At least half of the dogs I have/had, have come from homes that they had lived in for a fairly decent amount of time, almost all through at least the puppyhood phase some as old as 7 yr. The families of these dogs keep close contact with me, exchange emails and pictures, etc. this lasts for about 6 mos. About that time frame their inquires stop, this always makes me feel sad. Not sure who exactly who I feel sad for or why, and I realize it is human nature to move on. Ugh, I am such a girl

I'm a girl too, but my sadness is about human nature. I once had somebody drop off a dog for boarding, and then never pick her up again. I fostered her until she was adopted (by a good friend of mine, actually) because I couldn't think of the poor girl going back to the rescue after having been in a home for so long.

I was volunteering at a kennel when a dog came in to be dropped off after being in a home for NINE YEARS. As far as I'm concerned, abandoning an older dog like that is just cruel. The woman's excuse was that she was moving to an apartment that didn't allow dogs. I told her to stop talking and just go. My sympathy was for the dog, not for her. She could choose where she wanted to live, the dog didn't have any choices.

Both of these dogs ultimately benefited from being re-homed, and forgot their former owners soon enough.

Don't feel sorry for the dogs, they're fine.

There is something seriously wrong with somebody who could just discard their companion of 9 years like a piece of used furniture IMO. How could one possibly not have a bond with a living being they spent 9 years with?

 Quote: kristel smart

.... Both of these dogs ultimately benefited from being re-homed, and forgot their former owners soon enough.

Don't feel sorry for the dogs, they're fine.

Just to add a tiny "other side" as you have done (and thank you!), I adopted a senior Pug once from a family who accidentally had three human babies very quickly (surprise biological twins right after an adoption) and felt that the dog was suffering from the change of going from being the queen of the household to her new very different status.

Anyway, they came back and visited often, and always had tears in their eyes when they left.

The dog, OTOH, always greeted them cheerfully and saw them on their way again equally cheerfully, and I knew (though maybe they didn't even know it, consciously), that they were a little surprised that not only was she not broken-hearted when they left, but pretty clearly saw them as not much more than well-liked pleasant visitors from a dim past.

It was no shock to me when their visits tapered off.

These folks, of course, would never have just dropped her at a shelter. I know that they took weeks searching and interviewing before they found her new home. In fact, they came to me. (They knew someone in our club, and he had mentioned that a large segment of our training club also ran a private rescue for older Pugs and that almost all of us had real dogs* and also a rescued older Pug or two.)

 Quote: kristel smart

.... my sadness is about human nature. I once had somebody drop off a dog for boarding, and then never pick her up again. I fostered her until she was adopted (by a good friend of mine, actually) because I couldn't think of the poor girl going back to the rescue after having been in a home for so long. ...

Kristel, can I just say that I applaud every one of the folks here (and there are many, I have learned) who adopt seniors. It's hard, I know, but I really can't imagine any facet of rescue that's more needed or more rewarding than taking in seniors whose chances of finding a home from shelters are so very miniscule. I do understand folks wanting to choose a needy dog who will live with them for a long time, who aren't as likely to require as much care, etc., and who want an active dog for their lifestyles or that of their kids, and thank goodness they look among the "thrown away" dogs for their new companion.

The folks who find a way to fit seniors into their homes and hearts, though, do so much to make up for the "others" -- those who discard a long-time family member, not always for reasons I can even comprehend.




*Yes, they do laughingly talk like that: "real dogs" and Pugs, or "real dogs" and "dog-like animals" ...

OK with me -- since they give good homes to both!

It is good to hear that the dogs, given another good home, adjust well and move on. I honestly can not imagine moving into an apartment which didn't allow my companion of nine years... it it beyond me. I can picture reasons where someone would have to rehome a beloved pet (major illness, etc...) but simply for chosing one apartment over another doesn't make sense.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

The dog, OTOH, always greeted them cheerfully and saw them on their way again equally cheerfully, and I knew (though maybe they didn't even know it, consciously), that not only was she not broken-hearted when they left, but almost certainly saw them as not much more than pleasant visitors from a dim past.

So agree! Did that with the first adopted dog, not good for the dog and never agreed to that again.

I honestly think of all the adoptees I've had, only one had a so to speak legitimite reason for re-homing. I always try to block the reason out of my head, to the point of not even listening to the rambling, they don't want the dog. And a dog that is not wanted will be mistreated in some form.

Which makes my emotional imbalance of when they fade away a very odd reaction. Reading everyone's posts is helping a great deal, thx.

People are so callous. I can honestly see the reasoning behind leaving the dog with a trusted boarder, knowing it would be taken care of, but to choose an apartment that doesn't allow dogs and leave your 9 yr old dog out of the equation is ridiculous.

Too bad it seems to be a common excuse.

When I was trying to get into vet school in the 70s I worked for the denver pound-the dumb friends league. We would put 50 dogs to sleep wed and fri, as many bodies as would fit into 6 grocery shopping carts. Cardiac puncture, it was just gruesome.
There were a LOT of grey faced older dogs, I couldn't believe how many. "Moved to an apartment" was the leading reason for surrender. At one point I had 6 of them I'd taken home. Found homes for lots. They didn't like you to take them home for some reason after they had reached the PTS room. Lots went to the medical school for experimentation too, they liked the older, well mannered dogs.
It was so depressing I had to quit working there.

Oh Betty, that is awful.

Betty, I know of that Denver shelter. That would break my soul. It was hard enough at the vet office I worked at putting to sleep the perfectly healthy dogs who were "dog aggressive", snarled at a kid who was pulling his tail, or killed the family cat. I couldn't imagine working with dogs who had no issues, who simply had the bad luck of the draw to get an uncommitted owner.

I have a vet client who boards at my work who says he doesn't have his offices open the week after Thanksgiving except for emergencies because of the numbers of people who put to sleep their old dogs so they can get their new Xmas puppy. He said the first year he was open he was asked to put to sleep 80 dogs (for various reasons) in that one week well over his 20 a month average. Sure enough, about 3/4 of the families brought in their new puppy in the first part of January.