Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Asshat Rant - Retire your old dogs, don't dump them!

Every day I could find fodder for an Asshat Rant. That's unfortunate and I wish it weren't so. Today's 'fodder' is only one of many. There are so many out there who do this, that comm-925163014@craigslist.org is only one of many. Here's the ad on craigslist. I have screencapped it and jpg so if the ad is removed, you can still view it.

How sad is this? 12 year old beagle needs a new home ... why in the world can't his owners keep him for a few more years and give him the retirement he deserves? Always makes me angry to see this sort of thing. We have one senior dog currently "in the wings" so to speak at the pound and I feel sad for her. She's estimated to be somewhere around 10-12 years old and her owners never came looking. It's always hard to find homes for seniors regardless of how sweet and gentle they are.

If we can give our old dogs one thing, it is to love them to the very end. Were I a dog facing euthanasia in the next couple of years, I would hope that my owners would be there for me and hold my hand until the last. Maybe whisper some nice thing about seeing me on the other side. Something to keep me feeling confident and loved.
When I worked at the vet clinic it pained me everytime someone would bring their animal in for euthanasia and wouldn't stay with him / her. It hurt too much, they would say. Well, how do you think the pet feels? Being surrounded by clinic-smelling people who hold you and put needle in you and then you sleep. How scary is that. For that matter, how do you think the vet tech who is working feels?

5 comments:

RedDeerSeeker said...

So Sad......Just another example of people not wanting to be inconvenienced. I personally think it would be great if vets made house calls for euthenasia.

Barb said...

A lot of vets do make house calls, and euthanasia is one of the most valuable services they provide.
This story is so sad - I hope this poor old Beagle got a new home, which almost certainly would be better than the one he had! I personally love fostering old dogs, and have wound up keeping many of the old ones that I've fostered. They're usually so easy to integrate into a home that already has dogs, and they're just grateful for a soft bed and a warm meal and a little attention now and then. It's really so easy to make the last months or years of a dog's life comfortable. The only hard part is saying that last good-bye, but at least their final moments will be with people who love them. It is SOOO worth it!

RedDeerSeeker said...

Barb said...I personally love fostering old dogs, and have wound up keeping many of the old ones that I've fostered.

They are very lucky to have someone like you there at the end:)

DogsDeserveFreedom said...

I find that fostering older dogs can be more rewarding than the younger ones. The older ones seem to appreciate it more. With age comes wisdom? Perhaps there is more to that quote than meets the eye.

DisgruntledBadger said...

Good grief! If some situation arises where someone was unable to keep their old dog, wouldn't it be better for the dog if the owner took them in and had them euthed? It may make me sound heartless, but I would far rather be there petting and loving my old friend while they went on to what's next with dignity than just abandoning them to the vagaries of fate.