All of us who work in any kind of pet rescue often wonder — Who does this? Who just lets their dog run away and doesn’t look for it? Who dumps an old dog who has given their best years off at the pound? Really, who is it who moves and can’t take the dog? Well, the other day, I found out.
I am constantly on the look out for working dog candidates. I watch rescue groups, local shelters, and craigslist for dogs who need new homes and may be too active for an average family. Dyson is one of the best working dogs I know, and he’s straight from the shelter. So, I answered and ad on craigslist for a black lab that needed a new home and had “lots of energy.” I went out to meet the dog, hoping he would be crazy. My first clue that he wouldn’t work out was that the owner threw something over the fence as I pulled up and the dog just sorta looked at it, a good working dog would’ve been over that fence after it. Whatever, I’ll give the dog a chance. I went in and did some basic tests with the dog, and sadly, he just didn’t have the energy or focus that I’m looking for in a working dog, so I said I couldn’t take him.
The owner appeared to be a very nice lady, with a nice home and family, so I asked her why she was rehoming the dog. Turns out they got him from the shelter a couple months ago, and no one in the family likes him, and they are going out of the country for the holidays and no one will babysit him so they’re just going to take to the shelter. Seriously? Well, you know, he jumps, and he’s so active, and he’s not all trained the way the shelter says he was, so we’re just taking him back to the shelter. She says this like it was nothing, like she was returning a sweater that just didn’t fit right.
I was a bit shocked to have come face to face with the “evil” person that all rescue workers wonder about. We wonder who out there just dumps their dog like it’s no big deal. Apparently seemingly normal people who just don’t give a damn.
The really, really shitty thing though? The really shitty thing was that she’d already gotten a new puppy that was small and cute and would be going on vacation with them. And that poor lab was just going to get dumped off with no explanation. You know, some people just suck.
Posted on December 24th, 2007 by michelle
Filed under: Random run ins, The Naked Part
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