Abandoned dog(s)

[Maggy]

I just can't believe the nerve of some people! Around the first of the year there was a springer spaniel that was brought in for boarding. He was put on the groom list because he was COVERED in ticks...Literally 200+ it took 3 tick baths to kill them all. The owners picked him up 3 or so days after the scheduled pick up date, then brought him back 3 days later to board again.

He was supposed to go home on the 10th or 11th so today my coworker had the receptionist call the owners to see what was going on since the dog was still here. The owner's response? They don't want him anymore, please find him a new home.

How can people just dispose of their pets like this? There's a cat at my work that had the same thing happen.

He's so sweet, I would take him without hesitating if I could, but I think they're going to end up sending him to the pound if/when the owners sign ownership over, and the pound only gives them 5 days to find a home. It breaks my heart and we get about 10-15 pets a MONTH abandoned or found as strays and dropped off where I work.

This is mostly a rant, but if anyone wants a sweet springer spaniel, let me know! If I had an extra $250 laying around I'd see if a 2nd pet deposit would persuade the apartment complex I'm moving into to let me keep him.

[Angie]

The nerve of some people.

I just got an e-mail from our shelter director that they were called to a trailer park in town about a dog. They found the empty trailer (people moved out 4 months ago) and a dead terrier inside. The poor thing starved and froze to death. They are in the process of pressing charges. I hope they get some jail time for this one. Its so sad that people think of animals as disposable.

[Crystal]

Maybe a breed rescue could help you. It is sad that many people think of animals as a novelty item that they could just purchase and then throw it in the good will box when their done with them.

[Poodlefluff]

It is very sad, eople get pets and just decide one day they are not what they want anymore a dog is a lot of work and a making a good dog is even more work. People don't realize that. But at least they left it somewhere it would be taken care of not just abandoned. Even though it is sad.

[toomuchfunbnme]

How sad!

That is so sad. When I was a young child my parents used to own rental properties. I remember how sad (and excited) I was on several occasions when renters moved away and left their pets behind. We would foster the pets until we could place them in loving homes. It only happened a few times, but even as a young child I couldn't understand how someone could do that. I hope that your boarding kennel is able to find him a home. Like Crystal, I also think that a breed specific rescue would be a good way to find him the home that he deserves. Best of luck.

[sheilabgroomer]

I had a guy w/4 dogs and a cat abandon them w/me two years ago. He brought them in for boarding w/a story about his mother having breast cancer. He lived in Atlanta, she lived in Greenville SC, I was inbetween. When he brought them in a new employee didn't check his info sheets to make sure he had them completely filled. He just put his cell#, address, and had a copy of vaccs. In the beginning he was good about sending money, then longer spaces of time would go by before I heard from him. I gave him some space because his mother did pass away (he said). When I did finally start calling he would not answer so I left messages. I finally sent a certified letter that came back "no forwarding address". So I was stuck with 2 labs a big Bully X, a Chow x and a tempermental Calico. I was able to place the labs in homes, I ended up sending the Bully X to the shelter (which I hated to do but he was getting really hard to handle) and I kept the Chow x and the pissy kitty.
This is only one of the instances of dogs being abandoned. While it is maddening, I would MUCH prefer people to abandon them in this manner than to leave the poor things in a trailer or tied up in the woods. At least they are safe w/those of us who will care for them and try to place them in homes.

[diamienono]

Unfortunately this happens way too much. And the penalty for doing such is not enough. If someone left a human child or baby behind they would go to jail for a long time. But hey leave a dog or a cat behind and we will just slap your hand.

[Tzu-crazee]

This subject makes me ill...people are sometimes the cruelest/dumbest species on earth. I think there should be a law that every puppy/ dog adopted, bought, whatever should come with a reality check... on this check will be the costs for owning this wonderful creature... it would be like a list of things to expect such as pros and cons of the breed or breed x,(cause ya know people don't look this info up) grooming cost will be x amt. for the year. vet care will be x amt. etc.. This would wake up alot of folks...HELLO. Yeah that cute little puppy in the window is sooo cute...but not so much a couple of years later in a pound all matted up, or tied in the woods or abandoned cause it was just too much. The poor dogs don't even know what hit em...
This could also work for our feline friends too.

[Mary1980]

I say everyone send Maggy 5 dollars so she can keep him. Where bound to reach $250 really quick.

If Maggy's walking around with new Le Pooch shears and no dog we'll know what happened lol

[Chicken]

Are there no laws about abandoning animals at a kennel?
Can the kennel owner fine/sue them?

[Maggy]

Mary, I like that idea! Unfortunately I talked to the people at the apartment complex and they said no more than 2 pets.

For the record, if everyone wants to send me $5 a peice anyways, I will gladly accept.

Chicken, I'm not positive about the laws about abandoned animals, I do know they need to get something signed from the owners saying they don't want the animal anymore, and if they don't pay the bill it goes to collections. I'm not sure what happens when they leave them with fake info.

[petstylist]

People really get me steamed, doing this kind of thing.
A few years ago this happened at the vet clinic I worked at: a family with young children, had a springer that was a wild child (but what young springer isnt) they would board him with us and he wasnt a bad dog just hyper, he was a very unusally marked liver and white color. One day they called and said that Buddy had gone missing from their yard and could we please keep an eye out. Sure no problem! Fast forward 7 months, this woman called saying she needed to board her dog, He had appeared in her yard about 7 months ago and she had placed many ads and flyers trying to find his home, because she didnt want another dog as her beloved dobi had passed away after 14 years. So after getting her info and the dogs info she brought him in and lo and behold there was Buddy! I ran to the back grabbed the microchip scanner and it was, it was Buddy after 7 months. This woman lived 45 minutes from our clinic and had been refered to us by a friend, thats why she traveled to us for boarding.
I told her sadly that this was a client of ours lost dog. The woman was very upset, in tears, as she had grown very attached to buddy. I called the owners right then and there, and was STUNNED at what can out of buddy's former owners mouth after I said this is so and so from the vet clinic, you are not going to believe this but we have buddy! your buddy, with his collar,tag and microchip! The former owner said to me in a very anger tone "That is NOT buddy! He ran away 7 months ago and he isnt coming back to my house!" and slammed down the phone! So needless to say the new owner was thrilled to be able to keep buddy.
The nerve of some people!
Tammy

[Mary1980]

Oh my god. To say thats not him and he's not coming back, that's crazy. Some people should never own animals. Who knows, she probley just let him free to hope he runs away.