The Growing Crisis
There are more dogs than responsible owners. It might sound harsh, but it’s the painful truth. A Dobermann requires a lot of input, stimulation and exercise – they are not a fashion accessory. Every day people buy Dobermann puppies without much consideration to the long term commitment they are taking on.
Good breeders carefully vet prospective owners to make sure their pups are not being purchased on a whim. Good breeders also cater for puppies being returned if things don’t work out.
Unfortunately, these breeders are few and far between – and there are sadly all too many people who are prepared to breed puppies and sell them to the highest bidder regardless of the buyers background. Worse still, there are breeders who use bitches as little more than money making machines, only to abandon them when they outlive their usefulness – Just check out puppy factory for more proof!
Worsening problem
Every year Dobermann Rescue are notified of dozens of Dobermanns that have found themselves homeless through no fault of their own. The reasons most commonly cited for giving up a Dobermann are:
- The addition of children to a family
- Divorce or other relationship problems
- Change or loss of job
- Poor training leading to an unmanageable dog
- Allergies
- Health problems
The numbers of Dobermanns being dumped every year is getting worse. We simply can’t home them all – although we do our very best, we have limited resources.
Sadly, dogs that cannot be taken in are often dumped or abandoned with horrific consequences. This is why we operate a strict vetting process – to ensure Dobermanns are placed into homes that are best equipped to look after them in the longer term.