I don't understand people who are willing to abandon their pets because they're moving

[Red Squirrel]

Saw a post from someone in my area that has to move to another location due to COL and they have a dog that does not do well with other male dogs and for whatever reason they can't have the dog at their new location. They are trying to find a new home for it and if they can't they are going to put it down. I just don't understand how anyone can actually be willing to put down a dog because they're moving, or any situation other than the health of the dog (ex: terminal illness).

I get that some circumstances such as health of owner can happen where they can't keep a dog anymore, but actually putting them down should never be on the table. To me, moving is not a justifiable reason to get rid of any pet either. If you have to move, then find a place where you can bring the dog!

Same goes with cats. Both of my cats that I got at the shelter they found as strays. They are older but also not feral, so chances are they were in a home for years before that and just abandoned. I just don't get how anyone can do that.

 

[pete6032]

Saw a post from someone in my area that has to move to another location due to COL and they have a dog that does not do well with other male dogs and for whatever reason they can't have the dog at their new location. They are trying to find a new home for it and if they can't they are going to put it down. I just don't understand how anyone can actually be willing to put down a dog because they're moving, or any situation other than the health of the dog (ex: terminal illness).

I get that some circumstances such as health of owner can happen where they can't keep a dog anymore, but actually putting them down should never be on the table. To me, moving is not a justifiable reason to get rid of any pet either. If you have to move, then find a place where you can bring the dog!

Same goes with cats. Both of my cats that I got at the shelter they found as strays. They are older but also not feral, so chances are they were in a home for years before that and just abandoned. I just don't get how anyone can do that.

Who exactly is going to put it down? I doubt a vet would just euthanize a healthy animal like that unless it had a history of violence.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Who exactly is going to put it down? I doubt a vet would just euthanize a healthy animal like that unless it had a history of violence.

Yeah I hope that all vets refuse to do it. The post has been getting shared all over so hopefully someone does take him in.

 

[lxskllr]

Going somewhere without my cats is non negotiable. I'd live in a tent or a van before I gave them up.

 

[waffleironhead]

None of the shelters by me will accept anything except young healthy animals. People are forced to rehome on their own, or put them down if no one can take them in.
Neighbor lady had a dog the shelter wouldnt take(it was her sons dog he abandoned at her house), so i offered to drop it off for her as a stray.

 

[skyking]

all our pets have been private rehomes, or in the case of Peanut, dumped out in the neighborhood.
He was only running loose for two days or the coyotes would have probably gotten him.
Get with it OP. People suck and pets are the only good things. 4 legs good!
Go read Animal Farm by George Orwell for the reference.

 

[sdifox]

Wait there are people that abandon their human family members and you can't fathom them abandoning pets?

 

[BoomerD]

I don't like it...and hope I would never do it...our pets are our fur kids...but I kind of understand when people HAVE to do it. Life changes, having to move into a "lesser" place because it's all they can afford, etc....but to us, pets aren't a disposable commodity.

 

[pete6032]

I don't like it...and hope I would never do it...our pets are our fur kids...but I kind of understand when people HAVE to do it. Life changes, having to move into a "lesser" place because it's all they can afford, etc....but to us, pets aren't a disposable commodity.

Is there not a no-kill shelter they could give the animal to?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Seems to me, most people who are being evicted or have to move in a hurry "because reasons" are managing to rehome their dogs/cats with them.

I would therefore assume that the people who abandon their pets are dealing with other, deeper issues. Mental health problems, addiction, etc., and the oftentimes-weird priorities that come with that.

There's also that subset of people for whom dogs are basically an alarm system that you keep outside and occasionally feed. They wouldn't care about bringing them with any more than you might care about a particularly heavy piece of furniture that won't fit in the new apartment anyway.

 

[Red Squirrel]

So I snooped their FB since I was really curious to see what would happen and it looks like they did find a home for the dog.

 

[BoomerD]

Is there not a no-kill shelter they could give the animal to?

Maybe...not every place has one of those though.

 

[kage69]

Lots of people out there aren't fit to be responsible for children, be they fur or non. It's a sad fact of life and I don't like or understand it either.

I've seen people I know spend hundreds of dollars on bar tabs weekly, while their multiple young children were wearing beatup sneakers that barely fit, for winter footwear. In Maine. Friend of mine put both her cats down because she wanted to move away from our college town. Just didn't feel like traveling with cats or going through the effort of re-homing with friends. We don't talk anymore. People with priorities like that don't need to be in my life.

 

[pmv]

Cats don't really return such loyalty though. They seem to be quite happy to abandon their owners if a neighbour offers them a better deal - better food or a more comfortable bed.

 

[nakedfrog]

Cats don't really return such loyalty though. They seem to be quite happy to abandon their owners if a neighbour offers them a better deal - better food or a more comfortable bed.

I think it's more frequent for them to take food and comfort from both.

 

[AndImSinging]

Me neither, it's pretty stupid.