Owners selling their family dogs for poor reasons!

Roosterreid

I was just browsing through a local free ads website and noticed that there are a huge amounts of dogs for sale.... Quite a few of these ads stated something like "Moving to new house which doesn't accept dogs so forced to sell" or "Going on holidays for 2 months so forced to sell"....

Is it just me or are these not appalling excuses to sell dogs?

I was always brought up to believe that a dog is for life.... If I had to move house and the potential house I viewed didn't accept dogs, I wouldn't move there.... If I had to go on 2 months holidays (who does that anyway?), would I not investigate leaving the dog with a family friend or at the very least putting it in kennels for the period? I mean, if going on holiday is a valid excuse for selling your family dog, then something is wrong?

What are people's views on this?

fiounnalbe

It's terrible isn't it?

It seems to be a sad reality of this country though, dogs are viewed frequently as a disposable object rather than a living animal whom you love and give a home to for no matter what. I really don't understand how some people can get rid of their dogs so easily, it would literally crush me if I had to give up any of mine.

I've moved country never mind just house 3 times in my life and every time no matter how difficult and expensive it was my dogs all came with me, because they're mine for however long I'm blessed with their lives and I'd never leave them behind.

eviltwin

What can they do?

Dozen Wicked Words

What makes them even more objectionable in my mind is they are selling, not giving away. So not just heartless but money grabbing too. Their pet is a commodity not a part of the family.

MayoAreMagic

Well, assuming they are going to a reasonable home etc, it wont affect the dog all that much. They will move on and be just as happy relatively quickly. So really and truly, whatever the reason, as long as they aren't being neglected then I see no issue with it. I know working dogs are sold maybe even multiple times in their lives and, again, unless they are neglected or something, are generally very happy.
I think people tend to project their thoughts and feelings onto dogs a bit too much. A dog thinks like a dog, not a hairy little person with 4 legs. Pet dogs want someone to play with them, interact with them and feed them. It can be you, but if that is someone else, and once they are used to them, they are just as happy with that.

jimmii

I couldn't move to a new place that didn't take the pets thats a reason not to move to somewhere not a reason to let the pet go. Selling it just makes it worse it just makes it seem like any old thing that you have not a pet.

eviltwin

I know someone who did this. He moved overseas and wasn't able to take the dog with him. In his case a friend took the dog but the friend was still more or less a stranger to the dog. I'm sure it was difficult to the dog to adjust but it was equally as hard on his owner who was heartbroken at having to leave a pet behind. He never envisaged having to emigrate when he got the dog, he bought the dog intending to keep him for life. I've read of other people rehoming pets due to the owner becoming old and unable to manage, a child with an allergy...its easy to assume they don't care and its no big deal to them but I would say in a lot of cases its a tough decision to make. Re selling them maybe they feel they will get a more serious owner if money is involved?

fiounnalbe

There are always the few legitamate and devastating cases of people having to give up their dogs. But a lot of them time here it feels unfortunately like people are just lazy and uncaring for the dog. Like come on, selling your dog because you're going on holiday?? Those people should have bought a statue of a dog.

me0w

eviltwin wrote: »

What can they do?

Idk... take their family member with them??? That's what most normal people would do.

eviltwin

me0w wrote: »

Idk... take their family member with them??? That's what most normal people would do.

And what if you can't? If I'm looking for accommodation and the only place I can find has a no pets policy I'll take the house. It will kill me to give up my pets but what can you do?

RonanP77

Roosterreid wrote:

I was always brought up to believe that a dog is for life.... If I had to move house and the potential house I viewed didn't accept dogs, I wouldn't move there.... If I had to go on 2 months holidays (who does that anyway?), would I not investigate leaving the dog with a family friend or at the very least putting it in kennels for the period? I mean, if going on holiday is a valid excuse for selling your family dog, then something is wrong?

Putting a dog in Kennels for two months? You'd need to win the Lotto to do that.

ShaShaBear

RonanP77 wrote: »

Putting a dog in Kennels for two months? You'd need to win the Lotto to do that.

