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Nic.B

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Everything posted by Nic.B

  1. Is this up to each rescue to decide or is there a recommended temp test that needs to be done? The rest is great and can live by them just wondering about this bit here. Hmm, not sure! They do have courses available but I haven't seen if there is temp test stuff. I'll email Julie, she can pop in and explain further. Honesty about temperament and/or special needs is a must but then again we all have different skills and knowledge. There's certain breeds or traits I have zero rehoming experience with (for example aussie working breeds) so wouldn't just take a rough guess, rather I would seek advice from those with expertise to help me assess a suitable home. Yup I agree with you there it would be great to have a group dedicated to helping each other with breed traits and advice, I am sure there already is one but if not would be great where rescue people can ask honest advice and get some good suggestions. I generally ask a breed specific rescue to take a dog if it needs rescue and I dont know about them for instance if a silky came to me I would ask you if you could take it seems better that way for the dogs. The MDBA doesn't dictate which temp test to use or how to do so though this is covered in some of our courses. How you temp test as well as many other things is one of the things we want to know when you apply for membership. If you need help or advice on the best ways of doing this then that information is freely available to our members . If when you apply we think you need to tighten up in some areas we make suggestions of what you need to address and after you have done that come back and re apply. Once you are in we trust that you will do what is required to participate in the highest of ethical standards from the day you agree to the codes and agree to be held accountable. There are several methods we use to monitor this including offering free smart dog owner membership to everyone you place a dog with. This enables us to build relationships with these people so that if something goes wrong and there is a complaint that they know they can come to us for investigation before the crap hits the net and things get messy so we can help sort it out . Sometimes the owner has made unfair accusations and has un realistic expectations so we can help them to see things they havent considered other times the rescue has mucked it up. If the rescue is at fault depending on what that is we offer warnings and counselling - so far in 3 years we have cancelled the membership of 2 rescue groups for serious breaches. We place a high value on the rescue membership and wont tolerate anything that will impact on our other members or rescue in general. Basic human nature says that some people will bend the rules or change things when they think no one is watching and they are not being held accountable by a third party - we provide the support for the rescue and the owner and the promotion with lots of member benefits but we also provide the voluntary third party accountability. We don't believe any of this is possible by way of introduction of laws because dodgy stays dodgey while ever they think they can get away with it and just gets smarter because no new laws ever come with allowances for anyone to police them effectively and no laws will ever be as strict as our code and criteria for membership. We also dont believe that it works as well if people have no choice but to become members in order to be able to operate or do other things - such as the breeder's system in Victoria where membership of Dogs Vic allows breeders to have special exemptions because there is a greater risk that people will join without adhering to the codes to get what they need to stay under the radar with the laws. Hope this answered your questions Well said Steve!
  2. I agree. I was not reffering to gov regulation, that is what I belive must be avoided at all costs and I would hate to see that happen.
  3. No to a greyhound for me and just for the record I'm sick of a greyhound getting thrown into the mix when all other breeds don't fit Well said HazyWal!
  4. Yep, and do an awesome job! I do think that regulation needs to be National though, a lot of rescues are not dol members.
  5. I think the most effective way would be a logo or symbol the public, vets, shelters, transport companies, other rescues etc can easily identify. Rescues who are registered are able to display the logo. It would also give new rescue groups a platform to work toward in becoming reputable. The public (and everyone else involved in rescue) have no way of knowing atm. Adopting families have every right to be able to distinguish reputable from the rest. I do not envy some adopting families these days let alone volunteers or people who donate! The sticking point historically has always been "who" or "which" body will oversee regulation though if something is not done soon, it will be taken out of our hands altogether in one foul swoop. Rescue is not what it was years and years ago, everything moves and changes. IMO rescue needs to move with those changes for the benefit of sheltered pets and the families who adopt them. I am very suprised MN has not created her own logo for all rescue yet she can hand it out to people she has sucked in after they kiss her backside. She would be able to handle all complaints just as she has done in the past AND manage all of the donations The problem she has is she will be the only person with her logo Perhaps that is why she has not capitalised on the idea...
  6. Regulation will happen. Mark my words. Quite frankly if any rescue debated very basic requirements in the care and rehoming of sheltered pets for adoption I would worry. It'll never happen Nic , I can only speak of greyhound rescue and I honestly despair for the breed I love It will happen IMO. It only requires a corroniners inquest into the forseeable death of a child or adult. Similar to BSL legislation in VIC. At the rate some rescues opperate right now and have been for years despite formal compaints to every available body associated it is only a matter of time
  7. Proper management and control? Show me where that is? Children v's shelter pets does not rate, forget it.
  8. Regulation will happen. Mark my words. Quite frankly if any rescue debated very basic requirements in the care and rehoming of sheltered pets for adoption I would worry.
  9. I agree with this. Minimum standard of care, adoption process and the public having an anvenue for complaint is common sense. If ANY rescue will not meet basic minimum requirements in any way shape or form red flags fly.
  10. I hope and pray you take the information you have regarding those kennels from hell and MN to the authorities.
  11. I have not been involved for three or four years now though through past experience I know how difficult it is to photograph black dogs. Esspecially in a shelter environment! Even a greying muzzle via age is a blessing for completely black dogs as it breaks it up. Young completely black dogs are very difficult to get a great pic of. The other difficult aspect is the number and volume of dogs from week to week. One week I would temp test and photograph say seven urgents, the following week I would have thirty. I had more time to fiddle and persist with a small number and the pics were much, much better. On a day of thirty plus it was very difficult, mostly because I would not settle for a terrible pic and made sure they had at least one. That then put me behind in listing other urgent dogs. I agree and would love a specific area set up for poundie pics with different coloured backdrops. I prateled on about that consistently for years :laugh: Not hard to do at all and makes so much sense when rehoming fantasic family pets is made a priority.
