Some people make me sick ( animal content )

Cliffs notes, as I'm apparently long winded: neighbors moved, left senior dog.

Still trying to wrap my head around this one. We've known for some time that our neighbors had a beautiful pure bred male boxer. He's a HUGE, beautiful boy. Sweet as can be. How do we know this??? He knocked up one of my parents female Springer Spaniels. Since then he's been an occasional visitor at my parents place, (the girls are now fixed) they even still have one of the pups that resulted from that litter. He literally comes over almost every morning, and they go for a run together.(apparently chasing deer) She usually comes home an hour or so later flat wore out. It's rather sweet honestly.

So anyway, about 3 weeks ago he shows up at my parents place and stays. Like just decides he's going to hang out here, we've sent him home a few times for being an idiot. (he grabbed my Boston by the scruff for no reason other than being two unfixed males. My Boston wasn't even paying attention to him, he was standing at the door waiting to be let in.) But otherwise he's a pretty good house guest. My parents have been sure to NOT make him feel at home, as we know where his home is. (or so we thought) Though they did bring him inside at night when we got that cold snap (they're not heartless), and have occasionally fed him or given him a treat.

For the last two weeks or so, I've been bringing our oldest over to my parents while I'm at work or going to be gone for a long period of time just because he's getting old, and can't hold it that long any more. He needs to be let out, and asking him to sit in his crate while I'm at work all day is just mean(not to mention messy). So last night when I go to pick him up from my parents place, as I'm leaving, our visiting boxer walks over and acts like he wants to load up with us. So I said what the heck, I'll give him a lift home.

Via the road it's about 3 miles to the neighbors place. Only about 3/4 of a mile straight shot, but if you use the road, it's a bit of a drive. I get over there, and it's quite obvious, no one's home. And it's obvious no one has been here in a while, no grass laid over like someone's been driving on it, grass is knee high, etc. I pull over to the garage, and it looks kind of empty but there are a few bowls there, and one of them has some dog food in it, the other has some water. So I let him out of the truck, pat him on the head and tell him he's a good boy, and that I'll see him later.

I call my mom on the way home, let her know that I took him home and what I saw. She says lets go back and get him. So we did. Mom being a bit more brazen and nosey knocks on the door, then proceeds to walk around the house. After chasing mom around the house, I shine my flashlight in the front door window, and look inside.

They moved and left him.

So he gets to jump back in the truck, we take what's left of the food, and leave a note for the guys brother, (who lives next door to him) that we have the dog and to please call. dude calls 20 min later. Mom talks to him for 20 min or so, then fills me in. They got divorced, and sold the house. Neighbor behind them offered to take the dog. Dog won't stay with them.

They MOVED and LEFT HIM.

He's probably 10 years old or creeping up on it. he's got some arthritis that we can see, as he's not the most graceful, but he's still quite healthy. He's obviously had some heavy handed discipline, as he gets really weary if you pick up a rake or shovel, or any big stick for that matter. Or if you raise your voice, he will duck and cover. BUT HE'S A GOOD BOY, AND A SWEETHEART. He lets my 1.5 and 2.5 year old niece and nephew hang on him, and pull his ears, and just lay on him. I've been under vehicles working on them and he'll walk over and lay down next to me with his back touching my leg that's out from under the car. Or he's sat on the steps at my parents place with me, just a holding a paw out for me to hold or shake. UGH I'm getting pissed just thinking about this.

WTF is wrong with people

I'm glad that he's found somewhere that he can be happy and with other dogs and people that he's gotten to know over the years that make him feel comfortable, secure and loved. He's a smart and a survivor. People are impossible to figure out, be glad that he chose you to be more than a host. Also I'd take him to the vet to get checked for heartworm and to get up to date on vaccines as it sounds like his previous owners were lacking in the responsibility department.

Wow, what a story. I've had a couple boxers and they are the most loyal dogs - I couldn't imagine just ditching one. They're incredibly patient with kids, too.

Sounds like this guy is lucking out and has a pretty good support system in you folks. Thanks for stepping up.

That's the same way I got my old cat Patches (RIP). The neighbors just moved and left him, but we knew they were a bunch of shiny happy people anyway - they did some cruel things to that poor cat, and that was just the tip of the iceberg...he actually seemed to have no problem with being a feral cat (again) and lived in an overgrown area area across from the neighbors' house for a while, but my sister lured him in.

