Sam, 14 yr old Poodle - Manchester

[sallykelona]

So pleased for Sam, have a happy life sweetie - and hugs to Sheena x

[sheena]

Thanks everyone and thanks for the hugs, SallyK. xx

[Deleted]

:)Way to go,Sam!!
Lots of happiness in your new home. x

[harrysmum]

How lovely. I will miss hearing about him. Hope she keeps in touch . Well done Sam you are a star xx

[smoseley]

Really pleased Sam has found a home but disappointed no-one called to let me know. I was very interested in giving Sam a home and was waiting patiently for news on his health as the last thing I was told was that everything was on hold until he got the all clear. I wasn't aware that people could drop in on the spur of the moment and take a foster dog home. As I said, happy for Sam and wish him all the best, just sad that the process seems a little unfair.

[trailhoundann]

I am only a member of this forum so I have no idea what has happened here but obviously smoseley is feeling upset and I do hope that someone has been in touch to explain

Of course the important thing is that Sammy has a lovely new home but I am sure we all hope that smoseley will find the right dog and also hope that it might be via the Little Dog Rescue too

[Deleted]

Jan 15, 2013 9:01:39 GMT trailhoundann said:

I am only a member of this forum so I have no idea what has happened here but obviously smoseley is feeling upset and I do hope that someone has been in touch to explain

Of course the important thing is that Sammy has a lovely new home but I am sure we all hope that smoseley will find the right dog and also hope that it might be via the Little Dog Rescue too

I completely agree. I'd certainly be very hurt and disappointed if I was smoseley, only discovering by accident that the dog she wanted to offer a home had already gone to someone else while she was patiently waiting for Sam to get better. Not good.

It's no excuse, but with all the changes in the rescue over the past few months, it's not entirely unexpected that there's going to be some gaps in the system. Sincere apologies to smoseley.

Perhaps one of the Directors could contact this person?

[Deleted]

We agree.
There are too many Rescues out there who have a reputation of treating potential forever homes badly such as, we have the power and we will make you wait/jump through hoops and give you no information, please do not let this Rescue go down this route. We know this as we have been so treated by two rescues, one in Wales and one in Sheffield, and it is not a good feeling especially when you know you can provide a loving forever home for a dog.
We accept that someone has to make a decision in the best interests of the dog but in so doing the feelings of the other applicants should be taken into consideration.
It will take a little more work and time to do this but the reward for the Rescue of goodwill and reputation will be worth it.
We have stated before that we really do want this Rescue to be top dog and if we can be of help, ask.


We know how you must feel Smoseley but please do not give up as there is still a doggy out there who is waiting for YOUR forever home
Mr and Mrs Broncobill x

[harrysmum]

I was wondering how you were feeling Lorraine as I know you were waiting patiently. I think its just teething troubles with the new forum and also the cross over with F B . Im only a member so I dont know . Please dont be put off , there are so many little ones who need you
Take care Val xx

[harrysmum]

Although I am delighted with the end result of Sam having a home and trust that the best decision was made for him , I am concerned for this lady who was prepared to give Sam a home .I do hope that an explanation will be given to her as it isnt a good way for her to find out. I have to say it all seemed a bit odd. I was genuinly fond of Sam and if possible I would have filled in an application form. However on F B ,I do comment on the older dogs especially ones with health problems or no one is showing interest in to draw attention to them in the hope they get rehomed

[smoseley]

Thank you all for your replies and concern. I don't want to take anything away from the great job the LDR do for the little doggies on this site and as I've said I am so pleased for Sam. I'm sure I must just have slipped through the net on this occasion. Hopefully someone will be in touch with me soon to explain what happened and hopefully keep me informed of any other dogs looking for a home.

[sallykelona]

I once 'reserved' a dog at a rescue (not this one, it was many years ago down south) and when I went to collect him on the agreed day I was told he'd gone to live with someone else. Crossed wires and all that. People are human, and make mistakes sometimes. It was disappointing, but I persevered and did take home another lovely little chap who needed a home a few weeks later.
I hope you find another little treasure to share your life and home soon x

[sheena]

Sarah.. (SMoseley) I did PM you again if you'd like to get in touch. xx

And in fact, I totally agree with everything that's been said about the lack of communication.. not just with prospective adopters but also between staff/directors/fosterers.

I really like some of the people involved in this rescue, and have tried very hard not to be yet another rat leaving a sinking ship.. to the point where I even agreed to help run the forum.

What am I supposed to say to Sarah? She's been let down, like so many others caught up in this endless web of Chinese whispers. Peg and Clare.. I applaud you both for trying to keep things together, but frankly it's not working as it should.. and too many people are being let down and left disappointed.

Sam was with me for SEVEN MONTHS. He was finally rehomed via West Yorkshire Dog Rescue, who found him the perfect home within a matter of weeks. Please, people, if this rescue is to continue, you desperately need to get your act together and start communicating better with everyone involved.

The dogs are the reason we're here.. the fosterers and helpers are the lifeblood... and the adopters are the ultimate 'customers'.. somewhere along the line that seems to have gone by the board.

