The Flat Coated Retriever Rescue Network: News in October 2024
General news
Welcome to the autumn 2024 edition of the newsletter of the Flat Coated Retriever Rescue Network (FCRRN).
There is the saddest news about Max who has died after a short illness. Many readers will remember him and join in sending our sincerest condolences to his guardian.
There are several items of news about rescues to follow up from previous newsletters(1 – 11).
The issues of veterinary fees and veterinary insurance are of great concern to many guardians of flat coated retrievers hence the FCRRN welcome the news that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have decided to launch a market investigation into the veterinary sector(12). In the UK there are six large corporations who own 60% of veterinary practices compared to 10% in 2013(13). Hopefully the market investigation by the CMA will also look into the role of insurance in the veterinary market.
As regards the Internet prices for pure bred, black flat coated retriever puppies, they remain at about £1600 (+/- £200). Meanwhile the dog rescue centres are full and seeking homes for dogs surrendered to them. The FCRRN have recently had several contacts with the Birch Hill Dog Rescue(14) who have kennels for 24 dogs and a shop in nearby Worcester.
They are most welcoming towards donations because they need good quality items for the shop and for the kennels. Their website states, “Feel free to drop any unwanted items either at the shop or the kennels.”
The FCRRN wish to thank our supporters for their many networking activities and for their comments on the spring 2024 newsletter(11) –
• “It sounds like the network is very active and doing an excellent job. Certainly there’s lots going on.
I suspect that the prices being asked for flat coated retrievers may be less than in many other breeds, and of course there are regional variations. Everything down here in the south east is more expensive!
Thanks for the update.”
• “The newsletter is providing excellent midnight feeding reading material! Thank you!”
• “Thank you for the newsletter. The ups and downs of prices of puppies have personally always baffled me. Good supporters are a godsend.”
• “Thank you for the newsletter. It contains some interesting news especially about individual flat coated retrievers needing homes. It was very kind of you to send it.”
• “Many thanks for this newsletter and for all that the FCRRN are doing for the lovely flat coated retrievers.
I’m still hoping that one day I will be able to adopt; I am waiting for the right time and I know it will be worth the wait.”
• “Max: Well, what can one say about Max, he never fails to amuse. I loved the photos of him taking his cushion up to bed sneakily whilst his guardian snoozed, he is a real character.”
• “I was interested to read your comments collating some of the strange ‘adoption’ adverts. These cases all feel like scams but it’s so important to test them out as there may be a dog needing a home behind the advert. Thank you for highlighting them.”
• “Thank you for the newsletter. It is encouraging the way links and other information are being shared via the FCRRN. There are some active networkers which is very helpful and truly appreciated.”
Max: The saddest news
Max’s guardian writes –
I am sorry to let you know that Max’s adventures have come to a sudden and sad end.
Barely three months ago, Max developed a cough. To cut a not so long story short, he was referred to a specialist centre and tests revealed a mass in his chest. Surgery ensued but this revealed the mass had increased rapidly in the very short time of two weeks and it was not possible to remove it. Max was put to sleep while still under the anaesthetic.
Max brought joy to so many people; with just a few moments of something between exasperation and hilarity for his carer! He had recently started on Hoopers* and just loved it.
Max was an action dog! He was happiest outside “working” and the colder the weather the better. From the unsure three-year-old who was brought to us on New Year’s Day 2021, he developed a sense of adventure and fun that was cut short too soon.
Thank you Max….
* https://www.caninehoopersuk.co.uk/
Canine Hoopers UK. The home of hoopers throughout the United Kingdom.
Editor’s Note: Max has made regular appearances in the FCRRN’s newsletter. His antics have included rolling in cow waste slurry and then shaking inside the car, building and rebuilding his nest upstairs including removing his guardian’s rug while she sleeps, and carefully eating wild corn on the cob, inter alia. Max was only seven years young when he died and I hope it is comforting for his guardian to know that he lived four wonderful years in a loving home, gaining confidence exponentially, since his rescue after a cruel start to his life.
Picture: In action jumping
Picture: In action at Hoopers
Picture: In action in the mud
Picture: In action; the meditative stage
Max: The refuser
Earlier in the summer Max was showing his passion for the outdoors and his stubbornness.
“Come on Max, let’s go for a walk!”
“Where are we going?”
“Up to the post-box, as I have a letter to post.”
“I don’t want to go there, I want to run across the field!”
“Well, after we have posted this letter…”
“Won’t come!”
