quote:

ORIGINAL: scarlethiney

quote:

ORIGINAL: TreasureKY

quote:

ORIGINAL: LaTigresse
I wish we could help our human terminally ill loved ones go as peacefully.

On that, I agree as well.

This coming from the woman who earlier stated : "  Where I believe an unwanted child deserves a chance at life and happiness, even if it's also a chance for misfortune and misery.
The best I can hope for you.................. is that you never procreate.

quote:

ORIGINAL: FirmhandKY


I know I'm going to take some heat for this .... but what the hell. 

I like animals.  Perhaps even more importantly, I respect animals, especially the pets that we humans have adopted and adapted throughout our history.

Dogs are pack animals whose social instincts have allowed them to be adopted into the human cultural mix, and who we often value as much or more than our relations with other humans.  As well, we often identify with them as if they are human.

How many men have a problem with neutering a strong, "masculine" dog of theirs?  Yeah, I know, rationally it's often the right thing to do, but I dare say that few men who love their dog don't have at least a tinge in their nether regions when they contemplate the action, and the effects on the life of their beloved pet.

This thread is about my particular mindset and (perhaps irrational) belief of how to handle "excess" animals when the time comes reduce your relationship with a pet, or at least a pet dog.

For most of my later life I've lived in a rural setting. 

Up until a couple of years ago, I lived in a house in farming country, in which my nearest neighbor was at least 1/4 mile away, and the nearest store at least 6 miles away.  Lots of fields of grain, deer crossing the roads, and late snow removal.

It was also a place in which many pet dogs would find as the end of the road from their previous owners.

...

Unfortunately, from time to time we had to "thin the pack".  If a dog was sick beyond care, we'd take them to the vet to be put down.  If they were dangerous, or could not be trained to respect the physical integrity of the children, they were put down locally (usually with a 9 mm).  Some wondered off, never to be seen again.  Some found other homes.

But sometimes the sheer numbers demanded a thinning greater than any of the reasons above could provide.

What to do? 

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ORIGINAL: scarlethiney

quote:

ORIGINAL: TreasureKY

quote:

ORIGINAL: LaTigresse

I wish we could help our human terminally ill loved ones go as peacefully.

On that, I agree as well.

This coming from the woman who earlier stated : "  Where I believe an unwanted child deserves a chance at life and happiness, even if it's also a chance for misfortune and misery.
The best I can hope for you.................. is that you never procreate.

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ORIGINAL: Anarrus

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ORIGINAL: came4U

btw, I don't advocate spade and neutering either,...I allow my pets to breed naturally at will or I take the responsibility of the temperment or smells that occur.  Artificial removal of reproduction organs is just one of my ummm pet-peeves. lol

This mindset is just plain fucking asinine. Do you realize how many unwanted, uncared for dogs and cats there are in this country simply due to ignorance such as yours. Don't advocate.....why in hell wouldn't you? It's the sensible and humane thing to do. It makes absolutely no sense not to. "lol"?? how can you even fucking laugh at such irresponsibility?
Go volunteer your time in a couple animal shelters on weekends. You just might become educated about the plight of unwanted animals and change your lame-ass opinion.
And btw..it's "spayed", not spade.

Anarrus

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ORIGINAL: calamitysandra

I read "could not be trained" as implying that there was training going on, meaning the dog could be approached.
Plus, if a "good" dog was taken to the vet to be put down, a "bad" dog could have gotten a call to animal control. That would have to be paid, of course, but so would the vet be who put a dog down.

My point is, if it is perfectly fine, then why not go the gun way with ill dogs as well?

quote:

Unfortunately, from time to time we had to "thin the pack".  If a dog was sick beyond care, we'd take them to the vet to be put down.  If they were dangerous, or could not be trained to respect the physical integrity of the children, they were put down locally (usually with a 9 mm).  Some wondered off, never to be seen again.  Some found other homes.

quote:

This coming from the woman who earlier stated : " Where I believe an unwanted child deserves a chance at life and happiness, even if it's also a chance for misfortune and misery.
The best I can hope for you.................. is that you never procreate.