Then how do dog rescues with no premises manage?

I've moved house 4 times with Shadow, and will eventually have to move with Opie. I will not get rid of him, just like I didn't get rid of Shadow. When I moved into my apartment, which didn't allow dogs, I got a family member to look after him for 2 months while I saved, and offered the landlord €200 non-refundable pet deposit if he would write a dog into the contract. He didn't even hesitate. "€200 quid that I can spend and never have to give back?"
That's how much my family means to me.

dunworth1

eviltwin wrote:

And what if you can't? If I'm looking for accommodation and the only place I can find has a no pets policy I'll take the house. It will kill me to give up my pets but what can you do?

You keep looking until you find a place that allows pets.

People should never adopt a pet if you are not willing to do every thing you can to care for them.

eviltwin

dunworth1 wrote: »

You keep looking until you find a place that allows pets.

People should never adopt a pet if you are not willing to do every thing you can to care for them.

Its not as simple as that and as much as I hate to say it, we are talking about animals here, a cat or rabbit is not going to be that upset at having a new home, a dog will for the most part be fine - my two were when we adopted them. We're not talking about people here. They are animals.

Pumpkinseeds

It's awful for anyone who genuinely has to part with an animal they love. As for selling animals, it's advised as the safest option when compared to giving them 'free to a good home'. The Free to good home adverts are prime sites where dog fighters look for free dogs/cats to use as bait for fighting dogs.

RonanP77

€ 200 wouldn't last long if I were to leave a dog with the woman I always used, it might cover two weeks or so.

njs030

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

What makes them even more objectionable in my mind is they are selling, not giving away. So not just heartless but money grabbing too. Their pet is a commodity not a part of the family.

One reason for this is to stop your dog being used as a bait dog. free to good homes are one of the main sources people use to get a bait dog. It's not fair to call every person money grabbing.

blackbird 49

MayoAreMagic wrote: »

Well, assuming they are going to a reasonable home etc, it wont affect the dog all that much. They will move on and be just as happy relatively quickly. So really and truly, whatever the reason, as long as they aren't being neglected then I see no issue with it. I know working dogs are sold maybe even multiple times in their lives and, again, unless they are neglected or something, are generally very happy.
I think people tend to project their thoughts and feelings onto dogs a bit too much. A dog thinks like a dog, not a hairy little person with 4 legs. Pet dogs want someone to play with them, interact with them and feed them. It can be you, but if that is someone else, and once they are used to them, they are just as happy with that.

+1, it better than straying them which a lot of people do

Hooked

It's clearly all down to how people 'view' their pets. Are they dogs, or are they part of the family?

People who own 'dogs' are happy to cover the basics... Food, shelter and a walk, IF they're lucky.

Those who see them as family members, well.., they place the above dog on a bit of a pedestal. It's 'more' than just a dog.

The latter are more likely to invest more time, effort and cash into the welfare of this four legged family member. They'll keep looking for that house or apt. They'll offer cash incentives to a landlord. Get a neighbour or friend to help out in the short term. They'll check out 5 kennels, to find the one they'd be most happy to leave their friend with. They'll be found exploring pet passports, airlines who aren't allergic to fur, etc...

Like a relationship, of sorts... You have those who are just plodding along, going through the motions, could take it or leave it. First sign of strain - he or she is out the door. Theyre disposable.

Then you have people who WANT to work at it. They'll find the time for their significant other. Invest in them. Listen to their needs. Meet in the middle. Compromise!

I'm getting married in 4 weeks and the ONLY thing stressing us out - is who will be looking after the 'boys'. For those 2 days! We're honeymooning here - with the dogs.

Hugo is 4 and he's never known a kennel. That's what they mean to us. We work our daily, social and holiday schedules with them in mind. I'd happily move a stranger into my house for the weekend of the wedding if it meant the dogs could keep their routine. Money wouldn't be my first thought. The dogs welfare would.

Other people would happily ship their dog(s) to the first kennel in the golden pages and head off for a week or a month.

I'm not saying I'm right and they're wrong. (Sure I'd be labelled as OTT by most of my close friends). I'm simply saying people are different. Their attitudes to their dogs are different.

