dogs dumped at shelters

[Jedismom]

I saw this on the news last night. If you click on the video, you can see the newscast with the border collies and interview with rescue.

 

I just don't understand why someone who would take the trouble to drive to the spca and hoist 2 border collies over a fence (I'm sure not an easy task), couldn't just take them in during working hours and leave them.

 

I'm glad they're in rescue now, and I hope they get a good home. Diane, from the rescue organization, said this was their worst year for relinquished dogs due to the economy. Have those of you in rescue seen this trend also?

 

I feel like I need to do something...like foster...

[Jedismom]

OOps forgot something.

 

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/N...mp;pageId=3.2.1

[Debbie Meier]

Yesterday they were interviewing a shelter working here in Iowa promoting a fund raiser for his shelter, he spoke of someone dropping a dog over the fence during the night, it broke it's neck and died. Another incident included leaving a litter of pups at the front door in an unventilated duffle bag. The people dropping the dogs off want to stay annonymous, some are trying to not pay a drop off fee.

 

Deb

[RobbieBurns]

Very sad.

 

I hope they find a good home.

[PSmitty]

I work with Diane's rescue, Georgia. If you want to foster, please let us know. Also, MaryP, who runs Starfish BCR is always looking for foster homes.

 

And yes, it has been a rough year for rescue. What Diane said is true, the need is great and adoptions are slow. If people have to choose between feeding their kids or their dogs, guess what happens? There have also been recent news stories about the influx of animals coming into the county pounds due to people losing their homes. Whoever dumped those border collies over the fence was probably hoping that they wouldn't be euthanized, which is most assuredly what happens to most who end up surrended to Animal Control. Heartbreaking but true.

[MaryP]

The reason people drop them over the fence is usually because they either don't want to pay the impound fee or they can't get to the shelter when the shelter is open. A lot of shelters have funky hours that don't jive well with working people's schedules.

 

If you really want to see something sad, go hang out at an E-vet one night. I had my share of visits to the E-vet with my epileptic foster dog. Hanging out in the waiting room was torturous. People would bring in their severely injured pets that the vet would not treat because the owner could not afford the expense. It was horrible.

[Tranquilis]

And yes, it has been a rough year for rescue. What Diane said is true, the need is great and adoptions are slow. If people have to choose between feeding their kids or their dogs, guess what happens? There have also been recent news stories about the influx of animals coming into the county pounds due to people losing their homes.

Donations are down, too.

And it ain't gettin' any better any time soon, either. Just heard on the news that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may be siezed by the government for being too unstable, and last month, reportedly a staggering 9.1% of homeowners were either behind on their mortgage payments, or were actually in forclosure. My wife prints the Sheriff's Sale posters for forclosed homes in our county, and she's telling me that this week's run is the biggest she's ever seen.

 

Brace for heavy rolls, Rescue folks - Bad storm a'comin'.

[lrayburn]

Someone donated a rabbit hutch to my shelter. They left the hutch outside on the porch and people started stuffing full-sized dogs into it during the night. They now leave a large crate on the porch each night. Apparently some shelters are starting to add a kennel up front for overnight drop-offs.

 

People either don't want to explain why they are abandoning their pet or can't manage to make it to the shelter during working hours.

Lisa

[Jedismom]

I just watched the Bucs lose their first football game this year, and the only bright spot to my afternoon right now is watching Jedi and Cadi sleeping peacefully next to each other. I just want to eat em up. It must be heartbreaking to be forced to give up your dog.

 

Paula, that's great that you're involved with that organization. I thought you were. If it were just me, I'd have several fosters. It took me awhile to convince the rest of my family that a second dog would be a good thing. I am working on it though. In the meantime, I thought I'd volunteer for one of the shelters and go through training for canine counselor. I'd like to help in any way I can. Pm me if you have any ideas.

 

You're right, I looked up the shelter where the dogs were dropped off and the hours were something like 11 to 2 or 3. When you don't have the funds..you don't have the funds. Though there are many with evening hours if you look for them, more likely near a city and better funded. I guess keeping a kennel outside could be an answer. It seems that many are dropped off at dog parks also, hoping I guess that dog lovers would take them in.

 

I think I'm going to go get some doggie kisses now.

[PSmitty]

Paula, that's great that you're involved with that organization. I thought you were. If it were just me, I'd have several fosters. It took me awhile to convince the rest of my family that a second dog would be a good thing. I am working on it though. In the meantime, I thought I'd volunteer for one of the shelters and go through training for canine counselor. I'd like to help in any way I can. Pm me if you have any ideas.

