I'm moving into Rented accomodation and can't take my dog with me

This is sadly one of the most common reasons for a dog needing to be rehomed.

There are several schemes in place to help you find pet friendly accomodation including these:

DOGS TRUST: https://www.letswithpets.org.uk

ZOOPLA: https://www.zoopla.co.uk/to-rent/

GUMTREE: https://www.gumtree.com/property-to-rent/uk/pet-friendly

MAKE UR MOVE: https://www.makeurmove.co.uk/page/pet-friendly

MOVING SOON: https://movingsoon.co.uk/pet-friendly-homes/

BREAKING NEWS: The Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, has called on landlords to make it easier for responsible tenants to have well behaved pets in their homes. He also announced an overhaul of the Government’s own model tenancy contracts. Watch this space for updates

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My dogs are fighting

When it comes to Bulldogs there is a line that once crossed can't be reversed. So first of all look to see why the dogs are fighting. Toys? Food? Attention? Can sometimes be resolved by picking up all the toys, feeding the dogs back to back and enforcing a week's "I'm ignoring" you to see if that makes any difference at all.

A water pistol or a penny tin can sometimes help but you must try and work out the trigger and then the second you spot one of them stiffen up either shoot them with water or shake the tin. A Pet Corrector Spray may help also. However if your dogs are fighting on eye contact you have probably crossed the line.

In this situation I'm afraid you will either need to either keep these dogs totally seperate or rehome one of them.

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My marriage has broken down

Bulldog Rescue will act on the instruction of one owner, if there is a disagreement between the owners then legally that is between yourselves and will not involve the rescue.

The law in England & Wales is clear. A pet will be treated as an item of personal property such as a piece of furniture, artwork or jewellery. Where disputes arise as to who gets to keep the pet, it can simply come down to whose money was used to purchase the pet and who has financially maintained the pet. This will always seem unfair if the other party has spent more time looking after the pet or is better placed to care for the pet going forward. But there is very little, if any, room for manoeuvre in unless the pet was subsequently given as a gift.

It can be relatively straightforward to divide personal property when couples separate, but the issue of a pet is usually far more emotive and can, in some cases, lead to long and drawn out negotiations. The pet can become a bargaining chip particularly by the person who initially purchased the pet. Indeed, where the parties have little by way of assets between them, the only issue in contention can sometimes be who gets to keep the pet. When the parties’ stand firm, this matter can often be tricky to resolve.

Whilst the financial aspect of looking after a household pet will, in most cases, be fairly minimal the opposite can be true for some pets like horses, for example. Financial provision will need to be made for income needs and, in rarer cases, a value will need to be ascribed where the parties own a valuable pet such as a thoroughbred race-horse. This may be further taken into account when considering a division of assets between the parties.

READ MORE: https://www.flip.co.uk/pets-and-divorce-who-keeps-the-family-pet/

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I've got a baby on the way

MYTH: Dogs are unhygienic around babies:
This is a reason we hear a lot and it's a subject that is very difficult to give advice on as every woman and every new mother will have different priorities. However, dealt with in the right way there really is no reason why a dog should be rehomed because there is a baby on the way. The first myth we need to dispel is that dogs are unhygienic around babies, in fact the opposite is true, children raised around dogs have a much stronger immune system because they are exposed to germs they would not normally be exposed to and as long as your dog is wormed on a regular basis there is no health risk to your child whatsoever.

MYTH: It's too dangerous to have a dog around the baby:
If your dog has never shown any form of aggression towards people throughout his lifetime there is no reason to assume that your dog will be dangerous to have around your baby. There are of course some simple rules of common sense and no dog should ever be left alone with a child, but it is also very very important that you do not give your dog reason to be jealous of the baby. In many cases the baby is several months old before this reason is given for a rehoming and when you look a little deeper into situation you realise that the new mum has been so afraid that her bulldog will hurt her child she's taken to shutting him out every time the baby is around. Subsequently, this has given the dog reason to be jealous of the new arrival and a behaviour has developed that wouldn't have done if the dog had been included. Preparing your dog for a new arrival should be done before you bring the baby home. Bulldogs in particular do not like changes in the home so objects that are going to suddenly appear should appear in advance and one at a time. Items such as prams, Moses baskets, baby seats, nappy boxes etc should be introduced to the dog well ahead of time so once the baby arrives everything else has become part of the surroundings.