And always will be.

Tranceypoo

RonanP77 wrote: »

Putting a dog in Kennels for two months? You'd need to win the Lotto to do that.

If you can afford to go on holidays for 2 months then you can afford 2 months kennelling for your dog.

RonanP77

Tranceypoo wrote:

If you can afford to go on holidays for 2 months then you can afford 2 months kennelling for your dog.

That may not be the case, what if I head for Australia for two months to visit various family members? I haven't seen them in years, so I want to get around them all. It would cost me an absolute fortune and I'd be saving for a long time to do it. Add another 500 - 1k on top of that for getting my dog into kennels and it would break the bank.

Tranceypoo

RonanP77 wrote: »

That may not be the case, what if I head for Australia for two months to visit various family members? I haven't seen them in years, so I want to get around them all. It would cost me an absolute fortune and I'd be saving for a long time to do it. Add another 500 - 1k on top of that for getting my dog into kennels and it would break the bank.

Well that's where we differ, I would factor in the cost of kennelling to our holiday (we always do) and if we had to save an extra few hundred then we wouldn't go till we had! Any decent dog owner would do that.

retro:electro

The amount of grown adults dogs on those sites is just heartbreaking. It's just the cruelest thing you could to do them after they've bonded with you and come to love you for all those years. I'd rather be homeless with my dog on the streets than have to sell him because of where I wanted to live. It's makes me so sad.

thierry14

RonanP77 wrote: »

That may not be the case, what if I head for Australia for two months to visit various family members? I haven't seen them in years, so I want to get around them all. It would cost me an absolute fortune and I'd be saving for a long time to do it. Add another 500 - 1k on top of that for getting my dog into kennels and it would break the bank.

You can't go then.

Your dog should take priority over meeting up with your friends.

karenalot

MayoAreMagic wrote: »

Well, assuming they are going to a reasonable home etc, it wont affect the dog all that much. They will move on and be just as happy relatively quickly. So really and truly, whatever the reason, as long as they aren't being neglected then I see no issue with it. I know working dogs are sold maybe even multiple times in their lives and, again, unless they are neglected or something, are generally very happy.
I think people tend to project their thoughts and feelings onto dogs a bit too much. A dog thinks like a dog, not a hairy little person with 4 legs. Pet dogs want someone to play with them, interact with them and feed them. It can be you, but if that is someone else, and once they are used to them, they are just as happy with that.

As someone who fosters abandoned cats and dogs this couldn't be more untrue. It's absolutely heartbreaking to see the pets I take in pining for their previous owners. Some sit beside the front door for weeks waiting to be collected, some try to escape to go back home and some shake uncontrollably as they have no clue where they are. Many refuse to eat or play. For the most part though most refuse to get out of bed as they are just unbelievably sad. I have literally had to spend months with some of them to gain their trust.

Yes some cats and dogs will just get on with it but many have a bond with their owner and it's completely distressing for them for their lives to be turned upside down and moved to unfamiliar surroundings.

I have 2 german shepherds and travel several times a year and sometimes at length. I get a pet sitter in or give my housemates cheap rent in return for minding them. While I understand this is not possible for everyone I would cancel my trips before giving my dogs away. My dogs would be devastated to live somewhere else just as much as I would be devastated to see them go.

RonanP77

thierry14 wrote:

Your dog should take priority over meeting up with your friends.

Family, not friends.

People have different priorities, we shouldn't judge others based on what we would do.

My German Shepherd developed an ability to climb over the fence from her very large run, I raised the fence, she got over it again. If she can get over that she can get off the property and either get killed on the road, kill a local farmers sheep or attack someone.

I gave her to my cousin who lived in a town with a smaller garden and higher walls. He has a young family so I knew she'd be happy. According to some of you on here that makes me a bad person.

Charlie19

Most of us know what happens to the majority of unwanted dogs.

But I think this video should be widley promoted so people might have second thoughts on whether to purchase a dog or not.
3 minitues in it gets fairly unpleseant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6xI7xt99zA

tk123

The one that makes my blood boil is where they use "my child is allergic" as the excuse!

