A neighbor of ours decided last month that he didn't want his golden/poodle cross. He's been letting him out in the middle of the night hoping he gets picked up by the pound or run over. Why do people like this even get animals? What possesses someone to get a dog that they aren't going to want to take care of down the road?
My family in combination with the other household in the neighborhood that's as crazy as we are have been "joint fostering" him for the last couple days. Needless to say, we've become pretty attached to the big guy, but neither family can give him a permanent home.
We can support him financially, but don't have the space in our 7 dog strong home. She can provide him with ample space, but she's a cancer patient/single mom who can't support him financially.
We've got more than enough space in the back for him to romp around with the others, but the house is small and crowded enough as it is. It wouldn't be fair for the dog to come into our home with the limited space.
We've contacted a couple rescues, but he's already 2 and they have said most people are looking for pups, so his chances of being adopted in a timely fashion are slim.
I'm looking for any advice you guys have on how to handle this situation. I'd love to keep him, but it wouldn't be fair to him.
2009-07-01T13:40:05Z
Blinded--We already are supporting him financially. My entire paycheck just went to getting him neutered.
2009-07-01T15:47:02Z
I have a strong feeling this dog is going to be a part of our home very soon. Thank you all for all of your advise. I've been in contact with TONS of rescues today, all saying they will do what they can in terms of financial support. Many of them are willing to take him on, but my family has become attached.
As of right now, he's doing an "extended in home visit" to see if he is compatible with our dogs. If we have no behavioural issues from our "problem child", he will become number 8.
Again, thank you all very much.
Patient Paws2009-07-01T13:15:36Z
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This is how I came to foster Gomer-- he was dumped out on the streets by an owner hoping the EXACT same thing. He's 12 years old!
Contact your local rescues and *beg* for a sponsorship, thats how we had Gomer neutered and brought up to date. While his adoption chances are nearly nonexistent, he's with us until he's adopted or until we bury him.
Post ads on local sites asking for donations to help save him, I posted on Craigslist and they donated well over $300 dollars to help him out. If you can get a rescue to sponsor him, he'll be posted on Craigslist as a courtesy post and perhaps they can set up a donation pool on the website-- any leftover money goes to their program.
When school starts back up email a principal or superintendent and see if they'd like to start a pool for him. Most schools jump at the chance for a donation box- especially if it looks good for them.
The timing for Gomer was heartbreaking and pure "luck", we found his sponsorship the day after we put Max to sleep, and we had room for him in our home. The world works in strange ways, but if this dog is meant to be with you, he will be.
I wish you the best of luck, and urge you to seek sponsorship.
People Suck. And when people don't care about animals, it tells a lot about their character.
A little story: The other day I dodged a little dachshund trying to cross the road, and then the next car that passed hit it without even trying to miss it or braking at all! That shocked me, but I suppose its probably not uncommon. I had already looped back and stopped and picked the dog up, still alive but trembling and bleeding. Luckily a Police Officer happened to pass by and ask what was going on, and you could just tell he was an animal lover, he took the dog to a local firestation for medical treatment and then took it to the Humane Society the next day. The dog looked great when I saw it at the shelter(I volunteer there), injuries were minor, and the owner picked it up the same day after the dog had been missing 2 weeks! That one persons heartlessness didn't overshadow an overall good outcome.
Relevant: I would keep checking rescues, but in the meantime maybe post on Craigslist or in the local paper. Someone will probably want a dog like that, and that way you can evaluate and choose a home yourself. Do at least one home visit, and ask a rehoming fee but waive it for the right home. A willingness to pay say about $100 is enough, and you letting them keep the money to spend on toys and vet bills and things is great. Also, would the other neighbor want to keep the dog if she could afford it? If so, and it's not too much for you financially, maybe buy the food and toys and things needed for the dog and let her keep him. Then you could always visit and see him since you like him too.
All I can say is there is a lot of stupid people out there that get puppies and then when they get tired of them they treat them like they don't have any feelings what so ever. How about if you let the lady that has ample space for him take him and then you help her with the food and the vet bills when he has to go to the vet. I know when I had cancer twice my dogs was a God send and they was always by my side and the second time I had cancer I had to go through chemo and my dogs was there by my side and they kept me going. I am a 2 time cancer survivor and my dogs was a lot of company to me when I was going through it. But I hope you can find a loving home for the poor dog and to bad you couldn't keep him because it sounds like you really love the big guy. good luck
Don't get me started on this, for a minute I thought you were talking about one of my nasty neighbors. I personally find that vets are the first step in finding dogs a new home. Most have bulletin boards where people can post pets and people looking for pets can check them out. They also have list of rescue groups and no kill shelters in the area. They might have some web sites that can help you. It is overwhelming to live in an area that mistreats dogs, but it seems to be becoming the norm these days. I hope you find this dog a home.
I don't really want to read all of that because I know what it'll be and how sad it'll make me.
Some people are just selfish, heartless and often, they don't even know that what they're doing is wrong, because they genuinely can't understand that other people and animals have feelings.
Try to get him adopted yourself. Ask friends to ask friends if they know anyone who wants a dog, and then interview them like a shelter would do. See how he is around cats/other dogs/small pets/children so you'll know what household would suit him.
Until he finds a forever home, continue to foster him.
He's so lucky to have been rescued by such nice people.