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Remember That Gift Dog? - When Keeping
Your Dog Doesn't Seem Possible
The idea for this article came from a similar one in
the Basset Hound Club Of Greater Seattle Newsletter.
They adapted it from one originally written by Sue Sternberg,
Rondout Valley Kennels. It has been further refined
for the Basset Hound Club Of BC Rescue Program, and
reproduced here with permission.
It is a huge decision to give away your pet, no matter
how long or brief the period of time of ownership. It
may be because of a change in family dynamics or a move
to a different residence. Remember, for whatever reason
you no longer want your pet, YOU are the person in this
world who loves your pet more than anyone else, and
YOU no longer want your pet! First ask yourself if there
is anything about your pet behaviorally or personality-wise
that could be worked on in order for you to keep him.
It is exceedingly difficult to find good, permanent
homes for adolescent or adult animals (as you are finding
out first hand). There are a few things you need to
do to be responsible and caring until the last possible
moment:
Take your pet to the veterinarian for a check-up,
vaccinations, and, most importantly --spaying/neutering.
if you were thinking that your pet might make a good
breeding animal -- STOP -- why breed from an animal
that no-one wants anymore? Why make more unwanted animals
in a world where even great pets don't remain very long
in their first home? You want someone to adopt your
pet as a COMPANION, not just because it might make a
good or profitable breeding animal. You are much more
apt to find a responsible, permanent home by placing
an already sterilized pet. Get it done, it's the least
you can do, and the best thing you can do.
Spaying and neutering also reduces the risk your pet
will run away from it's next home, and helps to insure
that your pet won't urine mark his new home and thus
become quickly unwanted -- again!
If your pet is already spayed or neutered, and has
not bitten anyone, try to find a new home for your pet
through advertising. Place a classified ad in your local
newspaper, and screen any callers carefully. Be completely
honest about all your pet's behaviors -- good and bad.
No pet is perfect, and people are more likely to adopt
a pet they know about, for better or worse. When screening
callers, tell every caller that someone has already
come to look at your pet, but you are still taking names
and numbers and references, in case, so you can call
them back. This gives you an instant "out" if you think
the caller is not right for your pet, and hurts no one's
feelings.
Take a few good, colour photos and make some posters.
Include your pet's name (it personalizes him....) and
include his best traits, his most endearing qualities,
and some guidelines for the best possible home: i.e.,
no small kids, or kids ok, someone who's home a lot,
no other pets, high energy, good for experienced dog
owner, etc.
Be careful in choosing the animal shelter, even if
it is your last resort. You have to try very hard yourself
first. Visit the kennels, meet the staff, familiarize
yourself with the shelter's policies. A "No Kill" policy
might look good at first, but isn't realistic either,
and not if your dog will end up living out his life
in the kennels. Dogs can deteriorate emotionally and
mentally very quickly in a shelter, even a good shelter,
and no dog should suffer that kind of stress endlessly,
month after month, living in a concrete kennel run,
hoping for that magical, perfect home. Don't just drop
the dog off and hand it over, and not think about it
again. Someone has to think about it, even if it isn't
you. And your dog might be very hard, if not impossible
to place.
If your pet is aggressive, or has nipped or bitten
someone, EVER, then please get a professional behavioral
evaluation before giving away your pet. Check with area
and local laws, too, about liability in re-homing a
pet with prior knowledge of aggression. Do not try to
find a new home for an aggressive animal without professional
help.
If your pet has a behavior problem, he'll take it
with him to the next home. Many problems are workable,
or at least manageable, especially if you have been
truthful about them. Contact a trainer or behavior counselor
and see if it's not possible to work things out so you
can keep your pet or to help the next person.
Many dogs that have not had a good start in life have
problems. Just think, a series of homes, a series of
people giving up, a dog getting worse and worse each
time.
Think about it. Spay and neuter your pet. Train your
pet. Its worth it, if not for you, for someone else
and for the dog.
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Reprinted with permission by Bonnie Tetlock
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