Rain Rescue in the News

"I don't know what's happening in Sheffield but the figures are very worrying. It's heartbreaking to see how many dogs are unwanted."
Quote By : Jacquie Neilson

By Fiona Firth
WHAT happens when you lose your dog, or even if you find a stray dog?
Who do you call? Where do you go?
Since the closure of Sheffield's RSPCA shelter in October 2005, there have been no obvious places for people to take lost or unwanted animals.
And, with work only just beginning on the charity's new Attercliffe base, the lack of facilities is causing concern among South Yorkshire animal lovers.
Jacquie Neilson, from Rotherham, who works with voluntary group Rain Rescue fears stray and unwanted dogs are being put down through lack of facilities to keep them.
Figures released by the Dogs Trust show that 101,586 strays were found in the UK last year and 7,743 dogs were destroyed for want of a home.
In Yorkshire, the number of dogs put to sleep leapt from 200 in 2005 to 412 last year.
The figures are not broken down locally but Jacquie fears the loss of RSPCA facilities could have led to an increase in the number of dogs destroyed in Sheffield.
She said: "I don't know what's happening in Sheffield but the figures are very worrying. It's heartbreaking to see how many dogs are unwanted."
Rain Rescue funds a van which collects unwanted dogs across the country and helps to re-home them.
Jacquie added: "Stray dogs are a big issue but there is an even wider problem than that. In many cases, it isn't that a dog is neglected or allowed to stray but that owners can't keep it any longer.
"There isn't a day goes by that I don't get people desperate to find somewhere for their dogs.
The most common reason is divorce when neither party can keep the dog, followed by old people going into homes, or dying, and eviction. It's heartbreaking.
"There isn't an easy answer - there are just too many dogs. We support neutering to avoid people being landed with a litter of unwanted puppies.
"I'd also advise people wanting to get a dog or to add to the number they've already got, to consider adopting a rescue dog rather than going to a puppy farm or breeding their own litters.''

Sheffield City Council insists healthy dogs are not destroyed.
Mark Parry from the council's Environmental Protection Service said: "We are proud of our record in rehoming lost dogs. When we find a stray dog it is initially checked for an address tag or microchip so we can return it to its owner, but if no address can be found and the dog is not claimed within seven days, we do our utmost to re-house it.
"We have dealt with around 700 dogs since last April and only 12 have been put down - less than two per cent - a figure that has been quite consistent in recent years.
"This is seen as a last resort, such as when an animal has been too badly injured in an accident or perhaps too dangerous to rehome safely. We work closely with various kennels around the region to house the dogs and we have our own kennels in the city centre."
Another Rain Rescue supporter, Beth Davis said: "One very simple thing that would help lost dogs and owners become reunited much more quickly is making sure that your dog has a good collar, with a tag on, giving your phone number. This is actually a legal requirement and failure to comply is punishable by a £55 fine.
"This way, if someone finds your dog, they can get hold of you to tell you, rather than getting the dog warden to take it away, thus incurring a high charge to retrieve it.
"After seven days of holding a stray, the dog becomes the property of the council, and they can then legally rehome it or destroy it.
"If your dog has no collar or ID tag, you could find your faithful friend has been rehomed to another family, not necessarily in the Yorkshire area, simply because they did not know how to find you."
Clarissa Baldwin, chief executive of the Dogs Trust - formerly the National Canine Defence League - said: "It's sad that, though we claim to be animal-lovers, the throwaway mentality is so evident in our treatment of our own pets.
"It's shocking that so many dogs are left to stray. Dogs Trust believes that the most effective and humane way of reducing stray dog numbers in the long-term is best achieved through neutering."
The charity also promotes microchipping as a way of reuniting owners with their missing dogs. Last year microchips helped reunite 24 per cent of stray dogs with their owners.
Council animal wardens now offer a dog microchipping service, which costs £15 per dog, but could be free to some people on benefits. To find out more, contact the animal control department on 0114 2037410 or 0114 2037411.
Sheffield City Council, In conjunction with The Dogs Trust, are able to offer neutering or spaying of dogs or bitches.
The RSPCA (0114 281 3031) and PDSA (0114 243 3232) also have vouchers for people on low incomes to have their pets spayed or neutered.
Anyone interested in offering a good home for an abandoned dog through Sheffield City Council should contact 0114 293 0362 to make an appointment to visit kennels.
Tia Greyhound and Lurcher Rescue (www.tiagreyhounds.org.uk) is dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of abused and abandoned ex-racing greyhounds and lurchers.
Email Jacquie Neilson at admin@rainrescue.co.uk to discuss difficulties with dogs. Visit www.rainrescue.co.uk for more details about its work.

The RSPCA Sheffield branch is holding a micro-chipping event for dogs and cats at Adlington Community Centre, Adlington Road, Parson Cross on Wednesday February 14 from 10am to 12.30pm. Micro-chipping costs £7.50 for each animal. Call 0114 2813031 for details.
Last Updated: 09 February 2007
Can you help an older dog?
CAN you offer a home to an older dog?
The Labrador Welfare charity, based in Sheffield, is appealing for foster carers for older dogs after a Christmas influx.
Re-homing co-ordinator June Roberts, pictured, from Broomhill, said: "Dogs over the age of nine are difficult to re-home as they are reaching the age where they are likely to need more veterinary treatment, but they are too old to insure.
"To overcome this problem, Labrador Welfare re-homes them as foster dogs. This means their carer does not pay an adoption donation and Labrador Welfare pays all veterinary fees except for booster vaccinations, wormers and flea treatment. Money to cover these expenses is raised through our lottery, the 50 Club.
"But, due to the number of dogs that came in over Christmas, we have no-one on our fostering waiting list."
June added: "Quite a lot of these dogs come in as a result of relationship break-ups or changes to working hours which mean dogs have to be left for longer periods and can't have the lifestyle their owners want.
"Everybody who has fostered say how great it is to have the dogs.
They don't demand as much as younger dogs and have such a lot to give."
For more details, visit wwwlabradorwelfare.org and to ask about fostering opportunities, email labwelfare@tiscali.co.uk or call June Roberts on 0114 2661756.

Rescue mission: Rain Rescue members Lynne Pashley, Kim Hinchliffe, Jill Beesley, Steve Andrew, Joan Johnson and Debbie Cowan fundraising on The Moor