WELFARE & ETHICAL PRACTICE
Registered Charity #1188407
LUOSKO recognises dogs as sentient individuals capable of experiencing comfort, fear, frustration, pain, safety, attachment, enjoyment and choice.
We place physical and emotional welfare before speed, convenience, numbers or appearance. Results matter, but the method used to obtain those results matters too. We do not believe that fear, pain or intimidation are acceptable shortcuts to behaviour change.
Every decision considers health, pain, fear, environment, history, learning and a dog's ability to cope. We balance compassion with responsible public and animal safety, and we treat every dog as an individual.
This is a public statement of LUOSKO's welfare commitment and practice. Formal, trustee-approved policies are recorded separately and appear on our public policy hub once approved.
These are LUOSKO's public commitments across a dog's journey. They describe what we aim to do; they do not promise specific services, timescales or resources we cannot guarantee.
We consider every referral individually. Intake cannot be guaranteed until a dog is formally accepted, so we are honest about capacity and waiting times.
When a dog enters our care, their immediate safety, food, cleanliness and a calm space to decompress come first.
We allow time to decompress and rest before expecting a dog to cope with new demands. Rushing harms welfare.
Each dog receives veterinary assessment, and pain or illness is investigated rather than assumed to be 'behaviour'.
We observe behaviour carefully and record context, so we understand what a dog is communicating rather than reacting to surface signs.
Care and rehabilitation plans are built around the individual dog — their history, health, confidence and needs.
Appropriate enrichment and exercise are provided in line with what each dog can safely manage.
Rehabilitation works at the dog's pace, building confidence and skills through safe, reward-based learning.
Foster placements are chosen carefully, with support and clear expectations for foster carers.
Matching is welfare-led and honest, never first-come-first-served or convenience-based.
Known medical and behavioural information is disclosed truthfully to foster carers and adopters.
Support continues after placement. Adopters and foster carers are not left to manage alone.
A dog remains part of the LUOSKO story for life. Responsible return routes exist if a placement cannot continue.
LUOSKO's practice is built on:
Humane practice combines compassion with responsible risk management. Barriers, leads, secure spaces, basket muzzles, controlled introductions and carefully planned routines can protect everyone while learning and rehabilitation take place.
LUOSKO operational clarification: Preventing harm in an emergency is not a training method. There may be exceptional moments when proportionate physical intervention or veterinary restraint is necessary to prevent immediate injury. Any such intervention must be limited to what is reasonably necessary for safety, end as soon as the immediate danger has passed and never be used as punishment or routine behaviour modification.
This clarification is LUOSKO's own policy wording, not an ICAN quotation.
LUOSKO does not publish fixed medical protocols. Vaccination, treatment and medication decisions are made with veterinary guidance appropriate to each dog.
End-of-life decisions are among the most difficult LUOSKO ever makes. In every case they are made with veterinary involvement, focused on the individual dog's welfare, quality of life, pain and suffering, realistic management, and the safety of the dog and the people around them.
Decisions are documented and case-specific. An outcome is never based merely on age, breed label, appearance, kennel duration or convenience.
Governance note: A formal, trustee-approved End-of-Life and Euthanasia Policy is under development. The wording above describes LUOSKO's practice and public commitment, not a formally adopted policy. It is recorded as a governance gap until the policy is approved.
The public has a clear route to raise a concern or challenge what we publish. These routes are separate so sensitive disclosures are not lost in a general inbox.
About a dog in our care, or about our published welfare practice.
If you believe something we have published is inaccurate or incomplete, tell us with evidence.
An immediate risk to a dog or a person. Use the emergency route, not a form.
About our service, fundraising, or how we handle your data.
These routes are not for emergencies. If a person is in immediate danger, call 999. If an owned dog needs urgent medical help, contact an emergency vet. For suspected cruelty or neglect, call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999. For a stray dog, contact your local council or Dog Warden.
Practical experience does not make LUOSKO incapable of error. Public knowledge should be open to evidence-led correction.
Evidence quality varies, and uncertainty should be acknowledged honestly rather than presented as settled fact.
Legal, veterinary and behaviour information can change. Corrections are reviewed rather than automatically published, and genuine professional review is recorded only within its actual scope.
LUOSKO German Shepherd Dog Rescue has applied for charity membership of the International Companion Animal Network. While that application is being considered, we have compared our published welfare and training policies with ICAN's Welfare First, force-free principles.
This does not mean that ICAN has approved, accredited, certified or endorsed LUOSKO at this stage. LUOSKO does not currently represent itself as an ICAN member.
