They let it happen again! *3 more pics added* [Archive]

molucass

12-05-2006, 12:21 AM

thread (http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=88196)

Pics (http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=88263&highlight=chloie )

Well, they let it happen again. They let Chloie get pregnant.

She had 7 puppies this time, all of them were stillborn except for 1.
One of them wasn't even formed right. It's head looked deformed.

My friend called this morning to let me know Chloie had puppies, and the one remaining puppy that was alive had a huge gash on the back of her neck. I guess Chloie got a little over excited cleaning her and ripped her skin open. It was from one side of her neck to the other.

I couldn't very well stand by and let this puppy die (because that's basically all her mom was going to do), so I took her to the vet. She has 7 staples in her neck and I was given some anti-biotics for her. The vet put some anti-biotic stuff underneath her skin before they stapled her up. I have to bring her back in 10 days to have them removed.

Anyway, needless to say.. The puppy is now here with us and we are bottle feeding her. My friend was going to take her to her house and bottle feed it but she has a 3 year old son that wouldn't leave it alone, and she also has a 6 month old baby that is just learning to crawl so she didn't really have time.
I really don't understand why her mom doesn't just go and get the poor thing fixed. She's like 9 years old and her milk is bad. She can't nurse them. They know this from the past litters she has had. It just pisses me off to no end.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/DeeboMom/120406_14252.jpg
For now, this is the only pic I have.

K9karen

12-05-2006, 12:55 AM

:( I feel sick to my stomach. That's horrible. Poor Chloie Poor puppy. Stillborn and deformed puppies, bad milk? I know she's your friend, but, pleeeze...bop her on the head or something! And you and your boyfriend are already caring for the poor little thing, you're so awesome to get involved. Puppy stitches, poor little dear. :(

molucass

12-05-2006, 01:12 AM

Yeah, I find it really sad that a 3 hr. old puppy had to have "sugery" already.

It's not really my friend that is doing it. Her mom lives in a different city than her and the dog actually belongs to them.

However, if I was her, I would take the dog myself and have her fixed.

Logan

12-05-2006, 07:47 AM

You have probably spent or will spend more money and time, nursing this darling little baby, than it would cost to have the mom spayed. Thank you for caring so much. I believe I would step in, have the dog spayed and never say a word to my "mother" about it, if I were your friend, even if I had to borrow the money to do it. Geez!!!

cyber-sibes

12-05-2006, 07:54 AM

Isn't there a spay/neuter program that would fix this poor dog for very little money? This is just not fair to poor Chloie. I admire you stepping in to help with this pup, poor baby. :mad: Her mom sounds like my ex-FIL. He totally ignored the obvious problems their female dog was having giving birth because "he didn't want the dog in the first place". She & most of her pups died giving birth. I can't imagine how much pain that poor dog must have been in. My ex and his mom ended up hand-feeding the orphaned pups.

Will you find a good home for the puppy? I can't imagine you would let them have it back. The puppy has a cute little face. :)

lute

12-05-2006, 08:14 AM

poor puppy! bless you for taking her in and raising her! hopefully Chloie will be fixed soon. she doesn't need to have pups! the puppy is a real cutie though!

pitc9

12-05-2006, 08:43 AM

If she's your friend, then she should understand how you feel and will also understand when you take her dog yourself to the vet to be spayed.

How many more puppies have to die???

goD Bless the tiny puppy! :(

ramanth

12-05-2006, 08:45 AM

Poor little puppy. Thank you for saving her.

JenBKR

12-05-2006, 08:46 AM

Poor puppies, and poor Chloie! Thank goodness you stepped in to take care of the sweet baby.

molucass

12-05-2006, 08:54 AM

Some people on another forum said I am just enabling them to have more puppies, and that may be true, but I would rather step in and take the puppy rather let her lay there and die cold and hungry like my friends mom was going to do..

