Friday, June 26, 2009

Good news, bad news.

We have an appointment for Duke to meet a prospective new home on Saturday morning. We know the prospective home is a former Golden owner, they lost their Golden and are seeking to find love again. We know they will be a good home. We will see if Duke likes them and if he wants to move in with them. He says he expects a nice soft bed. He likes a dog door, but if he does not have a dog door, then he gets to be waited on. Think about it. If you have your own dog door, the people expect you to come and go on your own. If you don't have a dog door, they get up and let you in and out. They have to wait on you. So dog doors are a mixed blessing according to Duke.

The bad news is that we had an emergency call to pick up an abandoned Golden at the local municipal pound. The pound has pens for night drop off of abandoned pets. This morning the cages had two St. Bernard's, two Labs, two Chihuahua mixes, and an old Golden boy. Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR) called, they wanted us to get the Golden boy out of there immediately. They have holds on any Golden that shows up at a shelter, and an older Golden deserves to have a home, not a chain link run with a concrete bed. In this case, the paper work was not ready so we will pick him up as soon as the shelter will allow. Since the person leaving him did not leave any paper work, the shelter will keep him for a few days to make sure he really is abandoned and not some neighbors sick practical joke.

But this raises the question of why will people abandon their family pets in such a casual manner? Not one, but seven different dogs in one night alone. It turns out this is not unusual. All of the local municipal shelters have night drop off crates or pens. All of them find they are used regularly by people that want to "abandon and run". If they bring the pet in during the day, paper work can be done, a history can be taken, and the pet can be re homed immediately. By abandoning them so casually in the dark of night, the rules are the same with a stray dog picked up on the street, they have to hold them to give the owners a chance to claim them in case the owner did not abandon them.

So what is wrong with this picture? What is wrong with our attitude to our pets, what happened to that dog-human bond we hear so much about? It appears it is too often a one way street. Pushing your 10 year old Golden into a crate on a street corner at midnight is hardly the way a responsible owner should treat such a friend.

This is the new and modern way to end a friendship. Push your family friend of 10 years into a crate on a lonely street corner at midnight, then drive away, leaving no trace. Don't even leave him with his collar and tags, someone might trace him.

Ten years of devotion, gone in a moment. Those walks in the parks, those days of chasing balls on green grass, those evenings laying at your feet and looking at you with the devotion dogs have for their masters, all gone. Only memories, only memories.

Those of us that have warm homes and loving humans can not even imagine how anyone could do such a thing. But we learn that it is very common. Cross your paws for those poor abandoned pets. Ask your human to help, volunteer to help a local rescue. These lonely dogs deserve your help.

Mogley G. Retriever

p.s. The St. Bernard rescue will probably pick up the Saints, they work very hard. The Lab rescue is overflowing and it can not handle all of the abandoned Lab's that are currently in the shelters and pounds so the two labs will likely not get out soon and will join many more that are already in shelters everywhere. There is a downside to being the most popular breed of dogs, the price is paid by the individual Lab's that will never find a home. The small dog rescue has been contacted for their two. The GRRR organization keeps up but only by asking its members and volunteers to do more and more. We will look at the Labs and try to help them also. We keep adding more "Honorary Golden's" to our system. That is why we keep reminding you to volunteer, a dogs life does hang in the balance.

8 comments:

  1. This is a horrible epidemic and it would be easy to to blame it on the economy. I have foster golden in my home right now that will hopefully find a forever home today. But someone loved her once. Someone house-trained her and played fetch with her and then just gave her away. It's really hard thinking about the midnight drop-offs where the owners care nothing for assurances that a loving home will be found for their pet. At least with rescue surrenders we try to give them that. Thank you for volunteering and for fostering.

    Also...where can I get a Pool G. Retriever of my very own?

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  2. Don't get us started on this subject! We just did a post on two abandoned Chihuahuas -- and in this heat! One hasn't been seen since the first night so it is likely dead or dying somewhere it can't be found.

    It was kinder to leave those dogs in crates where they might have a chance to be rescued. But that's a dirty trick to play on any pet! There's so little sense of responsibility or loyalty among too many humans
    .

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  3. This just makes me sick. Mogley, thank you for you and your owners. I cannot imagine the stress and confusion these animals face when dropped off in such a manner.
    We cannot say enough about all the various breed Rescue agencies that are working so hard. Please send you local or favorite Rescue's a donation. Any amount will help and what a wonderful feeling it is to know that you helped an animal in need.

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  4. I could be wrong, but at least the people that took their pets to the drop off gave them a chance at a life again. At least they did not abandon the "out in the country" so a farmer would take them in. At the very least they will not go hungry or die from a gun shot or be attacked by other animals.
    I can not stand our throw away society of both animals and children. My heart absolutely aches and breaks into a thousand pieces.
    Some people are stretched to their limits, but many more have forgotten what responsibility means. Those brown eyes looking at us for love. How could anyone not be moved?

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  5. Hi Mogley,
    We live up in the foothills, and folks are always "dumping" their dogs up here. We have rescued 3 now and found them good homes. Two days ago there was yet another poor dog wandering the neighborhood, no tags or collar. We tried to approach him, but it was impossible. He was so thin. It was just hearbreaking! It is just unthinkable that people would do this to their family members who love them unconditionally, but yet they do.
    Shilo and Susan

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  6. Jan's Funny Farm just had a post about 2 chihuahuas dumped near them. We have that problem with beagles here--after 5 years of age hunters chase off, dump or shoot their dogs because they don't run as fast, don't hunt as well. Their 'tools' no longer work so they throw them out--nevermind that they are living beings with souls and feelings! Just like with labs there are nowhere near enough rescues to help. We just can't believe this drop box thing for shelters--we've seen mamas and litters left there in the freezing cold!! We esp. canNOT believe the heartlessness in leaving old family pets...at least you have saved one.

    love & wags,
    River & his mom on the soapbox

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  7. Once the frame of the doggie door is installed in a wall or door, leave the "flap" off at first. Have someone stay inside with your dog while you go outside. Call your dog through the "hole" (doggie door frame without the flap). When he goes through and comes to you, praise him lavishly and give him a food treat. Now have the person inside the house call him through the "hole." When he gets to them, they should praise lavishly and offer a food treat as well. Do this at least 3 times and no more than a dozen. After this, your dog will know there is a hole in the wall or the door especially for him. Dog Doors give you and your pet the freedom they deserve.

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  8. Hey Mogley,
    Our dad says that some, thankfully not many, people just, pardon the expression, suck. He says that he knows times are hard but that there is a right way to things and dumping you buddy in a night drop kennel just isn't right. He thinks a lot of those people are some not nice words. The only upside is that it's probably better to abandon your "buddy" at a shelter rather than kick 'em out of the car along the interstate.
    - TBH&K

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