The table below pairs each of ICAN's published Welfare First principles with the corresponding LUOSKO policy. ICAN's positions are summarised from the public ICAN Code of Conduct; LUOSKO's wording is our own.
| ICAN published principle | ICAN's published position | LUOSKO policy |
|---|---|---|
| Animals are sentient beings | Animals are sentient, have emotions and possess species-specific needs. ICAN | Behaviour is communication. Dogs must be treated as individuals whose emotional state, health, history, environment and ability to cope affect their behaviour. LUOSKO |
| Physical and mental welfare are paramount | Physical and mental wellbeing must remain central. ICAN | Care Over Speed means intake, assessment, rehabilitation and placement decisions are not rushed to improve numbers or appearances. Decompression, sleep, pain management, enrichment, safety and sustainable matching all matter. LUOSKO |
| Force-free methods | Members must use and promote force-free approaches. ICAN | Training and rehabilitation are reward-led and relationship-based. We use management, environmental change, appropriate distance, reinforcement, gradual exposure, skill-building and qualified professional support. LUOSKO |
| No aversive equipment or intimidation | Its Code of Conduct prohibits prong collars, electric shock collars, spray collars, rattle cans, intimidation and physical force. ICAN | We do not use or promote equipment or techniques intended to cause pain, fear, startle or intimidation as a means of teaching or suppressing behaviour. LUOSKO |
| Positive emotional welfare | Members should promote positive emotions and protect animals from negative emotional experiences. ICAN | Confidence is developed through safety, choice, predictability, appropriate challenge and recovery — not flooding, forced confrontation or punishment. LUOSKO |
| Humane handling | Welfare must guide handling and interaction. ICAN | Cooperative care, gradual handling preparation and the least intrusive safe approach are preferred for grooming, examination, transport and veterinary care. LUOSKO |
| Integrity | Animal welfare and integrity are core values. ICAN | Public information is evidence-led, references are recorded, corrections are invited, uncertainty is acknowledged and professional review is represented only within its genuine scope. LUOSKO |
| Respect for people | Members must treat others respectfully and reject harassment and bullying. ICAN | Owners, adopters, fosterers, volunteers and professionals should be treated without humiliation or intimidation. Difficult behaviour does not make someone a bad person, and seeking help should be encouraged rather than punished. LUOSKO |
ICAN's published position
Animals are sentient, have emotions and possess species-specific needs.
LUOSKO policy
Behaviour is communication. Dogs must be treated as individuals whose emotional state, health, history, environment and ability to cope affect their behaviour.
ICAN's published position
Physical and mental wellbeing must remain central.
LUOSKO policy
Care Over Speed means intake, assessment, rehabilitation and placement decisions are not rushed to improve numbers or appearances. Decompression, sleep, pain management, enrichment, safety and sustainable matching all matter.
ICAN's published position
Members must use and promote force-free approaches.
LUOSKO policy
Training and rehabilitation are reward-led and relationship-based. We use management, environmental change, appropriate distance, reinforcement, gradual exposure, skill-building and qualified professional support.
ICAN's published position
Its Code of Conduct prohibits prong collars, electric shock collars, spray collars, rattle cans, intimidation and physical force.
LUOSKO policy
We do not use or promote equipment or techniques intended to cause pain, fear, startle or intimidation as a means of teaching or suppressing behaviour.
ICAN's published position
Members should promote positive emotions and protect animals from negative emotional experiences.
LUOSKO policy
Confidence is developed through safety, choice, predictability, appropriate challenge and recovery — not flooding, forced confrontation or punishment.
ICAN's published position
Welfare must guide handling and interaction.
LUOSKO policy
Cooperative care, gradual handling preparation and the least intrusive safe approach are preferred for grooming, examination, transport and veterinary care.
ICAN's published position
Animal welfare and integrity are core values.
LUOSKO policy
Public information is evidence-led, references are recorded, corrections are invited, uncertainty is acknowledged and professional review is represented only within its genuine scope.
ICAN's published position
Members must treat others respectfully and reject harassment and bullying.
LUOSKO policy
Owners, adopters, fosterers, volunteers and professionals should be treated without humiliation or intimidation. Difficult behaviour does not make someone a bad person, and seeking help should be encouraged rather than punished.
ICAN's published positions are paraphrased for brevity. See the ICAN Code of Conduct for the full text. No ICAN logo, badge, membership number, acceptance date or directory entry is shown, because LUOSKO's application is still under review.
These sources guide LUOSKO's governance and public procedures. They are references we use and follow; they are not proof that LUOSKO has been approved, accredited or endorsed by those organisations.
We use strictly necessary storage to run this website. We only use analytics and donation tools if you allow us to. You can accept, reject, or choose — rejecting is as easy as accepting. Read the cookie information.