Last week (17 July issue) the front page of "Our Dogs", a UK newspaper primarily for people who show dogs, carried an article about a suspected bogus operation importing "rescued" dogs from Ireland to the UK but actually selling dogs.
Some people involved in Irish rescues, which unfortunately are very dependent on exporting some of their animals, have been upset by the article. To make a long story short, a Rottweiler rescue in Britain agreed by telephone to accept a pair of dogs and were surprised that they had to pick up the dogs at Ockham common and then annoyed when the transporter asked £170 for the dogs.
Clearly there was a communication problem because they had no prior understanding that the dogs would be sent on a mass transport or that they would be asked to pay the going rate for transport, but it is not at all clear that the operation was not legitimate in other aspects. £85/dog is not an unusual charge by a professional transporter for carrying a dog between the UK and Ireland and these transporters do usually carry several dogs and have specified pickup and collection points on their route rather than going door to door.
The article and some responses were on-line at http://www.ourdogs.co.uk/News/2009/July200...709/rescued.htm but it has now been removed from the website. Presumably there will be an apology or clarification in the next issue of "Our Dogs".
Some people involved in Irish rescues, which unfortunately are very dependent on exporting some of their animals, have been upset by the article. To make a long story short, a Rottweiler rescue in Britain agreed by telephone to accept a pair of dogs and were surprised that they had to pick up the dogs at Ockham common and then annoyed when the transporter asked £170 for the dogs.
Clearly there was a communication problem because they had no prior understanding that the dogs would be sent on a mass transport or that they would be asked to pay the going rate for transport, but it is not at all clear that the operation was not legitimate in other aspects. £85/dog is not an unusual charge by a professional transporter for carrying a dog between the UK and Ireland and these transporters do usually carry several dogs and have specified pickup and collection points on their route rather than going door to door.
The article and some responses were on-line at http://www.ourdogs.co.uk/News/2009/July200...709/rescued.htm but it has now been removed from the website. Presumably there will be an apology or clarification in the next issue of "Our Dogs".
