Cocker rescue sites??

[Magic Star]

Hi all

I have searched the net today for a website that is specifically for cocker rescue!  I have found lots of phone numbers etc but haven't actually found a site dedicated to cocker rescue, does anyone know of one?  I am not looking to rehome one at the moment, Indie is far too young for that just yet.  But I did want to try and help in some way, even if its sending off used postage stamps or watever I can do to help.   Its amazing there seems to be a dedicated site for most other breeds, but not cockers  

I had a quick look on the world wide section and there are absolutely hundreds and hundreds of rescues for cockers in the states :shock:   I think cockers must be a very popular breed in the USA :?

If anyone can point me in the right direction, I would be very greatful

Thanx

Emma and Indie                    

[Jane S]

Sorry Emma- there is no Rescue site specifically for Cockers in the UK. The reason why there are so many in the US (apart from the fact it's a vast country!) is that Cockers in the US means American Cockers not English Cockers - American Cockers are hugely popular in the States & widely exploited by commercial breeders & puppy mills. Despite the fact that English Cockers in the UK are v popular & are also mass-produced by puppy farmers, we do not have a huge rescue problem & there are generally more people wanting to adopt an older Cocker than there are dogs available for rehoming whether via Cocker Rescue or local rescue centres. Cocker Rescue is co-ordinated by The Cocker Spaniel Club (www.thecockerspanielclub.co.uk) & the Club is always grateful for donations to the Rescue Fund. There is also an ongoing used stamp collection in aid of Cocker Rescue - I gave the address on a thread not too long ago, will try & find it later if you are interested.                    

[Mary P]

Hi Emma,
When I had decided to look for a cocker for our family, I had the same experience - lots in USA but none here.
I spent hours trawling through web sites countrywide. At almost the same moment I came across this site with the list of numbers, and saw a cocker at the RSPCA and the rest, as they say, is history.
Perhaps the rescue coordinators are too busy to update web sites - perhaps they could be persuaded to have a page on COL?!?
Cheers,                    

[PennyB]

There are more cockers that go through the various pounds and rescues throughout the UK that the rescue co-ordinators don't get to hear about and so you have to really look at the various rescue sites. http://www.dogpages.org.uk is a very good one as a lot of people in rescue (large or small) visit/post on that one and so have formed a really good network more of which goes on via private messages and email. A large number of rescue cockers comes from Wales. Many of the small rescues regularly rehome puppy farm breeding bitches that have never had a home (of all breeds). One rescue in South Wales regularly brings dogs over from Ireland where the problem of stray dogs and puppy farms is far worse.

There should also be means to give elderly cockers a home for the rest of their days (which is what the US cocker rescues do), however, short that may be even though some people have suggested to me that its cruel to think of rehoming them after a certain age even though they could have a few years left by someones fireside.                    

[Mike]

If you're thinking about getting involved in the sense of home visits and/or possibly even fostering cockers before permanent homes are found, you might want to PM or email Hel, who I believe is involved in both and can share some experiences and offer advice? I've also thought about fostering sometime in the future, when my home circumstances are a little more suited to it - I think it's a very worthwhile thing to do, and personally I'd prefer to help out with those older cockers that are often sidelined a little.                    

[Dessie]

Hi Emma

It just goes to Show that the Cocker Rescue Co-ordinators The Cocker Spaniel Club have must be doing a very good job and don't need to have a website for the Breed, which can only be a good thing, don't you think.

The lady that collects the used postage stamps is:-

Enid Dickson
2 Mead Acre
Monks Risborough
Princes Risborough.
Bucks
HP27 9JN                    

[Magic Star]

Hi Emma

It just goes to Show that the Cocker Rescue Co-ordinators The Cocker Spaniel Club have must be doing a very good job and don't need to have a website for the Breed, which can only be a good thing, don't you think.

  Couldn't agree more Dessie!!  I was thinking more on the lines of awareness and fundraising thats all.  Its great that there isn't a site listed with dozens and dozens of homeless cockers, but I think it would be nice to have some kind of awareness site, somewhere where you can specifically go to to volunteer help or funds and organise events that can help with the costs towards cocker rescue.   Hard to explain what I mean really :?  

Thanks for the address for the postage stamps

Thanx everyone for all your feedback too, I will contact Hel as suggested Mike.  


Penny, you raised some good points there, I do think there are Cockers that go through other means of rehoming, other than the rescue co-ordinator.  Which is sad, as I think it takes people who know the cocker breed to find them the correct home.  Perhaps if there was a dedicated site, people who are looking to give up their cockers for whatever reason, would find it more appropriate to go through a specific cocker rescue, than a general pound.  I think anyone who works on behalf of rescue dogs, are worth their weight in gold, I am in no way trying to suggest that the current setup is not working, as I have had no first hand experience with the cocker rescue.  After visiting other specific breed rescue sites I just thought it was a good way of A) Raising awareness and Raising funds.  Hope you understand the gist of my babble :wink:

Get collecting those stamps everyone!!!

