Should I shoot my dogs

[tonyontherock]

My dogs bark, all the time. They used to chew up everything when they were little. They need to be fed and walked. I tolerated them for more than 7 years, sleeping with them, take them out and smelling and look like them ( I got more hair on my suits than a shorthaired breed. Now they are old, so am I. My wife left, they stayed.

I am thinking about flying back and shoot them. I know it is against the law.

In Hong Kong raising two large dogs (90lb and 50lb) are impossible. Not allowed in apartments, or even if allowed I need an apartment where I have to pay allmost all my income on rent. Also, they have to sit in some place for months before immigration clears (not in Gongdong, though) which might kill them anyway.

Well, posted on web sites, talked to neighbors. No one adopted them. I have some one taking care of them for now, which means supporting payments on my house in the U.S. for the next how many years? and when my savings ran out, what happens?

Asked North Shore Animal shelter to take them back. They said no, even though when I took them they said I could. North Shore took them from another shelter right before they were destroyed.

Talked to other shelters, they said no, cause it cost money to put them to sleep. They would only keep them for two weeks anyway.

If your loved one is doomed to die, would you let some one else kill them or would you kill them yourself?

There must be a reason why some mothers kill their baby girls in China. I can better relate now than before.

 

Sorry, just have to vent.

[Robert S.]

Tony, I do not believe it is illegal to shoot your dog in any part of the United States. Well, really I don't know about anywhere except Alabama and Georgia and I can guarantee you that down here a man can shoot a dog if he needs to do so. Even if some old lady neighbor called the police for hearing a gunshot which would be in fact illegal to discharge a firearm within the city limits but if the cops came at all for one shot you would just tell them you had to put down a dog and that would be the end of it. How much would it cost to have them put to sleep? Please don't go broke over this ridiculous problem. Of course I love dogs but there are limits. I do not understand about the so-called shelters not taking them. What about the Humane Society?

[tonyontherock]

Thanks Bob. I was just venting. I am not going to shoot them. Only problem is Debbie is over weight and airlines only allow 100lb with cage. I think she is over that by herself now. When I was able to lift her she was 90 and I weighed her. Now I could not lift her only a scale. God will look after every creature.

[awch]

Hi Tony:

Whatever you do, I think you need to think really carefully about the decision. Xiao Ming and I had a really terrible experience here in China: we got a kitten, who like a lot of animals in China, was pretty sick (we didn't know it when we got him). Eventually he started giving me red itchy spots on my arms and we couldnt keep him, we had to make the decision to put him to sleep (not very common AT ALL in China). Well, that was just about the hardest thing I've EVER done. I cried and cried for days.

 

Just DON'T give your dogs to a shelter- I did volunteer work in one before and they are the living pits of hell. Your dogs will be so confused and upset during their final days- if you can't keep them, I would recommend putting them to sleep in a painless way- and you or someone they love should be there.

 

This is coming from someone who really loves animals.. I'm just thinking of what will be best for you and your dogs. Hope it helps.

Amber

[awch]

PS- If you want to bring your dogs to China it's not very difficult- just expensive. Do a search on your airlines website and they will tell you the details. Usually you have to get papers signed from the vet saying they are healthy and if they are over a certain weight they have to travel in a heated cargo section. If they are small and can fit under a seat you can carry them on for about $100. I know people here who have brought their cats and another friend took 2 (small) dogs back to the US with her.

[tonyontherock]

Debbie is gone. This morning at 10, she was let out to use the backyard and ran away. NOw is past midnight she did not return, My gf and son looked all over for her and could not find her.

She has some problems in the leg and does not walk well now. In 7 years she never ran away. Even if she goes to the park, she always come back in 10 or 15 minutes.

I suspect either the animal control people got her but very unlikely. I pray to god that she come back soon. Gosh, could she have sensed my post and decided that she would be better off away? I was just venting. I will blame myself for the rest of my life if something happens to her.

[awch]

Tony- I'm sorry to hear that. You should have yr son call animal control just in case. I hope she comes back.

[MarkLuvsShuPing]

Tony,

 

Geez, I've seen your thread for the last few days and didn't bother to read it until now. I'm sorry about the dog and your situation.

 

I agree with Amber, you need to call the Animal Control and shelters, that sounds like the most logical step. Even if you left her there, you need the peace of mind of knowing you didn't curse your dog.

 

In either event, you can't blame yourself, people say things all the time and nothing happens, this is just a coincidence, not your fault.

[lele]

Debbie is gone.  This morning at 10, she was let out to use the backyard and ran away.  NOw is past midnight she did not return, My gf and son looked all over for her and could not find her.

She has some problems in the leg and does not walk well now.  In 7 years she never ran away.  Even if she goes to the park, she always come back in 10 or 15 minutes.

I suspect either the animal control people got her but very unlikely.  I pray to god that she come back soon.  Gosh, could she have sensed my post and decided that she would be better off away?  I was just venting.  I will blame myself for the rest of my life if something happens to her.

My cat never used to run away either. She would always return within 20-30 minutes. Until that was she was very old and ill. She decided to run away for one time, and her last time. The vet said that she had maybe a month or more to live at most only 2 days before. I think that she escaped into the large wooded area just 2 blocks from our home. No one ever saw from her again.

 

It was very sad for me, I was still in my teen years at the time. However, I now realize that she may have been doing it to save us the pain of seeing her pass away. When I look back, I can understand that most of our mammalian pets are far more intelligent than we give them credit for, and I think that I understood.

 

It is possible that your dogs did the same thing. I agree, I would call people to help, in case this is not true. But, if it is, let the animal go for its final few days.

 

Best.

[Robert S.]

