Am I a horrible person for taking my dog to the pound?

Question

I had a 10 yr old cocker spaniel mix. I took him to the pound today and I feel horrible. I am crying right now. I took him because I am a single parent. I work 3rd shift and go to school during the day. My daughter is 11 yrs old and at school during the day. We get home late and he is in the kennel all day. He does not get walked like he should and we aren't able to give him the attention he needs. I put him in that kennel when we are sleeping because he goes into everything when he is out. But he scratches, barks, and drools excessively when he is in the kennel. He has horrible allergies! He has to get allergy shots every 3 weeks. He has to use special shampoo. He eats special food that is $60 for a 20lb bag that he goes through in less than a month. Like I said I am a single parent and any amount of money that I make I need for my daughter and myself. He has been in the family all this time but as he has gotten older all the problems are starting. He is house broken. The ground was wet because of rain so he would not go outside. When we went to sleep he went into a bedroom and did his business on the carpet. He has climbed on my bed and urinated. He is constantly told "OFF!" and he makes a U-turn and tries to do things again. No one will take him in because they see him as more of a burden than someone they could love as a friend. I am so stressed from everything and its not fair to take it out on him. I am sure he feels my stress as well. Any rescue program that I contacted could not take him in because they were full. The pound told me that they will try to adopt him out but there are no promises. I sad because he may be put to sleep. I don't know what to do. I don't want that for him. He just needs someone that can be with him 24/7 and I can't. Help!

Answer 1

im not even going to read anything you typed.

you are a terrible person for doing this.

okay, i coudlnt help but read because i saw 10 YEARS OLD!

you are terrible! if youre really crying you would go back and get it! so you'd rather kill it then let it sleep in a crate all day? its 10 so whhy dont you just let it out.? PUT THINGS AWAY!

why dont YOU just have him put to sleep?

PITIFUL!

p.s. if you dont wqant him put to sleep then you wouldnt of sent him there, hes 10! who would save hiM!?

Answer 2

Hello there,

  If you were a terrible person, you would not have come here and asked for help. I do not think you are a bad person, but I do think you have some things that could be done a bit differently. I will be truth fulll with you. The shelter was being gentle with you. The fact is, he more than likely will not make it into a new home. I have some suggestions for you, if you would like to hear them. The situation is not hopeless with this little guy. It sounds like you do have some love for this boy. If that is the case, I would recomend going back for him and using a different approach to his needs. Let me explain. His behaviors are a cry for help. The special food he is getting is more than likely still grain based and is not what a carnivores system is designed for. As far as keeping him kenneled during the day is concerned, a kennel is not a bad thing. My dogs love theirs and go in and out at will. It is their own personal den space and where they take their toys and goodies. He needs to be taught that his kennel is a safe place and not something to be dreaded. If you would like to give him another chance at life, please let me know. I would be happy to help you get him through his behavior issues. He is not trying to be a bad dog. He is just asking for help. One more thing, no matter how much he dislikes being alone during the day when you are at work, being at the shelter is positively terrifying for him. Please keep in mind that dogs think a lot like young children. In his mind, his parent has gone away and he is all alone. He will look for you everytime the door opens, and will welcome you with open paws and an open heart if you go get him. Please let me know if I can help.

Answer 3

If you've had him for 10 years, why give him away now?

Answer 4

You made a terrible mistake taking your dog to the pound.   You should have found a no kill shelter or rescue at the pound there is a good chance your dog will be put down (if anything due to no room and your dogs age)

I wish you would have put more effort into it and had taken him to a no kill rescue.

You arent a terrible person, you were trying to do whats best for you and the dog, sadly you failed by taking the dog to the pound.

The dog needed to go to a no kill shelter or rescue.    Can you go back and get him and take him somewhere he won't be put down?

