What's best for *this* dog?

[manning]

Know anyone who is willing to take it? If I could I would and say I opened the door one day and there was a cold shivering stray standing there and I didn't have the heart to turn it away.

 

[yoopermom]

out side adoption is another idea- some people w/ no kids may be an option for this dog

They spoke to a lawyer, who strongly discouraged this. He said that if the dog were to bite someone again the victim could come after the original and the new owners (the original for knowingly giving a biter to the new owners).

Terri

 

[Hannathy]

You never answered my question. It sounds like this dog has bitten before, has it? I find it unusual that the insurance would take such a strong stand if there wasn't problems before. Then it is a different discussion.

Like I said my DD sustained a quite serious bite but they were not required to put the dog down, because it was the first time it had happened.

 

[JessicaR]

Just out of curiosity - why did the dog bite? Is the family actively seeking the dog be put down? I understand if you don't want to discuss it.

 

[christiane]

I know you didn't want to go into details about the bite, but the details are at the crux of this matter. Was the bite provoked?

If the bite was provoked, then I would look into other homing options for the dog. I would also include a behaviour assessment with a specialist.

If the bite was not provoked or there is history of aggression, then euthanasia would be best. I would not send a dog to a no-kill shelter to live out it's life in seclusion.

The insurance company is taking a very hard line in this situation. I know when you apply for home insurance, you have to indicate whether your dogs have ever bitten, but I wasn't aware they would cancel the policy if there was a documented bite.

 

[manning]

Take a look at this site, particularly this

In Michigan and Pennsylvania, it's illegal for home insurers to deny coverage simply because a home has a dog of a particular breed, according to III. Other states have similar laws pending

http://www.insure.com/articles/homeinsurance/dog-owners.html

And this site with this reference

State Farm does require policyholders to answer questions about dogs on their home insurance applications. Specifically, the company wants to know if a dog has ever bitten anyone or if it has been trained for attack purposes.

If the dog has bitten someone, State Farm will want to know the circumstances surrounding the bite to determine if it is likely to happen again and if precautions have been taken to prevent it. Other factors the company looks at are the seriousness of the injury and whether the attack was provoked or unprovoked

"We are most concerned about any dog bites or attacks," McCollum says. "If a dog had two or three unprovoked bites, we would probably still take a very, very close look at the situation . . . [but] one dog bite wouldn't necessarily mean automatic cancellation of your policy."

 

[pixiewings71]

I don't know why this rubbed me the wrong way, but it did.

I think most people ARE aware how quick and "simple" it is. That's not the issue, with doing so. Or at least not for any of the pet owner friends I have.

It's that simple? What?

It's OK, that rubbed me wrong too. It's never ever "simple" to put any animal down. We found an abandoned kitten, we found her on a Wednesday night, Friday evening we had to make the horrible, hard, sad choice to put her down. She was sick, and unfortunately she wasn't getting better, we tried but it wasn't working. So we had to make the choice to put her down, it wasn't simple at all, it was heartwrenching and we cried for hours. Maybe it's over quickly in most cases but it's never a simple choice to make. Maybe I should say, it's never an easy choice to make.

OP the dog must have a history of biting, otherwise the ins. company would not be dropping them over one bite. I know what I'm talking about, my neighbors had a Pit Bull that killed my cat (my cat was in my yard when the attack started and she never went into their yard at all), we found out that he had killed prior to our cat and they were allowed to keep the dog. After the hearing they still could have kept the dog and he did in fact go back to their house but after about a month, maybe 2, he was gone. We really don't know what happened but we think they took him to family they have living in Oregon and just gave the dog to them. They did have a list of things they needed to do before they could bring him home, things like have a $2 million dollar home owners insurance policy with the dog listed, having a fully enclosed run for him so he could escape the backyard (he did escape, he came after me one day after having escaped the yard), he had to be chipped and a record was made of his biting history, there were other rules as well but I can't remember them all now, we received a letter that stated everything they had to do to get him back. Anyway, there were things they had to do and this was the 2nd time this particular dog had attacked and KILLED a smaller animal. Knowing that I suspect this dog has bitten before. Suspecting that I would say the dog needs to be put down. Not a simple or easy choice but probably for the best for this dog.

 

[LuLuO]

I'd put the dog down. Much more humane in my eyes.

I agree. It is devastating for the family I'm sure but much more humane for the dog.

 

[Hannathy]

As the PP are also saying this can't be the first bite, the insurance would not be so hard line with 1 bite, that doesn't even sound that serious (at least how I'm reading it)

If it has bitten before then it does need to be put down since the family doesn't know how to deal with a dog, and hopefully never get another one.

 

[Swalphin]

Bugged me, too.



An old arthritic dog bit someone....he was probably in pain and needed to let the person hurting him know that they were hurting him.

Once again I am sad I live in a condo with a pet-weight-limit, because I have the urge to take the doggie in and give him glucosamine and chondroitin and maybe arnica to help him feel better...

Quote:
Originally Posted by CathrynRose
I don't know why this rubbed me the wrong way, but it did.

I think most people ARE aware how quick and "simple" it is. That's not the issue, with doing so. Or at least not for any of the pet owner friends I have.

It's that simple? What?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Make it three, I do not like the sentiment of "simple" to have a family member sentenced to death.
Was the dog provoked pulled, rough housed?
The dog may be in pain due to undiagnosed illness.
I would discuss the situation with my insurer and find out specifically what can be done,for example get a letter from my vet of the dogs history and any medical issues that might have caused the dog to react in the way it did. I would obtain a police report that the dog does not have a record of previous aggresive behavior, or biting.

I would consult with an attorney, the situation seems a little too black and white.

If this was my 10 year old dog there is no way in heck I would take this situation lying down. I would call my agent and if they could not give me an alternative I would continue to the next, and the next manager.