ComedyDevil

12-05-2006, 08:59 AM

Some people on another forum said I am just enabling them to have more puppies

By the sounds of it, they would've had more puppues whether you took this one from them or not, because they obviously don't care about the welfare of any of the dogs. The only way to stop them would be to get the bitch spayed. Don't worry, you did the right thing. :)

molucass

12-05-2006, 09:02 AM

Honestly, if the threadstarter is "fostering" them and taking over all of the work, the threadstarter is only enabling them to continually have accidental litters. What reasons do they have for spending the money to spay the mom when they have someone who's willing to be the "hero" every time and bottle feed THEIR puppies?

There is what they said.

Muddy4paws

12-05-2006, 12:43 PM

the people on the other forums sounds heartless. Dont listen to them, you are giving life back to a tiny puppy! Be proud! Its ok for them to judge you but they are not in your situation I know I would be doing exactly the same if I was in your situation

luvofallhorses

12-05-2006, 02:01 PM

people suck!! :mad: don't they know that there are millions of dogs dying all over the world in shelters because they let her have puppies again? :mad:

Pembroke_Corgi

12-05-2006, 02:31 PM

That is so sad. :( I'm so glad you were able to save that puppy.

molucass

12-05-2006, 11:55 PM

Just wanted to give a little update.
I was having a bit of a difficult time getting her to eat a good amount at one time.
Well, we finally went and got a real baby bottle, rather than the puppy bottle and she drank almost a full oz. I'm so excited. It's not much but she's so tiny, any little bit will help.
She weighed 9 oz. when we took her to the vet.

jesse_3

12-06-2006, 01:10 AM

God bless you for taking this little one in! You are awesome to give your time and energy into this little baby's life.
Don't listen to those people on the other forum, they are completely wrong. You are doing the right thing by saving a life.

Kfamr

12-06-2006, 07:37 AM

Is there anyway you can convince them to get her fixed? Offer to help pay/pay?

I know we have very low cost spay/neuter clinics around here... do you have any near you?

molucass

12-06-2006, 09:06 AM

It's hard not to listen to the people on the other forum. One person even said she would have just let the pup starve to death rather than keep on enabling someone like them to just keep producing out even more homeless "mutts". :(

Kay, thank you for your suggestions. I have tried to talk to her mom, and even talked to my friend to see if she could convince her mom too. Her mom just ignores it I guess. I told my friend that I would help her mom pay to have her spayed and I guess they just don't care. When she is in heat they just let her go outside and don't even watch her so she gets bred every time.

If my friend could even take the dog from her mom and go get it done, at least the dog would be fixed. However, from what she has told me her mom won't agree to letting her take the dog.

lute

12-06-2006, 09:16 AM

i don't understand why your friend's mom won't let her get spayed! i mean, you are offering to help pay for it. i think it's a WONDERFUL thing you are doing for this little pup! those people from the other board are indeed heartless! :mad: :(
if you had just left Morgan alone she wouldn't be the healthy, happy puppy she is! good luck with the baby! pics are great too! ;)

borzoimom

12-06-2006, 09:24 AM

You actions are to be commended- their actions are inexcuseable. Tell them you will take care of the puppy and expense in exchange for them spaying their dog. Also- with so many stillborns, the risk of pyrametia is so high its not even funny. They need to spay her fast.

molucass

12-06-2006, 09:36 AM

pics are great too! ;)

Here is a few pictures. She squirms all over the place, so they aren't very good.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/DeeboMom/120606_09231.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/DeeboMom/120606_09181.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/DeeboMom/120606_09241.jpg
In the last two, you can see her staples. :(

Queen of Poop

12-06-2006, 09:45 AM

You have done and are doing the very right thing. Any one who says otherwise needs a good swift kick in the pants!! I am so proud of you for taking in the baby and trying to help the mother. Perhaps the momma needs to go "poof" from her yard for a couple of days for a spay.

sanford8916

12-06-2006, 10:38 AM

If they won't listen to you, maybe it's time to get animal control involved.

applesmom

12-06-2006, 10:46 AM

Well then It looks like I'm putting in my application for a good swift kick in the pants!

