As I stated on a previous thread there is a huge and deepening crisis in rescue in the UK. We are all tightening our belts and each rescue is struggling, dogs are taking much, much longer to place. Which means there are, if you like, doggie "bed blockers" and choices will have to be made.

This is a prime time to get involved with rescue if you have the time and resources to offer help; there are a couple of good ways to go about it on the following list and no doubt Selina and others will be able to add to this list.

1) Offer to foster for the rescue of your choice.
2) Make things the Rescue can sell or donate unwanted goods; help sell things, run a few car boots, a market stall etc.
3) Promote rescue or talk to colleagues if you are working.
4) Help with transport requests/runs rather than watch the telly.
5) If you are close enough to the rescue base why not offer to dog walk or just spend time grooming or playing with the dogs. This will ease time constraints on the prime Rescuer.

This thread is also here so that all rescues who wish to, can state publicly how they will handle the current situation as it worsens and also if they want to, a little about the infrastructure of the organization they represent. This is so anyone who wishes to donate their time, effort or money, can make an informed choice about the rescue in full knowledge of the facts.

First I will tell you a bit about our organisation The Spaniel Trust

1) The Spaniel Trust (which is a Charity registered in Scotland SC038987) is currently run by 6 Trustees who make all management decisions, we usually collaborate by mass email on all dogs we are asked to take. Trustees are copied on any email affecting the organisation and majority vote is carried - we are VERY democratic!
2) We are primarily a rehabilitation organization with the main unit here on Mull, but do undertake rescue where and when we can and if we have the space to do so. Occasionally we cannot confer with all Trustees, if a dog is in danger and someone offers to foster, then we will move heaven and earth to get it out. (Then I am in BIG trouble!! )
3) We vaccinate, neuter, microchip, worm & flea treat all dogs we receive and all dogs receive a veterinary examination and report on admission.
4) We only take dogs and only breeds of spaniel including working varieties.
5) Preference is given to dogs with issues who are difficult to re-home, from and sometimes with the back up of other rescue organizations.
6) All dogs live with us and are fully observed and assessed daily in our own homes.
7) We do not have kennels or access to use kennels locally.
8) Once (on veterinary advice and after 4 months and 3 attacks) have we had to have a dog with severe mental problems (but otherwise a healthy animal) PTS. Other so-called aggressive dogs have been turned around, not always quickly, but turned around even if it took 4 or 8 months. So our "bed (space) blockers" are here till they find homes.
9) We always work with the dogs in consultation with a qualified canine behaviour consultant.
10) We are not a re-homing charity and do not take dogs other rescues could re-home fairly easily unless, as stated previously, they are in danger.

Now to the present situation, and how we will operate.

As we do not use kennels and have always had very limited space and foster space, nothing will really change. We will continue to offer spaces as and when they become available on a “first come first served” basis, when there is no space all will be turned away. If there are 2 or 3 dogs needing space at the same time and there is one place available, our other criteria will kick in.

Preference will be given first to a dog in danger, secondly to a dog with behaviour issues which make it difficult for another rescue to home and finally to a dog who has been turned away by another rescue.

I hope that gives everyone a clearer picture of what the Spaniel Trust is, does and how we will continue to operate throughout this crisis.

Great post Eileen

I'm in a rush so I'll keep mine brief.

English Springer Spaniel Welfare, set up many years ago is a registered charity who help with welfare issues regarding English Springer Spaniels and not just rehoming, we offer behviour, training and welfare advice whenever necessary, this is always the first line we take when asked to rehome a dog because sometimes the current owner's just need help with there dog.

We have no kennel facilities of our own, we rely on volunteer foster carers and we do cover expenses whenever required, if a dog is in danger and our foster spaces are full we pay for a boarding kennels, we only use kennels that we know can give the dog appropriate time and attention, some of our 'kennels' will prefer to take an ESSW dog into it's own home to help with assessment and any training the dog needs.
Our foster homes are essential with the work we do and we will not fill the spaces up with dog's that aren't in need, these are kept primarily for urgent cases.
Needless to say primarily if a dog can remain with its current owner while we seek a new home for it this is the best thing to do, this is where the dog is happiest and safe and the majority of owners are happiest working in this way.
Every dog will be thoroughly assessed before it is placed on the rehoming list which is circulated amongst 14 area co-ordinators, these area co-ordinators will have potential homes waiting and will match up the appropriate dogs to the appropriate homes, all co-ordinators will correspond with the other co-ordinators to ensure the right dog is found the right home.
Again all potential homes are sent an information pack on us, ESS as a breed and an application form before assessment.

ESSW do a huge amount of work behind the scenes with rehabilitating Springer's where needed and giving each dog one to one time when in one of our foster homes, it's part of our work that isn't necessarily a secret it's just something we get on with and do and it just doesn't come out publically very often.
We are currently helping a lady who took on an unsocialised bitch from a puppy farm, the dog has fear aggression and she didn't know where to start, she is working with us and a behaviourist that we have provided and will hopefully be able to keep the dog once the problem is sorted, it is definitely not an overnight problem to sort out and we anticipate that we'll probably be working with her for many months to come.


I'm sure there's loads more to say about us so maybe I'll come back later and finish off.

As for the current crisis, because primarily we keep dog's in there current homes hopefully it won't effect us to much, however dog's are lingering on the waiting list longer than usual and we do have some dogs in foster homes that would normally be rehomed by now, as for how we are going to deal with it I have no idea, we will continue working with other rescues and supporting each other and we will get by.
As I said on the other thread, no rescue has rubber walls and no rescue can take in a never ending amount of dogs if others aren't being rehomed, sooner or later space run's out

How awful.

