reasons for dumping your pet

[BitsyNaceyDog]

What reasons do YOU consider valid for giving up a loved one.

When I was little, before my sister was born, we had 2 cats. When my sister was born she was really sick and was in and out of the hospital a lot until she was 5. In addition to being sick my sister was allergic to the cats. My parents had a decision to make, the cats could either become outside/ garage cats or they could be re homed. The decided to re home them because it wasn't fair to the cats to be outside or in the garage during a NY winter. I personally think that they made the right decision.

When my husband was a kid he and his sisters had 2 rabbits. After loosing their house they had to move in with his aunt. His aunt didn't allow them to bring the rabbits, so his mom's friend took both bunnies.

I think there are very few real reasons to give up a pet, but sometimes life puts things in your path and there really are no other options.

[CathyBogart]

I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm not.

We re-homed a cocker spaniel, Dusty once. Our friend had found him on the freeway, and we had decided to adopt him. However, he HATED little kids, and my siblings were both very small. He was a nippy dog, and nippy + hating little kids just didn't work for us. We found a retired couple whose grandkids lived several states away and who had experience with nippy dogs. Last I heard he was doing very well, and had just had surgery to remove a cataract from his eye.

We also re-homed another dog when I was very small. I don't feel that the reasons were adequate, but I was only seven.

[Aurie]

I agree there are real reasons for having to rehome a pet or even euth. We had 4 cats and 2 GSDs when my DH lost his job. We could no longer afford our home and had to sell it. After several weeks of searching and not being able to find any rental that would take our pets, we were nearly forced to rehome them or go homeless ourselves. With 2 small children, being homeless was NOT an option. Fortunately the day after I called looking into a GSD rescue, we found a rental that would permit the dogs and moved in while hiding the cats. It was not even close to being the ideal situation and fortunately it only lasted 1 year before we found a larger place to rent. (This was 6 years ago.)

Recently, our 3 yo Beagle was kicked in the head by a horse. We always put her up when we were messing with the horses because she loved to chase them. But a neighbor kid was visiting and left her out of the house when he went in to use the restroom. She chased the horse and the horse kicked her in the head knocking her unconscious and causing a seizure. Her personality was drastically changed. She has gone from being a super loving pup to my children to one who is very unpredictable. She has bitten my daughter in the face leaving a scar and has repeatidly (sp?) attacked our other dogs seemingly unprovoked.

We have put her back on pain meds because there is still some swelling in the neck shoulder region and will try some mood altering drugs if the pain meds do not help. So far (day 4 of a new series of pain meds) she seems fine and there have been no fights. But I have been warned by two different vets that she could possibly get more aggressive. IF this happens, she can not remain. My children's safety does come first. More then likely it won't be a rehoming either. I do not think it is ethical to rehome a potentially dangerous dog.

I have also known people to be so severely allergic to animal dander that they have asthmatic fits. If I found after the birth of one of my children that they were that allergic, again the animal would have to be rehomed. Do I think all allergies warrent this Heck no! I am allergic to both cat and dog dander. I haven't had my children tested, but I believe my oldest (now 10) is also mildly allergic to our pets. We still have ours. But I don't think I can fault someone for thinking of their children first, IF it really is a medical issue and not just an excuse to get rid of the animal.

Are there reasons to rehome? Of course. But they are very few.

I am not so against the people who aren't animal people and suddenly realize they are in over their heads and seek to find a better home for that cute pup they thought would be a good idea. I would much perfer the rehoming rather then to have that puppy spend the rest of its life at the end of a leash forgotten in the backyard or worse dumped along side of the road. There are also occassions when a dog really doesn't fit with a person. Thus the importance of getting a dog from a reputable breeder, shelter, or rescue. Again, better to give the dog back to find a better fitting rather then having the dog end up neglected in a far worse situation. But knowing the dog doesn't fit shouldn't take more then a couple of months of good honest hard work of trying to make it work. A few years? No way.

I am sure I can go on, but dang this is long enough already.