I agree with those that have expressed the opinion that you are enabling these people to continue with the abuse of this puppy's mother. I can just see their way of thinking. "she's going to have puppies again. No big deal, we'll call molucass, she'll take the puppies and we won't have to worry about a thing."

Not all rescuers see things from the same point of view. Neither viewpoint is perfect! There are millions of pets out there that have already known love and have been abandoned to die on the streets and in shelters.

When puppies and kittens are born they know nothing of life, love and happiness for the first few days. That's the time to let them go rather than to add them to the millions already desperatly in need of new homes and loving families. Thousands of rescuers raise entire unwanted litters dumped by uncaring owners every year which tremendously adds to the pet overpopulation problem.

These careless unwanted litters are a direct cause of the millions of shelter deaths of dogs that are no longer cute cuddly puppies.

There is no right or wrong answer. We all need to do the math and look at the entire picture before making such decisions.

pitc9

12-06-2006, 11:17 AM

lute

12-06-2006, 12:23 PM

she is such a cutie! she's gonna be beautiful when she's older! i feel so bad for her having to live through so much so young. :(

Kfamr

12-06-2006, 12:27 PM

JenBKR

12-06-2006, 12:28 PM

applesmom

12-06-2006, 12:28 PM

Wouldn't it be a great thing if we could all just go door to door gathering up all the pets from ignorant pet owners and have them all spayed and neutered like we do with the feral cats?

Many pet owners wouldn't mind a bit as long as they didn't have to pay for it themselves or provide the transportation or follow up care.

But then there is the percentage that would rush to hire a lawyer claiming loss of income or some other foolish complaint. Plus there's always the possibility that the pet would have complications due to lack of proper care and die. Imagine the lawsuit that would bring!

Someday this tragedy will be stopped; but it's going to take a lot of patience and common sense on the part of the would-be rescuers.

As the law stands right now; as long as the dog is being provided with food, shelter, water and necessary medical care, there isn't anything anyone can do about the situation. Because the pup was removed from the home and seen by a vet, the owners can't even be charged with not providing proper medical care.

lute

12-06-2006, 12:32 PM

i agree with applesmom. if you try to take the dog yourself you could get into a lot of trouble.

i would call animal control though.

applesmom

12-06-2006, 12:34 PM

I'm sorry.. I fail to see how Cori is doing anything wrong.

You could not, should not let a puppy sit there and suffer. I don't care who you're enabling. If you're capable of letting a defensless puppy starve and suffer to death..... I don't even know what to say.

I agree with calling animal control on them.

And what's going to happen with the poor debilitated mother dog and the next litter of pups and the next and the next?????????????

Animal control can't do anything unless the dog is abused, running loose, or deprived of food, water, shelter or medical care for an obvious health problem.

Catty1

12-06-2006, 12:35 PM

So I am confused. If the Mom DOES live in another city - how did you get the puppy so fast?

Call the Humane Society or Animal Control in that city, and report the mother for abuse and neglect. She is endangering the mother dog's health, and has already caused the death of nearly a whole litter of puppies.

YOu can also get a letter from the vet that stitched up the one remaining puppy.

DO IT! And let them handle it. They may seize the dog - at least she will be spayed and hopefully rehomed.

That woman does not deserve that dog. And I hope she does not have the nerve to say she loves it.

Her lack of action and responsibility is anything BUT loving!

borzoimom

12-06-2006, 12:38 PM

You just need to take the dog to the vet yourself and get her spayed!
No asking... no more talking to them until your blue in the face, they are never going to get it through their THICK SKULL!!!! :mad: :mad:

Just pick her up... and drive her to the vet.
There is a problem with that. Dogs are treated as property. You could be charged for this under taking. Also calling animal control would not do any good unless she is being mistreated etc. And the puppy is now being cared for.
I would make a deal to take care of the puppy in exchange for them getting her spayed and the sooner the better with the real risk of pyrametia now. Maybe you could call animal control HS and tell them the situation and you are worried about the mother but they wont go get veternary care for her.

