Why aspca places put aggressive dogs sleep on animal planet? ?

Question

they can train those dogs for adoption right. they didn't give dogs chance if train the dogs does work or not. then put them sleep away. they do behavior test if dogs failed put them sleep. thanks it is awful to me

Answer 1

Yes, they can train the dogs.  BUT, the cannot get rid of the "aggression" completely.  It will always be there and may come out unexpectedly.

Answer 2

we euthanize thousands of dogs DAILY in this country.  Even nice dogs that dont have aggression issues still get put to sleep!

It may not seem fair.. but its not fair that any of them have to be euthanized.  There's just not enough homes for them.  A dog with aggression issues is a liability.. even with training.  There's a good possability that a dog who displays aggressive behavoirs may cause someone harm later.

The ASPCA is about successful adoptions.  Adopting out a dog that has the potential to become aggressive is not going to mean success.  As it sits, people already use the excuse of "you dont know the dog's history" as a reason to buy from a breeder instead of adoption.

There's plenty of other dogs with good temperments that need homes.

Answer 3

Tell me, how many of these aggressive dogs have you taken into your home and rehabilitated?  Not every family has the means or the knowledge to train and rehabilitate aggressive pets.  Then there is the liability issue.  If you had children, would you bring an aggressive dog into your household?   Most people wouldn't.  Shelters do not have the time, knowledgeable people or the money to rehabilitate potentially dangerous dogs.  Dogs with behavior issues in a shelter situation get worse instead of better.  They also take up the room and resources that could be put towards more adoptable animals.  While people want to save all shelter animals ( which is commendable) not all should be saved.  The best way to save dogs  is to prevent them from being in the shelter in the first place.  This can be done by proper training and educating pet owners.

Answer 4

Because, in places where dogs come in and out as quickly as large cities like the ASPCA, they don't have the time or the money to invest in someone to take care of the animals and their needs.

I have rescued two APBT's from the ASPCA in NJ, whom otherwise would have been put down. But I can't make drives like that all the time. Its about a twelve hour drive each way, and its difficult to have a shelter hold a dog that is dangerous.

I mostly work locally now, grabbing APBT's from shelters in the six surrounding states around me, I've rescued 246 this year, and currently have seven in my care that are being rehabilitated (like the boy in my icon) and will be re homed by Spring of next year.

If more trainers would step up and take the challenge, we'd have a lower euthanasia rate of these beautiful animals, and a higher adoption rate. We'd also have more room in shelters if people would step up and take them into their homes even if its just for a foster, that would dramatically cut down on the death rates in shelters.

But its willingness VS hope.

Answer 5

Some dogs can be rehabilitated, yes.  But not all.  Dogs with severe aggression problems are a danger to the people and other animals around them.  And you have to remember too, not everyone is trained in dog rehabilitation... most of us aren't.  Not everyone can handle a dog with an aggressive history.  In unprofessional hands these dogs are disasters waiting to happen.  I agree that seeing the dogs euthanized is sad, but sometimes it's the most humane route in the end for all involved.

Answer 6

Because you can't adopt out an aggressive dog -- that is a serious liability.

And, frankly, the ASPCA doesn't have the time or resources to try to "rehabilitate" these dogs, even if it could be done.

Which -- often -- it can't.

Answer 7

IMO, they simply don't have the manpower to put into training them.  The SPCA is a non-profit agency, and due to the overwhelming population of homeless dogs, they can't afford to spend the time it takes to rehabilitate these poor dogs.  Fortunately for a few, there are rescue groups that can help take on some of the burden, but due to BYB's an puppymills there are more dogs than these people can take on.  Again, this is just my opinion, so take it as such. :-)

HDB:  I'm guessing they do that to see if the dog would be able to put up with someone actually doing that, like a kid.  They have no idea a lot of the time where the dog is going to end up, and if the dog does end up with a family they have to be sure it can handle that situation.

Answer 8

I've wondered the same thing about some of the dogs  that they say are "aggressive."  

It seems to me sometimes that they keep poking and prodding that poor animal while he's eating until he finally gets irritated and attacks the rubber hand.  Sometimes it seems like they're trying to get to attack.

EDIT TO ADD:

Linz, I understand what you're saying, but I remember one episode in particular , where the dog had passed

every test with flying colors.  Then came the eating test, and the dog had passed that too ... after 6 or 7 pushes and pokes with the rubber hand ... but it seemed like the woman giving the test kept pushing the dog until the dog

finally attacked the hand.  Poor dog was put to sleep. It just seemed like the woman wanted the dog to flunk.

The Shelter near me will adopt out animals that food aggressive, but the dogs do come with that warning.    This wasn't the case with the episode that I  watched.

Answer 9

It is very awful that people who love animals so much have no other choice but to put them down. It's a hard thing for everyone. But the hospitals and shelters just cannot hold many animals, and aggressive dogs are far less likely to be adopted, so they put them to sleep, they would have no chance of being in a home. They would be in a small cage for the rest of their life. You just need to make sure people know to spay and neuter pets, this would help the problem  A LOT.

Answer 10

They don't really have any other option. Money is tight and they want to use their resources on dogs they can adopt out more quickly. Shelter space is limited and if they keep dogs that need lots of training to make them adoptable they have to turn away dogs that have a better disposition because of lack of space. They all do a fantastic job and they do all they can with the resources and time they have. Thank you to all of the wonderful people that work so hard to help dogs.

You shouldn't be angry at the ASPCA but at the people that make those dogs what they are. We need tougher laws for those people that abuse animals. We need to ban BSL, it only hurts good owners not the people that abuse those breeds. ( APBT, Staff Terriers, Rotties, etc)

I wish that we could save every dog, but I realize that at this point we can't.

Show your pets you love them. Spay and neuter your pets.  

Answer 11

There are just some dogs that can not be put up for adoption.  They have had a life that has taught them to fight or be aggressive.  You just can't retrain them all.  So it is really best to have them put to sleep, then to have a disaster if they were adopted out.  Yes it is sad.  It could be stopped if the idiots that train their dogs to be aggressive would just stop.  

Answer 12

They feel those dogs are to far gone.  Trust me you might take it for granted being able to rub you dog while it is eating or even walk by the dish with out it nipping at your ankles.

Answer 13

It is sad.  But they have so many aggressive dogs.  They don't have the time, the funding, or enough people to do it.  

Answer 14

Because a lot of the dogs cannot be trusted and the shelters would be libel if they adopted out a dog and it attacked someone.Many of them are fighting dogs and have been trained to be aggressive. Also,to train them ,it costs money,which most of the shelters don't have.The exception seems to be the New York ASPCA. Because they have a lot of wealthy supporters,they do everything in their power to train the dogs to not be aggressive and place them in homes.They very rarely euthanize a dog.They also treat seriously ill or injured dogs,while the shelters in Detroit,Miami and Houston seem to almost automatically euthanize dogs with cancer, severe mange or heartworm or severe injuries rather than treat them.

HDB - I agree with you about that d**n rubber hand.I think most of the dogs KNOW it isn't a real hand,and so they get annoyed. I know that my dogs know the difference between a rubber hand and a real hand. And they do just keep taunting the dogs.I think I would bite it,too!!