Policy 1
Rehoming and Support Policy
At H4P, we are committed to the well-being of every dog under our care and understand that many unforeseen circumstances can arise, leading to the need for rehoming. Our policy outlines the support we provide and the steps to follow if a dog in your care needs to be rehomed.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOUR READ THIS PLEASE !
Full Backup Support
H4P offers full backup support for any dogs adopted through our rescue. If you find yourself unable to continue caring for the dog, we are committed to:
a. Rehoming: We will work swiftly and diligently to find a new home for the dog.
b. Removal: Our team will take all necessary steps to remove the dog from your possession and rehome it as soon as possible - see below guidelines.
In the event of an 'Emergency Situation' such as an out of control dog or a biting dog please read carefully.
Emergency Situation - extreme cases where the dog may pose an immediate danger to you or to other people or animals, the following actions should be taken:
If a dog has attacked a person or animal, it is a police matter and you should contact them directly. Call 101 (or 999 in emergencies only).
If a dog poses an immediate threat to the safety of the public, the police or other responsible person (e.g. vet/local authority) can order that the dog be lawfully destroyed, this must not happen without our approval and knowledge, we need to be informed in this instance. It is a criminal offence for the person in charge of the dog to allow it to be 'dangerously out of control' anywhere in England and Wales, whether or not it is in a public place.
The following list explains when a dog may be considered dangerously out of control -
- if it injures a person or an assistance dog, or
- it causes a person to worry that it may injure them or an assistance dog, and the person in charge of the dog has no proper control of it.
The court could also decide that a dog is dangerously out of control if either of the following apply -
- If it attacks another person's animal, or
- the owner of an animal thinks that they could be injured trying to stop your dog attacking their animal.
If the dog has been established as dangerously out of control but does not pose an immediate threat to the public etc., the police and local authorities now have the power to act early to prevent dog attacks before they occur. These measures could include; attending dog training classes, repairing fencing to their property to prevent the dog from escaping or requiring the dog to be muzzled when out in public. It is your duty as the new owner to comply with these requests.
If a Dog Bite Occurs
Don't delay, if your dog bites someone, take the following steps:
- Remain calm.
- Confine your dog to a crate or another room.
- Help the bite victim wash the wound thoroughly with warm, soapy water.
- Be courteous and sympathetic to the bite victim. Avoid laying blame or getting defensive. This does not mean you need to admit fault. Remember that what you say may be used against you later if a legal or civil action is taken.
- Contact a medical professional for the bite victim. Depending on the severity of the bite, an ambulance may be needed. No matter how minor the bite is, the victim should seek medical care. Dog bites that look mild on the surface can get serious very fast.
- Offer to contact a friend or family member for the victim.
- Exchange contact information with the victim. Provide your insurance information, if applicable.
- If there were witnesses, obtain their contact information.
- Contact your veterinarian and obtain your dog's medical records.
- Inform local authorities of the incident and comply with their orders.
- Tel 101, or 999
- Report the bite. Taking photos of the wound straight after it happens can be helpful. Your police and local authority’s dog warden should be informed of any dog bites to take steps to prevent this happening in future. They may also be able to give you advice to prevent it happening again in future.
Non-Emergency Situations (Behavioural Issues)
In cases where the dog's behavior is concerning but not an immediate safety risk, H4P requires the dog owner to understand the following process:
Whether you have purchased a puppy or an older dog from H4P you may soon find yourself considering a dog trainer. This is the first step to forming a bond and teaching new skills.
Training your dog makes a great deal of sense. It helps you form a closer bond with your dog while also teaching them essential commands like “sit” and “stay.”
If your dog is demonstrating any kind of problem behavior, for example separation anxiety, food dominance, reactive to other dogs on the lead, barking, mouthing, or may be demonstrating some other kind of aggressive behavior taking your dog to the right kind of training where they will address these issues is paramount and must happen before H4P will collect or attempt to re-home the dog..
There are different types of training but most commonly used are are obedience training and behavioral training.
Obedience Training
The emphasis in obedience training is on teaching your dog to respond to commands and learning where boundaries are set. When a dog completes this type of training, the dog parent may expect their dog to reliably and predictably respond to basic commands like, “come.”