All new mums worry and no one is expecting you to not worry but the words "I'm pregnant so obviously I need to get rid of the dog" is echoed down my phone line almost on a daily basis. You do not have to "obviously" rehome your dog, you just need to be organised. Walking your dog out with the pram whilst still pregnant might look daft but is much easier than trying to walk the dog alongside a pram that is spooking him with a baby screaming inside it. A few simple tips that will make life easier include:

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  Introducing baby items ahead of time
  Introducing the dog to the baby's blanket upon arriving home from hospital giving your dog the opportunity to get used to the new smell
  Not shutting the dog out when the baby is in the room
  Allowing your dog to sit with you whilst you feed the baby
  Walking the dog out with you when you take the baby out in the pram

As the child grows there are other issues that need to be addressed. Make sure you teach your dog to give up his toys, you don't want to suddenly find yourself in an argument with the dog over a building brick, if he is used to giving things to you on command there'll never be an issue over guarding a child’s toy he shouldn't have. Using a play pen for your toddler and a crate for your dog should become second nature and remember once in a high chair your child will become an excellent source of marmite on toast so if you don't want him sat waiting under a high chair stop him from being around at meal times before you reach that point so it doesn't suddenly change, for what will appear to your dog, to be for no apparent reason. They learn very quickly that children are an almost endless supply of food!!

Remember your bulldog has the attitude of a Sherman tank and toddlers will be knocked over on a regular basis, it is rarely meant in malice and whilst it might upset you, in most cases the child will be flat on his back laughing his head off.

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I'm fleeing Domestic violence

Below are some links to charities that can help both you and your pet

DOG'S TRUST FREEDOM PROJECT: https://www.moretodogstrust.org.uk/accessing-our-service/pet-owners

REFUGE: https://www.refuge.org.uk/get-help-now/what-about-pets/

OTHER RESOURSES: https://www.reducingtherisk.org.uk/cms/content/pet-refuge-services

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I'm About to Become Homeless

Before you sign over your bulldog, the Dog's Trust run a scheme called the Hope Project

You can find out more about it here to see if it's something that would help you: https://www.moretodogstrust.org.uk/hope-project/hope-project

I can't afford the vet bills

Before you take your vets word for what is wrong with your bulldog please ensure the vet you are seeing understands the Bulldog. You can find a full list of Breed Council Approved Vets here: https://www.bulldogrescue.org.uk/BULLDOG-CLINIC/BULLDOG-FRIENDLY-VETS

General Practice vets are not always experienced enough to interpret the Bulldog's unique make up and many of the newly qualified vets have been trained to scare you with anti flat faced dog information. We can't stress enough how important the right vet is.

We would be more than happy to discuss the issue with you and may be able to help you find a bulldog friendly vet in your area. We understand how hard and overwhelming the current vet pricing system is and we will be able to support you with help, advice and sometimes funding.

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My dog has bitten

One area where Bulldog Rescue will not be able to help you is in the event your Bulldog has bitten a person. Sadly any dog with a known bite history or where they have shown aggressive behaviour aimed at a person cannot be rehomed through our rescue. We have to abide by the Dangerous Dogs Laws of this country as passing on a dog with a known history of aggression towards people - who then behaves aggressively or bites the family they go to can land you (and us) in a lot of trouble, simply because you knew you were putting them in that position. Bulldog Rescue will not rely on your word when it comes to aggressive behaviour behaviour and all dogs must pass a Temperament Assessment before we will agree to rehome them.

However, dog aggression isn't so much an issue - many bull breeds are dog aggressive and in these cases we will simply find them a home where they are the single dog. Which to be fair is most bulldog's dream home anyway

If your bulldog has bitten or gone to bite you need to be sensible about how you approach the situation. As a breed, bulldogs are not biters so when they are there will be either a) A history which has traumatised them or b) they have a nurological problem. We would be happy to talk through your options if you would like to check.

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Me or someone in my family is allergic to the dog

Are you sure it's the dog? Before signing it over we strongly suggest you trial a week without the dog in the home. Maybe ask another family member or use a local boarding kennel to see if the symtoms change. There's nothing worse than rehoming your dog when it was never necessary

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I've rehomed a bulldog but it hasn't worked out

Taking on a bulldog through either a rescue or a private arrangement has no guarantees. However, in most cases squabbles between dogs will work themselves out. Dogs are pack animals and it can take them a while to work out the hierarchy. Try not to panic and try to stick with it for a few days before giving up - aim to only interviene if it looks like they are going to really hurt each other, minor squabbles are all part of the dance. Opposite sex dogs work better and in 95% of cases the bitch will be the boss - even if she is the newcomer. It can take up to 6 weeks for a dog to show his true personality.

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The World Organisation for Animal Heath says

"The current spread of Covid-19 is a result of human to human transmission. To date, there is no evidence that companion animals can spread the disease. Therefore, there is no justification in taking measures against companion animals which may compromise their welfare."

However, it adds that people with the disease should take precautions: "Because animals and people can sometimes share diseases (known as zoonotic diseases), it is still recommended that people who are sick with Covid-19 limit contact with companion and other animals until more information is known about the virus.

"When handling and caring for animals, basic hygiene measures should always be implemented. This includes hand washing before and after being around or handling animals, their food, or supplies, as well as avoiding kissing, licking or sharing food.

"When possible, people who are sick or under medical attention for Covid-19 should avoid close contact with their pets and have another member of their household care for their animals. If they must look after their pet, they should maintain good hygiene practices and wear a face mask if possible.