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need a new dog - can I travel to collect one?

SteveG said:
When we tried to adopt a rescue initially we thought the rescue places would be pretty keen to let us have a dog - both in our early 50's, detached house with a decent garden and a 6ft fence, my wife at home all the time as she'd retired, on the edge of the Pentland Hills with excellent dog walking from the door, no kids at home etc. Unfortunately we hadn't owned a dog before so weren't of interest (and the Dogs Trust were very dismissive, despite having loads of dogs in) although I thought it was mental of them not to at least give us a chance.

We finally got a dog from one of the smaller rehoming places but in future I'd probably look at one of the places that brings dogs into the UK from Romania - although given we've now had our dog for a couple of years I don't think we'd have an issue with the Dogs Trust etc. this time.
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Similar or worse story ...
Reading of a partially sighted, long stay Staffie at Battersea Dogs home, for 2 years we decided we would take him on.
Big garden, fenced and our other dogs could help him.
Visited Battersea with 3 of our pack to check all ok.
He was boisterous, just coming out of his kennel and was put in his place a couple of times by our JR/Staffie Rosie who coincidentally came from Battersea. She being half his size. Seemed normal dog behaviour and fine to us.
Two 'behaviourists' said she was aggressively attacking him and our pack was also too attached to us, following us around. So we couldn't have him. (what ?!)
We had previously been looked over by Battersea, Old Windsor when we took Rosie. All fine
We read he was there a while longer then was taken. A year later he was back at Battersea. Same behaviorists ?
Lost faith in Battersea after that. The manager at (Old Windsor) Battersea apologised profusely knowing our track record and a friend of a friend

Dogs Trust looked good on the TV programmes I saw.

We now go local
https://dogsinneed.co.uk/category/dogs-for-homing/
 
I can see where the Dogs Trust are coming from in having concerns about adopted dogs getting returned from inexperienced owners, however I thought it might have been better to give us a chance (maybe evening fostering with the intent to adopt) that to just dismiss us completely. We were willing to take any dog they had but despite having about 20 dogs (some of them that had been there for a long time) at the time they barely gave us the time of day.

Their West Calder place is a great facility and they do excellent work, however I was disappointed that they wouldn't at least give us the benefit of the doubt given the only issue we had was lack of experience (and we'd have been willing to take a dog with health issues as we're not scared of the potential vet bills). It wasn't just them though - the other major rehoming places locally had the same policy i.e. if you hadn't had a dog before then it was quite unlikely they'd rehome one with you.
 
Fostering has to be the way for so many. Surprised at Dogs Trust not going for that

Having taken on 3 not great dogs previously we fostered the last 2 as they had been kept inside for 18 months. Peeing and pooing at will.
Often inside after just coming in from being outside
The first two weeks was a saga with much clearing up. Gradually got better and we added two Mini Long haired Dachshunds - a favourite of mine.
 
We lost our much loved 17 yr old Jack Russell who dominated our lives and our house for so long that when we lost him in November last year the hole in our lives was devastating. Hel decided she needed a puppy to help her get over it and to move forward/ next chapter type of thinking. We already have a big rescue Foxhound who needs a fair bit of maintenance so wanted something easier to train, walk and recall in the countryside, and decided on a labradoodle, partly based on our Foxhound's general love of every one of that breed that she meets. This decision was taken well before the re-introduction of a national lockdown.

We had the same dilemma a few weeks back as the pup turned 8 weeks and we needed to decide how best to collect him. It was 'over an hour's drive' away and the breeder had 8 pups with new homes to go to. In the absence of particularly clear guidance that we could find I travelled alone and arranged a safe handover etc in the breeder's garden. The rationale we agreed was the pups all needed to begin being socialised and there was no fixed end to the current lockdown which might mean the dogs missing out on this vital stage in their development.

Some might take a black and white position on this and say that I had no right to travel for a non essential purpose, and I guess I have a fairly black and white response of my own to that!

Anyway best of luck to you I hope you find a lovely dog to spend your time with. If you're practical, apply as much sensible precaution as you can then you should be able to find a way of making it happen as safely as possible.
 
I share your view CD. I sold something recently, the buyer called in an route between 2 work visits to Newcastle and Manchester. Was it essential for him to leave the M62 and come to Leeds? Hardly, but in a 150 mile journey no big deal. The goods were in the garage, I stayed 10 feet away. He handed over the cash. He loaded his car, we chatted in the street for a while, he left. In compliance with the letter of the law? Probably not. Driving a pandemic? No. Certainly not. It's less risky than me going to the corner shop. Same applies to collecting a dog.
 
For me if it getting a pup had been arranged pre-lockdown then getting it during lockdown is justified IMHO (and I would travel to do that and risk the fine) because (while I'm no expert on this stuff!) it is likely that there would be an ongoing impact if the pup wasn't moved to its new family at the right time.

You'd have to be a proper idiot not to see that'd it'd be entirely possible to manage that handover without any significant Covid risk.
 
Bob McC said:
Two posts that illustrate why the covid death toll is so high.
Click to expand...
One showing someone who can apply no logic to a situation. Please explain to us all how it's OK for me to go to B&Q and Home Bargains, walking around indoors with dozens of people for our no-doubt essential household tat while some chap collecting something from my garage while I stand outside is killing people.
 
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