Worst Excuses For Re-homing Or Surrendering A Pet

[Austerra]

Mustn't forget that there are people with ligitimate reasons for rehoming, usually after a lot of thought and at heartbreak, ones that feel it is in the best interests of the animal to go to somewhere more suitable for its needs.

[Ker]

My last foster (cocker spaniel) Chester came to me because the owners bought an American bulldog puppy and were going to "start breeding". They already had an older male and they bought a female. Chester had been bought and thrown outside and never played with, so as a consequence, I had a dog that was so starved for affection that he was totally in your face. It took 4 months for me to settle him and train him. He got a home I wish for all dogs.

I had someone else surrender littermate beagles and omg, she broke my heart. Her hubby had lost his job, she found out she was pregnant and they just couldn't afford to keep the dogs. She bawled her eyes out when leaving and I have to admit, I had tears as well. The dogs were beautifully looked after and so well trained - they were a pleasure to have around. I ended up rehoming them together to a great family. I wouldn't split them up so I had them for 6 months. I gave serious though to keeping them, but I already had my own dog (which is also a rescue) and there was no way I was getting rid of mine.

[Rysup]

I dont think Corvus would go anywhere without her dogs, she was referring to her rabbit & hare. And I am sure she did not mean she would just release the hare into the wild. She is much more intelligent than that.

I had a dog I bred returned to me with the "having a baby" excuse. I rehomed him to a lovely family where he spent the next 15 years of his life raising their daughter, who was born after they got him.

I have also had a young puppy returned after a week, because the daughter was "allergic". I think daughter might have been allergic to the gallons of flea powder that was on this puppy!

[Earthdog]

And I seriously think it would be way too much for my hare. He'd be better off released into the wild with a kiss and a prayer.

Her words.

[aussielover]

IMO dumping your dog because you are moving is not a very good reason at all. In fact it is bloody lazy! We have lived in several different houses with our beloved family dog, two of which were in the UK and one interstate (here in Oz). Moving overseas is so much simpler these days, especially from Australia, you can take a dog to most countries and if you want to come back into Australia there is 1 month quarantine for most countries (upto 6 months for some countries though).

Of course rehoming is a different matter. Had we not been able to take Clover with us, we luckily have a few friends who would have wanted to and been able provided an excellent home for her. If you are a responsible owner, I think you could always find someone willing to take your dog.

We sometimes have cats surrendered to us because they "scratch the furniture".

[Rysup]

He would be better off does not equal "I am going to".

Sorry. I dont see that at all.

[lovemesideways]

You don't have to move overseas to get a job. We have jobs here in Australia.

It's not just me, it's OH as well. I want to go into academia and he is in the film industry. I don't want to leave Oz, but nor do I want to end up consulting again because I can't get a research position in Sydney or Melbourne. It's a long way in the future, but I'd rather think about it now so I can help myself as much as possible in networking and so forth and have some kind of "worst case scenario" plan.

The responsible thing is to decide before you get a pet whether the pet is going to be compatible with your chosen career and lifestyle for the next fifteen or so years.

Easier said than done when you're in your early twenties.

So, your priority is your career or your husband's career.

So you want your research position more than you love your dog. Good on you. You picked the right thread to show your true colours.

If the dog was really part of your family then the 'worst case scenario' is that you don't alter your lifestyle to exclude your dog.

There are plenty of people in their early twenties that have made life decisions and plan to stick to them, it isn't an excuse for dumping a dog. Sometimes there are terribly desperate situations where people cannot keep their dog. That is tragic.

Being desperately ambitious doesn't cut it.

There is a big difference between responsibly rehoming a dog and dumping it.

I agree, there's a huge difference between dumping a dog. And making the decision that the best thing for your dog is to be with someone else.

I know Corvus and 100% she would never ever just give up her beloved pets cause she was "ambitious".

Like I said earlier, you make a commitment to your pet for life, that doesn't mean the best thing for them is to be with you.

[sas]

The last 3 Rescues I've been involved with are all baby orientated but the thing is I don't think badly of any of those people, they rehomed their dogs to put their dogs in better situations.

No one who calls me is a bad owner....they've searched to find a Breed Specific Rescue and made the effort to call me and not dump their dog.

There are lot of rescue folk who are over emotional about the re-home process when infact most dogs re-home fine and can go through the re-home process once, twice, three times and still be ok. It's not ideal obviously, we'd like to see them in one home but that's not always realistic and not always what is best for the dog.

Edited June 3, 2010 by sas

[Greytmate]

I agree, there's a huge difference between dumping a dog. And making the decision that the best thing for your dog is to be with someone else.

I know Corvus and 100% she would never ever just give up her beloved pets cause she was "ambitious".

Like I said earlier, you make a commitment to your pet for life, that doesn't mean the best thing for them is to be with you.

The thread is about the excuses people use to get rid of the dog, not the method of disposal. Corvus has made it very clear that she excuses people in their twenties for dumping pets in an effort to further their careers.

I don't.

[sas]

Slightly OT but for those who've said a pet is for life, I absolutely agree. I'd like to go and travel and work overseas for anything from a few months to a year or more in a couple of years time but I just couldn't do it unless I could take him with me. Unfortunately, it's just not feasible to travel around the world with a dog in tow, which means it's unlikely to happen. My best friend would happily look after him for 2 or 3 months but I hate to think how distressed he would be thinking I'd left him, as we are really closely bonded.