ShaShaBear

karenalot wrote: »

As someone who fosters abandoned cats and dogs this couldn't be more untrue. It's absolutely heartbreaking to see the pets I take in pining for their previous owners. Some sit beside the front door for weeks waiting to be collected, some try to escape to go back home and some shake uncontrollably as they have no clue where they are. Many refuse to eat or play. For the most part though most refuse to get out of bed as they are just unbelievably sad. I have literally had to spend months with some of them to gain their trust.

Yes some cats and dogs will just get on with it but many have a bond with their owner and it's completely distressing for them for their lives to be turned upside down and moved to unfamiliar surroundings.

I have 2 german shepherds and travel several times a year and sometimes at length. I get a pet sitter in or give my housemates cheap rent in return for minding them. While I understand this is not possible for everyone I would cancel my trips before giving my dogs away. My dogs would be devastated to live somewhere else just as much as I would be devastated to see them go.

Totally agree with this. I've had a mill of abandoned foster dogs through my home, and every last one of them were devastated. One in particular, a GSD/Collie X, howled for three days solid at the front door until he finally accepted someone wasn't coming back for him. That's what he was like in a loving home with a doting foster mama, plenty of food, water and toys, a place IN my bed and three walks a day. I can only imagine what would have happened if he had spent more than 3 hours in the pound

fiounnalbe

RonanP77 wrote: »

Family, not friends.

People have different priorities, we shouldn't judge others based on what we would do.

My German Shepherd developed an ability to climb over the fence from her very large run, I raised the fence, she got over it again. If she can get over that she can get off the property and either get killed on the road, kill a local farmers sheep or attack someone.

I gave her to my cousin who lived in a town with a smaller garden and higher walls. He has a young family so I knew she'd be happy. According to some of you on here that makes me a bad person.

While it might not have been my solution at least in this instance you gave her to a family member i.e someone you definitely know well and know she will therefore be looked after properly, not just someone you met on the internet and hoped for best they look after her and you did for her own safety since you couldn't keep her contained where you lived.....big difference than someone trying to sell their dog to a stranger cos they want to go on holidays.

jomalone14

Charlie19 wrote: »

Most of us know what happens to the majority of unwanted dogs.

But I think this video should be widley promoted so people might have second thoughts on whether to purchase a dog or not.
3 minitues in it gets fairly unpleseant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6xI7xt99zA

Oh God, I wish I hadn't watched that video now But yes, you're so right, dogs are not a disposable commodity, to be done away with for whatever reasons their owners choose to say.

I'm hugging my two rescue mutts extra tight tonight, they are and always will be my top priority.

delthedriver

The saddest case I saw on Donedeal recently. A girl who was selling her beloved dog which she got as a present on Valentines Day. Three weeks later she is moving to an apartment and landlord won't allow dogs. What kind of forward thinking do these people have??????

delthedriver

jomalone14 wrote: »

Oh God, I wish I hadn't watched that video now But yes, you're so right, dogs are not a disposable commodity, to be done away with for whatever reasons their owners choose to say.

I'm hugging my two rescue mutts extra tight tonight, they are and always will be my top priority.

Very sad ! Unfortunately tonight there are dogs being dumped throughout the country who will face a similar ending !

Charlie19

jomalone14 wrote: »

Oh God, I wish I hadn't watched that video now But yes, you're so right, dogs are not a disposable commodity, to be done away with for whatever reasons their owners choose to say.

I'm hugging my two rescue mutts extra tight tonight, they are and always will be my top priority.

I'm sorry that you ended up watching it, as you're not the type of person that the video was intended for.

I remember my own thoughts on viewing it for the first time, I was totally disgusted and didn't realize the scale of the problem.

On an average of 15000 dogs are PTS each year in Ireland. This number has to decrease and hopefully it will.

cocker5

Well as Hooked mentioned above it all about how you view your dog really.


