Give a Dog a Home are featured in an article in the Sunday Times today. When I (Lynne) was approached, I decided to give accurate information (listed below) about the extensive mandatory and voluntary health checks and precautions European dogs go through before they are admitted into this country. Not much of this, subsequently agreed by email, made its way into the final edit but overall I hope the article gives a reasonably balanced view on this controversial and complex subject, particularly as we were up against the big charities, who have formed an alliance against foreign rescues.
See the image below for the full article...
See the image below for the full article...
Stated below is a full account of the information that had been agreed in advance for use in the article above:
“We rescue dogs from public and private shelters in Romania, Greece and Cyprus. The public shelters are often particularly cruel, housing far too many dogs at once. Many stray dogs rounded up by dog catchers and placed in these shelters are at risk of extermination.
Once dogs are reserved by a reputable charity or individual they can begin the process of health checks, which are signed off by a vet. Dogs are then transported typically 12 at a time and fostered in the UK.
DEFRA has very stringent regulations on dogs brought into this country. All dogs must have full vaccinations and be microchipped, and adult dogs are always neutered; DEFRA even checks the ingredients in the worming medication.
We comply with all government rules, and only use professional transporters. Our lower age limit for rescue dogs is 3 months and 3 weeks old, because puppies cannot have their rabies vaccination until 3 months, and then must wait 3 weeks before transportation. Most dogs are at least 4 or 5 months old by the time they make the journey.
Puppy farmers might try to bring dogs which are under-aged or lacking proper health checks by hiding them on vans or else procuring fake vet signatures.”
“We rescue dogs from public and private shelters in Romania, Greece and Cyprus. The public shelters are often particularly cruel, housing far too many dogs at once. Many stray dogs rounded up by dog catchers and placed in these shelters are at risk of extermination.
Once dogs are reserved by a reputable charity or individual they can begin the process of health checks, which are signed off by a vet. Dogs are then transported typically 12 at a time and fostered in the UK.
DEFRA has very stringent regulations on dogs brought into this country. All dogs must have full vaccinations and be microchipped, and adult dogs are always neutered; DEFRA even checks the ingredients in the worming medication.
We comply with all government rules, and only use professional transporters. Our lower age limit for rescue dogs is 3 months and 3 weeks old, because puppies cannot have their rabies vaccination until 3 months, and then must wait 3 weeks before transportation. Most dogs are at least 4 or 5 months old by the time they make the journey.
Puppy farmers might try to bring dogs which are under-aged or lacking proper health checks by hiding them on vans or else procuring fake vet signatures.”