Advice re: "abandoned" pups

JaMarcusHustle

Hi all, looking for some advice here.

My GF sent me a text today saying that one of her co-worker’s boyfriend’s sister (I know….) had 3 border collie pups abandoned outside her veterinary clinic last night. She’s been told that “if homes aren’t found for them, they’ll have to go to the pound where the will more than likely be put down.”

This has raised a few alarm bells with me – I was under the impression that most pounds will not put down healthy dogs. I have a feeling my GF is being played a bit here – it would be well known that she loves animals and is very sympathetic towards animals in bad situations – we’ve rescued a few feral cats and had them rehomed at our own cost and we’ve also adopted strays aswell. I have a feeling that someone is trying to take advantage of this to avoid having to put in the effort to rehome these guys themselves.

Anyway, how true is this that they would “likely be put down”? I’m thinking not very true at all. But on the off-chance it is, what is the best way of getting these guys to a home or a foster home where they will at least be looked after? I really don’t want them to be added to a list of farmed puppies on DoneDeal and the like. Naturally I want to do something to help them even if the “being put down” imminent threat is as bogus as I suspect it is. They’re 8 weeks old, which I also think is a bit suspicious. Personally, I think someone has had trouble selling and even giving away these pups, and now wants rid ASAP so a sob story has been invented. But anyway, on the off chance that it is a true story, does anyone have any advice/info? Thanks.

Toulouse

Unfortunately it could easily be true. Read them and weep http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/DogControl/

Over 3500 mostly healthy dogs destroyed last year alone in Irish dog pounds, 4500 the year before. I think you are getting pounds and rescues mixed-up, pounds are only there to provide a dog control service, they do not have to hold onto dogs over their time if they do not want to.

Anyways, getting back to your story, if they were abandoned outside the vets then surely the vets will have some kind of rescue contact? Depending on where in the country you are, some pounds have good rescue contacts also.

Zapperzy

Possibly wires have been crossed and the story has changed a bit by the time it got to your gf. Pounds can legally put down surrenders straight away but I would doubt a very adoptable 8 week old puppy would be put down, more likely an older less adoptable dog would be put down to make space. Most vets have rescue contacts or indeed if they are not full up and have kennel space they sometimes hold on to them for a few days.

It's also very plausible such young pups would be abandoned, happens every day up and down the country.

Hard to say either way but my guess is the story's true, but maybe a little exaggerated on the they'l be put down immediately part.

doubter

these are border collie pups.
1) they have no defense against any infection and Parvo is rampant in our pounds. If you hand them in, they are as good as dead.
2) they are Border collie. One of the least adopted dogs in Ireland cause every second farmer has a litter or 2.

Do NOT bring them into any pound.There might be a rescue who would take them, pm me for info

Tranceypoo

If the gf's friends boyfriends sister (did I get that right?) has a veterinary clinic or works in one, surely she is in a better position to help these puppies than your gf? Most vets have contacts in rescue, know the situations of rescues, know the drill with the dog warden and the pound etc, are they asking your gf to take the puppies?

JaMarcusHustle

Thanks for the info guys. Doubter, I'll send you a PM now.

Tranceypoo wrote: »

Most vets have contacts in rescue, know the situations of rescues, know the drill with the dog warden and the pound etc, are they asking your gf to take the puppies?

This is my concern, I would have though the vet would have had the best connections possible. Which is why I'm suspicious. They didn't outright ask her to take them.

Spaniel heaven

Im afraid to say that collies wouldn't stand a chance, too much of a handful for most people.

strandroad

Pounds can and do put puppies down (no comment). There's bazillions of unwanted collie pups out there now as farmers won't spay their dogs for fear of them "becoming lazy". Leaving them at a vets at night is a classic move; some vets care enough to try and get them into a rescue, some don't. The pups might meet a sad end indeed. Some people just won't learn.

ShaShaBear

Yes, there are a lot of unwanted collie pups. Over the course of my life I have taken in two of them. But by no means should anyone assume that they will be put to sleep straight away. A large portion of wardens know that puppies, irrespective of breed, are much more rehomeable than other adult/elderly breeds. In my neck of the woods there are 4 rescues that work directly with the local dog pounds to ensure that all dogs coming in are advertised and given rescue/foster space or a new home. There is also a border collie rescue in this country and in the UK that would do their best to at least let people know that a pup was looking a new home.

I'd be very suspicious of a vet using scare tactics to get someone to take an abandoned pup in the midst of one of the most stressful seasons going - where people are rarely home and when they are, its a house full of chaos, shouting, cheering, drinking and littered with dangerous foods that a dog shouldn't ever have access to. They would have access to a myriad of rescues and be on very good terms with the local dog warden as well as the local SPCA as both would likely deal with the vet on a regular enough basis.