JenBKR

12-06-2006, 12:52 PM

And what's going to happen with the poor debilitated mother dog and the next litter of pups and the next and the next?????????????

Yet if that puppy is left to die, who's to say that she won't just let future puppies die?

Flatcoatluver

12-06-2006, 12:58 PM

If she was letting the future puppies die, wouldn't animal control step in then? I am not saying she should just stop caring for the puppies; you are doing such a nice thing, molucass. What a cutie pie. But our animal control educates owners too. Wouldn't it be nice if they could educate her, and maybe that may scare her enough? She doesn't care about her dog having problems during birth or breast cancer in the future.

applesmom

12-06-2006, 01:06 PM

If the puppy had been left with her and animal control had been called right then; they could have done something. Without seeing the situation for themselves, they're powerless!

I can't honestly say what I'd have done in the same situation. It's much easier to be detached and think rationally if one hasn't actually been there. :eek:

ramanth

12-06-2006, 01:08 PM

If I'm understanding correctly, this dog has had numerous litters where many puppies HAVE died. I don't see how it's enabling of Cori to take the one surviving puppy and try to save it. The woman obviously doesn't care to get her dog spayed and cares nothing for the puppies that are stillborn.

I just don't get how that's not animal abuse.

Sevaede

12-06-2006, 01:18 PM

At least if Animal Control is called they will put it on file for future reference (Whatever situation that may be).

molucass

12-06-2006, 01:32 PM

To show you just how little this woman cares, I'm going to share a detail that I left out on purpose... :(

They didn't even give the other puppies a proper burial. They threw them away outside in the trash can. :(

I mean I know they were already deceased, but I would have at least buried them instead of throwing them away with the garbage.

*********
This is what I said on the other forum:

I'm sorry some of you think I should just have stood by and let this puppy be thrown outside in 20 something degree weather to starve to death or freeze to death. But I just wasn't going to do that.

I don't even live in Texas where they all live, so I don't rush to their aide every freaking time they do something stupid.

Maybe my heart is too big, but I'm NOT going to let a poor defenseless newborn puppy suffer because of someone else's stupidity.

I've tried telling them until I am blue in the face that they need to get her spayed, she doesn't have healthy milk to nurse the puppies, and half the time most of them are stillborn. If they choose to let their poor dog outside when she's in heat, there's not one damn thing I can do about it. She's not my dog, she doesn't live with me and I don't live with them. I don't even LIVE in the state they live in anymore. I am just down here visiting my parents and got word of this and wasn't going to stand by and do nothing.

If it had been left with my friends mother, the puppy would have been thrown outside like the deceased puppies whether it was alive or not by itself.

borzoimom

12-06-2006, 01:34 PM

Call the HS or animal control. Tell them you have the puppy, but the mother has not received veternary care, and the pups were tossed as you said and for them to go check it out. Even tell them you can show them the puppy you saved.. Maybe they can seize her.

JenBKR

12-06-2006, 01:36 PM

Don't let them get you down sweetie, you did the right thing for that puppy!

borzoimom

12-06-2006, 01:44 PM

Oh honey- you did the right thing about the puppy. Now we are just trying to help the mother.. Thats all. I applaud your committment as one who also has bottle fed a puppy.

applesmom

12-06-2006, 04:05 PM

No one is trying to get anyone down. At least I hope not! There probably isn't anyone that's been involved with dogs for any length of time that hasn't found themselves in a similar situation.

The pet overpopulation disaster is overwhelmingly out of control. The only way to find a solution is through discussion and sharing of thoughts and ideas. Even those that post opposing thoughts have the same goal. The overall welfare of the animals!!!!

As far as disposing of stillborn puppies in the trash; once again that's a matter of individual preference and wouldn't be an issue for many people. Disposing of live newborns in that manner isn't a rational choice for anyone!

areias

12-06-2006, 11:10 PM

Unfortunately animal control isn't always the greatest, and isn't always an option. The cases you see on T.V. are the worst cases they get...they don't always step in, especially if you are being honest with them. Sometimes you almost have to exaggerate the issues with the animal.