TLDR has now gone way beyond being a laughing stock in the rescue world, and has been elevated to the status of 'one to avoid at all costs'. With so much goodwill still remaining, I find that profoundly sad, and hope very much that the people remaining can salvage something from the ashes.

I truly, sincerely, wish you all well. Huge apologies from me to Clare and to Peg. I know your hearts are in the right place, and wish you all the very best. xx

[sallykelona]

Well Sheena, if the Moderator can't hold her tongue and stop herself from having a rant, there really is no hope, eh? Thought the mod was the person responsible for ensuring this sort of post doesn't hit the boards, but hey ho...

[trailhoundann]

Jan 16, 2013 2:08:33 GMT sallykelona said:

Well Sheena, if the Moderator can't hold her tongue and stop herself from having a rant, there really is no hope, eh? Thought the mod was the person responsible for ensuring this sort of post doesn't hit the boards, but hey ho...

I have no idea what is going on here but Sheena's post did not come across as a rant to me just a very articulate expression of sincere regret about what she sees happening or not happening.

Good communication is vital for something like the Little Dog Rescue to survive and prosper. Part of that communication is being able to say when things are not going right and to get open and honest answers too. I am sure one of the Directors will soon be on line and contributing to this thread to say how things will be improved to avoid this problem happening again.

It is early days as yet and there will be teething problems of course
but after all the unhappiness and difficulties that have happened recently it seems to me that it is vital that people are able to communicate openly and honestly with each other from now on.

Come on all new Little Dog Rescue - you can do it

[lapsoolass]

Ladies and gents can we please calm this down, we have always worked closely with Kathy Trout at West Yorkshire Rescue. Recently Lizzie one of our long time foster dogs was re homed to people who came through WYR and is now in a fantastic home.

Sam has been with us a long time and has also been on WYR dogs needing homes page. Applications then come in to both rescues, Kathy rang me the other day regarding Lizzie and told me about the application for Sam which would be a geat home for him, already home checked. The couple are very experienced Poodle owners, they are aware we don't know how long Sam will be with us? They know he'll be on medication for the rest of his life with possibly more meds if his condition deteriorates also his needing frequent grooming.

From last Thursday both my phones have been ringing off the hook with enquiries concerning dogs we have, dogs who need a rescue space and dogs already in foster and enquiries to re home dogs. this shows me we're not a laughing stock or a rescue to be avoided. Unfortunately Clare is unable to take or make calls due to an operation last Wednesday so we are a staff member down.
On Monday I received an email from Sheena telling me the couple had visited the day before and had fallen for him and taken him home with them.

When our dogs go up for rehoming applications are looked through and the ones most suitable are selected for consideration and whittled down to a few. With all respect to Sarah and my apologies for your disappointment we don't inform every applicant that a decision has been made. We post on the dogs thread that he/she has now found their forever home and thank those who've also applied. This is one of the reasons we have a forum.

My personal opinion on rescues is that we should be able to work with each other, there are 1000's of dogs needing rescue space so working together seems to me to be a crucial part of being in rescue. As I said earlier my phones are constantly ringing at the moment, since Thursday I've had enquiries do we have certain dogs in for re homing, we haven't but instead of leaving the caller disappointed I've recommended 3 other rescues to them who possibly have the type of dog they're looking for. Several have left their names and numbers and asked if they don't find the dog they're looking for now can they ring back at intervals to see if we have one in at a later date. Yes please do and if I find another reputable rescue I'll include that to my list.

Members have asked for a long time for exactly this and now TLDR is doing it.

The good news is Sam has found a new home to while away the rest of his days, surely this is something we can all rejoice in because its what rescue is all about.

I'm now going to move this thread to happy homed

Peg xx

[trailhoundann]

Great, I just knew someone would come along and explain. Also great that LDR is working with other rescues. I did not know that but pleased to hear it as it does make sense and must increase the chances of dogs being rehomed.

I understand what you are saying about Sam, Peg and its wonderful that he has a new home for his last years bless him.

From what I read of Sarah's post I thought that her concern was not so much that she had not been able to adopt him, although she obviously wanted to do so, but that somehow she had been led to believe that nothing was being done about his adoption because he was unwell and was waiting to hear when/if he was well enough again for new adopters to be considered so it was possibly a bit of a shock to find it was all done and dusted.

I don't know how that happened but as you rightly say we do have this forum so would it be possible to consider, in circumstances like this, that usually the thread about a dog could actually say AVAILABLE but be amended to say something like "not available at present because of health assessment" (or whatever) and then be changed back to available as/when/if things change again? That is not an original idea by the way I have shamelessly filched it from another rescue ;D

I can imagine what you are going to say, something like "Does she have to think of even more work" ;D Sorry but hopefully it would not happen too often and people should then be able to see immediately they open the thread about a dog whether it is actually available for adoption or not at that particular time. I can't imagine it would do any harm for people to express an interest ready for as and when the dogs becomes available again.

Anyway, thank you for the update and explanation and I hope others will have found it helpful too. I hope Clare feels much better very soon.

[harrysmum]

Thanks for the explanation and the info re other rescues and the fact people from other rescues apply . It all makes sense now