What's best for *this* dog?

[yoopermom]

This makes me so terribly sad. Acquaintances of ours have a 10 yo Lab that bit a visiting girl. Details are unimportant, what matters now is that, since the girl was taken to the hospital and law enforcement followed up, there is now a record, and the family's house insurance has threatened to drop them if the dog is not put down or disposed of. They called around, and no other insurance will pick them up as long as they own the dog. The local animal shelter will not take it (because of the bite record), so they will have to have it put down. No breed rescues will take it either (they're full with nonbiters they can't place).

Now here's the conundrum: I know of a no-kill shelter, four hours away, that, for a large donation, will keep the dog for the rest of its natural life. However, the dog will live in an indoor/outdoor run, with minimal human interaction, basically like a zoo animal. It's clean, but that's about all it has going for it. This is a 10 year old (senior citizen) dog, already arthritic, who has lived its whole life as a household pet.

The owners have asked my opinion about putting it down, vs this shelter, and I know what I feel in my heart, but I thought I'd ask your opinions here, since maybe I've missed something. It's too late to go back and stop it from biting in the first place, but I hope they make the right decision for it now...

Terri

 

[EveDallas]

This makes me so terribly sad. Acquaintances of ours have a 10 yo Lab that bit a visiting girl. Details are unimportant, what matters now is that, since the girl was taken to the hospital and law enforcement followed up, there is now a record, and the family's house insurance has threatened to drop them if the dog is not put down or disposed of. They called around, and no other insurance will pick them up as long as they own the dog. The local animal shelter will not take it (because of the bite record), so they will have to have it put down. No breed rescues will take it either (they're full with nonbiters they can't place).

Now here's the conundrum: I know of a no-kill shelter, four hours away, that, for a large donation, will keep the dog for the rest of its natural life. However, the dog will live in an indoor/outdoor run, with minimal human interaction, basically like a zoo animal. It's clean, but that's about all it has going for it. This is a 10 year old (senior citizen) dog, already arthritic, who has lived its whole life as a household pet.

The owners have asked my opinion about putting it down, vs this shelter, and I know what I feel in my heart, but I thought I'd ask your opinions here, since maybe I've missed something. It's too late to go back and stop it from biting in the first place, but I hope they make the right decision for it now...

Terri

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

 

[Darcy03231]

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

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Put the dog down is my vote and probably the lesser of 2 evils.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We had to put our almost 13-yo Sheltie to sleep on Tuesday due to kidney failure, and it was so hard for me. I still think it would be better to put this dog to sleep than send it off. We have a 7-yo lab, and he loves people and would not be happy in the environment you described.

 

[roscoepc1]

Put the dog down.

A) In my opinion, a biting family dog is a dead dog, and

B) it's far crueler to make the dog live out it's life away from human contact and affection than it is to put it down.

People don't seem to realize how calm and quick putting a dog (or cat, or whatever) down is. It's a simple shot, and they're dead before they take the next breath. No pain, no discomfort beyond the small pinch of a shot, and you can even hold them as they pass. Take them home, bury them, and remember the good days. It's that simple.

 

[yoopermom]

I'm so glad to know that I'm not alone in my opinion (sad though it is).

My next goal is to *try* and educate them so that they don't end up in a similar situation again.

Poor pooch...

Terri

 

[CathrynRose]

People don't seem to realize how calm and quick putting a dog (or cat, or whatever) down is. It's a simple shot, and they're dead before they take the next breath. No pain, no discomfort beyond the small pinch of a shot, and you can even hold them as they pass. Take them home, bury them, and remember the good days. It's that simple.

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?

 

[ChiCat]

I would also put the dog down. It would be sad to take an old dog away from his home and place him in the zoo like environment.

 

[JessicaR]

I don't like either option. I do know that I would never send my pet to a shelter. So sad.

 

[Hannathy]

Had the dog bit before? I'm really surprised that they want it put down on the first bite. My DD was bit by a friends dog in a total accident but it was still a dog bite that required a lot of medical care and hospital care, IV antibiotics, police notified, etc and they were not required to put the dog down.

I wouldn't put it in the shelter, but I would want a definitive answer from my insurance that they were definitely dropping me like in writing and from the company not the agent before I put it to sleep and I think I would check as many insurances as I could.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

The dog should be put down.

 

[bumbershoot]

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.

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...

 

[yoopermom]

I just wish I could save "them all". We already have two rescues that came from similar situations (although both concerned family members and were not bad enough to require treatment/involve the authorities). Ours are both on medication for life, and are carefully monitored around other people/dogs. It really is a lifetime responsibility. Sigh...

And, personally, I know that putting a dog down is not easy on the person or the dog. My most beloved dog was put down in my home, with me holding him in my arms a few years ago, and he did not just "go to sleep". The vet (the kindest woman I've ever met) said some dogs are just like that, and that he didn't "feel anything", but still... So I don't take it lightly.

Terri

 

[disneyfans95]

Even as a choc. lab owner, this one is easy

You put the dog down.. Really that simple. Not sure why there would be talk about it.

No matter the breed, the dog bite someone and enough that it has a "record".. You put him down.

Honestly, what is the debate about

 

[tlbwriter]

Dogs don't fear death. Apparently, this dog's two choices are a peaceful end or an unhappy life. I know which one I would pick, even though it would break my heart.

 

[CathrynRose]

Had the dog bit before? I'm really surprised that they want it put down on the first bite. My DD was bit by a friends dog in a total accident but it was still a dog bite that required a lot of medical care and hospital care, IV antibiotics, police notified, etc and they were not required to put the dog down.

I wouldn't put it in the shelter, but I would want a definitive answer from my insurance that they were definitely dropping me like in writing and from the company not the agent before I put it to sleep and I think I would check as many insurances as I could.

Agreed. The 'threatening' of it... are they going to or not??

Are there clauses they can toss into the insurance policy? Like "dog must be muzzled when people are over" - or something? I don't know insurance policies, and I'm thinking out loud.

 

[Buckalew11]

Our yellow lab bit my 18yo nephew last Spring. It was horrific, just terrible. His hand has healed and all is OK but he had to see a hand specialist and they were afraid of permanent damage etc. Scary, heartbreaking time.

We put him down within 2 weeks. We think he had a brain tumor that made his personality change completely. The day we put him down, I went out to see him and he growled and snarled at me and looked like he was going to eat me up. YET, his tail end was wagging and looked happy to see me. His teeth showed the opposite.

We are not over it yet.

 

[yoopermom]

Buckalew, I'm so sorry for your loss. Relative to the tail wagging, I teach dog/child education, and I teach children that a wagging tail does NOT necessarily mean a friendly dog. I tell them that dogs' body language is very important since they can't "speak" like you and I. What you did for him was best, no matter how hard it was, and I hope you can find peace, eventually.

And for those who asked, yes, they have it in writing, from a "higher up" in the insurance company "get rid of the dog or we're dropping your coverage" no choices. I don't blame the insurance company, but it's still so sad...

Terri

 

[dehlers]

my dogs are like my kids...
what a terrible situation. they need to think about there family and balance it out.
out side adoption is another idea- some people w/ no kids may be an option for this dog