 

Hi, Georgia. I will PM you if anything comes up. I understand about fostering, since I'm not really able to do it, either. Volunteering with a shelter sounds like a great idea! I volunteered with our SPCA for a short time...I keep thinking about going back, but haven't yet.

 

Hey, have you been back out to Angie's yet?

[Malvie]

My nephew and I are fostering a black lab mix right now.

 

The Humble, Texas animal control office (a high-kill shelter) has a small (like, small, like for cats) crate out front for drop-offs.

 

Someone stuffed this dog (and I mean stuffed) this lab into the crate on Friday after the shelter closed. The shelter is unmanned during the weekend, so this poor young dog suffered in the crate for 48 hours (in Houston heat and humidity---91 degrees, 91%) with no food, no water, and unable to stand. Of course he had to soil himself as well. To say that it makes me furious to think about it....

 

We got him at 5:30 in the afternoon; his shot was scheduled for 6:00 the next morning.

 

He is such a wonderful boy, sweet and cute and VERY smart and trainable. He is housebroken (no effort on our part), sits, stays, knows "off" and "down". This is with TWO WEEKS of working with him.

 

He is available for adoption through Dakota Rescue; we expect to have him placed very soon because they've already had inquiries on him.

 

We'll foster another when he's gone.

 

Here's a pic:

 

My two, Lucy and Ethel, along with Maggie (nephew's rescued Golden---she was tied to the front porch and people would kick her as they went by; they bred her in her first heat; she has a lot of issues but is a sweet loving dog).

 

Anyway, here's the gang; meet Cohiba (my nephew named him), a.k.a. CoCo:

 

 

 

Ethel, of course, thinks he needs herding....imagine it....

 

 

 

NOPE, MY BALL NOW!!!

 

[DeltaBluez Tess]

My Goodness...the black lab has such a happy smile!!

 

What a sweet story to warm my heart today!!!

 

 

Thanks

 

Diane

[painted_ponies]

Sometimes people drop dogs off because they lack the stones to face an actual human and say "I'm ok with my dog being killed if you can't find it a home; that is, if it's still alive after several weeks of being exposed to every disease known to humankind. I just want you to kill my dog for me so I can pretend it found a nice home in the country and that way I won't have to actually face up to my responsiblities."

 

And no, I do not do intake for shelters, so my admittedly rotten attitude has nothing to do with people getting in touch with their chickenshite side. I've been told I'm not suited for that side of rescue - can't imagine why, can you?

 

lrayburn - rabbit hutch? I hear you. Some idjit left two horses in an 8x8 dog run near a shelter here recently.

[Jedismom]

My two, Lucy and Ethel, along with Maggie (nephew's rescued Golden---she was tied to the front porch and people would kick her as they went by; they bred her in her first heat; she has a lot of issues but is a sweet loving dog).

Anyway, here's the gang; meet Cohiba (my nephew named him), a.k.a. CoCo:

 

 

Lucy and Ethel? I love that! Where's Ricky and Fred?

[Malvie]

Lucy and Ethel? I love that! Where's Ricky and Fred?

 

The only thing hold me back from "Ricky and Fred" is the Houston ordinance stating that you can only have 3 dogs registered at one address. Actually, as long as I disregarded the law, nobody in this neighborhood would say a word---everybody here and I mean everybody has dogs. My neighbors on either side are living in this neighborhood BECAUSE they have dogs---as am I, frankly. A condo would be a lot easier on the upkeep and I could afford a condo right in the heart of the Galleria area---but how can you have dogs (BC's) in a condo?

 

BTW, I got Lucy and Ethel when I lived on much more land in Arkansas. I moved to Houston for a new job, so we all had to get used to a bigger, finer house but a much smaller yard....

 

BTW, Jedismom, Lucy and Ethel are EXACTLY appropriately named---they have the exact personalities of their namesakes (Lucy gets everybody into trouble, then tries to blame it on Ethel).

 

Proud to say, all 4 dogs are rescues. Lucy, my cousin found a momma BC with 8 pups, spammed us all, "Come get these dogs!" and since my Sam had died, I went and got Lucy. Ethel was in a tough situation here in Houston when I rescued her. Maggie was in a foster home when my nephew rescued her. Coco you just saw the story. All 4 of them are fantastic companions and I love every one of them (most of the time...).