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Fran
06-Dec-09, 03:13
Please please please give a cat,dog, rabbit agood loving forever home. I called into Balmore rescue centre near dounreay last week on my return from Tongue.I had hoped to see the clydesdale horse but he was too far away.
There are some beautiful cats there, a siamese, a burmese, a grey tabby, a pure black cat and some others. The dogs are so lovely too, there were 2twins who looked like my dog, lots of whippets, rabbits and more I didn't see. I was in tears when i left, they shouldn't be there. they should be warm and loved in front of a nice warm fire getting lots of cuddles.
There is a shortage of places to put these poor animals, the number is on the increase. foster parents are urgently needed. If you cant keep one, please be a foster parent over christmas.
Animals can be so very very loving so you are well rewarded looking after them. Please please give one of these aniamls a forever home.
I see pets at home are looking for homes for rabbits who have been handed in to their shop.

neepnipper
06-Dec-09, 09:16
Well said, there are too many animals out there needing homes and they all need love and cuddles and a home to call their own.

fuzzypeg
06-Dec-09, 09:33
we went to balmore 2 year ago and saw a young dog that we were very interested in giving a home to as we had lost our old girl and our other dog was lonely.but after all the usual questions etc. we were told to bring in our other dog for a compatibility test[ which we knew he would fly through coz he loves all dogs ] and we went pay them the 50 pounds which is what were told the dogs were, only to be told that we had to give them 95 pounds coz this dog was supposedly a pedigree. i felt this was discrimination against this dog as all the other dogs in their care at the time were 50 pounds and you dont get papers to say that they are pedigreed anyway.to which we had a confrontation with the staff and also phoned the head office to discuss the fact they were discriminating aganst this dog.and in their words they said we can gharge what we want.surely a new home is more important than money.

ShelleyCowie
06-Dec-09, 10:31
it saddens me too Fran. :( I really wish i could take all these animals but unfortunately i really dont have the space at the moment. We are all kinda squeezed as it is. :~(

horseman
06-Dec-09, 11:03
we went to balmore 2 year ago and saw a young dog that we were very interested in giving a home to as we had lost our old girl and our other dog was lonely.but after all the usual questions etc. we were told to bring in our other dog for a compatibility test[ which we knew he would fly through coz he loves all dogs ] and we went pay them the 50 pounds which is what were told the dogs were, only to be told that we had to give them 95 pounds coz this dog was supposedly a pedigree. i felt this was discrimination against this dog as all the other dogs in their care at the time were 50 pounds and you dont get papers to say that they are pedigreed anyway.to which we had a confrontation with the staff and also phoned the head office to discuss the fact they were discriminating aganst this dog.and in their words they said we can gharge what we want.surely a new home is more important than money.
Not nice at all. But surely needed saying!

porshiepoo
06-Dec-09, 12:15
I completely agree with Fuzzypeg about the charges for pedigree dogs - it's ridiculous. A homeless dog is a homeless dog no matter what the pedigree and all fees should be the same.

We wanted a gorgeous GSD called Apollo from there once. Arranged the home checks and everything. When no one bothered to turn up at the allotted time we rang them and it turned out that they weren't willing to let us have him as one of his past owners came from our village. (Didn't even bother to contact us and let us know though).Bizarre.
Strangely the next day we bought a GSD pup from the village and as it turned out these people were also Apollos previous owner. They had sold him and it was actually the new owner that changed their mind and took him to rescue not the people from the village.
We explained all this to Balmore and told them that the initial owner had no problem with us having Apollo and that we actually had his litter brother now also, but they wouldn't listen.
Have to say that the whole experience put us off getting anything from Balmore in the future.

rob1
06-Dec-09, 13:39
It is really starting to annoy me, how people on this forum are giving Balmore a hard time for things that are out of their control. It is the SSPCA that dictates charges not the centre whether it is rehoming cost or looking after strays etc. The staff there are just doing their job so give them a break.
If you have a problem with the charges, write to the head office instead of going onto a community forum and having a go at one of the centres.
Anyway, from looking in the P&J recently, you could alternativly spent £500+ for a pedagree, so £95 sounds like a bargen to me.

EDDIE
06-Dec-09, 13:55
It is really starting to annoy me, how people on this forum are giving Balmore a hard time for things that are out of their control. It is the SSPCA that dictates charges not the centre whether it is rehoming cost or looking after strays etc. The staff there are just doing their job so give them a break.
If you have a problem with the charges, write to the head office instead of going onto a community forum and having a go at one of the centres.
Anyway, from looking in the P&J recently, you could alternativly spent £500+ for a pedagree, so £95 sounds like a bargen to me.

