I have been speaking to a woman at work that has a been asked to take a dog in or it will be PTS. It is an Irish Staff x Lab and is 7 years old. It is quite over weight and is very docile but not good with other animals.

At the moment it is spending all day alone in an empty council house with just occassional visits to feed it and take it out.

The owners have contacted the few local charities and they do not want to take it as it is an Irish Staff (pit bull??). Does anyone know what I can suggest or recommend to this lady?

I think for the next day or so it is safe but is in peril if this does not get resolved soon. The dog is near Stevenage, Hertfordshire.

Oh how sad
Hope the dog is found a safe house soon.

Thanks. I have a couple of numbers now which I have passed onto my friend and she will see that all the relevant information gets to the owner.

It is a very sad story where the owner died leaving three children and the dog. It is the owner's sister that has to find a home for the dog as it does not like other animals and she has cats and a dog.

I understand that the dog is really friendly and loving but not with other anilmals. It is aslo very overweight and in need of a diet regime and exercise.

Send ST thought for this lady as she is truly very sad at the moment and the poor dog just does not know what is going on.

What an awful situation to be in, I hope things work out for her and the dog

i hope somewhere is found soon for this pooch before its too late x

There is no change as yet. The lady looking after the family has the numbers but as yet she has not contacted my friend with an update. It would be so sad if it the worst has to happen to the poor girl.

Has your friend tried contacting the Blue cross in Kimpton?? I know they do re-homing but not sure what their procedures are - maybe worth a try? Kimpton is not far from Stevenage at all.

Yes she contacted them and the RSPCA. Basically she was told if she brings her into them they will have to put her down as she is under the dangerous dogs act and illegal. She can't bring herself do this as she was her sister's beloved pet and the children have already lost their mum.

Oh god, just seen this, how bloody dreadful Can't anyone help ?

My friend would have had the dog as she loves them and would have a housefull if she could but the dog doesn't get along with otehr animals and needs to be an only dog home. The lady who now has the family in her care also has animals and doesn't know anyone who can take on the girl. She has some time before a decision needs to made as they have time before the house needs to vacated. She visits throughout the day with the children but still not nice for the wee girl.

Poor thing. I hope that things can be sorted out soon. If the dog is a staffie cross it shouldn't be PTS due to the dangerous dogs act. Pit Bulls are another matter... They are always getting mixed up. Staffies are not DDA unless they have a history of biting people. But they have the pit-bull stigma. Has she tried Battersea, (London, Brands Hatch or Windsor)?? They have quite a few staffie's & staffie cross's through their doors. There was something in Paws not too long ago about staffies & pit-bulls.

I don't trust the RSPCA. Had several bad experiences with them in the past. They wouldn't come and rescue our cat when she was trapped behind the loo (only deal with wild animals), also wouldnt come out and help with a mange ridden fox - it was in an awful state (no fur left), wouldn't help then because not in danger!!! A friend who's a farmer said he would shoot it rather than let the poor thing continue in mysery (and spreading mange...) but that would be cruel, and wrong. All we could hope for was the fox to be found by the hunt!!

We inherited a dog once from my grandmother, either us or PTS (it was before the new idea for keeping re-homing animals for more than 7 days). She was a Lab cross & the first thing that she did when she came was to get pregnant by the local mastif (flea ridden mutt). My sister took her on after a while. We also inherited my grandfather if it comes to that! (He came with the dog).

I hope that something can be sorted out for this dog so it doesn't need to be PTS.