Quote: Melissa Thom

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.

Unbelievable.

 Quote: Melissa Thom

Betty, I know of that Denver shelter. That would break my soul.

Ditto. I can't imagine how anyone could cope with such a job for any length of time... What an incredible waste of life. Ugh, there goes my afternoon...

~Natalya

Actually, the Dumb Friends people were really trying to do a good job, but the volume of dogs.... This was before they built their new shelter, they were in an old building,near the stockyards and the car-pound. Denver and environs has tons of colleges -- in the 60s +early 70s us wanna be hippy kids moved out to college and EVERYONE got a dog to go hiking with, etc, mostly all big dogs, setters, labs, dogs mom and dad wouldn't let you have at home. At least I think thats where a lot of them came from.
There was a black gentleman, older, who moved the shopping carts around with the bodies. The vet was older (my age now!). There was no joking around or disrespect . We laid them on their sides, the black gentleman held their hind legs, another guy held their front legs, I held the head and was supposed to "rub them over their eyes" - the vet thought that soothed them somehow. It was quick, no poking around for a vein. After a few mos. I graduated to the cardiac puncture. I wanted the recommendation to get into school, you couldn't be a wimp, you had to be able to show that you could do the hard things. I feel bad about it now, and I remember some of the old grey faced labs,fat and slow, in my imagination they seemed to know what was happening. SOme of the dogs were injured (hit by cars) or had big mammary tumors, their owners probably couldn't afford treatment. It was all really awful.
Sorry to go on, got carried away....

It amazed me with the numbers they got in at Pike's Peak Humane society as well. I was there when a group was deployed from one of the bases to Iraq. That week we got in almost 200 dogs and 150 cats a day. We were shipping dogs out to shelters and rescues as fast as we could but finally we just ran out of places to send them and places to keep them. We had eight dogs fostering at my house for month, one of the local greyhound breeders donated run room at her facility which was a godsend.

I never did find out how many dogs we ended up getting from the base.

Thank Galaxy that dogs live in the moment and can adjust to new homes, especially where they are wanted. Thank Galaxy for all of you who do rescue and provide homes for these poor pooches.

I could never work in a shelter or vet practice and be able to deal with the PTS stuff. Those places need to be staffed and I respect those who are able to deal with these jobs. (And Melissa, 20 a month is normal?! OMG!)

And, talk about human nature...I (like all of you) have zero tolerance for those who are moving to apts, or having a baby, or all the other stupid excuses, when they could have thought it all out before taking a pup into their homes. If you can't provide a decent, lifetime home, forget it, period!

But, I guess it's just human nature to be self-indulgent...

leih

Our shelters are usually overflowing too. We are on the coast, with mild weather, and the Central Valley shelters often beg the three shelters here to accept their seniors, new litters, other puppies, and heavy-coated or bracheocephalic dogs, to get them out of the 100-plus-degree overcrowded shelters there.

Those poor dogs ... add a many-hour hot and crowded ride in the back of a truck to everything else they endure.

We are so fortunate that we do have a couple of large facilities (and were able to take hundreds of Katrina animals because of that).

Leih, I'm with you: I so appreciate the people who just suck it up and do the horrible work that people who throw away living beings create.

I'm not even good at fostering. It's so hard to hand off the dog who has become a family member. I'm even terrible at shelter intake ("Reason for surrender: Don't want no more").

The people who do this work are definitely not thanked enough.

I look at my "frosty faced" Shyner. She is coming up on 10 years. She was found on a busy highway, obviously dumped by a previous owner.

Shyner had perfect house manners, never went potty inside, never crawled on the table, and had the most beautiful sit in front after a recall. She knew all of this when she was dumped. To this day, I can't understand why she would have been abandoned.

We went house to house for a 5 mile radius, put out fliers, and even a couple of radio ads to find her owner. Lucky us, they never materialized and she has been with us for the last 9 years.

I used to take treats and bones to the dogs in the Duluth dog pound. That's how I found my beloved Mokie on her way to the Euth room (I actually bounced a check to spring her). I would look around and some of the faces from a previous visit would be missing. I tried to kid myself and say that they were all adopted, but it eventually got to be too hard to go there.

I still go to the local no-kill shelter with bones and supplies. I volunteer to spend time with some of the dogs. The old ones make me cry every time. I guess I am not as strong as I used to be...

We recently added Tyra to the pack. She came from my brother. A 7 year old Choc Lab. My brother's wife no longer liked the dog, wanted to breed Yorkies, and told him to get rid of her. He tried to find a home (I think) then told me that he would have to take her out and shoot her if he didn't find something. Wouldn't take her to a shelter because they charge a surrender fee. You would not believe the expletives that flew from my mouth. I brought her home in May and he hasn't tried to contact me since. They had the dog for most of her 7 years. Their son was raised with her... but not a single phone call to see how she is. My niece has asked, so maybe she is relaying the news, but I have never been more disappointed in a member of my family in my life. It amazes me that we share genes and were raised by the same person.

--Kel

 Quote: Kelly At Leerburg

That's how I found my beloved Mokie on her way to the Euth room (I actually bounced a check to spring her). Atta' girl.

I have never been more disappointed in a member of my family in my life. It amazes me that we share genes and were raised by the same person.

We can pick our noses and our seats and our friends, but not our family. I have a few I don't brag about as well...

--Kel

It breaks my heart how disposable we as humans treat things in our life. When I had a dog that was a biter and difficult to handle, I could have given him away, but I just couldn't do it. I couldn't take him to the shelter either. I felt I had made a decision for a life time, we worked with that dog for 17 years, finally he passed away. I always wanted to work at a rescue or vet office, or shelter, but I just couldn't take the things that happens to the dogs or cats there. The reasons for dropping them off, the reality there is no home for them and they must be put down is heart breaking to me. My husband said we would have a million animals because I would bring them home.
I wish more shelters would state the importance of the responsibility of having a pet. I realize that even if they did, there are still those who don't listen.
Your stories were very interesting. I have 3 rescues and they were all about to be put to sleep. Their time had run out at the shelter. My Cody was going to be put to sleep at about 12 weeks of age. I am glad we were led to him and adopted him, he is a great dog.
Maybe we can educate people we run into. I don't know. anyway ....

"Maybe we can educate people we run into. I don't know. "

We sure can try! This thread alone is a pebble dropped into in the water, spreading ripples in all directions .....

Rescue climate has REALLY improved in the last40 yrs. A revolution. The "foster" homes and networks, this didn't exist. Used to be only crazy ladies with 50 cats. Pounds were 3 days, PTS.
Pedigree dog food advertising for shelter dogs, many shelters are no-kill, or at least delay kill, they attempt to screen . Shelters vaccinate and treat for parasites. Some do early neutering. Cesar teaches behavior modification in prime time.
After my pound experiences, I withdrew from all-things-dog, only involved with livestock. After buying my pup, being on this list, doing the training-this list has a HUGE impact.
I might end up a rescuer myself again, go full circle.
Fear of failure has kept me away from shelters , a dog I lack the skills to help.. I can NOT push that needle any more.