Owners selling their family dogs for poor reasons!

Roosterreid

I was just browsing through a local free ads website and noticed that there are a huge amounts of dogs for sale.... Quite a few of these ads stated something like "Moving to new house which doesn't accept dogs so forced to sell" or "Going on holidays for 2 months so forced to sell"....

Is it just me or are these not appalling excuses to sell dogs?

I was always brought up to believe that a dog is for life.... If I had to move house and the potential house I viewed didn't accept dogs, I wouldn't move there.... If I had to go on 2 months holidays (who does that anyway?), would I not investigate leaving the dog with a family friend or at the very least putting it in kennels for the period? I mean, if going on holiday is a valid excuse for selling your family dog, then something is wrong?

What are people's views on this?

fiounnalbe

It's terrible isn't it?

It seems to be a sad reality of this country though, dogs are viewed frequently as a disposable object rather than a living animal whom you love and give a home to for no matter what. I really don't understand how some people can get rid of their dogs so easily, it would literally crush me if I had to give up any of mine.

I've moved country never mind just house 3 times in my life and every time no matter how difficult and expensive it was my dogs all came with me, because they're mine for however long I'm blessed with their lives and I'd never leave them behind.

eviltwin

What can they do?

Dozen Wicked Words

What makes them even more objectionable in my mind is they are selling, not giving away. So not just heartless but money grabbing too. Their pet is a commodity not a part of the family.

MayoAreMagic

Well, assuming they are going to a reasonable home etc, it wont affect the dog all that much. They will move on and be just as happy relatively quickly. So really and truly, whatever the reason, as long as they aren't being neglected then I see no issue with it. I know working dogs are sold maybe even multiple times in their lives and, again, unless they are neglected or something, are generally very happy.
I think people tend to project their thoughts and feelings onto dogs a bit too much. A dog thinks like a dog, not a hairy little person with 4 legs. Pet dogs want someone to play with them, interact with them and feed them. It can be you, but if that is someone else, and once they are used to them, they are just as happy with that.

jimmii

I couldn't move to a new place that didn't take the pets thats a reason not to move to somewhere not a reason to let the pet go. Selling it just makes it worse it just makes it seem like any old thing that you have not a pet.

eviltwin

I know someone who did this. He moved overseas and wasn't able to take the dog with him. In his case a friend took the dog but the friend was still more or less a stranger to the dog. I'm sure it was difficult to the dog to adjust but it was equally as hard on his owner who was heartbroken at having to leave a pet behind. He never envisaged having to emigrate when he got the dog, he bought the dog intending to keep him for life. I've read of other people rehoming pets due to the owner becoming old and unable to manage, a child with an allergy...its easy to assume they don't care and its no big deal to them but I would say in a lot of cases its a tough decision to make. Re selling them maybe they feel they will get a more serious owner if money is involved?

fiounnalbe

There are always the few legitamate and devastating cases of people having to give up their dogs. But a lot of them time here it feels unfortunately like people are just lazy and uncaring for the dog. Like come on, selling your dog because you're going on holiday?? Those people should have bought a statue of a dog.

me0w

eviltwin wrote: »

What can they do?

Idk... take their family member with them??? That's what most normal people would do.

eviltwin

me0w wrote: »

Idk... take their family member with them??? That's what most normal people would do.

And what if you can't? If I'm looking for accommodation and the only place I can find has a no pets policy I'll take the house. It will kill me to give up my pets but what can you do?

RonanP77

Roosterreid wrote:

I was always brought up to believe that a dog is for life.... If I had to move house and the potential house I viewed didn't accept dogs, I wouldn't move there.... If I had to go on 2 months holidays (who does that anyway?), would I not investigate leaving the dog with a family friend or at the very least putting it in kennels for the period? I mean, if going on holiday is a valid excuse for selling your family dog, then something is wrong?

Putting a dog in Kennels for two months? You'd need to win the Lotto to do that.

ShaShaBear

RonanP77 wrote: »

Putting a dog in Kennels for two months? You'd need to win the Lotto to do that.

Then how do dog rescues with no premises manage?

I've moved house 4 times with Shadow, and will eventually have to move with Opie. I will not get rid of him, just like I didn't get rid of Shadow. When I moved into my apartment, which didn't allow dogs, I got a family member to look after him for 2 months while I saved, and offered the landlord €200 non-refundable pet deposit if he would write a dog into the contract. He didn't even hesitate. "€200 quid that I can spend and never have to give back?"
That's how much my family means to me.

dunworth1

eviltwin wrote:

And what if you can't? If I'm looking for accommodation and the only place I can find has a no pets policy I'll take the house. It will kill me to give up my pets but what can you do?

You keep looking until you find a place that allows pets.

People should never adopt a pet if you are not willing to do every thing you can to care for them.

eviltwin

dunworth1 wrote: »

You keep looking until you find a place that allows pets.

People should never adopt a pet if you are not willing to do every thing you can to care for them.