If u was to look in the P&j you could get a pedagree £500+ thats been breed proffesionally but if you are buying a dog from balmore or similar places you dont no really what your getting as in the dog mental state if its not had a good start in life
I agree with everyone i just cant understand why charge £95 for a pedegree and £50 for any other dogs.
I personally think if the dog or any pet is put to these centres that person should have to pay full charges for disowning a pet and then banned from having anymore pets and as for the general public wanting to get a dog from a home there should be no charge because its the public is helping out giving the pet a new home which might have problems
They would be far better of either having one flate rate or get rid of the word charge and ask for a donation instead for anyone wanting a pet from there.
I would imagine anyone going to a centre like balmore to get a pet wouldnt mind giving a donation because they no its going to a good cause

evelyn
06-Dec-09, 14:21
Its a shame that Fran started this thread with the intention of highlighting the plight of these animals, and it has turned into a thread for criticising Balmore.
By doing this there may be folk out there who are deterred from going there and giving an animal a chance of a decent home.
I've rehomed two dogs and on both occasions was more than satisfied with the 'adoption' process.
evelyn

golach
06-Dec-09, 15:14
It is really starting to annoy me, how people on this forum are giving Balmore a hard time for things that are out of their control. It is the SSPCA that dictates charges not the centre whether it is rehoming cost or looking after strays etc. The staff there are just doing their job so give them a break.
If you have a problem with the charges, write to the head office instead of going onto a community forum and having a go at one of the centres.
Anyway, from looking in the P&J recently, you could alternativly spent £500+ for a pedagree, so £95 sounds like a bargen to me.

Hear Hear too many on here are quick to criticise Balmore, it does a lot of good.

porshiepoo
06-Dec-09, 15:53
I may be quick to criticize Balmore's charges and re-homing policies but I do completely understand that 99.9% of the time they do a great job.
Unfortunately the few hiccups along the way are the ones that we tend to remember if they have affected us personally.

There is no getting around the fact that it is wrong for an animal shelter with the supposed best interests of the animal at heart, to try to dupe people into paying almost twice the usual cost just because an animal is deemed 'pedigree'.
Does the so called 'pedigree' animal cost more to vaccinate? cost more for Balmore to keep? Cost more to house? Nope to all three. It's not as if they can claim that it's to put off prospective unscrupulous back yard breeders either as all their animals are neutured.
It's a simple rip off!

The reason that people have pointed these things out on this re-homing thread is because Fran has quite rightly pointed out all the animals at Balmore in desperate need of new homes. All I'm saying is perhaps there's a reason why they don't get re-homed.
It's a shame that more people don't attempt to re-home their animals themselves before relying on the already stretched animal shelters.

Having said all that, I do hope that all these unwanted animals do find their forever homes soon.

I do worry about animals being homed so close to xmas though. We all hear every year the saying 'A dog is for life and not just for xmas' and yet animal shelters still become inundated straight after xmas with unwanted pressies. It's so sad! :(

Fluff
06-Dec-09, 17:36
I wish I could have a rabbit, but we are not allowed pets in our flat. Nothing like a fluffy cuddle!

BINBOB
06-Dec-09, 17:49
It is really starting to annoy me, how people on this forum are giving Balmore a hard time for things that are out of their control. It is the SSPCA that dictates charges not the centre whether it is rehoming cost or looking after strays etc. The staff there are just doing their job so give them a break.
If you have a problem with the charges, write to the head office instead of going onto a community forum and having a go at one of the centres.
Anyway, from looking in the P&J recently, you could alternativly spent £500+ for a pedagree, so £95 sounds like a bargen to me.

U are right....it is not the staff who are the problem,but the organisation that controls them.I know they are caring people and have to do as told.
The SSPCA needs to change its attitude and remember the animals are more important than money!!That will NEVER happen,though.[disgust]

BalmoreSSPCA
06-Dec-09, 19:27
Please please please give a cat,dog, rabbit agood loving forever home. I called into Balmore rescue centre near dounreay last week on my return from Tongue.I had hoped to see the clydesdale horse but he was too far away.
There are some beautiful cats there, a siamese, a burmese, a grey tabby, a pure black cat and some others. The dogs are so lovely too, there were 2twins who looked like my dog, lots of whippets, rabbits and more I didn't see. I was in tears when i left, they shouldn't be there. they should be warm and loved in front of a nice warm fire getting lots of cuddles.
There is a shortage of places to put these poor animals, the number is on the increase. foster parents are urgently needed. If you cant keep one, please be a foster parent over christmas.