Emma and Indie                    

[Jane S]

I don't think I made myself very clear in my post above When I said we didn't have a big Rescue problem, I meant in the sense that there were not dozens of Cockers on Rescue awaiting new homes. Some areas of Cocker Rescue are very busy - the North West & South/West of England for example. I have seen the annual figures for number of dogs rehomed via Cocker Rescue & in some areas, it is significant whereas in others, there are just a few. Also older dogs (as in senior citizens) are often successfully rehomed though it may take a little longer than with younger dogs - Cocker Rescue will also pay for any ongoing medical treatment an older Cocker may need for the rest of his/her life. Of course, not all Cockers needing a new home pass through Cocker Rescue - many are rehomed privately by their owners & others are rehomed via local rescue centres etc. Anybody involved in Rescue whether through Cocker Rescue or through independant or national Rescue Centres is doing a great job though & deserves our gratitude & respect. In relation to the website question, it is planned to have more information about the Cocker Rescue scheme on the Club website in future but these things take time :wink:                    

[Dessie]

Well why don't you contact your nearest Rescue Co-Ordinator and see if there is anything you can do With regards to donations I'm sure they will be only to happy and again your nearest Rescue person will be the best person to ask.

P.S.  If you have any great ideas of raising money let me know as I'm raising funds for The Guernsey Dog Club for our Discover Dogs Exhibition in 2005 !!!                    

[Magic Star]

Thats great news Jane!!  I will contact my local co-ordinator and see if I can help.  

Dessie with regard to your fundraising, I have quite a few ideas   I am not sure of the population of dogs and supportive owners where you are :?   But you could organise a mass fun dog walk, charging £2 per person, followed by a bar b que again raising funds with a mark up on the food  perhaps even activities for the younger ones, if you can get a volunteer to do facepainting, dance mat competitions (which you can charge a small fee for) etc, this always goes down well with kids and keeps them entertained while the adults eat and chat.  Maybe you could collect some unwanted cd's videos bric a brac etc and sell them on Ebay, sounds daft but you would be surprised what people buy and if its donated, its pure profit you are making.  Failing that you could always volunteer to do a parachute jump!!!   Only kidding on that one, unless of course you are willing to give it ago   I've got some more ideas, but don't wanna bombard you, if you need anymore, just email me

Hope these help a little.

Emma and Indie                    

[Gilly]

I do tend to think that anyone wanting to rehome their Cocker would either A) speak to a local rehoming centre or get on the internet to find out more information. I just did a Google search and typed in Cocker Rescue, and all the relevant sites with all the information anyone would need is there at the press of a button. So, whilst I think a dedicated site is a good idea i don't think it's paramount in the rehoming of Cockers. Surely a dedicated site would drain funds which could be used to better effect, so maybe that's why there has been no rush to build one  :?:
With sites like this and all the Cocker Spaniel Club sites around the UK they seem to be doing a pretty good job so well done to all who are involved in this worth while cause.
It is a shame in this day and age though that stamps seem to be fading out  :?  with more and more businesses using franking machines  :? So other ideas for collecting funds may be a good idea. I for one go through loads of Print Cartridges at work, so maybe something like that could be worth while looking into???

Gilly                    

[Silver Surfer (indiesnan)]

hi Gilly,. Im involved on a rescue site. and an awful lot of dogs are rehomed because of this site.   I think rescue sites are a brilliant idea.  



   Barb                    

[Magic Star]

The lack of stamps is an issue I think these days :roll:   With the franking and pre-paid envelopes.  Its a s shame theres no money to be made in collecting junk mail :?  We all get plenty of that, i'm sure :wink:   I think there is a scheme for the print cartridges Gilly, but I am not sure how you go about setting that up :?  I think people/business do tend to refil them now too :roll:

Emma and Indie                    

[Mike]

Personally I think I'm in favour of a website to aid cocker rescue. As has been said, many people use the internet these days as one of the first tools of research. We try to do our bit here, but essentially we're relying on the goodwill of our members who are part of the various online rescue organisations such as Dogpages.org to make the time and effort to post when cockers are available outside cocker rescue, or when they become aware through cocker rescue of a cocker needing a home. If Cocker Rescue was a bit more visible as one global (well, national at least   ) entity on the web, then I cant help feeling that would be a good thing in terms of getting people interested, and therefore in general co-ordinating/speeding up the rehoming process. Good point about funds though, but if paying a little bit more each year succeeded in rehoming more cockers more quickly, I think it's probably worth it  :wink:                    

[Gilly]

hi Gilly,. Im involved on a rescue site. and an awful lot of dogs are rehomed because of this site. I think rescue sites are a brilliant idea.  

Did I say they weren't a good idea  :?:
My first dog was from an Animal Sanctuary :wink: What I was trying to say was that would a devoted site mean more dogs were rehomed via cocker rescue when all the information anyone needs is already on the internet, it is only a case of making a phone call to the relevant regional representative?? My point is that even if there was a devoted site, Cockers would still be rehomed through other rehoming centres etc. But from an awareness/fund raising point of view it is a good idea to maybe have a seperate URL or page on each clubs website.