SO many people are rehoming their dogs

[BruhWhy]

I know of five separate families/people who are trying to find new homes for their dogs. Five! All of them were bought or adopted in the last 3 years.

What's going on? Is it the cost of living? Post-lockdown regret? Is this happening everywhere?

I’m appalled at people dumping their dogs at kennels! Diabolical 😡

We did think long and hard before committing to a dog. He was definitely a huge part of our family but after DH was diagnosed with terminal cancer then had a huge and catastrophic stroke I realized I couldn't care for the dog, a bed bound husband who had no speech, had no use of one side of his body, needed full care and couldn't be left alone, two small children and myself so something had to give. I couldn't even leave the house to pop to the shop much less walk a two year old dog twice a day so the rescue we homed him from found him a new family. This year I have lost my husband, my dog and moved two babies on to adoption. I miss them all every single day but I still believe I did right by them all.

I agree with this. And TBH I think even those who keep their lockdown dogs should go on a bootcamp to learn how to train and handle them properly. I'm sure it's worse post-Covid in terms of dogs that just run up to you, no recall at all, and jump all over you. I love dogs and I don't mind, but I've seen it happen to friends of mine who don't like them/are allergic/don't appreciate a dog's nose in their gym bag etc, not to mention dogs running up and leaping about little kids who are clearly scared, with a hapless owner strolling up behind and giving a half-arsed 'apology' and a little laugh like it's all just adorable.
Drives me up the wall.

Too many people are clueless about dogs.
But I know someone who has actually re-homed four dogs now, each one after they grew out of the cute puppy stage - no idea what they’re thinking. It’s just beyond thick.
I actually have two colleagues who have re-homed dogs because their adult kids thought it was a good idea to buy them one! They did their best, but couldn’t cope and felt really bad. Why would you buy someone else a dog?? Crazy.

Lockdown dogs probably and not being able to commit longer

A mistake and very sad

A vets locally once had a dog left there- Couple were bickering as to who would be paying the bill!
Dog was so unhappy.
A working bred type that does not do well away from owners.
Most people are desperate to get their pet back from vets, not bickering for nearly a week while the dog racked up even more distress - not to mention hospital bills for kennelling.
They collected the poor dog eventually.
Arseholes.

@bloodywhitecat you have had a truly terrible time and it was not predictable, you are the type of person that the rescues or families should be helping. Sadly many of these situations were entirely predictable. I hope you are ok.

I suspect a combination of people getting dogs in lockdown and not considering what it is really like and cost of living.

I think mistakes were made that the pandemic would last and be static rather than change back to normal fairly comprehensively (war notwithstanding)

Decisions made as if it would be permanent weren’t great

I agree. They didn’t ask themselves why they had not had a dog before lockdown

The reality of having a dog isn't for everyone. Mine is hard work, his hair is all over my clothes and furniture, and he destroyed a rug when he was unwell and had diarrhea. And then add in the extra hassle when you want to travel. Gone are the days of booking a last minute deal.

There are lots of good reasons to not own a dog and plenty of ill thought out reasons to own one.

I heard a piece on the radio recently, I think it was about the dog's trust, highlighting how many people are having to give up their dogs because they have lost jobs or financial circumstances have changed recently. It was heartbreaking to hear the people being interviewed who were handing over their dogs because they just can't afford them anymore and saw it as the most responsible thing to do. It made me wish that there was a way I could sponsor them to keep their dog, rather than just give the money to the rehoming centre which was full already.

If someone hadn’t given up our wonderful dogs, we would never have them. They make my daughter so happy, and for all my money worries, we are a very happy home. Some dogs get to make two happy homes, and they can only do that if one gives them up.

bloody short sighted stupidity
poor dogs i really dislike people sometimes

Lockdown dogs. So many people got a dog during lockdown. Now the owners are back to work, they can't look after their dogs anymore.
Also, cost of living. The price of dog food has shot up too.

I would cut out everything in my life to still be able to keep my dog though. She is family and my reason for being.

It's NOT lockdown dogs that are being re-homed according to a friend that works at a shelter.

It's long term family pets that people literally CANNOT afford any longer.

It's either feed your kids or feed your dog.

That's so sad. If I knew someone like that I'd supply the dogfood 😢

Agree totally. How can people be so heartless ? Appalling. I would rather go hungry myself than give up my dogs, they are family.

I think a lot of them believed that wfh was going to be a permanent thing, only to find out that the reality is that their employers don't trust the busy feature on their Teams to mean they're busy working because they're out walking the dog or doing the vacuuming and have recalled them to the office. Add in that dog walkers need to pay their energy bills or have gone back into full time work themselves, and they're realising that the cocker goes borderline psychopathic when expected to sleep in a crate all day.

I think a lot of people bought pets in lockdown and now can’t look after them. Dogs can’t be left alone.

This^ and it was so bloody obvious that was going to happen. People can be so disgusting.

This thread made me take a look on Gumtree. A good few dogs of lockdown age.

Also, I see ‘pocket bullies’ are the dog du jour. Those look absolutely ideal for irresponsible owners! They’ll be fab as untrained, unsociable wrecks.

It's the cost of living crisis.
Because vet care is so expensive, insurance is a must. But insurance is expensive too and with massive hikes in energy cost it's easy to see how that planned for expense is now unaffordable.
People want to be able to properly care for their animals and see rehoming as the responsible thing to do if that is in question now.

Yep

But I think past a certain age and frankly, level of spending, most people would put a dog to sleep surely. In Ireland certainly, we are not quite so wedded to our pets though getting that way