Answer 5

ur neglecting him, he doesn't derseve u, but why did u get him in first place? he needs alot of loves, trainnings welcoming from his family unlikely you (not the dog's fault, its yours) people getting dogs to look after when they have not go out to work left dog on their own all the time !

Answer 6

What you did is monstrous, just horrible.

You know very well that your poor dog - who loved and trusted you with his life for all these years - is going to be put down, killed, euthanized --- murdered --- just because you can't be bothered with him any more.

You are a cold, calculating, horrid person --- what goes around, comes around.   When you are old and stressed and incontinent, you may think of what you did and should not expect better treatment from those you trust and depend on.

If you have a spark of decency, you will go get that poor dog, who is in a cage, terrified, confused, waiting for you to come take him home.

Find a way to contain him in a separate room, with wee wee pads, and then go home when you finish work and walk him and play with him.   How many years can he have left?

If you can live with yourself going through with killing your dog like this, you don't deserve to call yourself a human being.

Answer 7

You are not a terrible person.  Obviously you do what you need to to take care of your family.  I would have tried to get him into an adoption agency first, however.  If you really want to see what happens to dogs in the pound, the link below was written by someone that works there.

Answer 8

Honestly, it would have been better for this poor dog if you had him to sleep yourself.....at least that way he won't die alone and scared in a terrifying shelter setting.

Sorry, but I don't have any sympathy for you. I know MANY single parents that MAKE it work. They don't dump their pets after 10 years of loyalty. Every excuse you used is FIXABLE!

Either go get your dog and recommit yourself to making it work or go get your dog and have mercy by at least putting him to sleep with you there to comfort him so he doesn't spend his last days of life alone and scared because he really has no hope of adoption. You owe him at least that.

How many people do you think are going to adopt a 10 year old mutt?

Answer 9

This is a very tough situation for everyone involved but please go to the pound and get your dog back. Take one week off from work and spend that week trying to find a good home for your dog. He has been loyal, and loving to you all his life, surely he deserves a chance now.

Dogs are animals of habit, and having a big change like that will be an awful experience for him. Also, the chances of the pound adopting him out are pretty much nil because of his age. So basically he has to stay in a pound where he will be afraid, confused, and stressed for one or two weeks then get euthanized. At the very least, have him be at home for that duration. A pound is no place to be.

Please go and get your dog back. It is the right thing to do. If you can't find a home for him after you try hard for one week, then you can always consider euthanasia. But please don't let him stay in the pound for the last weeks of his life.

Answer 10

OK, so on one hand, you recognized the fact that you weren't properly taking care of him and giving him what he needs, but you're still a horrible person for bringing him to the "Pound" instead of to a No-Kill Shelter.  

You should be sad - He doesn't have a chance at the Pound given his age, medical and behavioral problems (The latter being 100% your fault).  Even if they put him up for adoption, nobody will want him when they see the cute young dogs and puppies there - He'll be dead within a week.

Answer 11

Well, sometimes in our life we get alot on our plate and cant handle it all including a dog. But,I would have taken him to a place where they adopt them out for there are places unlike the pound. And they wouldnt put them down after a certain time.Or tried to find another home for him first!  Just my 2 cents.  

Answer 12

Good job. Your dog just got a nice death sentence. Do you know how rare it is for a 10yr dog to be adopted from the pound? I cant even ask how you had a dog for 10 years and then decided to give it up. Good job Sherlock

Answer 13

Well lets see...you've had this dog for 10yrs you neglected to train him properly which you seem to want to blame on home he had various health problems etc.    So who do you think is going to adopt a 10yo mixed breed with behaviroal problems and health problems.  You basically sentences this dog to die alone and terrified in a strange place.  No do you think that is cruel???   Pets aren't disposable when you get one you make a life time commitment.   When your daughter decides she hates you because you sent her pet off the the shelter to die,  is a few years older and become a little to much your you to handle or Lord forbid she developes a medical problem are you going to drop her off at social services and hope for the best too?     Please never get another pet again.