I called our local livestock animal control because of some pretty bad conditions at a horse boarding facility. They did come out, but they did not seize any animals, and the horses that were skinny have gained weight and a horse that had a leg swollen about 3x it's size is no longer there, and the stalls are mucked out. It did get better, but not totally. They didn't seize any animals.

I called AC about a nursing mother dog with what appeared to mastitis. They wouldn't come out, saying she was probably just nursing. They lived right down the road, and had the puppies for free. I went to go check them out before I got Romeo, and they were looking for the "brown ones" and figured they must of run away. :rolleyes: So AC just wouldn't do anything.

They probably will NOT seize that dog...it's well fed and has no apparant injuries. If they found her with the puppy with its neck ripped open and no medical attention, they might have.

bckrazy

12-07-2006, 03:41 AM

I think that's really, truly awesome of Cori. I hope the little pup is ok! The staples and everything are so sad, but it's good to hear about the progress with bottle-feeding.

I find it incredibly over-kill to attack her for this. She isn't paying these people for the puppies. She isn't buying a puppy from a pet store. These people obviously over-bred their poor dog before Cori was there to help, and they would still do it if Cori stopped helping, because it sounds like they simply do not care. It's up to the daughter to step in & do what's right, Cori can't just steal it.

As far as I'm concerned, she is doing the equivalent of what a rescue would do for a puppy that was dumped at their drop box. Are rescues/shelters in the wrong because they will take on abandoned animals? Are they "enabeling" BYB-ers because the BYB-ers know that they can always dump unwanted puppies at a rescue? No. They're saving a life.

Daisy and Delilah

12-07-2006, 06:06 AM

I agree that there are different ways that people see things and there have been some good points made by everybody here. However, Cori, you did what I would have done. Animal control is not always that great in all cases. Who knows how long that little pup would have had to wait for someone to intervene? Kudos to you for saving that little baby. I honestly don't think any person on this board could have watched that little pup suffer a minute longer without doing something. As far as I'm concerned....saving the pup and enabling some uneducated, non-caring, people to continue overbreeding, are two different things.

Cori, you're a sweetheart. Always concerned with doing the right thing and always doing the right thing when it comes to the safety and comfort of animals. You are to be commended for all you do and have done. You don't deserve to be bashed by the people on the other board. It's only my opinion but I wouldn't go there anymore.

I understand how hard it is to just seize someone's dog against their will. I don't see or feel any love at all in the case of this mother dog's owner. If they care so little about the dog, and it's obvious they do, I can't see them flinching at all if you get the poor thing spayed. Why would they care? They don't seem to care about anything else in regards to her or her pup's welfare.

I wish you the best of luck sweetie. You're a really big hero in my book. Good luck to that little baby doll and to the mother of that little baby. They both deserve a better life than what they've had so far. Thank God for people like you!!

cyber-sibes

12-07-2006, 08:34 AM

For those of you who are being critical --- have you ever heard the story about the boy walking down a beach after a storm? It was strewn with stranded starfish. He walked along, picking them up and tossing them back into the sea. A man stopped him & said "You're wasting your time, you can't possibbly throw back enough to make a difference." The boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it in the water. He looked at the man and replied "It made a difference to that one."

You and your husband are doing a wonderful thing. The world needs more people like you, willing to go above & beyond. Bless you both.

borzoimom

12-07-2006, 08:36 AM

Very good cyber sibes- I would have done the same.. I would try to help the mother, but I think she has done all she can at this point. Even the puppy she has, this is a serious undertaking with the puppy already so far behind the 8 ball here.. ! I have bottlefed a puppy- and that one was just fine, except the runt and nothing majorly wrong with the puppy either. This is quite a undertaking, and she is to be commended as I stated earlier!

lute

12-07-2006, 09:01 AM

applesmom

12-07-2006, 09:21 AM

As far as I'm concerned, she is doing the equivalent of what a rescue would do for a puppy that was dumped at their drop box. Are rescues/shelters in the wrong because they will take on abandoned animals? Are they "enabeling" BYB-ers because the BYB-ers know that they can always dump unwanted puppies at a rescue? No. They're saving a life.

