Owner Reclaim Only

Vojera

Sorry if this has been covered before, but I'm seeing lots of posts on Facebook the past week about county vets marking dogs in pounds as "Owner Reclaim Only", meaning that the dogs cannot be given to anyone but the registered owner and, in the case of voluntary surrenders, this means that the dogs will inevitably be put down.

I've tried googling it but I can't see anything that explains why this rule exists. Can anyone explain it to me?

I know that surrendered dogs can be put to sleep almost straight away, but for dogs that have been found, is there a reason they wouldn't be allowed to be rehomed if their owner doesn't come forward?

VonVix

Often I see this if it's a restricted breed and their crosses, they cannot be rehomed to the public, they must go through a rescue if not reclaimed by their owner, so a suitable home can be assessed for the dog. The likes of German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Doberman for example. You can find a full list here: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1998/si/442/made/en/print

I can't say this for certain, but it may also apply to strays showing very fearful behaviour as well, where it may not be safe or recommendable for them to rehome the dog to the public.

Will be interesting to see the responses from the more informed!

Vojera

Oh, good thinking on the breeds. I never considered that. I must look back and see what breeds these posts were about.

Ms Doubtfire1

Let us know what you find. My generally experience is that a lot depends on the pound as well. Some pounds will by policy only home a restricted breed back to the owner and otherwise kill, some will only release to rescue.There are one or 2 pounds who will also home to the public but that is rare.

dashoonage

As someone who was lucky enough to rehome a restricted breed this makes me sad I'm gonna go hug my akita now.

3dogs

The most recent "owner reclaim only" i have seen is for 2 lab/retriever type dogs that the owner surrendered to the pound as they were caught worrying calves 
there is a rescue that have a place for these 2 and they are working to try and get them out. There isn't any explanation given why they are owner reclaim only and it just doesn't make sense to me

Ms Doubtfire1

I know the pound involved.happens a lot there.

Knine

3dogs wrote: »

The most recent "owner reclaim only" i have seen is for 2 lab/retriever type dogs that the owner surrendered to the pound as they were caught worrying calves 
there is a rescue that have a place for these 2 and they are working to try and get them out. There isn't any explanation given why they are owner reclaim only and it just doesn't make sense to me

I seen that. They also had a 'Terrier Cross' which was actually a Border Terrier.

Vojera

3dogs wrote: »

The most recent "owner reclaim only" i have seen is for 2 lab/retriever type dogs that the owner surrendered to the pound as they were caught worrying calves
there is a rescue that have a place for these 2 and they are working to try and get them out. There isn't any explanation given why they are owner reclaim only and it just doesn't make sense to me

That's the post that got me thinking about this, I was just coming back to say they were lab-type dogs. I know the explanation might be that they were worrying livestock, but surely that's down to their owner letting them wander rather than the dogs themselves?

Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »

I know the pound involved.happens a lot there.

I wonder is it that particular vet, then?

Ms Doubtfire1

No, it's the pound manager making those decisions.:mad:

deadlybuzzman

Is there any legal basis from an animal welfare angle that the likes of that and also RB legislation can be challenged?

DBB

The non-rehoming of RBs directly to the public isn't, to the best of my knowledge, based on any statute, rather it has become policy in recent years... A bit of a mallet to crack a nut solution, typical of the knee-jerk response too many powers-that-be are resorting too when it comes to RBs.
There is some legal basis for not rehoming RBs to people in council houses in some counties, because some counties have a bye-law banning RBs from being kept in their houses.
My guess, with the dogs that were caught chasing stock, is that the council will allow a rescue to rehome them on condition that the dogs are rehomed in an urban area.. It kinda absolves the council of responsibility if there's a repeat incident.

Graces7

DBB wrote: »

The non-rehoming of RBs directly to the public isn't, to the best of my knowledge, based on any statute, rather it has become policy in recent years... A bit of a mallet to crack a nut solution, typical of the knee-jerk response too many powers-that-be are resorting too when it comes to RBs.
There is some legal basis for not rehoming RBs to people in council houses in some counties, because some counties have a bye-law banning RBs from being kept in their houses.
My guess, with the dogs that were caught chasing stock, is that the council will allow a rescue to rehome them on condition that the dogs are rehomed in an urban area.. It kinda absolves the council of responsibility if there's a repeat incident.

If you will forgive the expression, maybe a case of once bitten, twice shy

And a wise and prudent policy.

Ms Doubtfire1

No, it's neither wise nor prudent if it's applied on all cases. It needs to be reviewed on a case by case bases, and this pound doesn't do that.

muddypaws

Graces7 wrote: »

If you will forgive the expression, maybe a case of once bitten, twice shy

And a wise and prudent policy.

Yeah, cos only dogs on a list with no basis in fact or science ever bite people.

Graces7

Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »

No, it's neither wise nor prudent if it's applied on all cases. It needs to be reviewed on a case by case bases, and this pound doesn't do that.

From their legal style point of view? I do not agree with them but can see why they do this.

Graces7

muddypaws wrote: »

Yeah, cos only dogs on a list with no basis in fact or science ever bite people.

Again, agree totally but can see why they do this. People these days bring lawsuits so often and for such amounts.

Has to be a way found this though; there really has to be.

Graces7

Thinking sideways.. might it ever be possible to find who had surrendered the dog and ask THEM? Or is it a totally done- deed when they hand the dog in?

3dogs

Have just seen on FB that the 2 dogs in Monaghan have got out of the pound ok and there is rescue space for them in the UK