Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

laundry_queen

(8,646 posts)
22. How sad.
Sat Mar 16, 2013, 02:27 AM
Mar 2013

Although I agree with the poster up thread - this person needs a new job and this shelter needs a new manager. That said...

I tried to adopt a dog from a local shelter once. I got screened out. See, I was young (20 at the time) and they weren't sure I was 'mature' enough for a dog, despite the fact I already had one. Also, they wanted a notarized letter (at a cost to us) from my landlord stating he would let me have dogs (again, despite the fact I already had a dog and had brought the dog to see which shelter dog would get along with him). My landlord offered to fax them a signed letter and gave them his number. That wasn't good enough, they said. No dog for you! I was sad as my dog and I had bonded with a particular dog while waiting.
So, my boyfriend and I went and bought a dog from a farm nearby (this was at my bf's insistence) We loved that sweet dog for 5 months until she developed extremely severe hip dysplasia and it was recommended we put her down as she couldn't walk at all at that point and was in severe pain. The vet said it was the worst case he had ever seen (her hip joints had never formed), and that her only chance at surviving would be a series of hip replacements (up to 3 in the next 18 months or so) at $2000/hip plus possible rehab costs. This was 20 years ago and my boyfriend and I didn't have that kind of money. Now, a lot of people would say it served us right for buying a farm dog, but that dog was loved on so much and had a wonderful life until her last couple of weeks - I'm glad we bought her, as her fate may not have been so great had she stayed on that farm. And I wouldn't have loved a shelter dog any less which makes me sad for the shelter, thinking of all the great pet parents they may be turning away because of overly strict rules.

My experience makes me leery of trying again. Plus, I have developed very horrible allergies, so can only get the kinds of breeds that are hard to find - poodle, yorkie, maltese etc. and cats are out of the question (me AND all of my kids have allergies to cats). I'm not sure what to do.

