Britain's Unwanted Pets - Panorama this evening

For anyone who missed it, the program's still available via the BBC iPlayer.

Initial thoughts:

We urgently need the kind of knowledgeable activity to improve rehoming of difficult dogs that exists in the US:

"Though the public believes that dogfighting is the number-one problem facing pit bulls, a 2005 roundtable discussion among rescuers, breeders, and shelters concluded that the greatest challenge is overbreeding, Reynolds said. To combat this trend, BAD RAP works with responsible breeders, encourages breeders to “slow down,” and conducts outreach in communities where pit bulls are the favored pet. Lack of ethnic diversity in animal welfare agencies has historically translated into a dearth of outreach to non-white dog owners, said Reynolds, but her group aims to change that.
Through a program called “Pit Fix,” owners can take advantage of free spay/neuter surgeries for pit bulls at the East Bay SPCA. BAD RAP also offers free vaccination fairs in neighborhoods with high concentrations of pit bulls; owners who attend these events receive free leashes, collars, advice, and the chance to sign up for free spay/neuter surgeries as well.
The programs “create an opening for discussion,” Reynolds said, and they produce results: Last year, 607 pit bulls were sterilized for free in Alameda County, and BAD RAP’s free training classes (which accept dog-aggressive pits) have received an “overwhelming response.” http://www.animalsheltering.org/resource_library/magazine_articles/the_scoop/pit_bulls_dilemma_and_debate.html

What can be done for the much larger and potentially dangerous pit bull ought to be possible for the Staffordshire, but Battersea can't just release dogs they know are potential fighters to inexperienced adopters and let them get on with it.

The problem isn't a straightforward one of "over-population" as Staffordshire puppies are in demand (the program confirmed my own impressions of amounts of money which can be involved). I'm not sure it's even as simple and straightforward as irresponsible owners getting fed up with once their dog's out of the cute puppy stage because lots of the pups actually do stay with their owners and are well-loved and looked after (although they may be a regular expense to veterinary charities). Owners living close to the breadline and in cramped accommodation are more likely to hit difficulties that mean they have to give up their dogs. If we could only nudge a percentage of the people who buy staffordshire puppies into considering adoption and give them the backup needed to make it a success we would be part of the way towards a solution.

David Grant on Vetpulse.tv on the issue of Status Dogs

"Status dogs are just one part of the general social problems of the inner cities."

Talk given to veterinary students at the University of Nottingham, 20th May 2010

Staffordshire Bull Terrier Questionnaire

When the pilot Staffordshire bull terrier adoption/neutering campaign ran last year I put up a questionnaire for owners as part of the publicity activities. 

Results below:
Where did you get your current Staffordshire?

At least a third of dogs had been adopted from welfare organisations, and relatively few seemed to have originated from professional or semi-commercial breeders.

Is your current Staffordshire male or female?

Interestingly there doesn't seem to be any suggestion at all from the response to this question that male dogs might be any more difficult to control than bitches.

Is he/she neutered?

Most of the 21 no's said cost was a barrier (a few had puppies not yet old enough for the operation)





If no, would you consider getting him/her neutered?

Three no's expressed health concerns and desire not to put their dog through unnecessary surgery when he did not exhibit any behaviour problems.






Is your dog microchipped?

Interestingly, much less resistance to this than to neutering. Some of the no's mentioned cost as an issue and some planned to get their puppies chipped at the same time as they were neutered.



Would you consider adopting another Staffordshire?

The four no's included some who expressed concern about the risk of a future breed ban meaning they might adopt a dog only to have him/her put down and some who simply said that no other dog could replace their present one.

This probably wasn't a representative sample as those motivated to respond would be likely to be knowledgeable and concerned about the welfare of dogs, but it does demonstrate that many Staffordshires are living happy and well-adjusted lives in normal pet homes. It does suggest that more low-cost neutering would reduce the proportion of bitches who might have accidental litters and that more low cost microchipping would increase the proportion of dogs who are chipped (of course it's still likely that it would be the responsible owners, not the problem ones, who got their dogs chipped).

The questionnaire's still open for responses if anyone viewing this has a Staffordshire or other bull breed and would like to complete it.

Responses to the bull breed questionnaire

Where did you get your dog from?

