope everything goes well for you. I can see why you fell for him.

Not all rescues insist on resident dogs being neutered. I adopted four, I already had two girls of my own and one of my girls wasn't spayed at the time. The rescues were all neutered. It surprises me how many pedigree dogs there are in rescues and it is such a shame, not just for pedigree dogs but for all dogs who find themselves in this position. With so many dogs being unwanted something really needs to be done about indiscriminate breeding. Wish I had the answer.

[Maria]

I understand the arguments against adopting from abroad when we have dogs in this country looking for homes but it is a sad fact that the majority of dogs in British rescues are bull breeds or terriers and if you don't want one of those, it can be hard to adopt.  

that is a load of rubbish sorry - we have a large handin list that includes cockers, several springers, labs etc (mostly pedigree dogs) to add to the 3 cockers we have in on foster at the moment we even have a french bulldog and a boston terrier so very wrong to say this - rescues have over 50% of their rescues are pedigrees (and we're not talking bull breeds here) that's not forgetting the breed rescues themselves

rescues in bulgaria, romania etc should start to follow the examples of dogstar and soy dog in my opinion and keep dogs within the country - all you do by rehoming abroad all the time (and there does seem to be some sort of kudos here with dogs from abroad) is perpetuate the problem and never fix it

because of this problem dogs from ireland now have to go through the pet passport system as so many think they can go through that loophole - more disease is and will come into the uk

if more people neutered dogs then we wouldn't have this problem and may be money should be provided abroad to pay for this rather than bring dogs over

speak to Hope rescue about this problem as they have recently been raging on FB about having to pick up the pieces for dogs brought in and ending up dumped and this is the tip of the iceberg heading this way

cute lovely dogs are available here and the same cute dogs will be part of the 11,000+ healthy dogs pts next year

I agree with you, there are plenty of non bull breeds / terriers in rescue, and lots of gundogs (inc spaniels of various types) if you care to look just a bit further than your own locality.......we have rescue cocker no 3 here now (am working on no 4 but OH won't budge yet.....)

I hope the new addition settles in well - but....... what happens if he doesn't get on with your existing dogs? Or has other problems? What back up will you have in the UK? That's what would worry me about adoption, potential lack of back up if needed.

[margaret48]

I feel the only back up that anybody has is if you buy a pup of a reputable breeder. 

The company that brings him over to the UK have many foster carers for the dogs they bring over throughout the UK.  I think it would be the same if I got a rescue dog from the uk there would be no real back up provided.

Medical wise, he will be getting a full check up and fully insured when he arrives here, introducing any new dog is a risk and I am sure he will settle in but if not I will worry about that when it happens.  Its got to be much better than the life he has had before.

[Lily Freya]

I feel the only back up that anybody has is if you buy a pup of a reputable breeder. 

The company that brings him over to the UK have many foster carers for the dogs they bring over throughout the UK.  I think it would be the same if I got a rescue dog from the uk there would be no real back up provided.

Medical wise, he will be getting a full check up and fully insured when he arrives here, introducing any new dog is a risk and I am sure he will settle in but if not I will worry about that when it happens.  Its got to be much better than the life he has had before.

Good luck to you.  You have the right attitude.  You know there might be problems, but as you say, you will deal with them as they occur.
This little doggie will have a good home, and fingers crossed will settle in quickly.

Xx

[twiceover2]

I agree with you, there are plenty of non bull breeds / terriers in rescue, and lots of gundogs (inc spaniels of various types) if you care to look just a bit further than your own locality.......we have rescue cocker no 3 here now (am working on no 4 but OH won't budge yet.....)

I hope the new addition settles in well - but....... what happens if he doesn't get on with your existing dogs? Or has other problems? What back up will you have in the UK? That's what would worry me about adoption, potential lack of back up if needed.

I have looked further than my own locality as has Margaret  .  What is the real difference between me adopting from the other end of this country or adopting from Ireland or Croatia?  I don't really understand what the problem is.  Why have a "racist" attitude to rehoming?  A dog is a dog, no matter what country it happens to be in.

I don't know what back-up the Hungarian rescue provides.  As I stated, the rescues I have used and my sister will be using both have UK based offices, fosterers, volunteers, behaviourists etc and provide the same level of support as adopting from a UK rescue.

[Murphys Law]

I think playing the racist card is a bit much.

Personally I would rather support rescue centres is this country as they are in need just as much as anywhere else.

But that's just me.

[Jane S]

Why have a "racist" attitude to rehoming?  A dog is a dog, no matter what country it happens to be in.