(Playing devils advocate) Are the shelters really saving lives by taking in unwanted newborn puppies, raising them and adopting them out? There's no argument that they are saving the lifes of those particular puppies.

But at the same time aren't they contributing to the deaths of the dogs already existing in the shelters?

The estimates are that 5 to 9 million unwanted dogs are put to death every year in the united states. How many football stadiums stacked to the roof would those lifeless bodies fill? The majority of these dogs are 6 months and over. The big question is: if so many puppies weren't taken in and made available would these "older" dogs have a better chance of being saved by adoption?

Which is the lessor of two evils? Euthanizing newborn puppies who have never experienced life and love, or euthanizing adult dogs who through no fault of their own have been abandondened by their owners?

The answer of course is that neither solution is satisfactory. There has to be a better way!

lute

12-07-2006, 01:43 PM

(Playing devils advocate) Are the shelters really saving lives by taking in unwanted newborn puppies, raising them and adopting them out? There's no argument that they are saving the lifes of those particular puppies.

But at the same time aren't they contributing to the deaths of the dogs already existing in the shelters?

The estimates are that 5 to 9 million unwanted dogs are put to death every year in the united states. How many football stadiums stacked to the roof would those lifeless bodies fill? The majority of these dogs are 6 months and over. The big question is: if so many puppies weren't taken in and made available would these "older" dogs have a better chance of being saved by adoption?

Which is the lessor of two evils? Euthanizing newborn puppies who have never experienced life and love, or euthanizing adult dogs who through no fault of their own have been abandondened by their owners?

The answer of course is that neither solution is satisfactory. There has to be a better way!

that's almost sick! yes, a lot of adult dogs do get PTS every year by shelters. so do puppies. just because the puppy has not had the chance at a life doesn't mean it is "less" than the adult dogs. shelters give the adoptee plenty of choices to find the right dog. homeless puppies should be treated the same as homeless dogs.

luvofallhorses

12-07-2006, 02:04 PM

applesmom

12-07-2006, 02:19 PM

that's almost sick! yes, a lot of adult dogs do get PTS every year by shelters. so do puppies. just because the puppy has not had the chance at a life doesn't mean it is "less" than the adult dogs. shelters give the adoptee plenty of choices to find the right dog. homeless puppies should be treated the same as homeless dogs.

Of course the puppies are not "less" than the adult dogs. However they would suffer "less" if euthanized at birth than an older dog that has already known love and been abandoned only to die alone and unloved in a shelter environment.

Catlady711

12-07-2006, 05:40 PM

They didn't even give the other puppies a proper burial. They threw them away outside in the trash can. :(

I mean I know they were already deceased, but I would have at least buried them instead of throwing them away with the garbage.

As far as disposing of stillborn puppies in the trash; once again that's a matter of individual preference and wouldn't be an issue for many people.

Well that kinda depends on the local laws where they live. In some places it's very illegal to dispose of dead animals in the trash, while in other places it's illegal to bury them in your back yard.

applesmom

12-07-2006, 05:59 PM

That's true. We couldn't bury our dogs bodies in our back yard; but it was okay to bury their ashes there.

I just looked up our local laws regarding pet disposal and it's also illegal to dispose of dead animals in the garbage. They're supposed to be picked up by a commercial animal disposal company at the owners expense. I don't know if the law is enforced or not.

areias

12-07-2006, 11:57 PM

Of course the puppies are not "less" than the adult dogs. However they would suffer "less" if euthanized at birth than an older dog that has already known love and been abandoned only to die alone and unloved in a shelter environment.

Not wishing to get into debate over euthanasia, but it is what it is. Euthanasia is euthanasia. Whatever your thoughts on it, both a newborn and an adult will NOT know what is happening, and the older dog might even take a needle better than a puppy will.

