An animal fan has actually sworn to continue his four-year fight to adopt a dog from a North Staffordshire rescue regardless of getting a more knock-back.
Mark Travis, who says he has actually ‘rescued dogs all his life’, very first fulfilled lurcher Rodney at Animal Lifeline in Cellarhead in February 2019 and visited him every day for thirty days to be familiar with him. He was denied by previous trustee Pat Lawton after making a grievance about the charity however says he ‘assured’ Rodney that he would never ever quit on him.
In April this year Mark, who resided in Longnor when he initially fulfilled Rodney however who no longer lives in Staffordshire, from Animal Lifeline searching for a brand-new home on the StokeOnTrentLive website.
READ: ‘We offered loving homes for dogs, instead they lived in kennels for years’
The 58-year-old returned in touch with the charity to ask to adopt Rodney however says he was informed ‘he should be rehomed to a family without any other dogs’. But Mark, who presently has 2 other lurchers called Earth and Houston, says Rodney would gain from being around other dogs after more than 4 years in the kennels.
He declares that an agent from the charity put the phone down on him when he contacted us to talk about Rodney and says he has actually now requested their protests treatment.
Mark said: “Animal Lifeline are not prepared to let me offer Rodney an opportunity. They state he should be rehomed to a family without any other dogs.
“This is outrageous as having actually remained in kennels for four-and-a-half years, he would require other dogs around him to ‘teach’ him. He would likewise require a great deal of time spending with him to help him adjust, and he won’t be house trained either.
“I talked with somebody who put the phone down on me. I seem like nobody is prepared to engage with me and I have actually now requested their problems treatment.”
Mark’s fight with Animal Lifeline started in 2019 when he grumbled to the charity after waiting more than a month for a home go to in the hope of embracing Rodney. He was then informed that the dog had ‘mental concerns’ which required to be fixed prior to he might be completely re-homed.
But after Mark grumbled about Animal Lifeline to the Charity Commission later on that year, previous trustee Pat Lawton, who was ousted from the organisation after 40 years in charge earlier this year, informed StokeOnTrentLive that “there was no way on this earth that this dog was going to him“. He established a Facebook page called Animal Life Sentence, which now has almost 3,000 fans, following his experience.
Despite the set-backs Mark has actually sworn to continue to combat to adopt Rodney, who he initially found as he drove past the Cellarhead rescue while the dogs were being strolled close by.
He went back to the kennels the next day and went to every day for thirty days, beginning outdoors Rodney’s cage to get his trust and after that sitting inside with him. And regardless of being knocked back a number of times he has actually always remembered his guarantee to the dog that he would ‘never ever quit on him’.
Mark said: “I didn’t understand whether Rodney was still at Animal Lifeline however when I found him on the StokeOnTrentLive website in April I returned in touch straightaway to inquire about him.
“I learnt more about him and formed a bond with him in those thirty days when I was visiting him. Despite what Animal Lifeline might consider me I am a great man with masses of land and my spouse and I have great deals of experience with dogs – I would call myself the ideal individual to adopt him.
“I assured him 4 years ago that I would never ever quit on him and I still wish to offer him a home. I will continue to defend him and I am still confident that this story will have a happy ending.
“The just thing that will stop me attempting is if he discovers another home. At least then I will understand he is being enjoyed and taken care of in convenience.”
A representative for Animal Lifeline said that while the charity wishes to discover a ‘permanently home’ for Rodney, they had actually consistently informed Mark that he did not fulfill their requirements.
He said: “While we are regularly rehoming dogs, our policy is extremely clear – we require to have actually received an application which contains all of the appropriate details which the dog and the brand-new potential owner are a match. This candidate has actually decreased to offer his existing address and like all rescue centres, we need that details as a beginning point.
“This candidate likewise has other dogs and we have actually already developed with a dog behavioural professional that Rodney is not ideal to be rehomed with other dogs as this would trigger him excellent distress and might likewise suggest that other animals are positioned at threat. We have actually made this clear to the candidate a number of times.
“If we did not take these aspects into account, we would not be would not be running properly in figuring out where we need to rehome any dog in our care. While we truly wish to make certain that Rodney discovers his permanently home with the owner he should have, it does require to be to the appropriate home and in the suitable situations.”
The representative included Mr Travis Animal Lifeline had actually “explained to him on a number of events” that he does not fit the requirements, however declared he did decline its position and continued to be important of the charity.
The representative included: “We are doing, and will continue to do, whatever we can to rehome Rodney and all of our other dogs that appropriate for rehoming however it is crucial for the well-being of the dog that all elements are thought about and all requirements fulfilled.”
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