Answer 14

Your not horrible!  I under stand y you can't have him.  You should of tried to find a family that will take him online though.

Answer 15

Absolutly do not listen to the person above.You are NOT a terrible person at all.A dog is a huge responsibility especially when it has allergies and other problems and it takes a brave person to admit that you arent coping with him.You have done totally the right thing.Of course you feel upset and down,thats natural but you will recover in time. I am a dog owner myself and would never give up my dog but that doesnt mean you shouldnt. You are very brave and have done what is right under your personal circumstances. Good luck.                                                                                                   ISNT IT FUNNY HOW ALL THOSE who say this person has done the right thing,all have thumbs down,but all you ignorant ones who say how wicked she/he is,all have thumbs up?Whats the bet that you thumbs down people have never ever owned a dog before?

Answer 16

Did you think your dog would not age?? His behavior is your fault!

When you are old,I hope your family puts you in a home.Pay back

  There were other things you could have done,Shame on you!!

  

Answer 17

Hate to be blunt, but YES you are a horrible person for doing this to your 10 year old dog. His behavioral problems are your own fault anyhow. Did you ever try to train him throughout the past 10 years? I'm sure he's urinating in the home because he's ignored by his family and bored to tears. You've been feeding him special food and getting him allergy shots for this long, so what was it that pushed you over the edge? What made you think that your dog would be better off dead than at home with his family? Sorry, but I can't be sympathetic; I had a cocker growing up who passed on about 4 years at the age of 15...what my family wouldn't have given for 5 more precious years with him (regardless of his issues from aging). This is a despicable thing you did, and if you have even a shred of decency in you...you will drive your as$ right back down to that shelter and bring your dog home, and maybe this time, give him the attention he deserves. It takes an hour out of your morning to walk your dog...that's it...one hour. Don't you think you sound a tad foolish and silly when you look at it that way???

Edit: I decided to bite the bullet and go back and read your past questions. It sounds to me like you've got a hectic life, with little help from the people that live with you, but this is no reason to take out your frustrations on your dog. Go get your dog and bring him home. Sit your Mom and your daughter down and talk to them about what is required of them to help you train your dog and get your life in order. There is no reason why they can't help you with the situation, especially your mother who is there while you are at work and school. Put your foot down and take some responsibilty for your life and happiness, but don't forget your dog at the pound...you will never forgive yourself if you don't go get him...this will haunt you for the rest of your life!

Answer 18

~ Yes you are a terrible person.  The right thing to do if you had been a responsible pet owner would have been to find the dog a proper home.  That way you could have spoken from experience what he is like, what he needs, what are some things he doesn't like and how he behaves.  You would have been able to make sure that he was not just going to anybody and that the new family fully understood him.  By taking him to the shelter you are putting him to death.  Majority of people do not adopt senior dogs and it is even harder to adopt out a dog to good people when they know nothing about the dog.  If they take that dog home and are not prepared for him, he will surely come back to the pound.  Shelters are not super picky about who adopts the dogs out of them and I would bet he has a very slim chance to find a quality home.

Since you are an adult who should know better, I think what you did is horribly wrong and selfish and you took the easy way out.  Great way to teach your kids.  Hopefully it sits on your conscience longer than a few days.

Answer 19

Yes.  You are a horrible person.  You just condemned your dog, who gave you SO MANY damned years of love to a cold death all alone and unloved.  How could you DO that to him?  I don't care WHAT your excuses are.  You're a despicable human being and I hope your poor daughter doesn't learn from your uncaring and callous ways.

Answer 20

I won't say you are a horrible person. Everybody comes into some unexpected hard times from time to time. It isn't the choice I would have made.

There are breed specific rescue groups that could have taken him?

Do you have any family members who might want him?

Did you put up flyers at the vet's office or pet stores announcing that you had a senior dog who needs to be rehomed?

Did you post ads on Craigslist or Petfinder to see if you could find him a new home?