The very name of this type of training implies that the dog will learn to comply with a verbal command or hand signal given by a trainer, owner or handler. Obedience training can require a great deal of time, and it always demands consistency. Of course, some dogs seem to respond more quickly and readily to obedience training than others.
Obedience training is a valuable tool for dogs and owners who want to build a lasting and meaningful relationship between a leader, the human, and a follower, the dog. Through the training, the pup learns compliance behaviours that give him a positive reinforcement.
Basically, this is the kind of training that is most frequently demonstrated when you and your dog are spending time together because it involves you providing instruction or direction and your dog complying.
Behavior Training
This type of training is most frequently used to deal with bad habits that may have been formed over the course of years. However, it can be useful and effective for rescue dogs that seem to have some habits that their pet parents would like to modify.
Unlike obedience training, the goal of behavioural training is not to get the dog to comply with a command. Instead, the focus is on rehabilitation or the rewiring of the dog’s responses to certain conditions or stimuli.
For instance, imagine that you dog has serious separation anxiety which is common in rescue dogs. Whenever you leave him alone for a few hours, he acts out by chewing on miscellaneous items, howling, crying or with otherwise inappropriate behaviours.
Taking this dog to behavioural training will teach him to respond differently when he next finds himself alone in the house. Essentially, the dog responds with the learned behaviours from his training when he is left alone without anyone there to provide commands or direction.
The more you encourage your dog to practice these learned behaviours, the stronger the connections in his brain become, reinforcing the behavior so that he’ll use it for his whole life.
Before H4P will collect or re-home the dog when showing behaviours we ask for evidence that you have contacted a suitable trainer and that you have complied with a behavioural training programme.
Following a training programme if you still wish to return the dog we ask for a minimum of a 14-day grace period to find a suitable home for the dog. This allows us adequate time to match the dog with the right new owner or temporary care situation.
Owner Responsibility: The owner is responsible to provide adequate training for the dog and depending on the situation, you may be required to transport the dog to its new location We will coordinate with you on the specifics of transport if necessary.
4. Communication
To initiate the rehoming process, please contact us as soon as possible. Provide details on the situation, any behavioural concerns, and any other information relevant to the dog's care and well-being. H4P will ensure open communication throughout the process to ensure the smooth transition of the dog to a new environment.
5. Our Commitment
H4P is dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of both the dog and those in its care. We strive to act swiftly and responsibly to rehome dogs and provide the necessary support during this process.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the dogs in our rescue. If you have any further questions or require assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to our support team.
Policy 2
Cat and Small Animals
At H4P, we are dedicated to providing accurate information about the dogs we rehome, including their compatibility with other animals such as cats and small pets. However, due to the nature of rescue animals and their varying responses in different environments, we cannot guarantee that a dog will behave the same way once they arrive in your home.
This policy outlines the considerations and steps to follow when introducing a new dog to cats or small animals.
1. Testing with Cats and Small Animal
H4P will provide any available information that we have been given regarding a dog’s behaviours around cats and small animals based on previous testing or experiences. However, this information does not guarantee that the dog will act similarly in your home environment. Dogs may:
a. Develop new behaviours in response to unfamiliar surroundings.
b. Act out differently when introduced to other animals in the home.
Despite our best efforts to ensure that the provided information is accurate, changes in behaviours are possible once the dog is in a new setting. and research and careful introduction are mandatory in making the first time they meet a success. Please see (2)
2. Caution When Introducing Your Dog to Other Animals
When introducing your new rescue dog to cats or other small animals, it is essential to proceed with caution:
a. Introduce Slowly: We strongly recommend a gradual introduction process. Keep the animals separated at first and allow them to become familiar with each other’s scent before any face-to-face meetings. A barrier such as a safety gate can be extremely useful in these situations.
b. Supervision is Critical: Always supervise any interactions between your dog and other animals until you are confident in their behaviour, body language and comfort levels, never leave them alone .
Observe Behaviour: Pay close attention to how the dog reacts to the presence of cats or small animals. Watch for any signs of stress, aggression, or overexcitement such as;
Slowing down
As dogs become unsure about something, they tend to slow down as they try to learn more about it.
Dogs can find making direct eye contact intimidating, so you might see your dog turning their head away from whatever is troubling them.
Some dogs may cower and tuck their tail under to make themselves look as small and insignificant as possible. Others might hold their tail straight upright so that people and other dogs can’t miss the fact that they’re communicating they’re unsure.