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ORIGINAL: Aylee
...
He is talking about different ways that "pack thinning" has happened with different dogs.

1.  Stray comes into the yard and becomes a pet, but has gotten terminally ill.  They are euthanised at the vets, most likely the outcome of a check-up to see how the dog is doing.  Consultation between Firm and the vet takes place about options. 

2.  Stray comes into the yard but is an aggressive dog.  Even with food, water, and safety, some remain unsafe to have around.  Dog is shot.

3.  Stray comes into the yard, nice dog, stays a while, but then decides to leave.

4.  Stray comes into the yard, nice dog, but Firm is able to find someone else wanting a dog, and so the dog gets a new home. 

Perhaps he will be back to clear it up, but that is how I was reading it. 

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ORIGINAL: FullCircle

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ORIGINAL: FirmhandKY
From the OP:
It was also a place in which many pet dogs would find as the end of the road from their previous owners.
Firm

That doesn't have any more clarity than the first time I read it, what makes your land the breakers yard for people off loading their dogs and why are they any different to you? If the problem is that bad you need a sign saying “No Dogs”

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ORIGINAL: DominantDamsel

... I hope you won't be offended if I say that I'm going to keep you and Treasure in my prayers in this regard, because I have no doubt that your heart is and has been in the right place on this matter. Blessings..and hang in there.

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ORIGINAL: calamitysandra

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ORIGINAL: Aylee
...
He is talking about different ways that "pack thinning" has happened with different dogs.

1.  Stray comes into the yard and becomes a pet, but has gotten terminally ill.  They are euthanised at the vets, most likely the outcome of a check-up to see how the dog is doing.  Consultation between Firm and the vet takes place about options. 

2.  Stray comes into the yard but is an aggressive dog.  Even with food, water, and safety, some remain unsafe to have around.  Dog is shot.

3.  Stray comes into the yard, nice dog, stays a while, but then decides to leave.

4.  Stray comes into the yard, nice dog, but Firm is able to find someone else wanting a dog, and so the dog gets a new home. 

Perhaps he will be back to clear it up, but that is how I was reading it. 

Even if you understood what he meant, the question still is, why shoot instead of calling animal control?
If shooting is an accepted way to put down a dog, then why have a vet do it with the ill ones?

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Second, even your state had chapters of the ASPCA.
If you had called them, they would have come and picked up the extras...at no cost to you.
(It is true that they like donations, but they would not have refused)

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ORIGINAL: BitaTruble

When I get an emotional kneejerk reaction to a post, generally, I try to step away and try to see if time will allow me clarity of thought. If that doesn´t work, I turn to doing what I do best which is research. Getting facts often helps me see beyond my heart and with this post, after wishing vile things upon you, hoping that you would get caught and criminally prosecuted for animal abuse, I figured it was time to do some actual research to see what other options you would have had in KY.

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ORIGINAL: BitaTruble

When it comes to stray dogs and rescue shelthers in KY, basically, they suck. Two counties are currently undergoing law suits for violating federal animal cruelty laws, failure to wait a mandated 48 hours before carrying out euthanasia and failure to test adequately for rabies at their shelters and several others have had to clean up their acts because of the inhumane way that strays were and are being treated. Resources are slim in the cities and the rural areas have almost no resources at all.  Labs, Goldens, Rotties, Beagles, Siberian Huskies and German Shepards are the 6 most common breeds of animals which are abandoned or lost. These breeds all require more food and care than simple lap dogs and are more likely to survive in the wild. Dropping off a lap dog in the wild is pretty much a death sentence.

I could not find any statistics regarding pure breeds versus mixed breeds  and the associated survival rate except that pure breds who are lost have a 67% chance of being reclaimed if they are taken to a shelter. Mixed breeds have only a 40% chance of reclamation. If the dogs were truly abandoned rather than lost, then, of course, they would not be reclaimed although if they are chipped, their owners could be located and then they would be responsible for the dogs expenses if the owners are still in state.

