More stupid HUMANS

I agree.  I hope that he does not continue to have custody of this pup.  Its sad that people take on responsibilites that they cannot follow through with.  I see this happen a lot, with all kinds of things, not just animals.  Its important that people put forth wilpower and restraint, especially when it comes to that super cute pup.... if you can't care for it correctly.

Jeez.  I don't think he should get the dog back either.  He could, I suppose, be philosophically opposed to vaccination...however, the impression I get is that people who feel that way (indeed, I am beginning to think much more about the issue myself) are generally people who do lots of research, find out how to best care for their pets..are generally concerned and loving pet owners who do not see PTS as the best option, regardless of finances.  Looking sad is not enough for me, in that situation.
 
I'm sorry, but this has really affected me.  As you might imagine, black Labradors are close to my heart.
 
Kate

That's really a sad situation.  Our local paper last night showed two pups from a litter of six that are up for adoption at the shelter - 10 weeks old - lab/cocker mix. I'm sure they're already spayed/neutered and I'm just as sure that somebody either dumped a pregnant bitch at the shelter or dumped a litter of pups - all which could have been avoided with one trip to the vet which was obviously too much trouble for somebody.

Joyce

I know my name is Angel but here I go to play the devils advocate here.
I don't really know how old this guys is or what his circumstances were and are. What I do know is this person, rather than letting this pup suffer a horrible death, He decided his only option was to have the suffering ended. Don't fault him because he may not have had the finances at this time to treat the dog or may have thought he didn't have that kind of money... cause it was going to be thousands of dollars.. what ever his thinking and what ever his shoes he stands in, I at least commend him for seeking out means for the suffering to end like NOW. He could have like the others who have no money and no conceince of another life, have tossed the dog into a dumpster or dumped on the side of a dead end rode. Ar least he had the compassion for the animal to stop the pain like NOW and his sadness reflected his circumstances.

Like today. I have taken in a 16 - 18 yr old dog into my home as a Perminant foster. The story behind it is simple. The owner 96 yr old and his wife of 94 have been deemed to live in an assisted home type surroundings and is unable to take his faithful old companion with him of 16 years. This gentleman adopted his dog when the dog was he thinks 2 years old already.
Long story short, the elderly man could not find a home for his dog and the agency which he originally adopted from turned him away saying the dog was too old to be rehomed and they didn't have the space. So, not able to find a home for his buddy, he asked all the vet's if they would pts his buddy and he would be there while it was being done to say his last good byes to his best friend of 16yrs. The man got teary eyed and choked when he learned I was going to take his boy home with me, knowing the dog will live out his life in my home because of his age brought comfort to him. He confessed to me he had not slept in weeks because he could not find anyone to take his best friend. And because he has no choice in this matter. He said he felt so guilty about even thinking of having his companion pts, but felt he had no other choice but too so that he knew his buddy would never suffer or feel abandoned in a cage at Animal Control where it would have been PTS right off the bat. He realized the commitment to ownership and didn't want his companion to be lost, abused or abandoned and not knowing his faite (sp)  He made a concious  decision to help his companion over the rainbow bridge. That is called responsiblity as the guy who would rather see the suffering of his young companion made a concious decision in the name of the pets wellness.

OK I'll get off my soap box... nuff said.... [sm=soap%20box.gif]

 

Angel - I don't disagree...I'm the first to admit that my above reaction was a purely emotional one.  Right now my own little black labrador puppy is downstairs asleep, and I got so sad at the thought of anything happening to him - it was just an emotional connection.  I know there are always reasons, even if we'd prefer not to understand them....a close family member of mine ran the wildlife sector of the local humane society, and I know all too well that sometimes it is the most humane option available. 
 
That being said, I wish the man in question had at least first asked the vet what his options might be.  Evidence that he had done that would have softened the impact of the post, for me.
 
Kate

Not knowing the man's situation, I think the risk of vaccination is a better risk than the risk of Parvo. But, agreed, one should accept certain financial obligations in owning pet. There is, in fact, more to it than just setting out a bowl of whatever.
 

You raise a good point. At almost 17, my cat, who I had since she was 5 months as a stray, went into drastic kidney failure. She had been on kidney formula for about a year. It was on a Sunday, when my vet is closed. So, I was at the Collin County Emergency Animal Hospital in Plano, Texas. They did have a procedure that would ease her discomfort but it would only delay the inevitable. And more money than I could really afford. As the vet tech put it, at her age, there were no wrong decisions. So, if I broke my bank account I could buy her a little more time and then be at the same decision again, later. So, I made the decision for her to go to sleep. It wasn't about the money, it was about her quality of life and getting to the point where more days are filled with pain and discomfort than anything. She didn't even have the energy to drink out of her water bowl. And she went to sleep in my arms, one last time. And it still hurts like a son of a you-know-what.
 
And, perhaps, the man in this situation didn't know that other options were available and figuring that no one would help him pay for treatment, as you said, may have opted for the no-pain solution. And he did bring the animal in. He could have easily borrow a .38 and gone out to a field and ended the suffering.
 
It's a toughie, in any regard.
 