My dog is very much part of the family and he is taken into account for all our decision making. I.e. monthly budgeting (his food, pet insurance,treats etc.), holidays (our home stay kennelling costs are factored into every holiday we look at ), evenings and weekends (we work around spending time with him, walking him, playing with him etc.), so he gets as much thought as effort as the humans do in my family –and well why shouldn’t he? He brings us great happiness and we try and make him as happy as we can – it’s a joint effort from all of us. I don’ttreat him like a child, I treat him like a dog –my dog. And if I may say so myself due to way he has been treated, and loved etc. – he is a very rounded dog, well behaved, relaxed, socialised, happy chappy… and a joy to be around (that’s the honest to god truth). To be honest I just wish all dogs were part of the family and totally included. They are pack animals and thrive on companionship – especially human, so if you give them all this and more then will return this a million times over.


For me I would NEVER… EVER rehome my dog or put him up for adoption..the ONLY circumstances that I feel I would have no other option would be if I was ill long term (i.e. 6 months) in hospital or I was dying with NO family or friends to mind him then maybe I would consider it. But in all honesty that would never happen my sister adores him and would take him.


With regard to the ads of people getting “rid” of their dogs…

1 moving to an apartment / landlord has changed his mind – eh…. Well move elsewhere, and while you are organising that put your dog in kennels or ask family member to mind them short term. I would move to another county if I meant I could keep my dog– it’s all about priorities.

2 Going on holidays….. I have no non offensive thing to post here so I will refrain at this time.

3 Don’t have the time –make time… you have time to go out at the weekends, to watch the TV each evenings, to go the gym etc. – make time unless someone works 24/7… which I doubt it then there's no excuse. There is also dog walkers, doggie day care etc. – it’s not that hard it make it work. It’s just takes effort.

4 My child has allergies – regular grooming, salmon oil, take up carpets etc… all doable… it’s just takes effort.

5 New dog is not getting along it my current dog –this can take months… again effort


Posters above have said dogs who are rehomed aren’t tha tbothered and adapt – I totally disagree. While I do believe they will adapt that does not me they don’t pine, suffer and are distraught… dogs is Ireland are treated by many as disposable, “just dogs”, I know one person who is now on his 3rd dog in 10 years (and no none of them died) IMO he doesn’t deserve to own a dog… he also has 3 kids, never got “rid” of one of them amazing really.


Dogs are not humans, they are animals, but this does not mean that they don’t deserve a promise of for life, people need to stop being selfish morons and take animals welfare bad ownership seriously.


At the end of the day, when I got my dog I made a promise to him for life and that’s the way it will stay, he belongs to us… just as much aswe belong to him and as long as he is alive this will never change, it’s all about how you value your dog and mine for one is priceless to me.

Irish Stones

Roosterreid wrote: »

Quite a few of these ads stated something like "Moving to new house which doesn't accept dogs so forced to sell"

What is also sad is that in 2015 there are still landlords that ban pets from their houses! :mad:

Dubl07

We're really preaching to the converted in a forum like this.

One acquaintance is on - I've lost count, let's see.

Dog 1 rescued in Ireland. Returned to rescue as they emigrated.
Dog 2 rescued overseas. Returned to rescue when they came back to Ireland.
Dog 3 rescued in Ireland. Returned to rescue when they emigrated again.
Dog 4 rescued overseas. Returned to rescue as it bit the child.
Dog 5 rescued overseas. Returned to rescue as they're moving house.

The above dogs have all been 'rescued' in the course of the last six years. There's just no talking to some people and every time they rescue a dog, people go "ooh, ahh, aren't you so very good to rescue it."! I fully expect them to post photos of dog 6 once they've settled into the new place.

Ms Tootsie

I have seen a few of these ads over the last few years and it is disgusting how quick people are to dispose of their pets. When we first got Frodo and went on a holiday almost a year later for five days we dragged ourselves round kennels and home boarding places, visiting and assessing that we thought would work best for him. We found an AMAZING home boarding facility and he also gets groomed there now so he is very familiar with the family. Before we go anywhere - to a wedding overnight, on a weekend break, etc we always factor in the cost of his stay away. If we cant afford it, we make adjustments. Only last year we went to a wedding, didnt drink so we could drive home that night as the home boarding was fully booked up and I didnt want to put him anywhere else that we hadnt vetted or were not sure of.

