I was just on my Facebook page.. and I have a ton of animal rescues on my list. Well, I got to looking at one that was looking for a foster home for a couple of 9 year old Malinois (a female and a male).

It seems the elderly owner was moving to assisted living on the 14th, and needed a home for her two dogs ASAP. The rescue was lining up foster care until a forever home could be found. Obviously this takes a few days to accomplish.

In the meantime, the owner takes the dogs to the vet as she knows that shots will be required. The vet apparently convincened this elderly and confused woman that it would be cruel to rehome her dogs at their ages. He CONVINCED this woman to put her dogs to sleep.

WTF????? The dogs did not have any health issues, and the rescue had several lines on fosters and transport for these dogs. The owner knew that tons of people were working to keep her dogs safe, then some A-Hole butts in and tells this poor and confused lady that she is being CRUEL by finding loving homes for her dogs???

I cried. There was a picture of the female Mal, and I would have taken her in a heartbeat....

Some people, right?? Can't blame the owner. But that Vet is a waste of Oxygen.

Just needed to vent a little.

--Kel

Oh noooo Kelly! How horrible!!!! That poor woman and her poor dogs!!!

Oh gosh... hardly know what to say. I'm just so sorry for all involved. (Except of course, the idiot, ignorant vet.)

What the hell could he have been thinking?!

I might add that this happened early last week, so it's not like it was a last day kind of thing either.

I can't imagine why a vet would ever recommend putting two healthy animals to sleep.

Perhaps a few people from the rescue organizations could write the vet some "enlightening" letters? I am NOT recommending hate mail, slander, etc... just honest, thoughtful (with a touch of frustration!!) letters to let this man know how wrong his way of thinking is. Maybe a dog or ten will be saved in the future.

How sad and morally criminal.

Those poor dogs.

That poor woman. Not only is she losing her home, her independence, and her dogs she has lost the comfort of imagining them happy and content.

And alive.

 Quote: Kelly

I cried. There was a picture of the female Mal, and I would have taken her in a heartbeat....

I saw the same info on Facebook and my reaction was the same as yours, Kelly. Heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking.

This made me cry too.



Was there any chance that the vet thought they were headed for a shelter?

I know exactly what you mean and I feel the same way, believe me, but if the vet thought that 9-year-olds (of a "scary" breed) who had spent their lives together were headed for a shelter to take their chances ....

If this was what the vet thought was going to happen to these senior dogs, then my first reaction is modified a little.

I know what would be most likely to happen to my senior GSD if I died and I had no arrangements in place. Overcrowded shelters are not a lucky place for any larger breed or for any senior, period.

Please don't misunderstand me: I don't mean I think he was right. But what if he really thought that was where they were going and was sick at heart over what their likely fate would be if they were headed for a county shelter.

I'm almost afraid to post this. But I see larger-breed seniors coming into our shelter and I don't even want to go into what their chances are ....

Of course, none of this explains the vet not taking great care to find out exactly what was going on.

How utterly, utterly sad.
And I second the question, "what on earth was this guy thinking?!"

~N

Connie, I think your post and experience with similar situations is helpful in calming emotions. This particular vet may or may not have understood, but your perspective is really helpful. None of us would want our big, senior, "scary" dogs languishing in a shelter with no hope of finding a good home.

Deep sigh. Sometimes, life can just suck, can't it? (sorry nothing more eloquent comes to mind at the moment.)