Animals can be so very very loving so you are well rewarded looking after them. Please please give one of these aniamls a forever home.
I see pets at home are looking for homes for rabbits who have been handed in to their shop.

Thank you Fran for highlighting the plea of all the unwanted, neglected, cruelly treated and abandoned animals which are in the Scottish SPCA centre at Balmore. Thank you to everyone who supports the Centre and the work that we do. We are all animal lovers who are dedicated and committed to animal welfare. Your support and generosity is very much appreciated. Thank you

EDDIE
06-Dec-09, 22:49
Thank you Fran for highlighting the plea of all the unwanted, neglected, cruelly treated and abandoned animals which are in the Scottish SPCA centre at Balmore. Thank you to everyone who supports the Centre and the work that we do. We are all animal lovers who are dedicated and committed to animal welfare. Your support and generosity is very much appreciated. Thank you

News travels fast in caithness
Whats the reason for chargeing £95 for a pedigree and £50 for a normal dog?

teenybash
06-Dec-09, 23:39
Maybe the policies of the SSPCA should be challenged and the fact that a lot of those who sit on the decision making machine often forget why they are there in the first place..........to ensure the welfare of every animal.....and not just about money. A difficult job, but it is wrong to add a surcharge because of pedigree..............I am presuming 'Pedigree' would mean from reputable, loving and responsible breeders and would it also mean KC registered??????[disgust]

Good on Balmore for doing their best under difficult circumstances and in such difficult times.

Fran
07-Dec-09, 03:10
I'm sorry but does it matter what the animal costs, pedigree or no pedigree, the animal has to be fed, theres heating and food costs etc. Maybe if people gave these animals a home then there wouldnt be so many in there and the cost would then decrease.
Maybe it is changed, my friend got a pedigree last week and it didnt cost anything at all.
Bring back the dog licence....then people would be sure to keep a dog if they got one. i think these cruel people who dump animals should be treated accordingly by the court, preferably locked up outside for the night in the dark and see how they like it.
As for people who HAVE to hand their pet in, whether for illness reasons or bereavement,, my heart goes out to them, it must be heartbreaking. I have already made arrangements for Labrador rescue to see to my gorgeous dog when i die as I am so worried about what would happen to him and couldn't bear the thought of him going into a kennel.
I wish i lived near to Balmore so that i could pop in daily and give all of the animals a cuddle, especially the clydesdale.....I wonder if he would fit in my garden!!!

Aaldtimer
07-Dec-09, 04:43
Sorry Fran, have to disagree with you here. I see no logical reason for the SSPCA to charge extra for a pedigree breed whatsoever.
Re dog licences:
30 years ago we purchased an Old English Sheepdog pup from a breeder and went to get a licence at the post office, 7/6d at the time if I recall correctly.
The person behind the counter took out the the appropriate forms...and blew the dust off them!
At the time the streets of Thurso were so badly contaminated with dog excrement that I subconciously called it Turdo!
I would be a great supporter of the re-introduction of dog licences...if they make it £100 a go!
That would deter a lot of frivolent people in the first place acquiring dogs who might end up discarded/homeless/abandoned.[evil]
Much kudos to Balmore who do a great job, but the National body needs a re-think!:confused

BINBOB
07-Dec-09, 11:14
I'm sorry but does it matter what the animal costs, pedigree or no pedigree, the animal has to be fed, theres heating and food costs etc. Maybe if people gave these animals a home then there wouldnt be so many in there and the cost would then decrease.
Maybe it is changed, my friend got a pedigree last week and it didnt cost anything at all.
Bring back the dog licence....then people would be sure to keep a dog if they got one. i think these cruel people who dump animals should be treated accordingly by the court, preferably locked up outside for the night in the dark and see how they like it.
As for people who HAVE to hand their pet in, whether for illness reasons or bereavement,, my heart goes out to them, it must be heartbreaking. I have already made arrangements for Labrador rescue to see to my gorgeous dog when i die as I am so worried about what would happen to him and couldn't bear the thought of him going into a kennel.
I wish i lived near to Balmore so that i could pop in daily and give all of the animals a cuddle, especially the clydesdale.....I wonder if he would fit in my garden!!!