In the last 18 months we have had two month long holidays. On the first occasion Frodo stayed with my parents because I even thought leaving him in HB for that long was unfair. He adores my folks but even still we had him up for a night or two to get used to us not being around so it wouldnt be a shock. On the second my brother stayed in our house with him so he didnt have to go anywhere.

We now have a little one on the way and we have booked in with a behavior therapist to come to the house so we can prepare Frodo for having a baby around the house after almost four years with us on his own. I dont want to be those people who suddenly find their dog isnt coping with a new addition to the house. We want to make it as smooth a transition for him as possible. Whereas I have spotted ads selling dogs after the family had a baby and they 'couldnt trust the dog' - that is nothing to do with the dog, it is your failure as an owner!!

We never got a dog until we owned our own place as we didnt want to ruin this risk of a landlord banning pets but if that had been our case I would have moved house to somewhere that allowed pets before giving up a family member. If my parents could not have taken him when we went away for a long holiday then our honeymoon would have been cut short.

For those people who argue that a dog isnt affected when he gets a new family - then you havent seen our guy react when we come through the door after any length of time away - be it 4 seconds, 4 hours or 4 weeks.

Sorry for the long post, I just dont think there is any excuse for people getting rid of their pets unless we are talking medical reasons as other posters have suggested. The ads on those sites are all just excuse after excuse.

ihatewinter

Plus the amount of elderly dogs that are dumped and abandoned in pounds, shelters and on the side of the road because people believe they are old and useless. They discard them and get a new cute fluffy little puppy from donedeal and the likes.

I know of one person locally who put her 8-9 year old in the pound because he was a nuisance in the house. I think he was becoming incontinent and developing arthritis, probably a trip to the vet would have sorted him out. About 2 months later, I see her struggling with a husky mix about 6 months old, with no control over him. So I'm waiting to see how long she will have this dog.

Do people not realise with a bit of management, many elderly dogs will live contently if they invested a bit of time and money into managing their health problems and conditions. Many conditions can be managed if people fed them a good quality dog food, proper medications and moderate exercise.

I have a 14 year old working dog who started slowly down last summer. A bit of research and reading plenty of posts here has helped me to slow the arthritis down with supplements and still no need for injections or the like from the vet (visits the vet regularly). Personally I couldn't deal with a new puppy and would probably pull my hair out

Frigga_92

Anyone who thinks dogs just forget their family and move onto the next one are mad.
My husband and I never leave our dogs for longer than 3 days without one of us being there. We have 4 dogs and that is the choice we made.
When we are away together we always get one of our friends, who the dogs are familiar with, to look after the dogs.
When Henry was still alive, my husband's best friend used to come over 3 times a day to look after them. He would go outside and do his business and then go sit at the back door refusing to go for a walk with him. He did this everytime and then when we got back he would be dying to go for a walk with me.

My husband and I are planning on moving out of Ireland in 2-3 years time once he has enough experience to get a job abroad. Our dogs are top of our list when it comes to moving abroad, the things we consider are:
1. Can we bring the dogs there without them being quarantined? If they have to be quarantined and/or separated from us for any period of time it's a no go.
2. How long is the flight? What airlines fly there? How comfortable will they make the dogs?
3. Could we drive there? (This is the most favourable possibility because we would prefer to travel with the dogs rather than have strangers looking after them.)
4. How are dogs treated in the destination country? Would they have a similar quality of life there as they do here?
5. What kind of house can we afford in the destination country, one with a large garden, one near nice countryside walks?

We have never once considered the possibility of leaving the dogs behind for a period of time or not bringing them with us. They are our family.

Also, I rented for the first 18 months I had Henry. Henry was a great dane. It took a bit of extra time and a bit more determination on my behalf when looking for a new place but believe me, if I could find 2 different landlords to rent to me with my great dane then it is possible and a bit of extra work shouldn't mean somebody giving up a pet.