Yeah, as much as we really can't afford it, he's probably going this week or next to get snipped, and brought up to date on everything. It kills me that someone would treat him this way. I can't really take him, and my parents "CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER DAMN DOG" (as they're petting him, and bringing him in the house) . I can't take him because of 2 other unfixed males, that he apparently had issue with one of them ignoring him, and I have a TON of stairs.(real reason is the stairs) It would be cruel to ask him to go up and down them, and he's too big to carry up and down. (now when I make the move it may be a different story) I'll post up a picture later tonight or tomorrow.

Dogs are like any other hobby, they require effort, time, and money. What may be a good dog to you may be annoying to someone else and vice versa. We are very animal obsessed in this country and so lots of people feel like they've gotta have a dog to fit in. A few years later and they no longer want the dog.

People have a nearly unlimited capacity for kindness and cruelty. People left our Doberman and her sister locked in an abandoned apartment without food or water as a 10 week old puppy. You scenario happens a lot.

Good for you taking him in. Boxers are great dogs (I still miss mine) and if he really is 10 he doesn't have long left.

Neutering them all is a very very good idea. If cost is an issue ask the vet if they have any deals they can help you out with (they understand and have no wish for more unwanted dogs in the world).

Also check with local shelters about low/no cost spay and neuter clinics. Usually a day every month or two a vet will snip everything is sight for a nominal amount. My sister and BIL both do this and have reduced the animal population of Kentucky by a sizable amount!

Spinout007 wrote: WTF is wrong with people

I find myself asking that more and more. There are several people in our neighborhood who foster dogs for various groups, and we meet the dogs they're helping while walking our own dog. Hearing the way these animals have been abused or abandoned is just sickening. What kind of heartless shiny happy person dumps a dog at a kill shelter because it's "getting old," "we don't want it any more," "it barks too much," etc.? I don't buy the "It's just a dog" bullE36 M3 for a second. These people need a serious beating.

EDIT: Sorry for the rant. This kind of thing really gets me fired up.

You think that's bad, I had a neighbor who left with his family for a week long vacation and had the family dog put to sleep because it was cheaper than a kennel for the week. When they returned, they bought 2 new dogs.

Never even asked if anyone wanted to dog sit for the week...

Ben, you're preaching to the choir brother!

KyAllroad, our vet has her own rescue she runs. She knows us, and knows we have bigger hearts than wallets. She's pretty good about taking care of us and ours. In return we send anyone who asks to her. And I know about the age thing, my dad has a soft spot for boxers as my grandmother loved them and had one as long as she could see to take care of it, and even then she pretty much followed her last one when it passed away on her.

Oldtin, I know

Pheller, I've never told anyone they need to get a dog, but I do preach about not making the commitment lightly. It's a big one, that shouldn't be made on a whim. I never talked to the adults about the dog when they came over to get them, but the kids always referred to him as their dog.

Rufledt wrote: You think that's bad, I had a neighbor who left with his family for a week long vacation and had the family dog put to sleep because it was cheaper than a kennel for the week. When they returned, they bought 2 new dogs. Never even asked if anyone wanted to dog sit for the week...

Please tell me you're trolling.

In reply to Spinout007:

Sadly, i'm not. The father was always a little bit weird...

Even worse, he had the dog put to sleep on the way to the airport. Like, it was a stop on the way out of town.

Having been involved in animal rescue for too many years now I can tell you Rufledt's story is not the first time I've heard of this being done. It's insane, it happens so often. And the people who do it just cannot even comprehend that what they are doing is wrong. I do a lot of work with groups getting dogs out of puppy mills. The way animals are treated in those "facilites" is atrocious but ask the owners and they'll tell you they love and care for their dogs. Meanwhile the dogs are in a wire cage barely big enough for them to turn around on, no bedding so they are standing on the wires all day long. if they kennels get cleaned its with a pressure washer while the dogs are still inside.

But hey, cute little puppies at the pet store! yea!

This is why I don't like people.

I could easily see this happening accidentally with our dog.

She has a fenced in yard. But even when she gets out, she's pretty good about sticking close to home. At the worst, she's usually at the local bar (~a block away) begging for treats or at the mayor's house across the street (also begging for treats.)

However, she can tell when we're packing up to go somewhere, and when that happens she changes. She becomes determined to get out of her yard. Once out, she emphatically does not stick around. We've blown the first day of more than one vacation tracking down the dog before we could leave.

I could easily see the same thing happening when packing up the house. However, I guarantee everyone for a few towns around would know to be on the lookout for her.

Jeeeez man.