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ORIGINAL: BitaTruble

So my thoughts .. given the information I found out, given the fact that any stray that came into my possession would have an unknown history, given the state of animal shelters in KY, I suppose I can understand driving several miles to drop off the strays that found their way into your life but that you could no longer care for .. for whatever reason.

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ORIGINAL: BitaTruble

That said, rabies, while rare in the United States has not been eradicated and putting strays back into the wild increases their chances of infection. Also, because of the unknown history, you cannot say for sure whether the animals were lost or abandoned nor whether or not they were chipped. Driving them to the shelter could have determined whether or not that much loved, otherwise healthy and previously lovable pet was being missed by some family and since most of the shelters in KY are in compliance with mandated law, the odds are the dogs would have, at least, been given a health check and then been adopted or not as luck allows.  If adopted, they would have received automatic rabies vaccines. Most folks who want a pet do not go driving around the rural country side looking for one.. they go to rescue shelters.

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ORIGINAL: BitaTruble

All in all though, I think you were stuck between a rock and a hard place and did the best you could at the time .. and any choice could have been good or bad for the animals. Strays left in the wild; usually bad and their chances are slim. Strays left at an animal shelter in KY; also bad and their chances are slim but they have more of a chance if they are left with another human, especially if they are lost rather than abandoned, than if they are left in the wild in very rural areas such as yours.

If you ever find yourself in a similar situation in the future, you have more options now. Craigslist, a resource which did not exist 10 years ago but which does now, is one of those new options. 

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ORIGINAL: BitaTruble

You have taken some heat on this thread. You knew you would though, and knowledgeable consent is the best kind.

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ORIGINAL: BitaTruble

Was it justified heat? ::shrugs:: You choose to bring this to the boards so ya takes yer chances. Do I think you are some sort of asshat for what you have done? Not really. I do hope you do not do it again, though, since you have other options now and if you did do it again, then, yes, I would consider you an asshat. For the time frame of which you spoke, with the resources you had available, it comes down to doing what you think is best and that is what you did, so I cannot fault you for it. I, personally, would have made a different choice.

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ORIGINAL: FullCircle

That was joke never mind. Plenty of people put up signs saying beware of the dogs.

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ORIGINAL: calamitysandra

Well, I guess Angelika answered your questions in regards to what options he had:

quote:

Second, even your state had chapters of the ASPCA.
If you had called them, they would have come and picked up the extras...at no cost to you.
(It is true that they like donations, but they would not have refused)

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ORIGINAL: FirmhandKY

quote:

ORIGINAL: calamitysandra

Well, I guess Angelika answered your questions in regards to what options he had:

quote:

Second, even your state had chapters of the ASPCA.
If you had called them, they would have come and picked up the extras...at no cost to you.
(It is true that they like donations, but they would not have refused)

Would you prefer to clarify your remarks before I make a substantive reply?

Currently, I'm ready to be snarky and dismissive, but Treasure says that you are simply confused.

Here's your chance to reread the thread and consider your answer.

Firm

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ORIGINAL: Aylee

He is talking about different ways that "pack thinning" has happened with different dogs.

1.  Stray comes into the yard and becomes a pet, but has gotten terminally ill.  They are euthanised at the vets, most likely the outcome of a check-up to see how the dog is doing.  Consultation between Firm and the vet takes place about options. 

2.  Stray comes into the yard but is an aggressive dog.  Even with food, water, and safety, some remain unsafe to have around.  Dog is shot.

3.  Stray comes into the yard, nice dog, stays a while, but then decides to leave.

4.  Stray comes into the yard, nice dog, but Firm is able to find someone else wanting a dog, and so the dog gets a new home. 

Perhaps he will be back to clear it up, but that is how I was reading it. 

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ORIGINAL: MissMorrigan
I'm just trying to wrap my head around why someone would avoid that process and opt for shooting a stray, but I think I already know the answer, which also lies in why someone would opt to travel several miles to dump an animal, therefore making it someone else's problem.