*POLL* So last night I saved a puppy...

[NuclearNed]

So last night I am cycling up a remote mountain road that is part of my normal route. There is a pulloff on the side of the road; apparently it is a convenient place for the rednecks to dump their garbage into the otherwise pristine old-growth forest. The road is extremely steep in this area, so I am going pretty slow. A cute black lab-mix puppy bounds out of the trash heap and begins to closely follow me up the mountain. I don't really want it there, so I yell at it and it runs back to its place in the garbage.

Fast forward two hours later...

I finally got home from my ride, and I suggest to my wife that we go and pick up the dog. We drove to the spot where the dog was still waiting on the heartless bastard who abandoned it, and picked him up. He's a great dog, about 4-6 months old, friendly and playful, and it broke our hearts to think that someone would leave him in the middle of nowhere to starve to death. We took him home, fed him, and let him stay overnight in our dog's kennel in our garage.

Fast forward to today...

My wife took the dog to our city pound because we can't afford a second dog. It seems like everyone at work has tried to make me feel guilty about the dog because they say that the pound is just going to put him to sleep in a few days. Personally, I think that we have given the dog a chance (albeit small) to be adopted by a loving family, and even if he is put to sleep it is better than for him to slowly starve to death alone in the middle of the woods.

So did I do the right thing?

 

[Steve]

Is there a Humane Society in your area? See if you can take him there instead, they won't put him down.

 

[NuclearNed]

Originally posted by: sm8000
Is there a Humane Society in your area? See if you can take him there instead, they won't put him down.

Nope, no Humane Society. This is a small town in East Tennessee. Remember that until the last few years the locals still ate stray pets.

 

[booger711]

Originally posted by: sm8000
Is there a Humane Society in your area? See if you can take him there instead, they won't put him down.

that's probably a better route. city pound = suck

 

[Steve]

In that case, you may have saved him from a fate worse than death. Don't feel too bad.

 

[GasX]

A lot of rescue organizations ship dogs in bulk from states like tennessee where noone fixes their dogs and the pound has to put down thousands of dogs per year in often inhumane ways...

 

[Trey22]

Too bad you couldn't keep him, would of had a nice home w/ you guys.

Since there was no HS, the pound is the next best thing... worst case he goes to sleep in a painless way.

 

[backinsac]

You should have left in the woods for a bear to eat. Now you've messed up the whole food chain and caused unrecoverable damage to nature.

Just kidding. I think you were caught between a rock and a hard place. Tough call either way.

 

[SaltBoy]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
Nope, no Humane Society. This is a small town in East Tennessee. Remember that until the last few years the locals still ate stray pets.

I'm somewhat familiar with the area. What town?

 

[yukichigai]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed

Originally posted by: sm8000
Is there a Humane Society in your area? See if you can take him there instead, they won't put him down.

Nope, no Humane Society. This is a small town in East Tennessee. Remember that until the last few years the locals still ate stray pets.

Try finding one in the nearest large metropolitan area. (Probably Nashville) They'll probably have members who are enthusiastic enough to drive out and pick up the puppy.

 

[rh71]

can you ask around work if anyone (or if they know anyone) who would take it in ? Maybe you can house it for a couple more days just to find out... and post cute pics up around your area.

 

[memo]

maybe try to keep him for a couple weeks while you look for a friend who can afford/want him?

 

[NuclearNed]

Originally posted by: SaltBoy

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
Nope, no Humane Society. This is a small town in East Tennessee. Remember that until the last few years the locals still ate stray pets.

I'm somewhat familiar with the area. What town?

Erwin. Its about 15 miles from Johnson City, and 2 hours from Knoxville.

 

[Wuffsunie]

You took the best option, really. And for those that tried to make you feel guilty, throw it back at them by telling them to go down to the pound and get the dog themselves if they're so concerned about it.

 

[Wahsapa]

eh circle of life :music: lion king music :music:

what more can you do really. if you cant afford to keep it, did you ask around and see if anybody else wanted a puppy?

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Maybe somebody accidentally left him there or he wandered there from a home nearby...in either scenario, somebody, somewhere, is weeping quietly in the dark.

Take solice in knowing that when they put him to sleep the last fond memory he'll have behind those innocent eyes is off playfully chasing after you on your bike.

LOL, I'm the only one to vote leave him there.

 

[NuclearNed]

Originally posted by: rh71
can you ask around work if anyone (or if they know anyone) who would take it in ? Maybe you can house it for a couple more days just to find out... and post cute pics up around your area.

Already done - I asked around work, but nobody wanted him. I got the email addresses of three rescue organizations and sent them the info. Hopefully it will do some good.

I really don't have the option of keeping another dog. We already have one REALLY big dog living in our somewhat small yard, and I don't have the room (or the money) for another one.

 

[slightlyhuman]

maybe some of the ATOT'ers can paypal you a few bucks to buy food for him so you can keep him ATLEAST until you find a good home.

2 or 3 bucks per atot member isnt asking much. ill pitch in

 

[NuclearNed]

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor
Maybe somebody accidentally left him there or he wandered there from a home nearby...in either scenario, somebody, somewhere, is weeping quietly in the dark.

There are no houses nearby. The road where I found him is really remote, right through the middle of the national forest up in the mountains. I am convinced that someone dropped him off, as this is the type of behavior people around here exhibit with unwanted animals. It happens all the time.

 

[Coquito]

The puppy is gone. He's only asking if he made the right decision.

Given the situation, he may of saved the pup. He at least gave him a chance.

 

[Zysoclaplem]

There is no wrong or right decision here. Just a bad chain of events. It's sad that some things have to die because they inconvenience us, but that's humanity. We could try our hardest to fix the problem and only make it worse, because in all honesty we are the problem, not them.

 

[NuclearNed]

Originally posted by: derrickperry
maybe some of the ATOT'ers can paypal you a few bucks to buy food for him so you can keep him ATLEAST until you find a good home.

2 or 3 bucks per atot member isnt asking much. ill pitch in

Its a good suggestion, but he's already at the pound. My understanding is that they will keep him for about a week. I ride my bike by the pound regularly, and I have seen some dogs down there for several weeks at a time in spite of their policy, so I have to think that he might have enough time to get adopted.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: derrickperry
maybe some of the ATOT'ers can paypal you a few bucks to buy food for him so you can keep him ATLEAST until you find a good home.

2 or 3 bucks per atot member isnt asking much. ill pitch in

How much does it take to feed a dog per month?

 

[slightlyhuman]

Originally posted by: Coquito
The puppy is gone. He's only asking if he made the right decision.

Given the situation, he may of saved the pup. He at least gave him a chance.

i realize the puppy is gone, but he is asking what would we do.

 

[Coquito]

I've had the terrible pleasure of actually seeing one of those "put down" center videos. They gather a bunch of dogs in a room(I saw at least 30+), fill it with gas, then once they're down, the floor flips & deposits the bodies. Very sad.