I know what u mean,Fran...I also have made provisions in my will for my dearly loved dogs.But not all are as responsible and let us face it,folk get fed up of animals and pass them on to any one that will have them...........or worse,dump them.

I couldNOT ever do the job that the staff there do or indeed the work of the dog warden.They are very special folk.

Let us hope that some of the animals find a forever home soon....and remember it is SSPCA we would like to change.,not Balmore staff.;)

BINBOB
07-Dec-09, 11:15
Sorry Fran, have to disagree with you here. I see no logical reason for the SSPCA to charge extra for a pedigree breed whatsoever.
Re dog licences:
30 years ago we purchased an Old English Sheepdog pup from a breeder and went to get a licence at the post office, 7/6d at the time if I recall correctly.
The person behind the counter took out the the appropriate forms...and blew the dust off them!
At the time the streets of Thurso were so badly contaminated with dog excrement that I subconciously called it Turdo!
I would be a great supporter of the re-introduction of dog licences...if they make it £100 a go!
That would deter a lot of frivolent people in the first place acquiring dogs who might end up discarded/homeless/abandoned.[evil]
a Much kudos to Balmore who do a great job, but the National body needs re-think!:confused



A big DITTO to ur last sentence............that is the problem.;)

porshiepoo
07-Dec-09, 12:59
What I found so bad about Fuzzypegs incident is that she was led to believe that £50 was the cost of the dog and this wasn't changed or made clear until the actual point of payment. That is simply bad practice.
What was annoying about my particular incident is that we waited in all day for the home visit and wasn't contacted to be told there was a problem - they waited for us to contact them. Bad manners and bad practice.

There is simply no way to justify double charging of a so called 'pedigree' animal, not when it comes from a homeless shelter. All the shelter is doing is discriminating against the pedigree animal and trying to cash in on a label.

Personally I couldn't work at a rescue as I'd want to take them all home with me so I do respect the shelters and the work they do.
I just don't respect some of their policies.

EDDIE
08-Dec-09, 09:13
News travels fast in caithness
Whats the reason for chargeing £95 for a pedigree and £50 for a normal dog?

I take it balmore doesnt no why the charge the fees they charge
This thread was a good opportunity for balmore to explain things

froal
08-Dec-09, 17:38
Wow didn't know balmore had different prices for no-pedigree dogs and pedigree !
I'am suprised there's papered dogs in there as as a Breeder my self i will take back any of ours we've sold if owners can't cope or need to rehome there Whippet, I'd rather they came back to us than end up in a rescue centre.
It's part of our puppy contract :D it's a pity it's not on others :(

Northernlad
09-Dec-09, 10:12
I think some of the posts above have misinterpreted the charges in place by the Scottish SPCA.

The price to rehome a dog is around £100.

It isn't the case that the Society has INCREASED the price for a pedigree dog.

It is however the case that the Society has DECREASED the price for a crossbreed.

This I have been told is because it's so often so hard to find homes for the crossbreeds, while the pedigrees are relatively easy to home.

So, the pedigrees remain at the STANDARD price, while the crossbreeds are in effect discounted.

The alternative is charging £100 for them all. And a charge has to be made of course as this is a charity which needs donations to keep going.

balto
09-Dec-09, 10:53
we have always gone to balmore for our animals well the 3 cats an 2 dogs, it saddens me to see how people can just dump defencless animals as soon as they get past the cute playful stage, i woul have a house full of animals but i think 1 dog 4 cats 2 hamsters and a tank full of fish is more than my oh can handle lol. just wish people woul think about it a bit more before deciding to get a pet, an learn that it needs commitment an lots of love.

dancingtaz13
09-Dec-09, 23:36
If anyone would like to know why Balmore or any other SSPCA centre charge what they charge for rehoming any animal then to query this with SSPCA Headquarters.
The price as it stands just now is £70 for a crossbreed; £100 for a pedigree.
I paid £600 for my pedigree siberian husky from a breeder 6years ago and think £100 is nothing that the SSPCA charges compared to what people will pay for a pedigree animal, especially as they are vet checked, microchipped, vaccinated, flea treated, wormed, fed, looked after etc etc etc!!
Prices for feed, heating, veterinary supplies, veterinary attention have all risen so prices unfortunately must increase too.
Personally, if i was rehoming an animal from the SSPCA i would be greatful at paying £100 to a charity that i know the money does wonders and keeps the centres running.... especially compared to paying £600!! (Not that i grudged this as its the best £600 iv ever spent!!)