Its not as simple as that and as much as I hate to say it, we are talking about animals here, a cat or rabbit is not going to be that upset at having a new home, a dog will for the most part be fine - my two were when we adopted them. We're not talking about people here. They are animals.

Pumpkinseeds

It's awful for anyone who genuinely has to part with an animal they love. As for selling animals, it's advised as the safest option when compared to giving them 'free to a good home'. The Free to good home adverts are prime sites where dog fighters look for free dogs/cats to use as bait for fighting dogs.

RonanP77

€ 200 wouldn't last long if I were to leave a dog with the woman I always used, it might cover two weeks or so.

njs030

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

What makes them even more objectionable in my mind is they are selling, not giving away. So not just heartless but money grabbing too. Their pet is a commodity not a part of the family.

One reason for this is to stop your dog being used as a bait dog. free to good homes are one of the main sources people use to get a bait dog. It's not fair to call every person money grabbing.

blackbird 49

MayoAreMagic wrote: »

Well, assuming they are going to a reasonable home etc, it wont affect the dog all that much. They will move on and be just as happy relatively quickly. So really and truly, whatever the reason, as long as they aren't being neglected then I see no issue with it. I know working dogs are sold maybe even multiple times in their lives and, again, unless they are neglected or something, are generally very happy.
I think people tend to project their thoughts and feelings onto dogs a bit too much. A dog thinks like a dog, not a hairy little person with 4 legs. Pet dogs want someone to play with them, interact with them and feed them. It can be you, but if that is someone else, and once they are used to them, they are just as happy with that.

+1, it better than straying them which a lot of people do

Hooked

It's clearly all down to how people 'view' their pets. Are they dogs, or are they part of the family?

People who own 'dogs' are happy to cover the basics... Food, shelter and a walk, IF they're lucky.

Those who see them as family members, well.., they place the above dog on a bit of a pedestal. It's 'more' than just a dog.

The latter are more likely to invest more time, effort and cash into the welfare of this four legged family member. They'll keep looking for that house or apt. They'll offer cash incentives to a landlord. Get a neighbour or friend to help out in the short term. They'll check out 5 kennels, to find the one they'd be most happy to leave their friend with. They'll be found exploring pet passports, airlines who aren't allergic to fur, etc...

Like a relationship, of sorts... You have those who are just plodding along, going through the motions, could take it or leave it. First sign of strain - he or she is out the door. Theyre disposable.

Then you have people who WANT to work at it. They'll find the time for their significant other. Invest in them. Listen to their needs. Meet in the middle. Compromise!

I'm getting married in 4 weeks and the ONLY thing stressing us out - is who will be looking after the 'boys'. For those 2 days! We're honeymooning here - with the dogs.

Hugo is 4 and he's never known a kennel. That's what they mean to us. We work our daily, social and holiday schedules with them in mind. I'd happily move a stranger into my house for the weekend of the wedding if it meant the dogs could keep their routine. Money wouldn't be my first thought. The dogs welfare would.

Other people would happily ship their dog(s) to the first kennel in the golden pages and head off for a week or a month.

I'm not saying I'm right and they're wrong. (Sure I'd be labelled as OTT by most of my close friends). I'm simply saying people are different. Their attitudes to their dogs are different.

And always will be.

Tranceypoo

RonanP77 wrote: »

Putting a dog in Kennels for two months? You'd need to win the Lotto to do that.

If you can afford to go on holidays for 2 months then you can afford 2 months kennelling for your dog.

RonanP77

Tranceypoo wrote:

If you can afford to go on holidays for 2 months then you can afford 2 months kennelling for your dog.

That may not be the case, what if I head for Australia for two months to visit various family members? I haven't seen them in years, so I want to get around them all. It would cost me an absolute fortune and I'd be saving for a long time to do it. Add another 500 - 1k on top of that for getting my dog into kennels and it would break the bank.

Tranceypoo

RonanP77 wrote: »

That may not be the case, what if I head for Australia for two months to visit various family members? I haven't seen them in years, so I want to get around them all. It would cost me an absolute fortune and I'd be saving for a long time to do it. Add another 500 - 1k on top of that for getting my dog into kennels and it would break the bank.

Well that's where we differ, I would factor in the cost of kennelling to our holiday (we always do) and if we had to save an extra few hundred then we wouldn't go till we had! Any decent dog owner would do that.

retro:electro

The amount of grown adults dogs on those sites is just heartbreaking. It's just the cruelest thing you could to do them after they've bonded with you and come to love you for all those years. I'd rather be homeless with my dog on the streets than have to sell him because of where I wanted to live. It's makes me so sad.

thierry14

RonanP77 wrote: »

That may not be the case, what if I head for Australia for two months to visit various family members? I haven't seen them in years, so I want to get around them all. It would cost me an absolute fortune and I'd be saving for a long time to do it. Add another 500 - 1k on top of that for getting my dog into kennels and it would break the bank.

You can't go then.

