Rehoming animals

[Blanche]

Hi
my name is maria it is my first time on the forum.
i am currently up dating my website to include chickens. you might of seen one of my chickens ( Blanche ) ? Her picture was posted to you all by mel ( melons ). She went in the chicken welfare section from the last rescue.

My question is
WHY REHOME AN ANIMAL FROM A RESCUE CENTRE vS PEDIGREE/NEW ?

I currently board all rodents, ferrets, rabbits and caged birds. im also looking in to boarding chickens ??? for people who are going on there holidays.
i have also taken in rescue animals myself and it is important to add this topic to my website, to encourage people to do the same but would like some feed back.

[Tania]

Welcome Maria.

WHY REHOME AN ANIMAL FROM A RESCUE CENTRE vS PEDIGREE/NEW ?

In my opinion:
Pedigree/new animals are making money for the breeders, therefore they will (in most instances) protect their investment, however long it takes to find a buyer. The animal will be cared for and ultimately find a home.

Rescue animals have a much smaller chance of finding a home - particularly if they've had a bad start in life. If they are not rehomed quickly they become institutionalised (making it harder to find them a home) or scrapped (Put to sleep).

The only fate for ex-battery chickens, unless someone has offered a home to them in advance is to be sent to the slaughterhouse.

I am not against buying pedigree/new animals - I bought 4 Black Rock chickens. But if I hadn't bought them, someone else would have. I didn't know about ex-batts when I bought them.

My 3 ex-batts would now be in a pie or more probably tin of pet food if I hadn't known about the BHWT.

2 of my cats came from the shelter, they were older and had been there for some time - and came with some "baggage". My kitten was an "accident" that happened to a neighbour's cat who hadn't had hers spayed. The money paid for him went straight to the vet to stop it happening again.

If you buy an animal it creates the market for the breeders to produce more, while there are still animals in shelters needing a home.

I'd defend anyones right to chose between "new" and "secondhand", just hope that a fair number make the "right" choice.

[wendy]

Hi Maria,
I agree with all Tania has said.
The pedigree's will get homes, but those in shelters need a break and most definately a home.
The ex battery girls I have would, as she said, be a stock cube, chicken pie, soup or [heaven forbid] baby food by now. They are the most urgent.
My husband works for Battersea Dogs and Cats home. They keep the healthy dogs, in mind and body, for as long as it takes. A lot of others do as well. Some keep for a certain amount of time [RSPCA] and then put them down. But these battery girls, if they don't go on the day to new homes they are dead.
I have 3 dogs one from Battersea, one I bought who is the mother of the other one [one in the litter] I have two parrots one bought as a baby and one rescue. Had I known just how many parrots need rescue and good homes. I would have rescued. But then I wouldn't have my perfect parrot Indiana. 6 rescue ex battery girls and two crosses that needed a home.
Definately a second hand husband. He had been used, but brushes up well.
Wendy.

[Speckledhen]

Hi Maria,

I agree with a lot of what Tania says. We have two dogs, one pedigree bought from a gundog breeder (so I suppose you could argue that they are supplying a certain market - not that I agree with shooting myself) and one rescue dog.

Personally I would prefer to go for a rescue dog and also appreciate that there are good breeders and bad.

I think the main thing is that people should be encouraged to neuter their animals, after all I would think that most "impulse buys" and accordingly therefore most animals that end up in rescue are the result of unplanned litters. I'm thinking mainly of dogs here and maybe I'm wrong, but anyway that's my opinion.

Michele

[Richard]

Hello Blanche,

I go along with it as well. If it were really pedigree only, we'd have no homes for the mixtures.
Also, the mixtures are a lot tougher and will live longer becoming a true friend and part of the family.

With the exception of one, I've only ever had rescue cats. The one pedigree I had, an Egyptian, died very young after a small fortune (NOT that swayed anything).
Rescued pet's are also obtainable for those with lesser incomes.

There are some who say that if you're on a lower income, you shouldn't have a pet. Why not?

Often rescued cats aren't from bad homes, they are from older people who have passed on. These can be absolute faithful friends.

Finally, some pedigree's are just a fashion accessory or something to tell you about it's owner.
I know a chap with a white alsation, goes around with a trilby, sports coat and everything else. He lives in Battersea!

Just thoughts as they run off.