9 times out of 10 there are reasons why the animals in the centre havent found the right home yet - that can be due to age, people that are looking for an animal dont want an old animal; some cant be rehomed with kids - alot of people wanting to rehome an animal have kids so that narrows down the home. Some cannot be rehomed in the country, some dont like cats..... some people dont like certain breeds etc. I have never heard its because of what the society charges.

This thread, as with others has turned sour as people start talking negatively about Balmore & nit picking at charges etc etc.... If orgers have a problem with the society then why discuss it on a public forum which gives others a bad insight into the SSPCA? Surely you should just take it up with Headquarters then you can post it on here once you have the correct facts??

BINBOB
10-Dec-09, 14:28
Well said and u are totally correct.Take care...;)

EDDIE
10-Dec-09, 16:29
If anyone would like to know why Balmore or any other SSPCA centre charge what they charge for rehoming any animal then to query this with SSPCA Headquarters.
The price as it stands just now is £70 for a crossbreed; £100 for a pedigree.
I paid £600 for my pedigree siberian husky from a breeder 6years ago and think £100 is nothing that the SSPCA charges compared to what people will pay for a pedigree animal, especially as they are vet checked, microchipped, vaccinated, flea treated, wormed, fed, looked after etc etc etc!!
Prices for feed, heating, veterinary supplies, veterinary attention have all risen so prices unfortunately must increase too.
Personally, if i was rehoming an animal from the SSPCA i would be greatful at paying £100 to a charity that i know the money does wonders and keeps the centres running.... especially compared to paying £600!! (Not that i grudged this as its the best £600 iv ever spent!!)

9 times out of 10 there are reasons why the animals in the centre havent found the right home yet - that can be due to age, people that are looking for an animal dont want an old animal; some cant be rehomed with kids - alot of people wanting to rehome an animal have kids so that narrows down the home. Some cannot be rehomed in the country, some dont like cats..... some people dont like certain breeds etc. I have never heard its because of what the society charges.

This thread, as with others has turned sour as people start talking negatively about Balmore & nit picking at charges etc etc.... If orgers have a problem with the society then why discuss it on a public forum which gives others a bad insight into the SSPCA? Surely you should just take it up with Headquarters then you can post it on here once you have the correct facts??

Well if i worked at balmore i think i would get fed up with people asking me why there is a price difference between a crossbreed and a pedigree so i would find out what the reason is so i would no what to say to customers.I would hate to think balmore is charging prices for dogs and havent got a clue why they are charging that amount its a simple question aimed at balmore because they commented on this page?

attidude9464
10-Dec-09, 19:57
I think some of the posts above have misinterpreted the charges in place by the Scottish SPCA.

The price to rehome a dog is around £100.

It isn't the case that the Society has INCREASED the price for a pedigree dog.

It is however the case that the Society has DECREASED the price for a crossbreed.

This I have been told is because it's so often so hard to find homes for the crossbreeds, while the pedigrees are relatively easy to home.

So, the pedigrees remain at the STANDARD price, while the crossbreeds are in effect discounted.

The alternative is charging £100 for them all. And a charge has to be made of course as this is a charity which needs donations to keep going.

Northernlad you have hit the nail on the head. I spoke to the SSPCA HQ today and they confirmed the exact information which you have posted.

I have just been thinking!! If you went into any charity shop to buy a suit would they all be the same price? No they wouldn't. The suit with the recognised designer label would be dearer than one which was from a more economical outlet. Why is this acceptable for some charities?

EDDIE
10-Dec-09, 21:13
I no one things for sure if i did buy a dog from home like balmore it wouldnt bother me paying £100 because i no the money is going to a good cause

carasmam
10-Dec-09, 21:25
Northernlad you have hit the nail on the head. I spoke to the SSPCA HQ today and they confirmed the exact information which you have posted.

I have just been thinking!! If you went into any charity shop to buy a suit would they all be the same price? No they wouldn't. The suit with the recognised designer label would be dearer than one which was from a more economical outlet. Why is this acceptable for some charities?

Do new owners get the equivalent of the designer label then, by that I mean the pedigree papers ? Are the dogs actually spayed and neutered before they leave Balmore or is it done on trust, such as a voucher for the vets? I've never rehomed a dog from the SSPCA so I am just curious :)

Thumper
10-Dec-09, 21:29
as far as I am aware you dont get the papers,and when I rehomed a dog the spaying part was done on trust with a voucher-but that may have changed now x

carasmam
10-Dec-09, 21:31
as far as I am aware you dont get the papers,and when I rehomed a dog the spaying part was done on trust with a voucher-but that may have changed now x

Thanks Thumper, I just wondered as there might be problems with untrustworthy people getting papers and then not getting the operation done and breeding from a pedigree animal.