Good point, that is true, dogs as well as cats do that. It is mysterious. My grandfather's classic blue tick hound, a dog that commanded respect and admiration just unexpectedly disappeared one day, he just was not there lying in the sun in the front yard as he nearly always did. I had no idea that he might be sick. The only warning he gave, which I remembered later in thinking back over the last few days, was that he gave forth with an extremely deep and meaningful sounding sigh when he lay down on the ground to assume his lookout for the day just a couple of days beforehand. I had spoken to him at the time and knew he was getting old but it did not occur to me that his time was nearly over. I learned a lot about nature from him, he showed me how to see a deer trail, and I still miss him 20 years later.

[ed and ying]

Sorry if this post seems too harsh, but it really makes me sick at my heart. Tony's OP indicated that he has "tolerated" these dogs. Now he have issue, we give him sympathy ? What a bunch of BS. Dogs bark - yes train them. Have hair on clothes - Yes - handle it.

 

How could anyone who cared about their pet ask question about who should end their life ?

 

I have 3 dogs , age 17, 15 and 3. Two years ago I lost a 4 four year old in two weeks time to a disease, yes it was that quick, spent $3,000 to try and save her, but I had to make decision to end her life. I will soon have to make same decision on 17year old - she is deaf, almost blind, and have some other problems

 

I would not normally share such detail in a open forum, But , this post really bothered me.

 

Tony - step up - take some responsibility, instead of looking for sympathy.

 

Ed

[MarkLuvsShuPing]

ed and ying,

 

I think Tony was complaining about his dogs, but he really didn't mean them any harm. He was just complaining and making fun of the situation, people do this sometimes and don't really mean anything about it. Tony is sad because now that something happened, he feels bad about it, like it may be his fault.

 

If I'm wrong about this, please correct me Tony.

[johnxiaoying]

The way I see it is that Tony is living in China with his SO and he's trying to provide the best he can for his dogs which he cannot take to China, living conditions being different than in the USA. He's in a dilema on what to do. Give the guy a break. If I were to move to China I would have the same predicament, which could occur in 4 or 5 years. Old dogs that I love but people don't want to adopt. You can't plan your entire life around an animal. The same thoughts Tony is having have been torturing my soul.

 

Uncaring A-h's dump their dogs in the country side to die alone. Tony is not one of these people.

 

I also think the answer is to euthanize them. Don't shoot them, do it painlessly. It will tear you you up inside but it is likely your best option.

 

Best wishes.

[Davter]

My dogs bark, all the time.  They used to chew up everything when they were little.  They need to be fed and walked.  I tolerated them for more than 7 years, sleeping with them, take them out and smelling and look like them ( I got more hair on my suits than a shorthaired breed.  Now they are old, so am I.  My wife left, they stayed.

I am thinking about flying back and shoot them.  I know it is against the law.

In Hong Kong raising two large dogs (90lb and 50lb) are impossible.  Not allowed in apartments, or even if allowed I need an apartment where I have to pay allmost all my income on rent.  Also, they have to sit in some place for months before immigration clears (not in Gongdong, though) which might kill them anyway. 

Well, posted on web sites, talked to neighbors.  No one adopted them.  I have some one taking care of them for now, which means supporting payments on my house in the U.S. for the next how many years? and when my savings ran out, what happens?

Asked North Shore Animal shelter to take them back.  They said no, even though when I took them they said I could.  North Shore took them from another shelter right before they were destroyed.

Talked to other shelters, they said no, cause it cost money to put them to sleep.  They would only keep them for two weeks anyway. 

If your loved one is doomed to die, would you let some one else kill them or would you kill them yourself? 

There must be a reason why some mothers kill their baby girls in China.  I can better relate now than before.

 

Sorry, just have to vent.

I believe it is illegal to kill poor innocent animals on your own in most of parts of the country, it would come under the category of animal cruelty which many of the animal rights organizations investigate everyday, and personally I believe it is soooo cruel to kill your pets, your friends, a life, a living thing like us, they should only be just put to sleep when incurable sickness and suffering from pain occurs.

I am concerned about the North Shore Animal Shelter, because I am one of the monthly supporters of them, I could not understand what you were talking about concerning the shelter.

I am sorry for your dogs and your situation that we could not help due to our ability.

I suggest you to contact ASPCA or MSPCA, and MSPCA-Angell has many adoption centers, and you can give your dogs to them and some families that respect and love animals and are able to take care of them will adopt them. www.mspca.org Boston: MSPCA Animal Care and Adoption Center TEL 617-522-5055 hours: Tues., Wed., Fri., Sat., noon-5pm

Thurs., noon-8pm

Sun., Mon., Holidays closed

From the center you can get the information to reach others.

I hope this can help and wish you and your dogs the best

[tywy_99]

Some years ago, a friend of mine took in a young black lab. She had a home on 55 acres so there was plenty of room for the dog. I used to play with it all the time. It was a happy-go-lucky kind of dog.

One summer, the dog got the mange. We took it to the vet but didn't seem to do too good, the dog was eaten up by it. The mites were in his eyes, ears and snout.

Because of the mange, the dog would go under the house to stay cool and would stay there all the time. I was sitting on the front porch one day when the dog came out from under the house to get a drink of water. He startled me in the fact that he looked really bad. I watched him get his drink of water without making a move. Being in the condition he was, he might have attacked. The dog never knew I was there or at least didn't acknowledge it. He drank his water then went back under the house. I felt really sorry for it. This was the happy dog I used to play with just several months before. The next day, he was gone, never to be seen again. I feel that he ran off to die.

Afterwards, any time I would walk the property, I half expected to find him in the place that he laid down to die. I never did.