WyoBC Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 I found out today that the BC I have been working with at the shelter was put down yesterday They said he was un adoptable. They told me he was aggressive towards small kids and tried to bite them. Which I know is a f***ing lie because there was a family there just last weekend and they didn't have a problem with him. He did like to jump up to the top of the kennel but I was working on that with him. He never jumpped all the way over, even though he could have with ease. I just don't understand why. The board members wouldn't really tell me. My question is, why would they put him down but not put one down that has three reports on dog/staff bites? Plus they did it when I wasn't working so I didn't even know. I would have found a home for him myself if I had to. I'm just ready for this whole week to be over. Here's my sweet little Zeke Rest in peace buddy..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OurBoys Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 I'm sorry for your loss, Wyo. Zeke was a cutie pie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixie_Girl Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 AJ, I am so sorry. Sometimes life just sux. Poor lil Zeke. RIP, boy, run free now. AJ, go hug Black Jack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon M Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 Im sorry AJ. that must be a hard thing to deal with. Be strong bro, like I know you are, he's in a good place. RIP Zeke, and good luck across the rainbow bridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShoresDog Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 That is just so sad. I am so sorry that happened and you had to feel that hurt for poor Zeke. Working in a shelter must be very hard on you and other volunteers at times, but your work is very important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet_ceana Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 I am so sorry. At least he had somone who loved him and cared about him in the end. So many dogs don't have that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKB Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 I'm so sorry for your loss. I second the go hug Black Jack. a puppy hug makes about anything a bit better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandra s. Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 I'm so sorry for your loss and for the lies . I'll never get used to the way some people can lie right in your face and not drop dead where they stand. Thank you, on behalf of Kessie and all the other (ex-)shelter dogs out there, for bringing some change into those dark days they're going through. Having something/someone to look forward to makes all the difference! Not to mention increasing their chances of coming out the other end of the tunnel one day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordercentrics Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 Dear AJ, We are so sorry. We have been shelter volunteers for a long time now, and have seen everything (we think.) Some dog's behavior deteriorates the longer they are in a shelter. Unfortunately, herding breeds do very poorly in the shelter environment. Some dogs will act differently with different people. The staff may have not been lying to you. They can cut a dog some slack that bites a staff member if they think the circumstances warrant it, but they usually cannot do so if a member of the public was involved. Yes, the attempted bite probably had something to do with that particular child's actions, but the liability of a shelter if a dog MIGHT bite under certain circumstances is tremendous, and most shelters will not place such a dog for adoption. Sometimes they will release to rescue, sometimes not. The other hard lesson we have learned is that we can't second guess decisions made by shelter staff if we aren't able to take the dog ourselves, or pull it for rescue. That is the hard, cold, truth of the shelter world. It is the fault of the owners who were irresponsible enough to let their dogs end up there, and don't care enough to come and get them when they do. Kathy and Steward Robbins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyoBC Posted August 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2007 Thanks guys. It means a lot. I just can't believe he's gone. Everytime I went into his kennel today I kept looking for him, and one time I even thought "hey, where's Zeke?" It's just a really hard thing. I don't want to quite because the boards members are messing around, but I can't work at a "no-kill" shelter that is going to put dogs down all the time. I hate leaveing the other dogs there alone though. So I'll probably stay. But thanks for letting me get it off my chest. Dear AJ, We are so sorry. We have been shelter volunteers for a long time now, and have seen everything (we think.) Some dog's behavior deteriorates the longer they are in a shelter. Unfortunately, herding breeds do very poorly in the shelter environment. Some dogs will act differently with different people. The staff may have not been lying to you. They can cut a dog some slack that bites a staff member if they think the circumstances warrant it, but they usually cannot do so if a member of the public was involved. Yes, the attempted bite probably had something to do with that particular child's actions, but the liability of a shelter if a dog MIGHT bite under certain circumstances is tremendous, and most shelters will not place such a dog for adoption. Sometimes they will release to rescue, sometimes not. The other hard lesson we have learned is that we can't second guess decisions made by shelter staff if we aren't able to take the dog ourselves, or pull it for rescue. That is the hard, cold, truth of the shelter world. It is the fault of the owners who were irresponsible enough to let their dogs end up there, and don't care enough to come and get them when they do. Kathy and Steward Robbins Actually I do work there, and they did it without talking to me or even thinking about telling me. that's why it was such a shock. I understand that they do have to put them down if they're aggressive, or really stressed. But he wasn't either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Freckles LaLa Mom Posted August 12, 2007 Report Share Posted August 12, 2007 At least you HAVE a no-kill shelter. We have to PTS daily just because of Volume. PLEASE PLEASE fix your animals. It sucks. The sick, the mortally injured yah, but sweet sweet dogs that get PTS'd just because we dont have room. It's crap. It's