Aaldtimer
11-Dec-09, 04:32
I think some of the posts above have misinterpreted the charges in place by the Scottish SPCA.

The price to rehome a dog is around £100.

It isn't the case that the Society has INCREASED the price for a pedigree dog.

It is however the case that the Society has DECREASED the price for a crossbreed.

This I have been told is because it's so often so hard to find homes for the crossbreeds, while the pedigrees are relatively easy to home.

So, the pedigrees remain at the STANDARD price, while the crossbreeds are in effect discounted.

The alternative is charging £100 for them all. And a charge has to be made of course as this is a charity which needs donations to keep going.

I think this is just so much bullshit! What price a life?[disgust]

Northernlad
11-Dec-09, 17:58
Aaldtimer - what price a life?

What price a charity being able to continue its work?

Doesn't happen for free, does it?

Your 'tag line' kind of suggests what a mournful, pessimistic soul you must be!

dancingtaz13
13-Dec-09, 23:35
I agree with you Northernlad. The SSPCA, as explained before is purely run on donations, fundraising, sponsors, money taken in by rehoming the animals which also covers everything else that the animal has before leaving the centre. They get no government/lottery funding whatsoever. They have to charge something as expenditure would be a hell of alot more than income and over time centres would run out of money and have to close, leaving alot of areas in crisis with nowhere for animals to go.

People dont mind paying a price (Obviously within reason) when they rehome an animal when they know that animal has been well looked after, cared for, that the money is going to a good cause.

Aaldtimer
14-Dec-09, 04:31
Aaldtimer - what price a life?

What price a charity being able to continue its work?

Doesn't happen for free, does it?

Your 'tag line' kind of suggests what a mournful, pessimistic soul you must be!

Northernlad, pessimists get more surprises in life don'tchaknow?
As for my tagline, certainly not mournful...just realistic!

Tell me, if SSPCA can give you a mongrel for £x, why charge extra for a pedigree that has been neutered?
Totally illogical!

I've just heard of a case where a woman went with her kids to adopt a homeless cat from Balmore. She had to pay £40 for an un-neutered cat. She wasn't expecting that, but the kids were enamoured by then, so had to shell out more than she had expected!
Why aren't these charges made clear before they even view the animals?

dancingtaz13:
I know that the SSPCA is a charitable organisation, and all the rest of it, BUT, and it's a big BUT, as I've stated before, there should be no such thing as CHARITIES in one of the richest nations in the world![disgust]

Northernlad
14-Dec-09, 11:16
Aaldtimer, just in case you SOMEHOW missed it: pedigrees do not cost 'extra'.

Non-pedigrees cost less than the standard price.

The logic is of course if people go to a rescue centre and see

A. A purebreed German shepherd
B. A purebreed Lab
C. A Heinz 57 varieties

Many, many people will choose A or B time after time.

You may not like it. I don't like it. Never been much of a purebreed man myself. But reality is reality.

Did this lady think the cat would be free? How on earth do you expect a charity to survive if it doesn't have any income?

Now, I take your point that charities in the UK shouldn't really need to exist. But the reality is they do.

Now try and cheer up a bit and next time you're passing Balmore maybe nip in and donate a few quid. It is Christmas after all :)

BalmoreSSPCA
14-Dec-09, 14:36
We would like to invite Aaldtimer out to SSPCA Balmore so he can see what actually does happen in the Centre. We would be more than willing to show him round and answer any of his questions. So Aaldtimer we look forward to seeing you soon.

SSPCA Staff

BINBOB
14-Dec-09, 16:44
We would like to invite Aaldtimer out to SSPCA Balmore so he can see what actually does happen in the Centre. We would be more than willing to show him round and answer any of his questions. So Aaldtimer we look forward to seeing you soon.

SSPCA Staff
Good idea...hope he takes the offer up.;)

Aaldtimer
14-Dec-09, 17:11
I'd like to make it absolutely clear that I'm in no way criticising Balmore practices/staff/operation!

What I'm not happy about is SSPCA Policy of charging different rates for pedigree/mixed breeds.