RSPCA 16%
Other animal welfare organisation 22%
Breeder 25%
Friend 25%
Other 13%

All but one of those who had not yet microchipped their dogs mentioned cost as the reason (one person was concerned about possible risks of chipping). Most of those whose dogs were not neutered were either deterred by cost or had puppies not yet old enough for the operation. One was planning to breed from her bitch (this person specifically mentioned her bitch's good temperament as a reason) and one did not believe in castrating male dogs if they were not giving any behavioural reason for concern (this person mentioned that her two bitches were both spayed).

What sex is your dog?


male 16 50%
female 16 50%



Is your dog neutered?



Yes 19 59%
No 13 41%







If no, would you consider having your dog neutered?

Yes 12 86%
No 2 14%



Is your dog microchipped?



Yes 22 69%
No 10 31%


Would you consider getting another bull dog/ terrier in the future?



Yes 30 94%
No 2 6%

Only two people said they would not consider getting another bull breed dog, but neither ruled this out in the longterm, as both mentioned existing family dogs who would not accept another bull breed.

RSPCA East Region Bull Breed Neutering Campaign

The Staffordshire bull terrier is the dog most likely to become unwanted in the RSPCA’s East region. 

So far this year 12 of the 94 abandoned dogs collected by the RSPCA in the East region are Staffies or Staffie crosses.  [These figures were collected in March, and we've taken in several more since then, so I expect the same is true of other branches]. In 2008, 90 of the 354 abandoned dogs rescued were Staffies or Staffie types, and in 2007, 97 of the 406 were Staffies/ crossbreeds.

RSPCA branches and animal centres in the East region report that Staffies and Staffie crosses are by far the breed that they see the most of. More than three quarters of Staffies/Staffie crosses taken in were male.

RSPCA superintendent Kelly Rivers said: “Staffies and other bull dogs and terriers are wonderful dogs. The problems are not usually with them but at the other end of the lead, with owners who buy them for the wrong reasons. All too often they are also used as money making machines and have several litters of puppies each year which are sold on to equally unscrupulous owners.”

“We want to see bull breeds who are properly trained, socialised and cared for. This duty of care includes neutering and microchipping your dog – no excuses.”

Many owners either refuse to have their pets neutered because they either want to protect their dog’s ‘tough’ image or because they want to breed from them - often to make money.

Of the Staffordshires, and other bull terriers taken in, half of RSPCA branches in the East said that those neutered count for less than five per cent of those taken in.

The most common reasons for giving up these dogs were that owners could no longer care for them or could not afford to keep them.

Bull terriers and bull dogs, through no fault of their own, suffer a bad press due to their aggressive image and popularity as status symbols. The high numbers of abandonments and unwanted pets reflect the fact that many people who buy them do so for the wrong reasons then quickly tire of looking after them. Sadly, these are the same people who neglect to neuter their animals, leading to needless health problems and many more unwanted puppies.

RSPCA Cambridge is taking part in the campaign and, if you live in our area and you are on benefits, we can send you out a voucher towards part of the cost of getting your bull terrier neutered. This can be used at most local vets. The map at the side of this blog shows the extent of our branch area. To apply for a voucher, email neuter@rspca-cambridge.org.uk

We would also like bull terrier owners to complete our short survey to help us get a better understanding of why some bull terriers become unwanted, while others spend their whole lives as well-loved pets.

Injured staffie

He was found in Milton Country Park by a member of the public and taken to Village Vets for first aid. They think he's definitely got a broken jaw and possibly a fractured leg, so we're covering the cost of first aid with them and one of our volunteer drivers is going to transfer him to the clinic tomorrow morning.

No details yet about his general appearance, other than that he's very friendly. If he might be yours, please contact Village Vets (before tomorrow) or email rosemary@rspca-cambridge.org.uk (after then).

Another staffy, I presume

Part of yesterday's frenzy was the stream of phone calls, which I'm afraid may have been another reason why the students' "user experience" was less than optimal. Three of them illustrate something of a deeper truth about the assumptions we make about dogs.

Number one: Richard, one of the inspectors, called to say he'd been asked to take in a young dog, with a teenaged owner. Dog not well, and needing veterinary treatment, but in the circumstances not the owner's fault as she'd got no home, no money and no transport. I agreed we'd pay for treatment and boarding. As a bit of an afterthought, I asked what breed the dog was:"A Staffy, I suppose?" Richard said: "Yes, she was," and we both muttered a bit about how hard they are to rehome and not wanting to put down such a young animal without at least giving her a chance. 