Dogs might stop and look towards something that is causing them fear or anxiety.
A dog might want to approach a person, animal, or object to interact or investigate, but show signs they are feeling worried at the same time. They might approach and then retreat because they feel conflicted.
A dog might show an ‘appeasement grin’, also referred to as a ‘submissive grin’ or ‘smile’. This is different to an aggressive display of teeth, and they may initially show this behaviour when they are trying to diffuse social conflict.
Shaking
You might see your dog give a full-body shake. Think about what was happening just before they did this, as it’s likely that they found it challenging and are now ‘shaking it off’.
Panting
Some dogs will start to pant.
If you observe ongoing during the introduction process, it is important to contact H4P for advice: Let us know if the dog or resident pets start to show aggression or distress. We will provide guidance on how to manage the situation and ensure the safety of all pets involved.
4. Limitation of Liability
While H4P strives to provide accurate assessments of our dogs, we do NOT assume responsibility for any changes in behaviours that occur after adoption, particularly in relation to interactions with cats or small animals. By adopting a dog from H4P, adopters accept the inherent risks involved in introducing a rescue dog to other animals and agree to take the necessary precautions to ensure a safe environment for all pets.
Training is another way to ensure that your new pet settles into their new environment with other resident pets. H4P will support you in every way we can to encourage a successful transition.
Please be aware that if the pets are clearly not compatible we expect the owner to consult with a trainer for a behavioural assessment and advice and we will require a minimum of 14 days to find a suitable home for the dog and the dog to be returned to us. at your own cost.
Please carefully read the ''REHOMING POLICY" TERMS & CONDITIONS.
Policy 3
Compatibility Policy - Resident Dogs
At H4P, we aim to match dogs with the very best possible homes and will always do our best to assess their compatibility with other people, resident pets and stimuli.
However, in relation to other resident dogs, despite thorough assessment there are no guarantees that two dogs will get along in every environment. This policy outlines the considerations and responsibilities when introducing your new rescue dog to other dogs in your household or environment.
-Dog Compatibility Assessment
H4P will strive to provide accurate information on the dogs personality of the dogs we rehome based on information provides by the rescuers, previous owners where relevant and the observations and prior knowledge during the time these dogs have been in a kennel.
However, it is important to note that:
Dogs may behave differently in new surroundings or when faced with unfamiliar dogs. For various reasons, even dogs who have previously been friendly toward other dogs might not get along in their new home.
While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of our assessments, there is always a small risk that dogs will not be compatible with one another once they are in their new home.
Introducing Your New Dog to Other Dogs
Introducing a new dog to your existing dog(s) or others should be done with care. We recommend the following steps:
Introduce Slowly: Allow the dogs to meet in a neutral space and gradually introduce them in a controlled manner.
Supervise Closely: Monitor all initial interactions closely to ensure the dogs are comfortable. Be aware of any signs of stress or aggression.
(See stress signs in cat and small animal policy)
Observe Behavior: Even if dogs seem to get along initially, continue to observe their behavior over time to ensure harmony in the household, don't leave them alone for any length of time until your are sure they are comfortable with each other.
Reporting Compatibility Issues
If the dogs do not get along after an extended settling in period, or there are signs of aggression or tension please:
Follow the Re-Homing & Support Dog Policy: If your new dog cannot co-exist peacefully with your current dog(s), you will need to follow our re-homing and support dog policy.
We will provide you with information and discuss training opportunities with you. You will be requied to obtain a behavioural assessment opinion on how to work with the dogs to reach a positive outcome. Following the period of training if it becomes evident that the dogs cannot live together we offer RBU which is full rescue backup support and work as quickly as possible to find a new home as stated in the terms of our policy.
4. Limitation of Liability
While H4P takes every precaution to assess whether our rescue dogs are compatible with other dogs, we cannot take responsibility for any issues that arise after adoption. Rescue animals, by nature, always come with a certain degree of uncertainty, and even the most thorough testing may not predict how a dog will behave in a new environment.
By adopting a dog from H4P, adopters understand and accept the small risks involved in introducing a rescue dog to other dogs and agree to take necessary precautions to ensure safety and compatibility.
Please read this Policy carefully before completing the application