Duke, our male GSD, is nearly 3 years old.
Cherie, our rescued GSD, we have had for 2 years, not sure of her age due to the fact that she is a rescue but we think she's older than Duke so somewhere between 4 and 6 years of age.
Thor and Loki, the twin miniature dachshunds, turned 1 in February.
They are my family. I couldn't just up and leave them somewhere. I couldn't imagine my life without them.
4 dogs take time, 1 dog takes time, but it's time that you promised to dedicate them when they became a part of your life.
An opportunity is only perfect for me if it includes my family.

irelandrover

tk123 wrote: »

The one that makes my blood boil is where they use "my child is allergic" as the excuse!

I'm very curious about this. Why does this make your blood boil?

cocker5

irelandrover wrote: »

I'm very curious about this. Why does this make your blood boil?

Because a lot of the time its horse sh*te... people just use it as an excuse.. and my god when you state the child is the reason no one will doubt your decision. also many doctors are very quick to say allergies as soon as the even HEAR the word dog..... when its sometimes its a different reason...

juts because someone has allergies doesn't mean the animal (dog or cat) has to go there are plenty of other options before even considering it

tk123

irelandrover wrote: »

I'm very curious about this. Why does this make your blood boil?

1 - I have allergies and asthma and 2 hairy golden retrievers
2 - Because there are ways to manage dogs and allergies to minimise/eliminate symptoms
3 - There are tons of studies showing having animals around prevents/lessens allergies in kids
4 - I know what state of grooming a dog or indeed cat needs to be in before it triggers any of my allergies - and I think anyone else with asthma/allergies will know what I'm talking about

Frigga_92

I also have chronic asthma and really bad allergies but manage fine with 4 dogs, 2 of which are long haired mega shedders.

loveisdivine

I personally think a lot of this comes from our general disconnection from the natural world around us. We see ourselves as somehow superior to every other living thing on this planet. We treat animals as things to be owned or used. We've forgotten (or simply just dont care) that all living things are connected, we are all made of the same stuff, we all have varying capacities to feel.

It is no wonder so many people see pets are something to simply own, when that is how we measure our lives, by what we own.

I know some people may think I sound a little dramatic but I honestly believe it to be true. If we had a better connection and respect for all other living things, then that would also filter into the way we treat our pets, each other and ourselves.

verywell

I have a large dog and he has been in a kennel for 4 months now as I could not find anywhere for him and I to live. He cannot live with me and the people I currently live with it so I had no choice but to pay for kennels for him. I see him at weekends.

I now have to go away for work for a few months and will have to leave him there until I am back. Thankfully for me he loves where he is and they in return love him.

It breaks my heart but this is what I do so that I can still have him and him me. He is now 10 and all I can think about is him expecting me at the weekend but I am not going to be there for a while.

You can make it work if you have too.

Irish Stones

26sdrawkcab wrote: »

2. How long is the flight? What airlines fly there? How comfortable will they make the dogs?
3. Could we drive there? (This is the most favourable possibility because we would prefer to travel with the dogs rather than have strangers looking after them.)

Should I move to a far place I'd rather drive hours and hours (or days and days) than put my pets on a plane.
A plane is too a stressful and dangerous mean of transport!

4. How are dogs treated in the destination country? Would they have a similar quality of life there as they do here?

This depends on what the country in your mind is. Today is very easy to know what the "policy" about pets in other country is.

thickhead

A dog is an animal not a person. So we do not need reasons to put them up for adoption. Hell If you can't get them adopted you should just eat the things. They taste good with potatoes.

Ms Tootsie

I thought trolls belonged hiding under bridges not posting on forums...

cocker5

Ms Tootsie wrote: »

I thought trolls belonged hiding under bridges not posting on forums...

Trolls are animals too.... they don't have opinions or feelings surely....

DBB

Ms Tootsie wrote: »

I thought trolls belonged hiding under bridges not posting on forums...

Please don't feed the trolls.

Thickhead (though I wonder have I spelled that correctly), do not post in this thread again.
Thanks,
DBB