We have offered this domain name to Forest Dog Rescue
Sadly, but not as a surprise to us, they have not bothered to have the courtesy to reply
We have asked only for the cost of the site over the last two years.
When we took over this domain it struggled to have a hundred visits a month
If it were all about the dogs , you would think that a website address that still attracts ten thousand unique visits a month would be of great interest to them , wouldn't you?
Should aggressive dogs be re homed? I suppose the first thing would be to define aggressive, proven bite history is a start. This is where the size and type of the dog can be significant, a small feisty terrier who gives an ankle nip when the owner gets up to leave the room is certainly a sign of aggression, the pinpoint teeth holes prove that but very often these tiny Attila’s get away with it. This kind of aggression will usually escalate, territory is protected and possessions are guarded until the dog rules the house and the dog can find himself in rescue. With skilled intervention this dog could learn a better way to behave and if placed in a home where the previous behaviour is not tolerated, the fix could be permanent. This kind of bad activity can be eliminated and the responsibility is with the assessor, trainer of behaviourist to be sure that the safety of the public is paramount, no matter what size the dog. Quite another problem is the dog on dog aggression that has become habitual; none of us would want to meet such a dog, out of control, on our walks with our own dogs. The danger isn’t just to our dogs but to anyone who gets in the way of such a dog, when an attack happens, quite often this type of dog has little control over what or who it bites. The thought of a small child getting in the way of a dog intent on his prey doesn’t bear thinking about.
Most of the no kill rescues will not knowingly take in a dog with such pronounced dog on dog aggression, but the fact is that people who want a rescue to take their dog in will lie just to shift the responsibility and those rescues that take dogs in from pounds don’t realise what they have until the first signs of aggression. There is a question of responsibility of the rescue, is it reasonable to allow a dog back into the public domain that you know has already bitten, do you start making excuses for that dog? The rescue should take into account the possible consequences of re homing a dog with such a history, even after rehabilitation. Insurance companies will not insure a dog with aggressive tendencies, so if that dog does injure or kill, the weight of the law falls on the present owner. In this litigious age the cost of facing such a suit would be devastatingly expensive. If the rescue fails to tell the new owners the full history of that dog they have concealed facts that would affect whether the dog would be re-homed at all. More importantly, someone could get scarred mentally and /or physically, for life.
Accidents happen, a dog can slip a lead or get out of a garden, for well socialised animals the risk is to that dog but for a dog with aggressive tendencies the outlook is far more worrying for the public and their pets. I feel the Dogs Trust have all bases covered here, they have a non destruction policy but they also have sufficient space and qualified staff to give the dog its best chance. If it’s felt the dog cannot be safely returned to society they can offer that dog a life within the centre but without the usual stresses associated with a rescue kennels. For instance they won’t be viewed by the public, for a dog in kennels the endless procession of people passing by their pen can be very distressing. The Dogs Trust has the financial backing and expertise to take time to work with a dog, but so many small rescues are desperate to get the dogs out as quickly as possible and that can mean mistakes are made and the option of absolute honesty isn’t always taken. Unless a trainer or behaviourist who has been working with the dog is prepared to put their reputation, in writing, behind their statement that a dog is not going to be a danger to the public, that dog should not, in my opinion, be re homed. Dogs are unpredictable, they do make mistakes of judgement sometimes and that can end up in a situation where a human gets bitten. It really shouldn’t be about finding a home, at any cost.
It’s a lot to expect of even a happy, friendly dog to adjust to a new home, but a dog that has already found his own solution to situations that affect him can be a loose and lethal cannon. In the main, rescue dogs do make fantastic companions , they can add such love and loyalty to your life and ask for so little in return but I feel the general public are often naïve in their choice of rescue dog, only by being given honest information from the rescue kennels can they make an informed decision.