Apart from the almost guaranteed possibility of him being euthanized, I can hardly imagine how stressed he is now being in a kennel with other dogs, watching people come in who will most likely look over him because they are looking for a cute little puppy.

It makes me sad when something like this happens. I'd do without something before I took either one of my dogs to a kill shelter. How much is your internet service a month? Is it enough to pay for his shots? His shampoo? His food? Internet service isn't a necessity. I'm not trying to put you down, but, a pet is a commitment. They are dependent on you for every aspect of their life.

I won't say any more, but, I honestly think you should have put a little more effort and thought into this beforehand and saved yourself a little guilt. What does your daughter think about not having her dog anymore? Who keeps your daughter while you are at school or work? They can't walk the dog?

Answer 21

Did you post this to "punish" yourself?  Or did you do it in hopes of getting sympathy from people?

No one in their right mind has to come on the internet and ask a bunch of strangers if dumping a dog after 10 years of loyalty was the wrong thing to do.  You already know the answer to that.

It took you 10 years to suddenly say...oh, this dog has got to go NOW?  You had all that time, yet you couldn't be bothered to REALLY try and find him a new home?  You had 10 years to work with and train this animal, yet you'd just throw him away when you finally realized you couldn't be bothered to train him?  After 10 years of loyalty, you just forfeited him knowing full well he'd never be adopted and find a new home, but instead would be euthanized without anyone but an animal control worker at his side?

I'm sorry, sometimes I understand people can't care for their pets...I don't like it, but I can understand.  The way you went about this is very disturbing though.  God, I can only IMAGINE the example this sets for your daughter...

Answer 22

Ugh this whole story is disgusting.  This poor dog had a life of neglect and now will certainly be euthanized, feeling unloved.  You couldn't even be bothered to find him a loving home?  How long does it take to post something on Craigslist and speak to few people, until you find one who will love him.  

I know people in their 40s who still talk about pets that their parents got rid of - that will be your daughter.  She won't forget.

Answer 23

Oh my gosh, You should have put fliers up trying to find it a good home. What does your daughter think about this (obviously she grew up with the dog?) For 10 years you have put up with his wrong doings so why NOW?????

Answer 24

I don't agree with what you did. But I understand. If you can't take care of your dog anymore, what you should do is find a new home for him. When that doesn't work, then you should take him to the pound. It's whatyou did, and I don't condone you for it. It's way, WAY better than abandoning him like some people do to their pets. At least he has a chance. And he will be taken care off. Even if he eventually is put to sleep, at least he won't suffer as much.

It's alright to suffer a bit, you deserve it. But in the end, you did what you could, and that's all there is to it.

Answer 25

What happens if your daughter develops an illness, that requires lots of your valuable time, and money, would you consider her a burden and dump her in an home?

Dogs are a part of the family, as they age they do develop problems, but you just carry on and do your best for them, not just dispose of them because you consider them a burden.

Are you an horrible person for taking your dog to the pound?

The answer is yes, most definitely, what do you think the chances of him being re-homed are, l'd say none.

He has being a part of your family for the last 10 years, the poor dog will be bewildered to why he is suddenly parted from his pack.

If you have an ounce of conscience, you will get back to the pound and claim him back. Chances are he's not got many years left, doesn't he deserve to spend them with his family?

Better he spends a few hours a day with you, than his life be cut short because he's considered "past his best".

Answer 26

You are not blameless, but YOU ARE NOT A HORRIBLE PERSON.  As noted, the dog's behavioral issues are partly from your not having trained him properly and/or made him feel secure, but, what no one mentions id that it's partly the genetically thin breed, too.  Honestly, you should’ve done that research before you got the dog, but, you’re not the first one to err that way, nor even in a minority.  Now, that's water under the bridge and you're obviously sadder and wiser, now.

In the REAL world, especially in this economy, priorities and abilities change, and you need to address you and your daughter's needs first.  A sickly animal figures low against housing, food and schooling.

