So you're thinking about giving up your pet?

MarthaMyDear

Not sure if this article has been posted before but I thought it was something everyone should read. What do people think of it? I've witnessed several dogs be put down at the same time in a pound environment and it was actually worse than what was described in the article.

http://makeadifferencerescue.wordpress.com/2011/04/13/so-youre-thinking-about-giving-up-your-pet-you-might-want-to-reconsider/

Cherry Blossom

*** Mod Warning ***

Article contains images you may find distressing

It's worth noting that this describes the system in one area of the States, protocols here differ a little.

MarthaMyDear

Yes but still the same general idea. I witnessed 6 dogs be put down together in a pound and they wern't even brought into "a room". They were literally taken just outside the door of their kennels and euthanized one by one in front of each other. They left one puppy in there with them as somebody showed interest in him the day before and the poor thing was crying it's eyes out.

Themadhouse

If we ever had a serious change in circumstances or if both of us die we have a network of friends who will take on responbibility for our pets and rehome them to our standards or have been nominated as gaurdians. We have worked in rescue and have very high homing standards as do our friends so i would trust them with this completely.

It is amazing though how many people think that by surrendering their pet in a pound they will be rehomed. The stats need to be put out there.

Birdnuts

Themadhouse wrote: »

It is amazing though how many people think that by surrendering their pet in a pound they will be rehomed. The stats need to be put out there.

Indeed - a dog ending up in public pound in this country is as good as dead. I've tried to rehome dogs in a public pound in the West of the country but was told by the dog warden they have a policy of not rehoming dog for "insurance reasons". I told him that was ridicolous given the situation in most of Western Europe where new owners simply sign a waiver and take on all responsiblity for the dog including any subsequent issues. The chap didn't want to know - this incident sums up the fu**ed up way we deal with such issues in this country and why I really resent paying the dog-licence. The money is simply not being used to deal with the stray dog problem in this country in terms of funding a national campaign of neutering and chipping these pets that would tackle this issue once and for all. Its simply going to fund a glorified meat wagon service that has no interest in tackling the problem from an animal welfare stand point!!:mad:

TooManyDogs

It's also insane how many people think there are homes for their dog 'down the country on a farm'!!! I think they have images of a waiting list of farmers wanting city dogs!

MarthaMyDear

TooManyDogs wrote: »

It's also insane how many people think there are homes for their dog 'down the country on a farm'!!! I think they have images of a waiting list of farmers wanting city dogs!

I've heard that so many times! I think people have these images in their heads of large green fields with hundreds of dogs joyfully running around them having the time of their lives.. :rolleyes:

Scruffles

it depends on the sanctuary and organisation-there are nokill ones out there.
am a militant animal supporter but think the article is biased and is viewing sanctuaries with blinkered viewing-based on their own place they work at,america is full of sanctuaries like that-they have more animals so probably do not all have the space to be nokill.

also,they questioned peoples reasons/excuses for giving their pet to them,one of which was they were moving to a place which does not allow pets.
that can be a very valid reason as many rented places have no pets on contracts and wont reason with the person renting,this had originaly happened to sister before she bought her house but her house owner trusted all the girls and didnt check everywhere out [to see where sis had hidden her rescued pregnant cat and kittens during her visits].

had been told by staff at a nokill sanctuary in manchester that the biggest reason they get for needing to rehome is no pets allowed at a new place,but had also noticed that a number of these cats also had illnesses which were not progressive but were perfectly manageable with medication.
a lot of the staff at non nokill sanctuaries are also as caring and hateful of the system as we are.


woud quicker throw a human out and replace them with a cat than ever move a cat out.
it is very hard to understand why people will rehome a pet because they find the pet does not meet their perfectionist standards; whether in behavior,health needs,looks and so forth.

our entire cat family is full of additional,complex and challenging needs- they have everything from old age,severe feline hyperesthesia syndrome with a bad history of severe abuse and neglect and regular pregnancies, extreme shyness,anxiety & OCD behaviors,misplaced agression,early stage kidney failiure,very difficult digestive problems [no label to that as yet],ferral [rehabbed but still set in her ways],not to many teeth left which affects her diet...and our beloved past on kittehs had had moderate-severe senile dementia,insulin dependant diabetes, syringe fed,different forms of cancer...
-we support them in anyway possible and dont expect anything back, they are vulnerable in this world and need help.

-if people can get rid of a pet because they arent 'perfect' in their eyes,
then imagine what they woud do if they had a disabled child,or being their parent at an old age and instead of being supported by them; being shipped off to an old folks home instead?