Number two: Clinic client phoned: her cocker spaniel had badly bitten several family members, including a small child, without any provocation or warning. This was the second time he'd bitten and she was now waiting for the police and ambulance and would need to have the dog put to sleep as an emergency. I agreed with the vet that there really wasn't any choice and organised an appointment for her.

And, number three: Call from Richard to say the Staffy pup was doing fine, except for an upset tum, and one of the vet nurses had fallen in love with him and wanted to adopt him. Sometimes there are happy endings.

Staffys are not bad dogs (nor are cockers: rage sydrome, which may have been what affected this dog is very rare). They do need sensible care and training and many of them will fight other dogs, but so will Jack Russells. The main reason why we have a "Staffy problem" is that they happen to have become the pet of choice for owners who have lots of difficulties of their own, which means they find it harder to afford veterinary treatment costs and are more likely to have domestic emergencies that mean they have to rehome their dogs.

Staffy neutering campaign

David Grant, of Animal Hospital fame, is profiled in the Independent today.

In my opinion, the root cause of most of these cases seems to be the worrying trend towards owning these dogs as accessories, and as weapons. Because of the demand for certain types of dogs for such purposes – primarily on inner-city housing estates – there has been a huge increase in dog breeding for undeclared profit. As a result, we are seeing a lot of puppies who are diseased due to poor breeding. The number of dogs being dumped is at an all-time high, and Battersea Dogs' Home can no longer take in Staff-type dogs. The problem is seriously out of control.

Fortunately, in our more rural area, things haven't reached this pitch, but there's still a huge problem of irresponsible breeding of Staffordshire and other bull terrier dogs.

Coming up in April

Region East will shortly be launching a campaign to encourage owners of "bull breed dogs" (i.e. mainly Staffordshire bull terriers, but also English bull terriers, American bulldogs etc.) to get their pets neutered.

Each branch in Region East will be supported by up to £1,000 matched funding from the Regional Fund. This will be in addition to the normal low-cost spay/neuter we offer for dogs belonging to owners on state benefits and will probably be free to owners registered with one of the local homeless charities. Owners on benefits, but not homeless will be expected to pay part of the cost, but less than we ask for other breeds.

The campaign will aim to educate owners about the large numbers of bull terriers we are asked to take in each year, and the need to reduce irresponsible breeding, but also to promote the image of well-trained, properly cared for staffies as wonderful companions in the right situation. 

Please spread the word by sharing the "staffy neutering" widget. Click "menu", then "share this widget" and copy the code to paste it into your own myspace page, blog etc.

Thank-you, Dogsblog!

Since we registered with Dogsblog our rate of dog rehoming has dramatically improved - particularly for the older or more hard-to-place dogs. Ghost now has a home booked, after nearly a year in our care.

Just to get the weekend off to a good start...

Thirteen dogs signed over from an address in Newmarket. RSPCA West Suffolk have kindly offered to take the mother staffie bitch and her puppies as they have a suitable foster home where the pups will get proper socialisation rather than being in kennel conditions. We're taking four adult dogs (all friendly, young adult females) — a Belgian Shepherd, Husky cross, Rhodesian Ridgeback and an Akita.

If you might be interested in adopting any of these dogs, please email rehoming@rspca-cambridge.org.uk

Pedigree dogs?

Controversy this evening on the BBC with a documentary on the health problems of pedigree dogs. I can certainly go along with the comment about the problems some Westie's have with allergies and how awful it can be to have an otherwise perfect dog but be considering euthanasia because he's in permanent misery with itching skin that won't heal whatever the vets try.

Ironically, the despised Staffie must come out pretty well in the health stakes. I don't think I've ever seen one with health problems which had an underlying genetic basis. They're a normal "doggy shape" with no exaggerations and they're probably reasonably out-bred because most of them seem to be the result of ordinary pet owners deciding to let their dog have a litter. Most of the ones we see at our clinic have infections, accidents and so on, but are basically normal dogs.

The dog in the picture is poor old Ghost, still looking for a home. If you would like to visit him to see if he would suit you, please email rehoming@rspca-cambridge.org.uk

Can anyone out there offer a home to Ghost?

We don't know very much about Ghost, except that he is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, about ten years old and was signed over to one of our inspectors by a previous owner who couldn't look after him. His age and breed are against him, but he's a lovely, friendly dog and hasn't shown any behaviour problems in kennels.

If you might be interested in adopting Ghost, please email rehoming@rspca-cambridge.org.uk.