 

[EllenFrasier]

If the dog had the potential to bite and the owners knew that and it happened anyway, well they have brought this heartache on themselves. All dogs could bite if injured or provoked enough. Without knowing all the details I cannot form an opinion.
If the dog bit before and had a history of aggressive behavior, then they must have known this day was coming.
If the dog never bit before and this was a first, then I do not understand why they are being ordered to get rid of the dog. Makes no sense to me.
I would not send my dog off to live in a kennel somewhere. Especially since the dog has been an indoor pet all it's life - that is just cruel.
If they can find another home for the dog, all they have to do is have a contract drawn up that they are not responsible for the dog as of the date of the contract - I would think that would cover them.

 

[roscoepc1]

I don't know why this rubbed me the wrong way, but it did.

I think most people ARE aware how quick and "simple" it is. That's not the issue, with doing so. Or at least not for any of the pet owner friends I have.

It's that simple? What?

Oh good grief....looking for something to have a hissy over, much? I meant in the context of it being quick and painless, rather than an excrutiating, drawn-out process. I don't think anyone with a heart could think otherwise.

And no, there are LOTS of people who DON'T know....I've personally spoken with some who thought their pet would be asphyxiated, drowned, strangled or shot or something....and my sister is an AHT, as is my nephew's fiancee, and they both tell the same stories often.

As for the other people who stated it rubbed them wrong too, read the above...

Perhaps you shouldn't be reading emotional threads if you're LOOKING for something to twist out of context and be "rubbed wrong" about. I was stating the PHYSICAL process, NOT the emotional one, and I never stated otherwise.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Hard to believe so many are willing to put this dog down without even knowing the circumstances.

If I thought the dog was vicious, there wouldn't be a question. I would not send it to live its life out in a kennel at age 10 away from its family. If the dog was truly vicious, I would make the difficult (not simple) choice to put it down.

But (and it's a big but), I would want to analyze the circumstances of the bite. If I felt there were extenuating circumstances in an otherwise stable dog, I'd probably get my own lawyer and temporarily put the dog in a safe home with reliable friends or family (and no children) while the case was evaluated.

 

[LuLuO]

The OP asked a specific question, either euthanize the dog or send it to a no kill shelter to live out the rest of it's life with minimal human interaction. If the owners are going to choose between those two outcomes, both of which stink, then I would choose to euthanize because the other one is much more cruel than euthanizing.

Maybe the dog has bitten before. Maybe the insurance company is facing a large payout for medical treatment. Maybe funds aren't there to hire a lawyer. Maybe the dog is sick and bit becaue it was in pain or tormented in some way. Maybe the owners just plain suck. We can ask about circumstances all we want but it seems to me that OP, clearly saddened over the situation, must realize that this is the point that the owners are at and that alternative solutions have either been exhausted or are not going to be explored.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The title of the thread is What's best for *this* dog?

 

[CathrynRose]

Oh good grief....looking for something to have a hissy over, much? I meant in the context of it being quick and painless, rather than an excrutiating, drawn-out process. I don't think anyone with a heart could think otherwise.

And no, there are LOTS of people who DON'T know....I've personally spoken with some who thought their pet would be asphyxiated, drowned, strangled or shot or something....and my sister is an AHT, as is my nephew's fiancee, and they both tell the same stories often.

As for the other people who stated it rubbed them wrong too, read the above...

Perhaps you shouldn't be reading emotional threads if you're LOOKING for something to twist out of context and be "rubbed wrong" about. I was stating the PHYSICAL process, NOT the emotional one, and I never stated otherwise.

Relax. No one is having a "hissy fit".

 

[Mermaid02]

I think the circumstances surrounding the bite are crucial here. Can't answer without knowing the details.

 

[yoopermom]

The OP asked a specific question, either euthanize the dog or send it to a no kill shelter to live out the rest of it's life with minimal human interaction. If the owners are going to choose between those two outcomes, both of which stink, then I would choose to euthanize because the other one is much more cruel than euthanizing.

Maybe the dog has bitten before. Maybe the insurance company is facing a large payout for medical treatment. Maybe funds aren't there to hire a lawyer. Maybe the dog is sick and bit becaue it was in pain or tormented in some way. Maybe the owners just plain suck. We can ask about circumstances all we want but it seems to me that OP, clearly saddened over the situation, must realize that this is the point that the owners are at and that alternative solutions have either been exhausted or are not going to be explored.

OP here, quoting the above in full, because I really do appreciate it. Believe me, I've talked and talked to these owners, gone through every other possible scenario with them, and these two are the choices they've narrowed it down to. (Since I can't take the dog myself, I feel that I've done all that I can do, unfortunately.) The second paragraph is largely true (except owners are rather ignorant, but don't "suck").

The one thing I've learned over the years is that I can't save them all, but I can help the owners make the best choice possible for the dog, hard as that may be. (And I myself placed a dog at this nokill shelter once, in completely different circumstances, so it's not like a terrible place, just not somewhere I'd put an elderly housepet...)

Thanks all, I really do mean that.

Terri

 

[MichelleVW]

I vote to have the dog put down. Much more humane than letting a pack animal live out its life in a cage, IMO.

Between the two choices, putting the dog down is the best and most humane option.

I don't like that option, but no way would I put one of my babies in a kennel with minimum contact the rest of their life. That would be horrible...it's bad enough when I have to board them for a few days/

 

[jrmasm]

Between the two choices, putting the dog down is the best and most humane option.

I don't like that option, but no way would I put one of my babies in a kennel with minimum contact the rest of their life. That would be horrible...it's bad enough when I have to board them for a few days/

I agree. Of the 2 choices, putting the dog down is the lesser of 2 evils.

But I do not believe the dogs should necessarily be put down because of a bite.