Richard

[wendy]

You are right, Richard, about fashion accessories.
Battersea's intake of Staffies has gone up 73% this year . They are now getting more staffies than mongrels !! Rottweilers 63 % since 2004 they are getting one Akita per week and American Bulldogs will soon be one per week. They are also stuffed with GSD's and Dobies.
These are see it, want it, got to have it. Then they cannot manage the dog and throw it away. People are still breeding these dogs, while others are dying in some rescue homes for the want of a good home. The World has gone mad.
Wendy

[morph]

Agree with everything said.

The only thing I can add is...giving something back.......altruism.....trying to make it a better place to live

One other thing I've thought about. It's such a shame that there are so many animals which need "rescuing". Aren't we supposed to be a nature of animal lovers? A paradox!!?

[melons]

Quote from Tania... I am not against buying pedigree/new animals - I bought 4 Black Rock chickens. But if I hadn't bought them, someone else would have. I didn't know about ex-batts when I bought them.

I think that sort of sums it up for the battery hen really, everyone I tell about the BHWT, has never heard of them, maybe in Devon, closer to their home, they are a bit better known, even people who have had chickens for years, have never heard of them
I think ex batts make up a lovely mix to a flock, but I must admit, as much as I'd like a Poland, Silkie or Orpington, if I had the room, I'd look at it thinking, that's another battery hen gone in a pie because I had a posh urge :cry: so I will remain forever faithful to the brown girls, that is my personal preference & in no way am I having a dig or a poke at anyone.
Everything we have at home is a rescue is some form or another, it's my hangover from working in a rescue centre, not a bad hangover to have, my experience was awful, right in the middle of the boom & bust, what goes first? peoples spare cash for charity, it was like working in a slaughter house, rather than a rescue centre, 15 dogs every monday wednesday & friday had to be PTS, I'm glad to say that was over 20 years ago & things have changed for the better, enormously, but I'll never foget it, it was traumatic to say the least.

[Citrine]

oh Mel, thats awful! :cry: :cry:

[wendy]

Mel is right. It is happening all the time.
All the rescue societies are really worried about the staffie problem. People are still breeding and breeding them, while many, many others are being PTS.
Cruel and Ridiculous.
Wendy

[Blanche]

hi
just want to say thank you to you all for your opinons. A lot of them i share with you. It is good to get an overall view when i write my stuff up to put on my website.

I to have a lot of rescue animals of all sorts ( mostly rodents ). i do get a great feeling knowing that i have helped these little critters!!!

My two ex-batts Blanche and Gertie from the last rescue are doing great. Blanche is sporting a great 1980's punk hairdo at present. im so excited that is going to be wearing a feathered outfit soon.

Thanks again

[Richard]

Hi Blanche.

Hope you're going to join in with some other threads as well.

What's the website so the members who gave you their views know where it's going and what your findings are?

Richard

[Jo]

Hi Maria

Mel has pointed me in your direction, via another forum thread. I have read on your thread that you are looking to start Hen Boarding.

I am trying to find somewhere for my four ex-battery girls to stay over Christmas week as I am going away. Is this something you have started with?

I can't locate your email address, maybe you can email me direct

Many Thanks x

[Jo]

Sorry Maria, I was going to respond to your 'second-hand or pedigree' question.

Defiantly, Defiantly second-hand every time. ALL my animals are rescues or re-homes, these total:

- One tortoise, found wandering the streets
- One three legged cat, leg shut in the door re-homed from the RSPCA
- One Cat re-homed from the RSPCA who had a nasty cat virus
- One Staffie-Cross re-homed from the NAWT, found wandering the streets in Wales, has hip-displacia and a deformed elbow joint.
- Six rabbits either found or passed on.
- 4 Budgies re-homed
- One Shetland pony bought off some travelers, he was tethered on a junction.
and.. finally my four ex-battery girls

I love them all dearly. Rescue animals are so rewarding, despite the rotten start most of them have had in life they never fail to give you loyalty and love.

My personal opinion, no animals should be sold in Pet Shops, rabbits should not be bought for children and dog licencing should be re-instated. As I say that is only a personal opinion, but I am tired of seeing overflowing rescue centers. :cry:

[AnnaB]

Jo
That is fantastic what you are doing. I agree with you about shops selling pets it should not be allowed.
So many people buy a cuddly something and when it grows and gets big the novelty wears off and the pet is abandoned.
Animals have to be looked after and sadly lots of them are not.