Giving away a pet...

[baron555 934]

Have any of you ever had to do this? Did you feel a lot of guilt?

I'm trying to re-home my little guy Oscar because it's just becoming a problem for Jared and I. He has so much energy and we don't have the time for him.

I got a call today from a lady who is interested. After I got off the phone with her I felt a little sad.

Take him to a no-kill Rescue organization. That is the best way if you can't rehome it on your own.

[Y's_habibitk 2]

It sounds like you are goign to keep him after all but I'll share this anyway incase you later do rehome him

I just recently gave my German Shepherd away. I posted on craigslist and got alot of responses. The first response made it feel "real" and I wigged out a bit. I let the guy come see her and was going to give her to him but it didnt feel right. I felt guilty and sad and all of those emotions that go along with giving a pet away.

A few days later I got a response from someone and just knew this was where she was meant to be. They fell in love with her pic and drove an hour and a half to come pick her up. She now lives out in the country with a family that spoils her rotten. The family has emailed me and kept me updated, everyone is super happy(including Akasha ).

As everyone else said, it makes it easier when you know the new owner will update you and keep in touch.

Good Luck in whatever you decide.

[JillA 2]

If you HAVE to give away your pet, I'd recommend your nearest SPCA if you can't find someone yourself. My wife and I volunteer with the BCSPCA and they take fantastic care of the animals and have a very thorough screening process for potential owners.

That's not always the best option though, as the SPCA near me is putting dogs to sleep, even young ones as they have no room for them and are overwhelmed with people bringing in animals

[Danu 19]

One of my friends had to do something similar recently and she also did an open adoption. She goes to visit Rusty about once a month, and the new owners bought another little boxer to be Rusty's playmate. Hes in the country so they do just let him out but he has acres and acres to run on, and they have little kids who play with him. Its still very hard for her but he is very happy. On the other hand, dogs do settle down after awhile and even if they are alone for a little bit during the day I'm sure that you do tons for him when you are home. I would wait for a bit, see how things go with him and you before you decide to give him away, just to make sure its what you actually want and that its not a rushed choice made on something else.

[thetreble 19]

Agreed.

We have had him since February so we've had awhile with him now.

One of the biggest problems I have is that when I have my days off I feel like I take care of them all day. My husband isn't really home enough to help me because he works long hours so he looks after them on his days off by himself and I do the same on the weekends alone. It's hard because I feel like I can't go anywhere. And if we wanted to go away for a weekend, I don't like kennels, and my in laws don't like taking care of both of them.

BUT- my day-time dog walker, Dave, says I need to get over that. If I need to go out for the night, that it's okay to leave them alone. That they are "at home" in their cage. I think I have to start getting a better attitude about that.

[DeadPoolX 9]

Agreed.

We have had him since February so we've had awhile with him now.

One of the biggest problems I have is that when I have my days off I feel like I take care of them all day. My husband isn't really home enough to help me because he works long hours so he looks after them on his days off by himself and I do the same on the weekends alone. It's hard because I feel like I can't go anywhere. And if we wanted to go away for a weekend, I don't like kennels, and my in laws don't like taking care of both of them.

BUT- my day-time dog walker, Dave, says I need to get over that. If I need to go out for the night, that it's okay to leave them alone. That they are "at home" in their cage. I think I have to start getting a better attitude about that.

Okay, this may sound odd, but what about Doggy Daycare? I've seen places like that before in Canada (specifically Vancouver and Edmonton). I don't know if it exists in the U.S. and if it does, where exactly. But it's something to look into.

[NArocks 13]

Agreed.

We have had him since February so we've had awhile with him now.

One of the biggest problems I have is that when I have my days off I feel like I take care of them all day. My husband isn't really home enough to help me because he works long hours so he looks after them on his days off by himself and I do the same on the weekends alone. It's hard because I feel like I can't go anywhere. And if we wanted to go away for a weekend, I don't like kennels, and my in laws don't like taking care of both of them.

BUT- my day-time dog walker, Dave, says I need to get over that. If I need to go out for the night, that it's okay to leave them alone. That they are "at home" in their cage. I think I have to start getting a better attitude about that.

They are preparing you for children It is hard to leave a pet in a cage and go out, I felt like a bad mom when I did this to my weiner dog, but she would get mad when we left and tear up the house. I felt the same way first time I dropped my daughter at daycare but animals like children are survivors. I wish you the best...........

[Sprailenes 47]

Amanda a friend at work here is from up that way and she knows a whole bunch of places her sister goes to. So I am going to try to get you a list. Doggy daycare, obedience schools... the works.

[JillA 2]

Doggy day care is ideal, but pretty pricey (especially for 2 dogs). Maybe it could be a "treat"

[NArocks 13]

Doggy day care is ideal, but pretty pricey (especially for 2 dogs). Maybe it could be a "treat"

Yeah so you can haz alone time ??

[MissStacey 1]

Agreed.

We have had him since February so we've had awhile with him now.

One of the biggest problems I have is that when I have my days off I feel like I take care of them all day. My husband isn't really home enough to help me because he works long hours so he looks after them on his days off by himself and I do the same on the weekends alone. It's hard because I feel like I can't go anywhere. And if we wanted to go away for a weekend, I don't like kennels, and my in laws don't like taking care of both of them.

BUT- my day-time dog walker, Dave, says I need to get over that. If I need to go out for the night, that it's okay to leave them alone. That they are "at home" in their cage. I think I have to start getting a better attitude about that.

Cooper is the first dog I ever had a kennel for. I had a bit of a hard time about buying one for for him because I just didn't know how I felt about them. Cooper seemed to like being under things- like the bed so I thought maybe he would like a kennel and feel secure in it.