I've no need to visit to know the wonderful job that they do, and I wish them the very best in their continuing efforts.


Northernlad... the lady in question had every intention of making a donation, just wasn't expecting it to be quite so much.
It may not be much to some folk, but then some are better placed than others.
The important thing is for the animal to be re-homed asap, and off the centre's workload!(Or should that be payload?):confused

Vistravi
14-Dec-09, 17:41
I've just heard of a case where a woman went with her kids to adopt a homeless cat from Balmore. She had to pay £40 for an un-neutered cat. She wasn't expecting that, but the kids were enamoured by then, so had to shell out more than she had expected!
!

I got my cat from balmore about 2 years ago now and as i got her when she was only 12 weeks i didn't begurdge paying the £35 for her at the time and then pay to have her netured when she was old enough. At the end of the day balmore do charge quite alot but if you're serious about having a pet you have to willing to pay towards their health and keeping them happy.

Balmore do a excellent job and the staff when i got my cat as kitten were so good and just wanted to make sure she was going to a good home. They care so much for the animals but they are a chairty and need money to run otherwise their good work can no longer be done.

But it doesn't make sense as to why they would let a cat that was old enough to be netured out of the centre without being netured. :confused

EDDIE
14-Dec-09, 18:02
We would like to invite Aaldtimer out to SSPCA Balmore so he can see what actually does happen in the Centre. We would be more than willing to show him round and answer any of his questions. So Aaldtimer we look forward to seeing you soon.

SSPCA Staff

Why dont you try anwering some of the questions on here?

BalmoreSSPCA
14-Dec-09, 19:31
Why dont you try anwering some of the questions on here?

Thank you Eddie for your responses but the SSPCA staff at Balmore are not willing to enter into a slagging match on a public forum but we all would be more than willing to answer any questions anyone has. Just pick up the phone and give us a call on Tel:- 01847861386 or pop out to the Centre. We are open to the public 7 days a week, between 10am and 4pm. Cheers

Theerah0166
14-Dec-09, 20:39
Not just Balmore. Inverness is hell to try and get an animal from. Fantastic homes (not me I hasten to add) turned down for no good reason, simply a case of peoples faces not fitting.:confused: The SSPCA seem to prefer to keep animals in cages/kennels for months on end than sell them to good homes.[disgust]

SuzieTee
20-Dec-09, 15:55
As my first post on caithness.org, I'm gonna wade right in to the debate.

Why shouldn't the SSPCA charge more for a pedigree animal?

Look at it from their point of view - they have all these animals who have been dumped for one reason or another on their doorstep. They have to keep them warm, fed and reasonably happy while they wait for someone to come along and give them a good home.

If you had been left an antique that you knew was valuable, would you just ask 50p for it at a boot fair? Of course you wouldn't, you would try to get as much for it as you could.

And you also have to ask about the motives of people who go to Balmore looking for a pedigree animal? Are they too tight to pay full whack from a dealer?

I have had several animals from Balmore, and I think they do a fantastic job. The last dog we got from them had been dumped by a breeder from up west who couldn't sell her and her brother, so he got rid of them. At least he had the decency not to put them in a sack and throw them into the sea, he probably didn't want to buy a sack.

I have never had any problem with getting an animal from Balmore, maybe I look like the sort of person they feel happy about giving an animal to. The "faces not fitting" argument, Theerah, is just puerile.

Leanne
20-Dec-09, 16:20
One of the reasons that the animals are in the centre so long is the cost- there are so many advertised free to a good home in the papers.

I did however act as a fosterer for a rescue for cats with kittens - that was such a lovely time :) The problem I had when trying to home them was that when people said they wanted one, they soon changed their mind when they found out they were £40 and a homecheck. Most said - but we can get one free from the paper...

Maybe if the cats and crossbreeds were cheaper then they would get homed quicker and thus costs be reduced?

One thing I didn't agree with when I tried homing a dog a while back was when the bitch I chose didn't get on with my dog and I took her back (with many tears) they kept the fee and then wanted more for another dog! Not Balmore, but I never understood this - I ended up not homing another dog as I couldn't afford it after they had fleeced me...

With a network of fosterers would it be easier to rehome the dogs? The dogs wouldn't be kennel sour, they would have their training continued and also have love 24/7. The cost could be reduced as I'm sure fosterers would only want food and medicines paid for...