I actually thought things may have improved recently as the rescues we foster/homecheck for haven't needed us quite as much in the past few months, and ESSW and Bernwood Springer Rescue, both of whom we volunteered to foster for months ago, haven't yet needed our help at all.

It's such a shame and I only hope that the poor dogs waiting for a nice new home find one very soon.

Hi 'Childrenanddogs'

Perhaps they have had a quiet time but don't count your chickens; I'm sure they'll ask for your help when the need arises. If you live in an area where we needed help then I'm sure we would be in contact with you if the need arose.
Graham

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From an occasional forum visitor whose feet are firmly on the ground not in the clouds.
As ‘Admin’ of NESSR, a very small springer spaniel rescue in the big world of animal rescues, I was directed to this post as there seems to be a crisis!!!

Well, in the loose meaning of the word, that is probably correct:
A ‘-*test*-('")ing time’ for all animal rescues.

How are the rescues going to cope?

Well I’m sure most involved in rescue organisations have common sense;
Or, if we want to be ‘posh’, management sense.
But only those with Megabucks and employees need to use the IIMACC etc of management tool speak, to cope.
Eg: The Dogs Trust are planning more reception centres; They needed an action plan for this.

The rest of us use our common sense and manage our resources accordingly
Eg
If you need more space you source it
If you need more volunteers you recruit them
If you need more monetary resources to fund your needs, then you get off the computer and go out and get it

Over the past years we have gone
from: the odd car boot sale every now and again
To: structured fundraising, lotteries at small events, stalls at large events and even organising our own events.
As and when the need increases: then the sytem increases accordingly.

Not rocket science really is it?

Graham Turvey
NESSR
Reg Ch 1121569
www.nessr.net

Well, I help a few different breed rescues and others that ask for assistance on forums etc I frequent, mainly transport but also assessments and on the very odd occasion an overnight emergency foster if it doesn't upset my gang.

One thing though that anyone can do for all rescues no matter what breed - is advertise your dogs if they are rescues!!!!

I have 5 dogs, 2 from pups and 3 that came 2nd hand. Freddy was a nightmare but is physically a stunning looking dog who gets admired lots by the 'general public'. Mugi was a golden oldie and came cos his breeders took their responsibility very seriously even when they had a 10 yr old bounce back, he is an engaging dog who makes friends wherever. Piper - well we haven't been together long but he is getting known as a rescue dog already.

I make a point of introducing my dogs as rescues and you wouldn't believe the number of people who can't believe obvious pedigree dogs can be rescues, they think of scruffy mutts, lurchers, greyhounds and Heinz 57's. In Piper's case he is a great advert of how adaptable a rescue can be! It sometimes means they may consider a rescue as opposed to a pup, even if they stick with a pup you then have an opening to discuss health -*test*-('")ing, responsible breeders etc etc.

Education to me is only ever going to be the way forward, all the dogs we help become just the tip of the iceberg if the message doesn't get out and society changes its perception of dogs as throwaway fashion accessories.

Sue, I couldn't agree more, I spend a lot of time telling people how mine are rescues. I'm proud of them and the work we've done together, especially Charlie.
And lots of people have asked me websites etc after seeing cute ickle Jess.
It'd be great to think that even one of the people we talked to investigated further and found their perfect match.

I can't speak for Jackie as she hasn't been on the board much so is probably very busy but I think Selina addressed that point in her post. Most rescues are holding several foster spaces in "reserve" at the moment, because they are wise enough to know that financially things are just about to get worse! There are already some 4 day weeks being announced, and having lived through 2 previous recessions I remember the constraints only too well.

T'would be best to speak directly to the rescues involved and find out what the situation is from those involved.

Excellent point Sue! Anything which helps bring in ANY potential homes is very, very worthwhile.

I know Jackie has her hands full at the moment As Bernwood is a small rescue it tends to have very few dogs in looking for homes at any one time. But with the Christmas period and the financial crisis looming you may get a call sooner rather than later

I love these kind of threads because they raise awareness of potential problems and possible solutions. They also make us THINK and (I hope) become creative

Anyway I got to thinking (dangerous that! ) if there was anyway we can (if and when needed) "pool" resources? It's something most of us do when desperate anyway but perhaps when we are going on a longer journey we could post our probable route/date of travel/contact details, or if we have a space for a doglet for 2 weeks post that etc etc. and yes I'd include rescue organisations in that too. As it stands at present the rescues have to put out pleas for help when they are desperate be it for foster homes or transport runs etc.

What do you think would it work better, or not?

Fifer, I agree .

To an extent we already do that, I know. But it would make great sense - in very much the same way that some fundraisers on this board are shared; if we could share info. around what we're doing or need, maybe we could work as a team.

After all, it is a very hard time and I believe that we all love spaniels, which is why we're involved in welfare, rescue or rehab. of them .

Maybe a 'pool' of fosterers/transporters etc., specifically aimed at spaniels, and based around this forum? Or am I getting over-excited

Boy is it busy out there in rescueland at the mo

If people would like to help any breed of dog in need during this time in crisis as well as directly volunteering for a specific rescue you could also sign up on

Rescue Helpers Unite

This is a forum that brings together rescues and volunteers. You can volunteer for fostering, homechecks or transport. You tell them where you live and when a rescue needs help in your area you are contacted.

Dogs in need of rescue places are also highlighted so that rescues can offer space.

I have to say NESSR has found RHU very useful and we've worked with a number of other rescues through it.