People who leave their dogs

[BlueJ]

I got my dog Kia Faith from the humane society. They couldn't give my any info. or even how old she was. I've never been to the humane society and I couldn't understand why they wouldn't give me the information ( I was thirteen at the time). It was rather sad that the reason was because these people had just left Kia infront of the shelter. They didn't even bother to bring her into the shelter and hope that she would get a good home.
When I brought her home she was so happy and she was the most friendly puppy in the world as soon as you walk in the door you get kisses and a tail that is going like a fan, it doesn't matter that you're a stranger.
It's been a year and I keep thinking about the kind of people that would just leave a dog somewhere. Kia was lucky that it wasn't on the side of the road.
I would like your opinion on people who just leave their dogs.

[Karen]

It is very sad that anyone would abandon their dog like that. I do, however, give them some credit - they didn't drive her into the country and dump her to "fend for herself." They didn't abuse her so much that she was too frightened and unadoptable. They didn't lock her in an abandoned apartment ... the list of awful things people do to pets is unfortunately endless. We don't know why they left Kia, and never will - again, the scenarios range from family tragedy to thoughtless, selfish people, but at least they did leave her at a shelter, where she would be cared for until - ta-da - you came along!

[kobieeli]

I've heard abominable news stories of dogs left tied outside vets offices, grocery stores, Petsmarts, you name it--sometimes with a note attached and a little bag of kibble. Sheesh! You gotta hate the gutlessness of these so-called pet owners, but still...at least they're trying to give the poor animals a small chance at being taken home by a warm-hearted passerby.

Humans!

I think it is completely dispicable for someone to just leave there dog out in the world for someone else to find... or even hit, God forbid. If they can do that then they can certainly walk that poor animal INSIDE to the shelter. There are so many rotten things that people do to their animals and that is one of them. However, there are worse... unfortunately.

I am very glad there are people like us to take these animals in. I just wish every animal could be saved.

[Gio]

What I think of people like that has to be heavily censored. People who discard pets like that use animals just like an object that can be dumped without second thoughts, they don't even start to consider what the animal is going through. What I found is when people really have to give up their pet they usually at least make sure that the animal is safe.

[3-greys-and-a-mutt]

Last summer, we found two strays that no one claimed. The first one was obviously neglected for a long time, and may have been abused. The second was a five-month old puppy who loved all people - my husband found her inside a building at the university he works at (we assume she was dropped off there). We rehomed the first dog and kept the second. It ended up good for both of them, but what if we hadn't foun them? Rather than neglecting a dog and then not even trying to find it when it got away, and rather than dropping a puppy off in a building and leaving it to fate, shouldn't those owners have done the responsible thing and taken those dogs to a no-kill shelter, where it would have been guaranteed that they would would be fed, sheltered, safe, and healthy until being placed in a new home?

[jackiesdaisy1935]

It is always the innocent who are abused the most. It's a sorry day when something like this happens to a poor animal who has nothing but love to give. Obviously these people don't have a clue about what life or love is all about. Thank goodness there are people like you and the others here that make a difference in these animals lives.

[ramanth]

Hi Jess and everyone!

I just adopted a dog from the Humane Society and her name is Kia too.

Here's her pics:
Kia's Pics

Here's what the Society told us:

Kia's previous owners were moving and wanted the Society to 'hold onto her' while they finished with the moving process. The Society informed them that they did not board animals and if they took Kia they would have to go thru the adoption process to get her back.

The owners said 'okay, we'll be back.'

Yeah right.

A month later I adopted her. I've adopted a lot of cats that were dropped off on the side of the road. It's very sad.

Kim S.

[kobieeli]

The advice to try to find a no-kill shelter to drop off your unwanted pet reminds me of a sad story...

We went to the local SPCA last month, on a Monday, to check out their used books and make a donation. Bad idea: there was a looonnng line of people needing help finding their missing pets. In line ahead of us was a man holding an adorable kitten, black and white, maybe a couple of months old. It was purring audibly and playing with his finger. We're not cat people, but we found it so cute!

So after 10-15 minutes in line the man gets up to the counter and reports that he rescued this kitten from "some kids shooting at it with a BB gun."

Shelter worker: "We're completely full now. Is there any way you can take it to the county shelter?" [that's 35 minutes across town and one of the highest kill shelters in California--almost 90%]

Man: "Well, I'm already an hour late for work."

Shelter worker: "Can you keep him for another day then?"

Man: "I have dogs, I can't keep this kitten. And I wanted it to be here to be adopted."

Shelter worker: "We're just too full, I'm sorry."

A lady in line asked the shelter worker if she could just "find a little box or crate" and put the kitten on the counter--maybe someone would take it home? Worker said "We can't do that."

Man walks out. Who knows what happened to that cute kitten?

I found it highly ironic that if the man had just tied it outside the shelter or dumped it inside, they probably would've found space for the kitten. But no, the man waited in line, making himself more late for work in order to do the right thing, and yet no one helped him or the animal.

I know shelters have rules and such, but still...lots of people in line with us that day were shaking our heads and feeling pretty bad.

[CoraNewf]

We got a Newf into Rescue a couple of weeks ago, that was taken to the pound by his owner's parents. She dumped him at their place while she went off to "find herself". Apparently, she had intended to breed him "someday".

The parents, not knowing when she'd be back, turned him over to the pound. Thank God they are rescue friendly, and contacted a volunteer immediately.

He's now been neutered, and is in foster care waiting to be placed in his forever home. I helped in the relay, and he was a doll baby, even though he was rather confused by what was happening to him.

During times like this, I wish so desparately to be able to make them understand that everything is ok.... that from now on, they'll be ok. Obviouslly, there is no way to communicate that to them. It takes time and love. But looking in to those eyes.... it gets you everytime....

[3-greys-and-a-mutt]

In reply to the story about the man with the kitten:
Our local humane society will not take stray animals of any type. They will only take animals if you say that it is your pet and you are relinquishing it. We tried taking the mutt we found last summer to the humane society (which is no-kill) and they refused him because he was a stray. We tried a couple of weeks later, and said that he was our dog, and they said they would take him. (We changed our minds and decided to rehome him on our own).
I know many people who love dogs, but would not try to rescue a stray, simply because they know the shelters won't take them!

[kobieeli]

Hmmmm, 3-greys-and-a-mutt...that's a scary and probably little-known fact. I had no idea that a humane society won't take a stray! Seems counter-productive to me, but I'd believe it.

The SPCA where this occurred will go and pick up a stray that someone reports, but it evidently won't try very hard to make room for one brought to them that kids were plugging at with a BB gun. <sigh>

[Daisy's Mom]

People who can just toss their pets away like garbage disgust me. They act like their pets aren't living things, with feelings! I don't understand people like that and I never will. Words can't express the sorrow I feel for these thrown-away family members, or the anger I feel towards the ones doing the throwing.

[Eudora]

Why would anyone do that? Even with all the campaigns and everything in Singapore, people still dump their pets like they are toys. In s'pore we call drains 'longkang' and one day I saw a kitten in the 'longkang' looking so forlorn and pitiful and I couldn't even help because I was in the car rushing to school and my Dad hates cats anyway. but at the person who dumped it there.