Edit - fostering also means that whoever takes on the dog will get a whole host of information on how the dog behaves in a variety of circumstances. For example - my last rescue was house trained but couldn't hold it. He would go outside if you let him out every 2 hours but if you left it too long there would be an accident. The fosterers had got him to wait for longer in between wees and let us know of this issue. If he were from a kennels he would be described as house trained and then found not to be...

dancingtaz13
22-Dec-09, 23:43
[quote=Leanne;634931]One of the reasons that the animals are in the centre so long is the cost- there are so many advertised free to a good home in the papers.

I did however act as a fosterer for a rescue for cats with kittens - that was such a lovely time :) The problem I had when trying to home them was that when people said they wanted one, they soon changed their mind when they found out they were £40 and a homecheck. Most said - but we can get one free from the paper...

Maybe if the cats and crossbreeds were cheaper then they would get homed quicker and thus costs be reduced?
- The whole reason that prices have gone up through out all the centres is due to running costs etc and if they decreased them then we could say bye bye to alot of our centres.

One thing I didn't agree with when I tried homing a dog a while back was when the bitch I chose didn't get on with my dog and I took her back (with many tears) they kept the fee and then wanted more for another dog! Not Balmore, but I never understood this - I ended up not homing another dog as I couldn't afford it after they had fleeced me...
- Part 11 of the SSPCAs Homing conditions (which everyone MUST read before rehoming an animal, either via the website or in the centre) states "I understand that if I wish to return the animal to the centre within the first seven days, after making an appointment to do so, it will be accepted by the centre, but no refund will be made. After this period I will be required to make payment of an entrance fee for an
unwanted animal based on the Scottish SPCA’s current scale. I think getting your money back is at the managers discretion. There's no way the centre would have fleeced you. Did you explain to them/manager that you werent happy about not getting your money back?

With a network of fosterers would it be easier to rehome the dogs? The dogs wouldn't be kennel sour, they would have their training continued and also have love 24/7. The cost could be reduced as I'm sure fosterers would only want food and medicines paid for...
- Fostering sounds a great idea. You should put your thoughts to SSPCA Headquarters and see what they say.

bullielove
23-Dec-09, 10:01
One of the reasons that the animals are in the centre so long is the cost- there are so many advertised free to a good home in the papers.

I did however act as a fosterer for a rescue for cats with kittens - that was such a lovely time :) The problem I had when trying to home them was that when people said they wanted one, they soon changed their mind when they found out they were £40 and a homecheck. Most said - but we can get one free from the paper...

Maybe if the cats and crossbreeds were cheaper then they would get homed quicker and thus costs be reduced?

One thing I didn't agree with when I tried homing a dog a while back was when the bitch I chose didn't get on with my dog and I took her back (with many tears) they kept the fee and then wanted more for another dog! Not Balmore, but I never understood this - I ended up not homing another dog as I couldn't afford it after they had fleeced me...

With a network of fosterers would it be easier to rehome the dogs? The dogs wouldn't be kennel sour, they would have their training continued and also have love 24/7. The cost could be reduced as I'm sure fosterers would only want food and medicines paid for...

Edit - fostering also means that whoever takes on the dog will get a whole host of information on how the dog behaves in a variety of circumstances. For example - my last rescue was house trained but couldn't hold it. He would go outside if you let him out every 2 hours but if you left it too long there would be an accident. The fosterers had got him to wait for longer in between wees and let us know of this issue. If he were from a kennels he would be described as house trained and then found not to be...


Leanne - great idea -From experience that system works really well. thats what we do with Bullie SOS there is a pool of fosterers who will take the dog in until a permanent home is found. it gives the dog the chance to be in a loving home to begin to get his confidence back and it also allow for a comprehensive assessment of how he behaves, gets on with others etc. The dog can then be paired with someone who fits the bill for that particular animal making it more likely to succeed. All fosterers take is vet costs (inc nuetering). Bullie SOS have to do this as we have no kennels but we would choose to do it anyway to get a dog out of kennels and into a home

ravenblueice
26-Dec-09, 16:08
I am a little concerned about the message I hear is at the vets in Thurso saying that Balmore is no longer taking in Stray dogs, that the Dog Warden will keep them for 7 days and then put them down, I thought we were beyond such draconian mesures!

Is this any dogs or just ones found loose? Please could someone explain these changes more thoroughly.

As for the pricing the SSPCA policy would surely be better suited to age, as a 6 month pup is going to find a home more easily than a 12yr old dog (for example) unless papers are being provided whats the point in it being a pedigree or otherwise? Especially if neutered? Except collies for working I guess.....