crap and I hate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie&MeBC Posted August 12, 2007 Report Share Posted August 12, 2007 I'm so sorry. RIP sweet boy, and to all the other ones who didn't make it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha J Posted August 12, 2007 Report Share Posted August 12, 2007 Awww Sorry AJ, that makes me really sad. I can understand how annoyed you must be. Like op's have put though don't let it put you off going there and helping the other ones. That love and care you give them must be very special for them whatever their outcome, they need someone to look out for them who cares. That is why i don't think i could actually work in any rescue centre to be honest i couldn't handle the upset. Even though our ones are no kill ones there are cases where they are pts because of medical/aggression etc and i would take it all to personally. I am so glad that people can go in and care for these animals even though it must be really really hard and so upsetting at times. I am not a very strong person and really would be a wreck seeing cruelty etc on a regular basis. Like others have put too at least you can think to yourself you gave that little boy some love and care whilst he was here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyoBC Posted August 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Thanks Samantha. I am glad I could make his life a little better while he was there. He was such a cool dog. I know he could have been a good dog for someone. He used to go into his dog house and then poke his head out to see if you saw him. It was so funny. He loved the camera and loved showing off. If someone was watching he would do anything. I'm going to stay and keep working unless they become a kill shelter. But until then I'm going to keep trying to help them as much as I can. Thanks for all your well wishes guys. I appreciate all of them, and they made it better for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyrasmom Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 I realize that many kill-shelters have a stigma but I hope everyone keeps in mind that they need your support just as much, sometimes more so, than some of the better fund no kill facilities. Not to mention that the animals in kill facilities need volunteers to love on them just as much...if not more so. It's not an easy task but it's not the shelter's fault that so many animals get put to sleep. Maria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyoBC Posted August 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 I wasn't saying by any means that kill shelters don't need help also, or that dogs at kill shelters don't need to be loved either. I'm just saying that I couldn't work at a kill shelter. I don't have it in me to work with dogs and cats that I know will be put to sleep in three months or so. It would kill me every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighDesertSpice Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 He was a good looking dog and it sounds like a terrible decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 I'm so sorry, AJ. I remember when you posted Zeeke's picture a while back...he reminded me so much of my Jack. Such a heartbreaking end. I admire you and all the others who do shelter work, it's such a difficult job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caveninit Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 I'm so sorry! This is so sad. Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Freckles LaLa Mom Posted August 15, 2007 Report Share Posted August 15, 2007 A giant sign before you can enter Cattery and DogHouse Shelter Worker's Creedo As animal shelter personnel with various duties and responsibilities, we hereby make the following promises and declarations: -We hereby promise to love and to care for the pets brought into our shelter to the best of our ability. -We promise to make them as comfortable as possible in an impossible situation. -We promise to do our best to find them new homes. -When all else fails, we promise to end their lives humanely in order to make room for the endless supply of animals to follow. HOWEVER, we also stand firm with the following: -We did not cause these animals to be born into this overpopulated world. -We did not cause these pets to become a problem or inconvenience to their owners. -We did not cause their owners to move, to have kids, to become allergic to them, or to become ill. -We will not accept, nor allow to be placed on us, the guilt that belongs to the owners of these pets. IT IS NOT OUR FAULT! Written by Patti Judd, Euthanasia Technician at the Animal Welfare Association in Voorhees , New Jersey . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Freckles LaLa Mom Posted August 15, 2007 Report Share Posted August 15, 2007 I wasn't saying by any means that kill shelters don't need help also, or that dogs at kill shelters don't need to be loved either. I'm just saying that I couldn't work at a kill shelter. I don't have it in me to work with dogs and cats that I know will be put to sleep in three months or so. It would kill me every day. Three months is generous Its hard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixie_Girl Posted August 15, 2007 Report Share Posted August 15, 2007 I think that there are times when euthenasia is really the kindest thing for a dog that is left in a cage for months and months. No matter how much interaction they get, no matter how much they get loved on, they KNOW they do not belong to a family. A few dogs can deal better and longer than others, some can come in to shelters completely adoptable, then after a while, become un-adoptable because of changes in their mind and personality. It is never an easy choice and even harder for the ones that have to carry out that decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyoBC Posted August 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2007 Yeah, I agree. It's not fair to a dog to keep him in the shelter if he's probably not going to get adopted. It's to hard on them no matter how much you try to make it easy. All the barking, jumping, growling, strange people coming through. It's just hard when you know one could have had a home and now never will. We just adopted two of our oldest dogs we had. (been there the longest is what I meant So as long as they seem to be doing ok I don't think you have to put them down that soon. But I see what your saying. You have to look out for each dog and what's best for them in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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