My neighbor did just that thing... I'm not defending him (he was a creep) but what he did was far, far better for the pup (why oh why didn't he just take the dog to the Humane Society - its two blocks away!)

Anyway, he and his children were abusive to the pup. Many times we unchained him in the rain (torrential rain) and brought him into our house for warmth. I asked people in the neighborhood to keep an eye out for him and make sure he was taken care of when they obviously didn't. their child BEAT the poor thing - he was so sweet, why beat it? She was old enough (11) to know not to do that.

My neighbor one day *pretended* to have the pup escape to tell his kids the dog ran away, but he just dropped it off in a local store where he'd be found and taken to a good home. Heck, my husband and I would have kept him! As I said, he was a really sweet dog.

I get so mad at times when people get pets and do not realize the full responsibility of pet ownership. But then again, people have children and do the same thing, don't they? We need licenses to get married, licenses to drive.. why not licenses to have pets and children?