That's the saddest dog I think I've ever seen. Auntie Bush Mar 2013 #1
Oh, my. tilsammans Mar 2013 #2
If this could go viral, imagine the difference it would make. Joe Shlabotnik Mar 2013 #3
I take the point, wickerwoman Mar 2013 #4
Then there are my former neighbors, who got rid of their puppy after six weeks Lydia Leftcoast Mar 2013 #5
We had to leave a dog behind once Scootaloo Mar 2013 #24
Kick Mz Pip Mar 2013 #6
In many communities, there aren't enough dogs in shelters for all the people who want them. pnwmom Mar 2013 #7
Just because some areas have been very successful and are able to help out dogs from Maraya1969 Mar 2013 #27
Where do you think most dogs in shelters come from? pnwmom Mar 2013 #62
Most dogs at my county's shelter roody Mar 2013 #77
Well then obviously this is a liberal plot to undermine the breeding industry. Egalitarian Thug Mar 2013 #42
I know right? BrotherIvan Mar 2013 #69
I'm very active in pet rescue and "empty" must be an absolute anomoly BrotherIvan Mar 2013 #45
Petfinder may offer transportation from a distance, but I wouldn't want to adopt a dog pnwmom Mar 2013 #63
So at least now you're being honest that you are pushing this in order to justify your own decisions BrotherIvan Mar 2013 #68
What have I said that is not true? n/t pnwmom Mar 2013 #74
your first article is 10 years old Kali Mar 2013 #53
Here's one from a month ago. pnwmom Mar 2013 #64
Responsible breeder is an oxymoron. roody Mar 2013 #78
Where are the millions of euthanizations roody Mar 2013 #75
Many more euthanizations are cats than dogs, for one thing. pnwmom Mar 2013 #76
Millions of adoptable dogs are euthanized yearly. nt roody Mar 2013 #92
Do you have a link for that? nt pnwmom Mar 2013 #95
Try this one. roody Mar 2013 #96
Try this one. roody Mar 2013 #97
Before you buy from a breeder, please consider MsPithy Mar 2013 #85
I am aware of breed rescues, and I will consider them. When I looked last time, though, pnwmom Mar 2013 #86
I agree with the entire point being made in this post, but. MadHound Mar 2013 #8
Absolutely. And there ARE shelters that don't euthanize animals after Th1onein Mar 2013 #10
I paid to have one of my dogs put down at a veternarian, just like the others when they Maraya1969 Mar 2013 #28
I agree with you to a point.. sendero Mar 2013 #37
Heartbreaking. People need to understand that they are bringing a sentient being into their Flatulo Mar 2013 #9
Thank you. SheilaT Mar 2013 #11
In recent decades spay and neuter campaigns have caused such a significant drop in unwanted dogs pnwmom Mar 2013 #13
I have read of dogs being sent from SheilaT Mar 2013 #16
Cats are in a different situation. For whatever reason, there is more of an excess of cats. pnwmom Mar 2013 #17
Oh, absolutely. SheilaT Mar 2013 #19
Have you read about how dogs connect better with human body language than most apes do? pnwmom Mar 2013 #21
I had a little Pomerainian that used to do that eye thing. She loved bananas and when Maraya1969 Mar 2013 #29
Hah! It shows she had some concept that you could think, too. pnwmom Mar 2013 #39
Given that dogs have lived with humans SheilaT Mar 2013 #41
I've had amazing eye contact with all my kitties over the years. Arugula Latte Mar 2013 #44
Cats are more successful ferals, for a number of reasons. Scootaloo Mar 2013 #23
We just adopted a 9-year-old cat from a no-kill shelter. Arugula Latte Mar 2013 #18
In New England, many of the "rescue" dogs come from the south--Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas--and MADem Mar 2013 #52
My brothers dog came from Georgia after all the storms... some yrs back. Historic NY Mar 2013 #65
northern generally states pick up the overflow from the south and south west bettyellen Mar 2013 #99
"...spasming or defecating on themselves.' savannah43 Mar 2013 #56
Umm, I said I've never witnessed that SheilaT Mar 2013 #67
Good for you TuxedoKat Mar 2013 #61
I euthanized two of my cats OwnedByCats Mar 2013 #100
What bothers me is that some of the "no-kill" shelters are SheilaT Mar 2013 #102
I have to believe OwnedByCats Mar 2013 #103
Some people seem to think SheilaT Mar 2013 #104
I agree OwnedByCats Mar 2013 #105
I've adopted two dogs from the shelter XemaSab Mar 2013 #12
Also, I wonder if it's not that people dump dogs when they're no longer puppies XemaSab Mar 2013 #14
Perhaps after enough time they will get along. SheilaT Mar 2013 #15
It depends on the cat, though. A lot really do prefer having a kitty companion..or 2 ... or 3 ... Arugula Latte Mar 2013 #50
Kick! Heidi Mar 2013 #20
How sad. laundry_queen Mar 2013 #22
I would tell your local newspaper about their adoption process. When I got my last dog Maraya1969 Mar 2013 #31
I had to give up a lab/rottweiler mix once. Flying Squirrel Mar 2013 #25
Right. Go to petfinder dot come and just keep calling every name on the list. My allergy Maraya1969 Mar 2013 #32
as the economy sucks DonCoquixote Mar 2013 #26
You can now get food stamps to feed your dog. Maraya1969 Mar 2013 #34
This is so very tragic and sad, not to mention preventable... PotatoChip Mar 2013 #30
The people behind me left their beautiful white cat behind when they moved. I did not know Maraya1969 Mar 2013 #35
du rec. nt xchrom Mar 2013 #33
And there is this attitude.... Eleanors38 Mar 2013 #36
Abandoning a 4 month old puppy is abuse KurtNYC Mar 2013 #38
YES!!!!! BrotherIvan Mar 2013 #48
Thank you for being so humane. narnian60 Mar 2013 #51
Thanks! BrotherIvan Mar 2013 #55
"Friends of Animals" will sell anyone a really inexpensive certificate for very low cost savannah43 Mar 2013 #58
^THIS!!!!!!! Marrah_G Mar 2013 #57
Does Canada have successful spay and neuter programs? pnwmom Mar 2013 #60
You must be a backyard breeder or a puppy mill owner BrotherIvan Mar 2013 #70
No, but I did buy two puppies from responsible breeders pnwmom Mar 2013 #73
I do think you are part of the problem. yewberry Mar 2013 #89
People have to buy dogs from shelters, which disguise their prices as "fees" pnwmom Mar 2013 #94
This is utterly ridiculous. yewberry Mar 2013 #98
No, I was never refused, although there was a time pnwmom Mar 2013 #101
Went to the FB post and shared it on my page..... Very sad. peacebird Mar 2013 #40
its disgraceful how we treat companion animals Mosby Mar 2013 #43
Making a donation today because of this reminder Faygo Kid Mar 2013 #46
Thanks for the inside info. AnnieK401 Mar 2013 #47
K&R n/t OneGrassRoot Mar 2013 #49
We have contract with the breeder of our dog Marrah_G Mar 2013 #54
This going viral will make no difference at all - the solutions are inadequate bread_and_roses Mar 2013 #59
Here is some more current information from "No Kill Revolution" agent46 Mar 2013 #66
We like to think that by getting this out it will make a differences Pakid Mar 2013 #71
One of the most disturbing pics I've seen of a dog. How sad. I hope to get more Honeycombe8 Mar 2013 #72
Thank you. I'm glad to see that roody Mar 2013 #79
I have a slightly different view... 99Forever Mar 2013 #80
I'd say this post is really addressed at people who breed or buy animals yewberry Mar 2013 #88
I understand who it's addressed to. 99Forever Mar 2013 #90
Well, yeah, I can see it from more than one perspective too. yewberry Mar 2013 #91
Both of mine are rescues. I have always either taken in strays or had rescues. appleannie1 Mar 2013 #81
Thank you for posting this! FiggyJay Mar 2013 #82
This is gonna haunt me for quite a while. n/t Witan00 Mar 2013 #83
Why all this concern?? Disconnect Mar 2013 #84
You can only care about one thing at a time? yewberry Mar 2013 #87
Oh gosh FiggyJay Mar 2013 #93
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»I hope everyone who think...»Reply #22