simba Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 I would tell. I am not saying that's the right decision, I don't think it's possible to know that from the information given here, without knowing the situation better. But the fact that someone's in their eighties and frail is not, for me, enough reason to decide that they shouldn't have their 9 year old dog. The relative knows the situation better than I do- maybe she made the right call. Maybe not. Yes, he's falling- many people of that age do. And the dog is a risk factor. Two falls in that space of time, one on ice, doesn't seem like an unreasonable/worrying amount for an active person of that age. But ultimately, barring any serious mental issues, that should have been his decision. If an 80 year old woman with a history of falls wanted to wear high heels all the time, there's not much right anyone else would have to interfere with that. It might not be the best situation for him or the dog to be together- we don't know. It's probably safer for both in the new situation. But life is not lived off entirely what is safe or sensible. And if we were to take all the bouncy active dogs away from people not strong or competent enough to handle them... If he's been walking the dog twice a day for nine years, and suddenly stops doing that walk, that's going to have a seriously deleterious effect on his health as well. The man's an adult. It should have been his choice. Given the situation as described, I'd continue to treat him like a competent adult, and tell him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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