I say don't flatter yourself

Dogs are remarkable in these situations. Most of the people who surrender their dogs to me get so worried of how the dog will cope without them, they seriously think the dog may have some kind of breakdown....they leave and the dog is fine and many of those behavioural problems also dissapear as they drive away

Edited June 3, 2010 by sas

[Gilypoo]

My Hubby and I arent well off by any means, however we do have a type of pre nup (more like a signed stat dec) that states custody of the "kids" in the occurance of a divorce... I get the Great Dane, he gets the GSD and if they dont settle within a time frame, I get both...

I am also REALLY looking forward to having a family and including my fur babies in the picture. I understand sometimes thing get tough in regards to finances, but I am a true believer that you are agreeing to give that animal your home and love for the time of its natural life. If you cant, you better try so god dam hard 2 rehome it to someone that will give it a better life then you can offer.. none of this pound dumping. And you better have a good reason.

[Diva]

The one that really gets me is the person who rehomes/dumps their dog after having a baby not because they can't afford both, or don't have time for both, or think the dog is a danger to the child - although they may use all of those reasons.

The real reason is too often because they were only ever using the dog to meet a nurturing need of their own. They claim to have loved it and spoilt it - but even in loving it they were only about meeting their own needs to nurture, not at all about the dog's needs.

So the dog ends up literally 'spoilt' - no boundaries, no sense of appropriate behaviour, no training - and then they have the 'real thing ' to nurture so all that love they claimed to have had for the dog evaporates because they no longer need it, they don't care that it needs them.

They are just exploiters of animals as far as I am concerned but often get away without condemnation because everyone around them just goes along - 'of course she has to put the baby first now'.

If they genuinely can't afford the dog or look after it, or do think it's a hazard, that's different and they have my support. But I see the 'users' too often. As far as I am concerned such people should never be allowed the privilege of owning another dog. (rant over )

Edited June 3, 2010 by Diva

[Snout Girl]

my OH and I recently did our wills, and included the 'custody' arrangements if (god forbid) something was to happen to both of us and we died.

haVe already made arrangements for their care as well as including a hefty sum allocated for their care from our estate.

people think we are nuts, but I feel more secure knowing they would be loved and cared for.

Edited June 3, 2010 by bertandsally

[Gilypoo]

my OH and I recently did our wills, and included the 'custody' arrangements if (good forbid) something was to happen to both of us and we died.

haVe already made arrangements for their care as well as including a hefty sum allocated for their care from our estate.

people think we are nuts, but I feel more secure knowing they would be loved and cared for.

We have done this aswell.. (forgot to put in my last post)

[Pollywaffle]

The one that really gets me is the person who rehomes/dumps their dog after having a baby not because they can't afford both, or don't have time for both, or think the dog is a danger to the child - although they may use all of those reasons.

The real reason is too often because they were only ever using the dog to meet a nuturing need of their own. They claim to have loved it and spoilt it - but even in loving it they were only about meeting their own needs to nuture, not at all about the dog's needs.

So the dog ends up literaly 'spoilt' - no boundaries, no sense of appropriate behaviour, no training - and then they have the 'real thing ' to nuture so all that love they claimed to have had for the dog evaporates because they no longer need it, they don't care that it needs them.

They are just exploiters of animals as far as I am concerned but often get away without condemnation because everyone one around them just goes along - 'of course she has to put the baby first'.

If they genuinely can't afford the dog or look after it, or do think it's a hazard, that's different and they have my support. But I see the 'users' too often. As far as I am concerned such people should never be allowed the privilege of owning another dog. (rant over )

So true. Our littleuns are as we've chosen, not a substitute for children..but a preference.

[Sheridan]

Topics like this really piss me off sometimes. There's always the high and mighty who get up on their hobby horses and bleat about people who rehome dogs because they're moving. Some people don't have a choice because they've lost their dog friendly accommodation for some reason. Plus it's usually those hobby horse riders who are the first to congratulate a DOL regular for rehoming their dogs because they know the rehomer personally and then jump all over anyone who dares criticise their pal. Sure, I wouldn't move unless I had no choice and I'd rather live on the street than give up my dogs but I remind myself that if it weren't for my dog's breeder moving overseas, I wouldn't actually have Grumpy at all.

[Earthdog]

Perhaps corvus should have chosen her words more carefully for the benefit of those who don't know her personally.

[WoofnHoof]

I work in a related field to corvus and I've been told that there are very few job opportunities in this field in Australia, and that i should look for jobs overseas. It's highly unlikely I will because I would hate to leave my tribe even though I'm sure they wouldn't be that fussed, especially the horses. I think it's a shame that in some fields they wont respect anyone who hasn't "done their time " overseas. We have lots of talented peoplle here I dont know why doing 6 months overseas, disrupting their lives, should make that much difference.

edited to fix my awful phone post!

Edited June 3, 2010 by WoofnHoof

[Sheridan]

Perhaps corvus should have chosen her words more carefully for the benefit of those who don't know her personally.

Just in case anyone thinks so, I wasn't actually referring to Corvus.

[Earthdog]

Sheridan, I was not referring to your post.