He loves it. He'll sleep in there during the day sometimes but I try to keep the door closed so he can't go in because he likes to pull out his bedding and chew it up. If I need to go out or have to put him away when the cleaning ladies come (they are scared of him), I'll grab a chicken treat and he runs for the kennel. At night, as soon as I say "bed time" he goes right to it.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I'll chime in about the little beagle next door as well. I dog sat her before she was put to sleep earlier this year. She LOVED her crate. She would rather spend time in her crate than outdoors or anywhere else. Even when the family was around, if she wasn't playing and interacting with them she would be found sleeping in her crate with the door wide open. So, remember that dogs are 'den' animals by heritage so your dogs may not find spending the time in their crates as difficult to manage as you do.

I hope you keep him. I'm sure it will get easier, and if you need to go away it sounds like you do have access to your dog walker who can look after them. I used to have a vet technician from my vet clinic who pet sat on the side come and look after the cats when I was away. Good luck in finding a workable solution.

[Mephys 2]

If you HAVE to give away your pet, I'd recommend your nearest SPCA if you can't find someone yourself. My wife and I volunteer with the BCSPCA and they take fantastic care of the animals and have a very thorough screening process for potential owners.

That's not always the best option though, as the SPCA near me is putting dogs to sleep, even young ones as they have no room for them and are overwhelmed with people bringing in animals

I would like to second that. And if you bring him to a no kill shelter, well let me tell you that the screening they do might be ok in a way, but sometimes they miss out on very good families for the pets just because of that stupid screening.

I work with a lady, she's been a vet tech for 20 years, she has own pugs for 20 years, and believe it or not, she tried to adopt a pug with special needs from a shelter in Indiana and they denied her!!!! I mean come one, she has all the vet care she needs at work and she knows that breed like no one else does.

Or another tech her sister wanted to adopt a cat and they refused because she has a 5 yo kid....... Ok well guess what I got 3 cats with a 3 yo and they are JUST FINE.

They deny you if you don't have 6 acres of backyard for a dog, etc, etc. I mean all these things are technicalities and it doesn't mean that the family won't provide the needed care.

There is so many well intentioned people out there that are getting denied to adopt a pet it makes me sick. They need a home and shelters are so overloaded that other pets end up being put to sleep because shelters won't take anymore. Then why don't they let people adopt ???? It's a huge problem IMO. I agree not everybody is able to provide the best care for an animal, but a lot of them are. It's sad.

Amanda I hope you get everything sorted out. I mean yo probably spend more time with your dog than anyone else. And a beagle, well, even if you walk them 20 hours a day they will still bounce off the walls. It's not that you don't give them enough exercise, it's the way they are.

[Misty1979 0]

If you HAVE to give away your pet, I'd recommend your nearest SPCA if you can't find someone yourself. My wife and I volunteer with the BCSPCA and they take fantastic care of the animals and have a very thorough screening process for potential owners.

That's not always the best option though, as the SPCA near me is putting dogs to sleep, even young ones as they have no room for them and are overwhelmed with people bringing in animals

I would like to second that. And if you bring him to a no kill shelter, well let me tell you that the screening they do might be ok in a way, but sometimes they miss out on very good families for the pets just because of that stupid screening.

I work with a lady, she's been a vet tech for 20 years, she has own pugs for 20 years, and believe it or not, she tried to adopt a pug with special needs from a shelter in Indiana and they denied her!!!! I mean come one, she has all the vet care she needs at work and she knows that breed like no one else does.

Or another tech her sister wanted to adopt a cat and they refused because she has a 5 yo kid....... Ok well guess what I got 3 cats with a 3 yo and they are JUST FINE.

They deny you if you don't have 6 acres of backyard for a dog, etc, etc. I mean all these things are technicalities and it doesn't mean that the family won't provide the needed care.

There is so many well intentioned people out there that are getting denied to adopt a pet it makes me sick. They need a home and shelters are so overloaded that other pets end up being put to sleep because shelters won't take anymore. Then why don't they let people adopt ???? It's a huge problem IMO. I agree not everybody is able to provide the best care for an animal, but a lot of them are. It's sad.

Amanda I hope you get everything sorted out. I mean yo probably spend more time with your dog than anyone else. And a beagle, well, even if you walk them 20 hours a day they will still bounce off the walls. It's not that you don't give them enough exercise, it's the way they are.

I agree and disagree a little with everything from this post. SOME screening is definitely needed, because I have volunteered at both kinds of shelters...ones who screen ridiculously and ones that don't screen at all. The shelter I volunteered at in Victoria luckily was no-kill, but ended up having to change that policy I think mostly due to severe screening, and not having enough room for all the poochies. Here in CA, they don't screen at all, and it breaks my heart everytime a dog is adopted out and either brought back promptly because the owner couldn't handle it, or mistreated because they didn't bother checking the adoptee's background first.

I do think that not adopting a pet out because the potential owner doesn't have six acres of land is ridiculous though, and unless a particular pet has a problem with children, I don't see why they wouldn't adopt the pet to a family with a child, that is just silliness

PS-Amanda, if I lived on your side of the country, I would take your little guy in a heartbeat! He's such a cutie. No matter what you decide, I wish you and your canine companion the best...you'll figure out what's best for everyone I just know it

Edited July 29, 2009 by Misty1979

[thetreble 19]

I wouldn't put him in a Shelter because we can take care of him. Like, it's not like we are desperate to get him out because we can't afford him or he bites people or something. It's just been frustrating.

But doggie day care might be a good thing once and awhile to give Jared and I some time alone.

Interesting what you say, Kathryn, about the kennel. They are both good in the cage. The only time he's not is when Bella isn't with him in her cage. When she's not with him, he cries