Understandably people have quite strong opinions on the subject of rescuing dogs from abroad (for and against) as opposed to the UK but please can we not use words like "racist" - clearly the reason many people feel uncomfortable with the idea of rescuing from abroad has nothing to do with racism in the true sense of the word but a belief that there are already too many dogs in rescue here in the UK who are desperate for homes (otherwise there would be no need for a Rescue board on this forum) and because there are other ways of supporting homeless dogs abroad apart from bringing them here.

There's no reason why people can't express their views here one way or another as long as they do it politely but please accept that not everyone will agree and try not to use inflammatory words

Thanks

[twiceover2]

Why have a "racist" attitude to rehoming?  A dog is a dog, no matter what country it happens to be in.

Understandably people have quite strong opinions on the subject of rescuing dogs from abroad (for and against) as opposed to the UK but please can we not use words like "racist" - clearly the reason many people feel uncomfortable with the idea of rescuing from abroad has nothing to do with racism in the true sense of the word but a belief that there are already too many dogs in rescue here in the UK who are desperate for homes (otherwise there would be no need for a Rescue board on this forum) and because there are other ways of supporting homeless dogs abroad apart from bringing them here.

There's no reason why people can't express their views here one way or another as long as they do it politely but please accept that not everyone will agree and try not to use inflammatory words

Thanks

I'm sorry; it was a poor choice of word.  I put it in speech marks to try and make it clear that I wasn't suggesting that anyone who is against rehoming dogs from abroad is racist in any way and I apologise if anyone thought I was suggesting their attitude was racist.  I was just trying to make the point that a dog is a dog whichever country it comes from, so I don't think it matters where we adopt from.

[Helen]

I feel the only back up that anybody has is if you buy a pup of a reputable breeder. 

The company that brings him over to the UK have many foster carers for the dogs they bring over throughout the UK.  I think it would be the same if I got a rescue dog from the uk there would be no real back up provided.

That's untrue - Good rescues offer lifetime back up and in fact have agreements that you sign saying if circumstances change the dog will go back to the rescue.

I'm not for one second saying this could happen with this dog but what happens if a dog from a foreign rescue doesn't work out for the new owners? Does it go back to the country it came from (I think not) or does it place further burden on the already full to bursting English rescues? (which is already happening)

I wish you all the best with your new arrival and hope he gets on well with your similarly aged other rescue  

Penny - Dogstar Foundation is doing an amazing job  

[ladylola]

I feel the only back up that anybody has is if you buy a pup of a reputable breeder. 

The company that brings him over to the UK have many foster carers for the dogs they bring over throughout the UK.  I think it would be the same if I got a rescue dog from the uk there would be no real back up provided.

That's untrue - Good rescues offer lifetime back up and in fact have agreements that you sign saying if circumstances change the dog will go back to the rescue.

The four rescue dogs I have, have full lifetime backup from the rescue they came from. If at any stage of their lives I need to rehome (god forbid) the rescue would take them back. Infact I am not allowed to rehome them myself. It has to go through the rescue.

[henryjack1dogs]

Yes good rescues will offer support if the homing doesn't work out.  BUT - when they are running at full capacity the space is often not there or its a waiting game for a space to come available.    Not always as easy to return when it's urgent.

I agree UK rescues are full to capacity and yes I am sure we would all rehome from them if we could.  Alot do have strict restrictions in place but sometimes the tight restrictions keeps a dog in rescue and not in a home.

My love of animals would not tie me to rescuing in the UK alone, all animals deserve a second chance no matter where they were born.

Good look to the OP, he looks a darling and you sound like the right sort of person to take this boy on.  I truely hope it works out for you and can I say your other two spaniels are gorgeous.  They certainly landed on their feet living with you.

[PennyB]

I feel the only back up that anybody has is if you buy a pup of a reputable breeder. 

so much for all the dogs we (and other rescues I know) I guess who regularly rehome throughout the UK then that provide backup and support to and we and others take the dogs back whenever needed

Guess what the rescue I volunteer with is taking in 19 pups today - part of the BYB glut pre-Christmas - 3 spaniel Xs are coming this way later today to spend christmas with my brood

[PennyB]

Penny - Dogstar Foundation is doing an amazing job  

Amy who's sometimes on here from the Oldies Club went and spent part of her holiday volunteering for them this summer
For those that don't know this is what dogstar do and it should be a model for the future - it hasn't been easy but its getting there.

http://www.dogstarfoundation.com/