Your dog should take priority over meeting up with your friends.

karenalot

MayoAreMagic wrote: »

Well, assuming they are going to a reasonable home etc, it wont affect the dog all that much. They will move on and be just as happy relatively quickly. So really and truly, whatever the reason, as long as they aren't being neglected then I see no issue with it. I know working dogs are sold maybe even multiple times in their lives and, again, unless they are neglected or something, are generally very happy.
I think people tend to project their thoughts and feelings onto dogs a bit too much. A dog thinks like a dog, not a hairy little person with 4 legs. Pet dogs want someone to play with them, interact with them and feed them. It can be you, but if that is someone else, and once they are used to them, they are just as happy with that.

As someone who fosters abandoned cats and dogs this couldn't be more untrue. It's absolutely heartbreaking to see the pets I take in pining for their previous owners. Some sit beside the front door for weeks waiting to be collected, some try to escape to go back home and some shake uncontrollably as they have no clue where they are. Many refuse to eat or play. For the most part though most refuse to get out of bed as they are just unbelievably sad. I have literally had to spend months with some of them to gain their trust.

Yes some cats and dogs will just get on with it but many have a bond with their owner and it's completely distressing for them for their lives to be turned upside down and moved to unfamiliar surroundings.

I have 2 german shepherds and travel several times a year and sometimes at length. I get a pet sitter in or give my housemates cheap rent in return for minding them. While I understand this is not possible for everyone I would cancel my trips before giving my dogs away. My dogs would be devastated to live somewhere else just as much as I would be devastated to see them go.

RonanP77

thierry14 wrote:

Your dog should take priority over meeting up with your friends.

Family, not friends.

People have different priorities, we shouldn't judge others based on what we would do.

My German Shepherd developed an ability to climb over the fence from her very large run, I raised the fence, she got over it again. If she can get over that she can get off the property and either get killed on the road, kill a local farmers sheep or attack someone.

I gave her to my cousin who lived in a town with a smaller garden and higher walls. He has a young family so I knew she'd be happy. According to some of you on here that makes me a bad person.

Charlie19

Most of us know what happens to the majority of unwanted dogs.

But I think this video should be widley promoted so people might have second thoughts on whether to purchase a dog or not.
3 minitues in it gets fairly unpleseant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6xI7xt99zA

tk123

The one that makes my blood boil is where they use "my child is allergic" as the excuse!

ShaShaBear

karenalot wrote: »

As someone who fosters abandoned cats and dogs this couldn't be more untrue. It's absolutely heartbreaking to see the pets I take in pining for their previous owners. Some sit beside the front door for weeks waiting to be collected, some try to escape to go back home and some shake uncontrollably as they have no clue where they are. Many refuse to eat or play. For the most part though most refuse to get out of bed as they are just unbelievably sad. I have literally had to spend months with some of them to gain their trust.

Yes some cats and dogs will just get on with it but many have a bond with their owner and it's completely distressing for them for their lives to be turned upside down and moved to unfamiliar surroundings.

I have 2 german shepherds and travel several times a year and sometimes at length. I get a pet sitter in or give my housemates cheap rent in return for minding them. While I understand this is not possible for everyone I would cancel my trips before giving my dogs away. My dogs would be devastated to live somewhere else just as much as I would be devastated to see them go.

Totally agree with this. I've had a mill of abandoned foster dogs through my home, and every last one of them were devastated. One in particular, a GSD/Collie X, howled for three days solid at the front door until he finally accepted someone wasn't coming back for him. That's what he was like in a loving home with a doting foster mama, plenty of food, water and toys, a place IN my bed and three walks a day. I can only imagine what would have happened if he had spent more than 3 hours in the pound

fiounnalbe

RonanP77 wrote: »

Family, not friends.

People have different priorities, we shouldn't judge others based on what we would do.

My German Shepherd developed an ability to climb over the fence from her very large run, I raised the fence, she got over it again. If she can get over that she can get off the property and either get killed on the road, kill a local farmers sheep or attack someone.

I gave her to my cousin who lived in a town with a smaller garden and higher walls. He has a young family so I knew she'd be happy. According to some of you on here that makes me a bad person.

While it might not have been my solution at least in this instance you gave her to a family member i.e someone you definitely know well and know she will therefore be looked after properly, not just someone you met on the internet and hoped for best they look after her and you did for her own safety since you couldn't keep her contained where you lived.....big difference than someone trying to sell their dog to a stranger cos they want to go on holidays.

jomalone14

Charlie19 wrote: »

Most of us know what happens to the majority of unwanted dogs.

But I think this video should be widley promoted so people might have second thoughts on whether to purchase a dog or not.
3 minitues in it gets fairly unpleseant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6xI7xt99zA

Oh God, I wish I hadn't watched that video now But yes, you're so right, dogs are not a disposable commodity, to be done away with for whatever reasons their owners choose to say.

I'm hugging my two rescue mutts extra tight tonight, they are and always will be my top priority.