The truth about dogs for sale

Thinking about buying a dog - please consider carefully.

To date 2006 has been the worst year on record for our german shepherd rescue because of the sheer volume of dogs coming up for rehoming. It isn’t just our rescue but most rescues across the UK are struggling to cope and the council pounds are overrun with dogs, with an ever increasing number of strays on our streets. Councils constantly complain about the growing costs of providing a dog warden service and yet many do little to tackle the root cause of the problem. Visit any dog pound in the UK and you will see that many of the strays are either pedigrees, first crosses and even more shocking – puppies. Many will be put to sleep because a home cannot be found quickly enough for them – most have just 7 days. During those 7 days, many of these dogs will be kept in appalling conditions lying on cold wet newspapers in their own urine in unheated dark kennels with barely enough room to turn around in. Most will not receive any veterinary treatment even if they are obviously suffering, the attitude being that if they are going to be put down anyway, why bother and waste money. For these unfortunate animals there will be no treats, no cuddles no nice walks – and we call ourselves a nation of animal lovers. How sad that man’s best friend has become a fashion accessory but a disposable item when the novelty wears off.

We believe that this huge increase in unwanted dogs is directly due to the increased availability of puppies, a large proportion of which are coming from the lucrative trade of puppy farming. Pick up the ad papers, local newspapers, Exchange and Mart and the classifieds often list litter after litter of pedigree puppies. You can still obtain puppies from some pet shops (licenced by local councils) you can even buy puppies off the internet and we have heard of dealers selling at boot fairs, in pubs and such like. No home checks required, just hand over your cash some even provide credit card facilities. Have no doubt in your mind that puppies acquired from these outlets all come from puppy farms. No reputable breeder would allow their puppies to be sold in this way, neither would they allow someone to just walk in off the street and walk away with a dog. Reputable breeders don’t sell through third parties and their puppies will be with their real mother when you see them – well cared for and in hygienic conditions.

It doesn’t take a genius to see that this problem has arisen because of inadequate legislation, local councils reacting rather than acting and irresponsible attitudes towards breeding and dog ownership.

If you are thinking of taking on a dog don’t be hasty and give it plenty of careful thought. In a consumer driven society with more disposable income, it is just too easy to buy a cute cuddly puppy on a whim without considering carefully what taking on a dog really entails or even bothering to research the breed before buying.

How will a dog fit in with you, your family and your lifestyle? Owning an animal is not cheap if it is going to be well looked after. Your pet should be insured but you will still have some vet treatments to pay for and you will need to provide a good quality diet for him. Have you got the time to devote to your pet to provide adequate exercise and a varied and stimulating environment for him? There isn’t much point in buying a dog if you both work full time and the poor thing is left on it’s own all day long. This is not fair on any breed of dog but especially the large working breeds who will become bored vocal and destructive if left alone repeatedly for long periods. Are you prepared for the days when its cold and raining or the long dark winter days to get up and get out with your dog. After all, he or she won’t care what the weather is like or how tired you are, they just want their walks. Can you cope with the muddy paws leaving tracks across your new carpet, the smelly damp coats, the mud splashes on the furniture or copious hairs shed – everywhere?!

Don’t make the decision to buy a dog lightly but if you do decide that it’s right for you, please consider first taking on a rescue dog. Give a dog a second chance to have a good life. If you really must buy a puppy please research this carefully and do not buy from a dealer or a puppy farm.

German Shepherd Rescue

German Shepherd Rescue Helping to Foster and Rehome German Shepherd Puppies and German Shepherd Dogs (Alsatians) Across the UK.

German Shepherd Rescue is based in Scotland but we have links with many other rescues and help rehome German Shepherds across the UK. Can you help us raise funds so that we can rescue more unwanted German Shepherd Dogs?

Please do not contact the rescue specifically for puppies - buying a puppy. We are looking for loving homes for rescue dogs of all ages. We always have at least 30 - 40 German Shepherd dogs for rehoming. Can you offer to adopt a German Shepherd and give it a good home or maybe you could foster a German Shepherd until a new home is found.

If you would like us to feature a German Shepherd Dog that is looking for a new home please contact us with details. Please note that this is a genuine service for German Shepherd Rescue and not a listings for people wishing to sell their german shepherd dog.

Please help us by making a donation so that we can help re home more unwanted German Shepherd Dogs. Donations can be sent to Jayne Shenstone, German Shepherd Rescue, Little Vauld, Marden Hereford HR1 3HA. We also accept Paypal payments - just click on the Paypal button below. Thank you.

Volunteers are always welcome

German Shepherd Rescue is run by volunteers who are involved because of their love for the breed. Most have jobs and families and fit in rescue work when they can and at their own cost. Please be patient and we will deal with your requests as soon as we can. Our rescue dogs are worth waiting for!