– Recently, I have received phone calls from Border Collie owners who say they have to euthanize their dog if we cannot take it in, says the daily manager of the relocation site “2 Save Me”, Elin Herlofsen. In their premises are two Border collies: Bell and Hugo. But the organization constantly receives messages from owners who can no longer care for the dog. – Right now there are an incredible number of Border Collies for relocation. We are belittled by people who want us to accept their dogs, but we do not have the capacity to accept them all. They demand their due, says Herlofsen. The dog Luna is one of several Border collies that are given away at Finn. The one child in the family has developed asthma and allergies. Photo: Screenshot The breed is the most popular in Norway, but is also the one most people want to get rid of. – Now there are even many people who give away their Border Collies at Finn, says Herlofsen. Of dogs over one year old that are sold or relocated at Finn, there are approximately 40 Border collies today. There are as many as the total number of mixed dogs in the same age group that are sold or relocated. Bell had to be relocated after she did not get the follow-up she needed. Photo: Sindre Kirkaas Normann / news Didn’t get what she wanted Bell was delivered to the voluntary organization by the former owner Andrea Skårdal. – It is a breed that is very demanding and needs a lot of stimulation. There were two of us without children who offered a very free place when we got her. Eventually I was left alone with the children, and it was too big a change, she says. It was nevertheless with a heavy heart that she had to let Bell go. Andrea Skårdal together with her son Leo. Photo: Sindre Kirkaas Normann / news – I have never come across a more wonderful dog. She’s just good in every way, but she was left alone a lot and didn’t get what she needed, says Skårdal. She quickly realized that the best thing for the dog was to become the trademark of an organization dedicated to giving dogs a better life. – It is difficult to put into words how wonderful they are. The only thing they are focused on is that this will be the best and last home they have, which made it much easier. Andrea Skårdal quickly realized that the best thing for Bell was to get the attention she needed. Photo: Sindre Kirkaas Normann / news Needs a lot of follow-up Ann Therese Kommedal is senior inspector and adviser for animal welfare at the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, Sør-Rogaland department. Senior inspector and adviser Ann Therese Kommedal. Photo: Sindre Kirkaas Normann / news She thinks it is positive that the owner contacts organizations and gets help, and that there are voluntary organizations that are willing to help. – But it is perhaps a symptom that people have decided to get a breed that looks nice and is easy to train, without realizing that it is a breed that needs a lot of follow-up, she says. Andrea Skårdal supports the award. – I don’t think people understand how much stimulation they need or how much attention and time it takes with a Border Collie. We didn’t quite understand that either. If the breed does not get the physical and mental stimulation it needs, it will learn things by itself, explains Kommedal in the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. – It will be unusual, such as herding cyclists, children or animals they see outside. You can get dogs that get so frustrated by being at home that they start destroying things. There are many outcomes of accumulated energy that do not have an outlet. The 10 most popular dog breeds in Norway Norwegian Kennel Club’s statistics for the most popular dog breeds in Norway. The number is the number of registered dogs in 2022. Border collie (1701) Golden retriever (1166) English setter (1074) Staffordshire bull terrier (1026) Labrador retriever (963) Norwegian greyhound (863) Cocker spaniel (777) Finnish Lapphund (751) Normal-haired German shepherd (664) Danish-Swedish farm dog (644) – Not surprisingly, Marianne Arrowsmith Herrmann is responsible for relocation at the association for the relocation of animals (FOD). She writes to news that they receive inquiries every week about taking in dogs for relocation, and in 2023 the average is 60 messages a month. – The dog breeds we have received the most messages about taking over in the past year are Husky, Border Collie and Poodle mixes. Anne Livø Buvik in the Norwegian Kennel Club (NKK) says there are approximately 2,000 dogs that change owners as adults each year, according to their register. – It is probably true that it is the dog that is relocated the most, as it is the dogs that are most abundant in Norway. It has amazed me that it tops year after year. They demand a lot and need to be activated, she says. She points out that only around 60 per cent of the dog population is registered with NKK. Day-to-day manager of Animal Protection Norway, Åshild Roaldset, says that the dogs they take in do not represent normal relocation, as they are dogs that the police or the Norwegian Food Safety Authority have taken from their owners due to mistreatment or mistreatment. She is still not surprised that there are many Border Collies to be relocated. – It’s no wonder, it’s a very popular dog, and there are many people who buy it thinking that it will be at home for a whole working day. But they are bred to be able to herd sheep for many hours every day. Hugo is also an energetic Border Collie who now lives in Elin Herlofsen’s relocation home. Photo: Sindre Kirkaas Normann / news Wants more knowledge According to Kommedal’s experience, it is often the appearance that attracts people to the livestock they like. – Then they read up a bit and think that they want a smart dog that they can train a lot. Then they may not realize how much they have to train and what happens if they don’t have the time the dog needs, she says and continues: – Then they end up with a problem dog instead of a great walking friend or family member. She encourages you, who are considering buying a dog, to consider what kind of dog you are getting. So does Elin Herlovsen in “2 Save Me”. – I want more people to acquire knowledge about the breed before they get him. It is always up to the owner to read up properly. Border collie This herding dog was bred in the border areas between Scotland and England. The breed is the world’s most used herding dog, and is primarily used for herding sheep. They are tenacious, hard-working and willing to work. The breed is described as alert, eager, loud and intelligent. They are not nervous or aggressive. Table collies are dogs with a high level of activity. The breed was created to be able to herd several hours a day. It has an innate herding instinct, but physical training is not enough for the breed. It also requires a lot of mental stimulation. Source: Norwegian Kennel Club Elin Erlofsen wants more people to read up on the breed they are considering buying, before they buy him. Photo: Sindre Kirkaas Normann / news
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Being called down by people who want to relocate their Border Collies – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
