Children reselling rescue dogs - what next?

I have been approached by a breed rescue who have a real dilemma.
Their representative went out to home check someone interested in taking one of their male dogs. The person applying was not yet an adult, living in very crowded council accommodation with a one dog rule. They already owned one dog of the same large breed - a female. They were trying to obtain a male.
They admitted during the home check that the adults in the home were on benefits but they were hoping to use a local shelter for vet cover. The adults were less able to speak English than the children, so that is possibly why the applicants had been so young.
The home check was obviously a fail on a number of points, but the household applied again for another dog via another breed rescue and people within the breed started to swap notes.
A search on Google of the mobile phone number listed showed many dogs for sale via Internet sites for the same breed of dog. They appeared to be running a business selling dogs from their home.
They were charging hundreds of pounds for adult dogs and the photos on the web showed big dogs in very small spaces. Some very sad faces.
The rescue contacted the RSPCA but they felt there was nothing they could do. The council didn't seem too bothered either.
You have to wonder where they are getting these adult pedigree dogs from. Who would rehome to this environment? If they are getting rescue dogs somehow - do the rescues know they are being sold on? Perish the thought, could these dogs be possibly stolen?
There is something terribly wrong with our dog legislation if council tenants can become dog retailers when the simplest of checks reveals a totally unsuitable environment for even one dog to be kept.
Are dogs so insignificant that children can sell them?
In a week when I've heard that there is a 700 breeding bitch puppy farm in Ireland I have to say I do despair! And I am just stunned that despite the real fear of a very contagious disease outbreak no government vet has been given access to check on the condition of these poor dogs.
Nation of dog lovers - don't make me laugh. Our laws afford these poor dogs no real protection.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Good lord! If it's illegal for children to buy a pet, then it must be illegal for them to sell one! Time and again, it's a case of 'the enforcing powers that be' being unable, or unwilling, to act.

Have the local authority and dog warden been notified?

Dogs just seem to be low priority - with responsibility being passed from police to local authority to RSPCA etc. There should be government Dog Tsar or something!
Claire
PBurns said…
Want to do an IMPORTANT thing for the mag? Write out an instruction sheet on how to track down the thieves. You have figured it out, and the recipie is one that not only dog owners want to know, but the police too.

Patrick
Chapstaff said…
Well done to the rescue organisation who did all the investigations.

It must be government legislation that's putting obstacles in the way of organisations like the RSPCA being able to act on information like this that's handed to them on a plate.

Our govt could do with taking a leaf out of some other country's books & get their arse into gear before this country really does go to the dogs...or is it already too late.

We can't seem to get anything right, with puppy farms abounding, no apparent law in place to stop puppy farmers moving sick pups & spreading disease throughout the country, not to mention the Kennel Club's failings, breed specific legislation etc. etc.

On that cheerful note I'll go to bed :o(
Penkitty said…
I read about this on another forum a couple of days ago, I am glad to see it's now in the public domain.
I strongly suspect at least some of these poor dogs have been stolen.

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