Picture: The sitting phase
“Not coming!”
Picture: The phase of firm resolve
“Still not coming!”
“No! Shan’t!”
Picture: The phase of even firmer resolve
“Now why couldn’t we have just done this in the first place? Much more fun!”
Picture: The phase demonstrating who is in charge
Moss: The rehoming of a veteran
Readers might recall(11) the piece about the rescue of older flat coated retrievers. By coincidence, in the early summer the FCRRN were contacted about offering a home to Moss, a neutered nine-year-old.
Sharon*, his guardian, lived alone and she was receiving terminal care for a cancer which had suddenly advanced. She only had a few days to live. She was desperately worried about Moss who was the key part of her life.
Supporters of the FCRRN who might have been able to help Moss and Sharon were contacted and we were bowled over by the strength of the responses. Within four hours there were offers of transport, fostering, and a long-term home for Moss from an experienced guardian of flat coated retrievers called Katrina*.
Meanwhile, Jan Egginton, the national co-ordinator of the Flatcoated Retriever Society’s rescue, rehoming and welfare scheme had also been seeking a home for Moss who was known to the scheme.
Sharon was happy for Moss to go to the home that Jan had found and that there was a plan B in the form of the firm offer of a home from Katrina via the FCRRN. All our supporters who had offered to help Moss were sincerely thanked and Katrina, in particular, was fully reassured that her home is ideal, full of love and care.
Sharon died a few days after Moss was rehomed and she took great comfort in the knowledge that he was safe and being well cared for. The most recent news is that Moss has settled in happily to his home.
Editor’s Note: It is a pleasure to reiterate the thanks of the FCRRN to everyone who offered help to Moss and Sharon.
There are long waiting lists to adopt a flat coated retriever but in my experience some potential rescuers initially say they will take an older dog then they balk when it actually comes to bringing a veteran into their home. In the case of Moss, there was no cavilling about his past medical history or about money for future care; our supporters recognised that time was of the essence and they stepped forward and offered to help.
Thank you.
* Nota Bene: Names are pseudonyms.
Blood doning: Breaking news
As we go to press there is good news about blood doning. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) have changed the regulations so that a dog can donate until their ninth birthday instead of retiring at their eighth birthday. The VMD have accepted the evidence in favour of this change from the Pet Blood Bank (PBB), et alia.
Lucie, eight years young, will be donating in November subject to the PBB health checks.
Flat coated retrievers are especially good donors because of their nature (sic) and many are Dog Erythrocyte Antigen (DEA) 1.1 negative which makes them universal donors.
It seems appropriate to reiterate that the Pet Blood Bank are a registered charity (Scottish Charity No: 037745) and they use fundraising to subsidise their costs. The costs charged to vets for blood or platelets cover the funds needed to run the service and the Pet Blood Bank have an agreement with vets who use the donated products that there is no mark-up charge to guardians. The Competition and Markets Authority investigation will hopefully note this example of good practice.
See: https://www.petbloodbankuk.org/about-us/our-commitment-to-welfare/
Picture: Pet Blood Bank; extract from the information sheet
Please consider your flat coated retriever as a blood donor; there is further information at:
https://www.petbloodbankuk.org/
And finally
The Flat Coated Retriever Rescue Network hope you have had a fulfilling summer and a good start to the autumn. We wish you well for the months ahead.
Please continue to send us any snippets of news about our beloved breed and their relatives so that they can be shared with our community.
Also, please could you remember the Flat Coated Retriever Rescue Network if, via any route, you learn that a surrender or adoption is being considered?
Dr. Iain J. Robbé
On behalf of the Flat Coated Retriever Rescue Network (FCRRN)
Email: walesandwm@gmail.com
http://www.iainrobbe.com/fcrrn_12/
“Rescues R Us”
Experts: none of the FCRRN is acting in the capacity of an expert; each contributor is offering their advice based on accessible evidence. If you are concerned about any subject in the newsletters then you should consult a veterinary professional, legal professional or other professional.
© 2024 Flat Coated Retriever Rescue Network
(1) http://www.iainrobbe.com/fcrrn_01/ through to
(11) http://www.iainrobbe.com/fcrrn_011/
(12) https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-presses-ahead-with-full-investigation-into-vets-market
(13) Neate, R. (2024, April 6). Meowch! The Guardian, p. 19-21.
(14) https://birchhilldogrescue.org.uk/
Birch Hill Dog Rescue, Neen Sollars, Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire DY14 0AQ