I’m always advocating adopting a podenco from a recognised established rehoming association which will make detailed homechecks and follow-ups, and who will also be there to take the dog into their care should the adoption fail for whatever reason. So, to have a podenco sold on Gumtree (it’s not the first time a podenco has been advertised on Gumtree or Preloved) and another in a Scottish refuge (however good the refuge is) is unacceptable.
It is also unacceptable for someone in the UK to consider adopting an overseas rescue dog for breeding purposes. Reputable rehoming associations sterilize their dogs before they are homed.
The UK has its own serious dog and cat problem…so it is time to stop sending so many animals from Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece – to the UK. For example, for every galgo which arrives in the UK for foster and adoption, an English greyhound might lose out.
This is one reason I have cut down on the number of dogs I post offered for adoption and I hope that those that I do publish will be adopted elsewhere in Europe.
All this is why I applaud the ACTIN team for their initiative in organising the first International conference to discuss the problems of over-breeding especially dogs and cats, abandonment, enforcement of existing laws, and more. We can’t leave it up to the grey men in grey suits, who outnumber ladies like Michelle Striffler (who I met in Strasbourg) who is on our side. The EU will continue to faff on the subject, far removed from it in their glass tower block in Strasbourg and Brussels.
Comments
9 responses to “Rescued from Spain, lost in UK!”
I think that rescues need to ensure that they have a strict rehoming policy to ensure that dogs really are going to their forever homes. I’m afraid that a dog could end up in this situation if they were rehomed in Germany instead of UK. This could happen to any dog from a rescue in the UK or abroad. Hopefully the percentage of dogs rehomed successfully in the UK far outweighs situations like this. As for stopping sending dogs into the UK, I don’t agree, rescue has no borders. I have a rescue dog from the UK and one from Spain, both equally deserving of a home. Would I deny a dog from a hell pit pound in Romania their only chance of a home in the UK, no way. All respect to the people who are desperately trying to get these dogs out of hell on earth and give them a second chance. Please make sure adoptions are carefully organised, dogs neutered, homes checked, contracts signed etc. Stop breeding, stop the puppy mills, neuter and educate.
I knew I’d get some flack from this post appearing on one of my facebook pages, not here on my blog I hasten to add! The information in the pictures speaks for itself…copied and pasted from where they first appeared on facebook. I recently discussed this issue with friends and was appalled to learn that because of cut-backs in the UK border staff, many dogs arrive in the UK without papers etc being checked on entry. Whilst I’m not suggesting this was the case with either of these dogs, it is a worrying situation. I agree with you Kathryn, stop breeding, stop puppy mills, neuter and educate and this is the message I will be pushing in my presentation at the PAES conference.
I strongly disagree with your stance re not allowing dogs from abroad to be rehomed in the UK. I have been following the story of Pia for many months. Just because this adoptee has failed Pia and had lied about what she did with her it is a poor reaction to stop genuine people like myself adopting. The lady from Spain who had Pia has tried very hard to fine out what has happened to Pia and will not stop until she gets answers. That is commitment . From my own point of view, I live in Scotland and have five rescue dogs. One is from Scotland, two are from Southern Ireland and two are from Tenerife. The two from Ireland were five months and eight months when I got them. Both were due to be put to sleep the next day. This is because there are so many unwanted dogs there and many get seven days before being PTS. My two from Tenerife were in rescue for over a year prior to me bringing them to Scotland. The chances are that they would still have been there had I not adopted them. There are some podencos there that have been there for five years plus with little or no chance of ever leaving. People do not want these dogs for pets in Tenerife. All my dogs have a wonderful life. I am home all day so they always have me around. They get two two hour walks daily. They get to sleep on the sofas and my home is very much their home. No matter where a dog is rescued from there are always those who will rehome.
While concerns for the current situation with dogs being brought to the UK is admirable, I do feel that the poster being used ie Pia’s case is extremely misleading.
I’m aware of what happened in this case and the only person at fault is the adopter who lied and misled many people.
I really don’t think that this article should shown the lost poster for Pia. It is giiving totally the wrong idea about how Pia was rehomed. Home checks were done, adoption contracts were done, the rescue did everything in their power to ensure she went to a first class home. The fact that the adopter was deceiptful and disposed of her dogs without the rescues knowledge is not their fault.
The writer of this blog certainly has some views that are applauded and welcome. Rescues need to be properly supervised period. However to level criticism against the rescuer of Pia (Anne Benferri) and a lack of home checks is woefully inaccurate and this blog needs to be removed forthwith. Anne is a woman who goes to the Nth degree to ensure her rescues are correctly treated and homed. OK she got one wrong in Glasgow and on the face of things so would many others. She has spent an eternity trying to find where each of these dogs have disappeared to, working tirelessly along that long and difficult path.
Thank you all for your comments. We all know animal rescue is an emotive subject and it is good to have healthy debate. I know what it is like to have a dog missing. One of mine was stolen 5 years ago…2 animal communicators independently told me she was with a lady and an only dog. It is the ‘not knowing’ which is the worst. Even though microchipped and registered on the French database, she has never been found. I too did everything in my power to find her…and she is still advertised as lost on two the the French lost/found websites. And I have 5 rescue dogs, 4 from Spain and one from France where I live. Podencos are ending up in SPA refuges in France, that is not acceptable either. And France is sinking under the number of galgos being brought here for adoption. Which means French dogs get overlooked. BUT I would ask you how many associations check up on dogs which have been adopted? If any do, for how long afterwards? It all boils down to the urgent need for mass sterilisation, heavy control of breeding dogs and serious action by the cross country Border Controls, especially in the UK where the lack of staff means that some vehicles transporting animals enter without being checked – running the risk of importing sick dogs – as already happens.
Pia was a Little Pod Association dog and re-homed to the UK back in March 2013. She was a healthy, happy puppy. We were unaware the adoptee had later adopted/fostered further dogs from other organisations in Spain. A series of events led to Pia (who is called Pippa on her Passport) and other dogs being disposed of by the adoptee. At no point were we contacted to take Pia back and of course we would have done so… Along with homechecks and contracts, every dog we send abroad has a back up in place should for whatever reason the adoption be unsuccessful. Out of 676 adoptions Pia is sadly the only one we have no clue what has now happened to her. The adoptee refuses to communicate with anyone connected to their missing dogs (there is 4 in total from different rescues), so many lies and stories have been filtered through and we have no way to get to the truth. If Pia was passed on a ‘friend’ then we can only pray she is happy, well and cared for, if she was passed on to a ‘traveller’ which seems to be the most likely scenario we will sadly never know what has happened to her, again we can only pray she is not suffering in any way and keep looking for her. A substantial reward is offered for information on any of the 4 missing dogs but so far no information or leads have come to light. As you say Beryl it is the not knowing what has happened to her which is the hardest, along with the guilt that we have failed her and we have to live with it. Anne along with others have not given up hope on any of these dogs and continuously share and search for any sign or clue that will lead to their whereabouts.
Thank you for your comment, Maria. Have you thought of contacting either Madeleine Walker of Joanna Hull, who are both recognised animal communicators. I attended a course run by her when she ‘communicated’ with my stolen dog. She was successful with a Siamese cat missing from one of my neighbours. Whilst an animal cannot ‘tell you’ exactly where it is location-wise, it can say what conditions it is living in etc. Some people will poo poo the idea, I can only speak from my own experience. As I said before, it is the not knowing which is the worst and I can empathise and sympathise with you.