  12. Thanks Kirslin, I love your photos and little Neko. I notice the first has a dark background, the second and third have dark pots and a dark chook :) behind Neko. The fourth is still gorgeous though it doesnt capture little Neko quite as well. At the shelter we only had concrete runs most often in full sun. I was aware of the light at different times of day so would photograph the black dogs early am or late afternoon most often. Grass was not an option due to disease control. At times we used donated bedding sheets when desperate or props. I know without doubt that a great photo of any dog looking for a home is invaluable (amoungst other things). Black dogs are definately much more difficult to photograph and to even see in shelter pens. Shelter staff are often time poor and have multiple dogs coming in from different areas. Let alone trying to get a decent camera through council! I have lost count of the number of people who have come to look at a dog available for adoption after seeing pound mug shots and when they meet the dog they do not recognise them from the pound pic's.
  13. Love all your black dogs Bella my Kelpie is black and tan and the hub of our household. She is such a wise soul, she has been here before :) She does not look or act her age, and at 15 is still the "fun police" if our other two ding dongs (partners in crime) get up to any mischeif :laugh: Kirslin, do you prefer any particular light? At the shelter I found full sunlight impossible. On other days (overcast) it was better, it also depended on the time of day. Early morning, late afternoon produced better pics. A backdrop helped as well though I had never considered black.
  14. That has to be just convenient f**king bullshit. The woman has committed a crime by not having her dogs properly contained; they have attacked other dogs; they have injured a civilian. How can they possible stand behind: it isn't in our remit. Because the Police don't administer and enforce the legislation which relates to companion animals. Yep.
  15. I very much doubt Legal Aid would assist in any way shape or form.
  16. I would go through council and exhaust all avenues there first (within a specific time frame). Keep media up your sleeve though as council hate bad media!
  17. Hazy Wal perhaps consider speaking directly to the person who manages the pound/rangers in council (sorry if you have already done so). I saw a big difference at times when people did so. They oversee shelter staff/rangers and deal with complaints or any issues. Follow it up in writting. It is forseeable that the same thing that happened to you, Stan and Maddie can happen again. As you have said, if it was a smaller dog with an owner not able to intervene it could have been another story. I said the same when it happened to me. I had steal caped boots on have have never booted anything that hard in my life. I am so sorry you have been through this, hope you are all recovering and please make sure you visit the doctor today.
  18. I am so sorry Hazy Wal, this is truly hideous I am so glad Maddie is improving and Stan id milking it for all it's worth, funny boy :laugh: I have been through something similar and it is a real life nightmare, esspecially when more than one dog is attacking. I only had Fern with me, but you had both your babies I can't imagine what it would be like to have to try and defend both Stan and Maddie at once. You poor thing. Make sure you have your own injuries checked, DD is able to watch your two little wounded while you look after yourself. Take special care and thinking of you all xx
  19. And Steves link which is what I was looking for! Bugger, wrong link, hang on.
  20. Bumping up this thread so I dont loose it :laugh: and it is so interesting :)
  21. Thanks for the link! I find this really interesting and have always questioned so called "black dog syndrome". I have always believed that the biggest hurdle black dogs face is that it can be very difficult to take a fantastic photo of them. I have photographed an endless number of shelter pets, black dogs are by far the most difficult to capture in character, expression and looks. Black dogs are also much, much harder to see in shelter pens. In fact at times they are almost impossible to see even when right at the front of their pens, esspecially if the wire on kennel gates is small. I watched adopting families for years and years walk past kennels of dogs of all types and colouring yet very few would stop and try to have a good look at black dogs. Once we got the same dogs out of their pens it was a different story altogether. I also found when I photographed black dogs, printed out a poster and put it on the front of the kennel gate there was so much more interest in wanting to know more about the dog and meet them. Guide dogs are mostly yellow and black labs, the yellow labs are used in most PR simply because they are much easier to photograph. The black backdrop is interesting! I used different coloured sheets as backdrops though never thought of black, I guess lighting needs to be great though those photos are beautiful and the greying muzzle heaven on earth :)
  22. thankfully she does sleep a bit but when she's awake I cannot relax because she's crazy, she ricochetes off the furniture or the whippets and pelts around the house and outside causing mischief where ever she goes. :laugh: Fern my large breed is four and does the same thing when excited. It's like having a small horse in the house! There is a lot of sighthound in The Pern, I have to be so careful and crate her when cooking as she can reach everywhere (aside from the top of the fidge) and I am worried she will pull boiling hot pans and pots over her. I adore dogs who are all legs :) they always make me laugh. Arkey and Neko are gorgeous! Looks like they had a great day. Fern would love that though it would take her forever to stop! She is great on straights though hopless in turns, she also gets distracted showing off while ahead of other dogs and is so busy grinning at them and showing off to realise there is a fence or something else ahead. so the brakes go on which results in her back legs up around her ears and a bum slide until she stops Eta
  23. Lol, that is something I would do.
  24. Maeby I am so sorry for your loss of Grover, he was such a cherished little Pug. A terrible shock for you, please take special care. Grover is watching over you. Run free little Grover Hugs and love Maeby
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