Well, I agree with you all, and I know that part of the post was short winded (the "in his defense he looked sad part") but thats why I put that part in the post.  I DONT know his situation, and he DID look sad... but, you've got to protect that life you just took in, and if you dont, youve got to be willing to treat whatever he gets.  I just found it sad that he did not protect this dog from a disease, then was not willing to treat him for it... for whatever reason he may have had... I found it sad and disappointing.  I guess I assume the worst with what I see every day.... I could post a million things a day that happened, or what I cried about today... I know you also work in rescue Angel... and you are a helluvalot better than me at it.  But... I try, and when I get upset, I come here and tell you guys.  Dont worry about playing devils advocate with me... you will find it incredibly hard to get me upset or offended, I love this forum FOR the different opinions and thoughts and people. 
 
Sometimes my mood might come across a little different, to be expected with any living person.. and with how often I have come to post... but I dont ever mean to offend and I dont ever mean to take offense... even if someone flat out insults me (which hasnt happened) Im very level headed and always try to keep my head high and respond appropriately.  Maybe that comes from being married to a hot-head I dunno.  Sorry to ramble off topic, just wanted to let yall know I am always open to your thoughts.
 
It just REALLY hurt me and the vet to think we had to PTS this healthy dog (the guys situation aside)... luckily - we talked each other out of it. (or looked at each other out of it lol).

Yeah, I agree. It really does suck when someone wants to pts a perfectly good dog that has no problems. I agree with that.
 
I was just trying to get everyone to think on the other side of the box so to speak. After all it is a guy... no offense to the guys on this forum, but most guys don't think compassionately like us girls do.. lol

I didn't mean my post as to be mean or anything like that and certainly not yelling at you either.
 
It is hard to deal with situations like this and there are many many other situations which break my heart in two and I do blubber like an idiot. Someone has too for the pets sake.
 
Your heart is in the right place my dear, that is for sure.
 
What boils my blood is when someone brings in a healthy old pet just to pts because they want a puppy. That makes me see RED for sure.
Over the years, you learn you cannot save them all, but the ones you do makes you feel like you are on top of the world.
 
 

At the vet clinic I work at we have a really hard time getting people to pay for their pets. I know it's sad just to turn a person away for not having money but in order fot the clinic to stay open, they can't loose money. We require a $250 deposit for parvo pups and emergencies simply because in the past too many people did not pay and now we are out something like $12,000. Imagin how we could have even nicer equipment for the animals if we had that money. We need a new x-ray machine but just can't aford one at the moment.

The way I see it is that if you can't pay for a simple wellness exam once a year how are you going to pay for the food and care the dog needs? It only puts the dog at risk when the owner can't aford to pay for stuff like that. I know there are orginazations out ther that have money to help but they can only spread it so far.

It's sad but when someone gets a dog they should be more responsible for covering the price it takes to care for it. I guess the best example I can compair to is like when a person buys a car they make shure they can aford it first and whatever repairs it needs otherwise it will be taken away.

I agree with you Xebby.  We have something similar going on at our vet clinic.
Last Wednesday a woman came in with her puppy and it was determined to have parvo. We hooked the pup to IV's and started treatment on it.  When the woman went to leave, our receptionist told her that she needed to fill out her new client paperwork and that we needed at least $100 down for the parvo treatment.  The woman said that she had no money.  The receptionist told her that she would have to fill out a financial agreement and that she could post date a check for the hundred dollars.  The woman then stated that her checkbook was in the car and that she needed to run out and get it. Needless to say, she took off and we haven't heard from her since!!  So now we are stuck with a 9 month old Spaniel mix with parvo... The vet really doesn't want to continue treatment because there is no responsible party to foot the bill.  Don't know how this one is going to turn out.[>:][sm=banghead002.gif]

We have an 85% sucess rate for parvo dogs at my clinc. We have a isolation room and everything needed to treat this. But some do die and theres no stoping that. One lady wrote us a deposit check after much argument with the recepsionist and so we treated the pup. It was almost dead when it came in and ended up dieing after we tried everything for it. The final bill was over $300 but the lady refused to pay the rest of the bill and we ended up paying for the creamation. Soon after the check bounced and we were out the whole amout.

Another lady who breeds chiwhawhas only gives her dog half the vaccination on her own because she think since they are so small they don't need all of it, NOT TRUE! Her dogs always end up with parvo. Her home remidy is to hold the pup up over and open flame[] Then they come in with blisters and parvo worse that anything wev'e seen. We no longer treet her dogs because we just can't stand this type of abuse. She has been fined several times with abuse charges but contuniues to breed. She keeps her dog in small kennels all their life and breeds larg males to to small of femals then wonders why the puppies woun't come out.

I guess I could go on about stories like thoes that happen in the clinic I work at but I just wanted to show that not all people can be trusted to have pets. There are many cases that just can not be helped, for some dogs it's better just to be put down than to live a horrible life with such a person. Some owners know that when they come in they feel better to deal with the problem at hand than to take a sick dog home and make it even more miserable. It's a really hard call for everyone.

Hold the pup over an open flame??????? OMGWTF???  I really, really hope that this woman doesn't have children..[:@]

The woman then stated that her checkbook was in the car and that she needed to run out and get it. Needless to say, she took off and we haven't heard from her since!

NOW THAT is irresponsible to say the least.
 oor pup.