All those people who bagged on you, not one of them said THEY would've taken him in...  hypocrites!  EASY to preach from a distance and claim the "moral high ground", but NOT ONE OF THEM admitted to taking in rescued pets or even being a volunteer at a shelter.  If you think you need a penance, why not volunteer at a Vet's or a shelter..?

All those who condemned you for "sentencing your dog to death" are hypocrites, too.  I had to put my 16-year-old cat to sleep after seven months and thousands of dollars of medical bills.  Even after coming to grips with the situation after that long, it was still an awful thing to do, but with kidneys barely functioning, needing a quart of fluid under his skin every other day and going into convulsions, what was there left to do..?  Send him to Best Friends to pass away at the expense of other, younger pets in need..?  At least your dog has a chance, however small it is, and why do YOU need to be there to feel the pain - I don't see you running out to get another dog, anytime, soon...

Answer 27

I've read your past questions that you posted 3 months ago & seen you were considering taking your dog to the pound back then.From what I read you don't have the patience for a dog living in your home.

I am shocked that in 3 months time you couldn't have found a better solution besides taking the dog to the pound.

Never could I take one of my dogs to the pound & I don't care what reason there may be.

Last year an ex neighbor moved away & abandoned a senior Husky in their back yard. She is now 14 years old.

I had three dogs at the time & was not looking for another so I called the Humane Society to pick the dog up. When I asked if they would re home her I was told no because of her age.

She wasn't even my dog, but I couldn't carry that in my heart knowing I was sending her to death.

I went & got her before the Humane Society arrived & she has now been a part of my family & living in my home for almost a year now.

This past year has no doubt been the best days of her life & she will remain here till she passes.

I would never intentionally make things worse for any dog like you have just done.

I am sorry to say that I do think people are horrible that dumps their pets or abandons them.

Answer 28

I don't know you as a person so I can't speak on your overall character but I will say what you did to your dog is extremely unforgivable and yes does come across as a terrible person.

There is a lot of ways you COULD have handle this situation.  First, the dog had problems because you are unable to properly care for him.  Training was obviously lacking in your home and you had no idea how to correct and train your dog.  You should have gotten a trainer!

Also, at the point in which you can no longer take care of a dog you do the best thing you can for your dog.  Which would be to find the dog a good home yourself, if that doesn't work you go to the next best thing and contact a reputable rescue.  There are Cocker Spaniels rescues and small dog rescues that take in dogs and will keep them until they find a home.

You went for the least attractive option first and I agree with the other person it was very selfish of you but obviously you wanted it to be done and over and you did not want to put any work into doing it the right way and that is obvious.  For that reason yes you are a terrible person.  When you make a commitment whether you had the dog 10 years or two weeks, you do not only think of yourself but you have to think of the dog.  Putting him in a shelter only shows you didn't think of him at all!

Answer 29

All I can say is please don't ever get another dog.  Hopefully this dog will find a home or will be pulled out of the pound by a rescue group.

I am not going to insult you and say how terrible you are and all that mean-spirited stuff that I see on the responses to your post.  

But, I will reiterate my first statement...please do not ever get another dog.

Answer 30

Taking your dog to an animal shelter where he will most likely be killed is cruel and incredibly irresponsible. That dog was a good dog to you for 10 years and you abandoned him. You've taught your daughter that when a member of the family gets old and needy, you dump him.

Wonder what she will do when YOU are old and need help?

Leanne Potts

Answer 31

Wow...some people can be really cruel and i am sorry for that. You are not a bad person. You had a tough decision to make and you made it. Things happen and you have to do what is best for you and your child,and I actually believe you did what was best for the dog. What you described the dog doing is actually his way of acting out and letting you know that he is not happy. It's not normal for a dog to urinate on the owner's bedding. it's not normal for a dog to terrorize your home. dont second guess yourself.