My -personal- opinion on it in regards to shelters...and I hope I'm not bashed for this...is why spend the money and volunteer hours on a sick animal? I would rather that maybe $1000-$3000 be spent on multiple healthy animals. Yes I definately agree that a suffering animal should be taken out of a bad situation, but if it is going to cost a lot, maybe it's better to be humanely PTS to be able to help other dogs. I am saying this strictly for shelters and rescues, there are great individuals out there who do help out injured animals and that is wonderful. I hope you get what I'm saying...

I think it's harsh to say that all shelter puppies should be PTS. If that were to happen, people that want a puppy would go to other sources (BYBs and the like) and maybe not fix their animal and the cycle would continue.

bckrazy

12-08-2006, 03:11 AM

The estimates are that 5 to 9 million unwanted dogs are put to death every year in the united states. How many football stadiums stacked to the roof would those lifeless bodies fill? The majority of these dogs are 6 months and over. The big question is: if so many puppies weren't taken in and made available would these "older" dogs have a better chance of being saved by adoption?

I know all of this. Both of my dogs are rescues, and I have volunteered/fostered for 4 years and I will continue to for the rest of my life, hopefully.

You could argue that puppies aren't worth as much as adult dogs. You could ALSO argue that adult dogs have actually had a chance to live at least some of their life, while pups have had no chance. Killing ANY animal that is healthy & well-adjusted only because of lack of homes is really horrible in any case and at any age, I'm sure everyone here knows that.

I just feel it goes against the whole rescuing ideal to favor an adult dog over a puppy. They're all innocent animals, and all of them deserve to live, no matter their age.

Areias is right, some people will just always want puppies, and BYB's & PM's will fill that demand if no pups were available at shelters. I adopted a puppy. If the rescue hadn't taken in him & his Mom, who knows where he would be now? I adopted my other dog when he was over 6 months. I love both of them equally, and both equally deserve a happy, safe life.

applesmom

12-08-2006, 09:30 AM

Not wishing to get into debate over euthanasia, but it is what it is. Euthanasia is euthanasia. Whatever your thoughts on it, both a newborn and an adult will NOT know what is happening, and the older dog might even take a needle better than a puppy will.

My -personal- opinion on it in regards to shelters...and I hope I'm not bashed for this...is why spend the money and volunteer hours on a sick animal? I would rather that maybe $1000-$3000 be spent on multiple healthy animals. Yes I definately agree that a suffering animal should be taken out of a bad situation, but if it is going to cost a lot, maybe it's better to be humanely PTS to be able to help other dogs. I am saying this strictly for shelters and rescues, there are great individuals out there who do help out injured animals and that is wonderful. I hope you get what I'm saying...

I think it's harsh to say that all shelter puppies should be PTS. If that were to happen, people that want a puppy would go to other sources (BYBs and the like) and maybe not fix their animal and the cycle would continue.

The suffering I referred to was not in reference to the actual euthanasia but the emotional pain of being abused and abandonded prior to the euthanasia.

That's an excellent point about people wanting puppies and turning to back yard breeders and puppy mill sources if they can't find them at the shelters.

I completely agree that even though every individual animal is important; the resources must be used where they can do the most good for the greater number of animals.

We've had several tragic cases recently in my area in which the rescues used horribly sick and injured animals for publicity to increase their donations. One off them was an old sick starving race horse that was already down. The estimated cost of short term treatment was $10,000! Another was a dog that had been horribly injured in a fight. Short term treatment estimates were around $4000.00. Most of his body was covered in stitches and drain tubes. At the time they knew full well that those animals could not survive, yet they kept them alive as long as possible to milk the donations. In my opinion that is animal cruelty. It's even worse when it's done by those who are dedicated to saving animals from pain and suffering.

There will always be animals in need and individuals to help them. And there will always be ethical dilemmas such as those that have been discussed here. Rescue is never an easy task, nor are there any "one size fits all" solutions.