Yesterday the wife and I were going to go for a walk at a public trail. You have to drive to the back a really big graveyard to get to the trail head. We see another car ahead of us a ways in the graveyard and the person is unloading something then they jump in the car and take off. When we get up to where they were we see it is a cat and three little kittens they were dumping off. We stop and my wife, the animal lover, gets out. The mother cat takes off with two of the kittens following along. The third kitten sits and meows at us as the mother disappears into the forest. So the wife decides we need to rescue it. Sigh. We don't need another animal at the house. I almost have the wife convinced to find another home for the thing, then the kids see it. Another sigh. So now we have a second damn cat. Oh well, such is life I guess.

I'm not doubting at all they they do, but what vet or shelter would euthanize an animal due to it being dropped off for a week that checks out to be otherwise healthy. I can't imagine they wouldn't perform an examination before performing that procedure.

captdownshift wrote: I'm not doubting at all they they do, but what vet or shelter would euthanize an animal due to it being dropped off for a week that checks out to be otherwise healthy. I can't imagine they wouldn't perform an examination before performing that procedure.

This is why I know of these stories, usually a good vet will convince them to turn the dog over to rescue and we get a call. But at the end of it if they won't release the dog to us the vet either has to do what they ask or turn them away. If the vet won't do it the owners will drop the dog at a high kill shelter and it will get done there.

In reply to Spinout007:

I know how this goes, took one German shepherd in a decade ago as a stray, parents took in a proverbial xmas puppy GSD 4 years ago, and I took in a 3yo GSD last year because the guy's new wife refused to live in the same house as the dog.

Some people just don't understand commitment nor deserve the loyalty animals provide.

Thankfully, sometimes the animal finds a loving new home.

4 years ago, my wife and I had to make an emergency trip to her parents- one was sick in the hospital. Ended up that both my wife and I got sick, too (damn noro), and while we were recovering in the living room- we hear this whimpering dog out in the rain.

Some puppy mutt showed up. No idea why, or who, or whatever. Just assume that it was a drive by drop.

IMHO, while my MIL wanted to not keep the dog, they did, and it has prolonged their lives. Great dog. A gift from somebody.

Scary part is these people reproduce and vote....YIKES!

JThw8 wrote: Having been involved in animal rescue for too many years now I can tell you Rufledt's story is not the first time I've heard of this being done. It's insane, it happens so often. And the people who do it just cannot even comprehend that what they are doing is wrong. I do a lot of work with groups getting dogs out of puppy mills. The way animals are treated in those "facilites" is atrocious but ask the owners and they'll tell you they love and care for their dogs. Meanwhile the dogs are in a wire cage barely big enough for them to turn around on, no bedding so they are standing on the wires all day long. *if* they kennels get cleaned its with a pressure washer while the dogs are still inside. But hey, cute little puppies at the pet store! yea! This is why I don't like people.

I never understood the way pet stores work and their reliance on puppymills. Years and years ago my parents ran a very clean, very well loved AKC registered Kennel. We raised Siberian Huskys long before they became trendy.

Every year we had a litter or two to sell off, but it was one of those things were we interviewed the owners and when we dropped the puppy off, we made sure it had a good place to call home.

It got to the point where we could not give the dogs away.. so they got out of the kennel business (it was always a side business to our loving Siberians) and now pet shops can get a grand for a mutt... we had pedigreed and papered full bred huskys that nobody wanted, but people will spend $1000 on a "golden doodle" or a "bichonese" or some other trendy named mutt.

I do not get it

In reply to mad_machine:

It's partially because people just don't understand and partially due to deceptive practices. Pet stores will show you the papers, the dog didn't come from E36 M3hole Puppymill Inc. It came from Sunny Acres Kennels or some other nonsense. Puppymillers don't consider themselves puppy mills, they are kennels and breeders.

I tell people if you are going to get a dog from a breeder (and I'm not opposed to it, not everyone can deal with the issues rescue dogs can have) ask to meet the parents of the puppy, ask to see where they live and how they are treated. If a "breeder" won't do that they are probably a mill.

Hell, one of our own dogs is a mill dog, we didn't know any better at the time. We were out trying to find a pup for my parents and my wife fell in love with a dog at the shop. They had paperwork from a kennel, "reputable local breeder" turned out to be an Amish puppy mill in PA, but we knew nothing about those at the time. We've learned a lot since then and try to pass along the education as best we can.

Rufledt wrote: You think that's bad, I had a neighbor who left with his family for a week long vacation and had the family dog put to sleep because it was cheaper than a kennel for the week. When they returned, they bought 2 new dogs. Never even asked if anyone wanted to dog sit for the week...