to have sobbed my heart out at work today because I shouldn't have to do this

[caniscantanymore]

I'm a vet. Some details changed or omitted for anonymity purposes and because I'll get flamed for this.

Today a man brought his dog in to me.

The dog was a large, boisterous adolescent puppy. He hurtled into the room, bouncing up to me excitedly, wagging his tail all the time and nudging at my hand with his muzzle. His big squishy paws crashed against my chest each time he paused to greet me, as he bounded around the room investigating all the smells. He was an unusual cross, very striking to look at and obviously a bright and energetic dog. He was adorable.

The history went like this:

The dog had been bought as a tiny puppy by a couple who were told it was a "designer" cross between two specific small breeds. Now, if the people who bought this puppy had had the slightest inkling about what they were doing it would have been immediately obvious to them that this was most certainly not a cross between two small breeds. But anyway, they didn't have a clue so they bought the cute little puppy from this dubious source (probably at a cost of several hundred pounds) and took it back to their family home, complete with toddler.

The dog grew a bit and it became clear that it was actually going to be really big. It was bouncy, energetic and destructive. It kept racing around and knocking over their small child. So they rehomed it to a family member.

The family member also had children but they were slightly bigger children. The family member really wanted to do the right thing, so they tried to "discipline" the dog. The dog began to show occasional signs of aggression and was completely hyperactive in the home, destructive and unmanageable. I was not surprised to hear this, since it was obvious to me from this dog's heritage that it was the sort of dog which had significant needs in terms of exercise and stimulation. In an attempt to magically resolve the issues the family member had the dog neutered. Which unsurprisingly made no difference.

Today the dog was brought in to be put to sleep. It had growled very aggressively when a child had put its face near his, and between this and an imminent change in circumstances the family member felt unable to manage the dog any more. He had tried local and national rescue organisations, all of which were full. He had nobody to care for the dog overnight tonight. He was not able to take the dog home, partly because of safety concerns and partly because the decision had been taken together as a family that it was the right thing to do.

So I put this healthy, affectionate, vibrant dog to sleep while it munched on treats and the third owner in its short life cried into his fur. Then when it was just me and the body of this poor puppy I had a good old cry myself.

I know there will be people who think I was right to put down a dog who has shown any signs of aggression under any circumstances. I disagree.

I know there will be people who think I was wrong to put down a dog when I could have taken it and found it a new home. I disagree.

I also know that there will be many many people who have no idea that this is happening all the time in this country because of irresponsible ignorant greedy people, selling dogs to irresponsible ignorant feckless people, who then pass them on to naive and thoughtless "rescuers" who eventually get to the end of their tether and bring them to me for euthanasia. All the time.

These are the dogs who bite children in the home due to a total lack of knowledge, reasonable expectations and effort to socialise them adequately.

These are the dogs whose owners can afford four figure sums to buy the latest random mongrel "breed" with a stupid made-up name, but cannot afford fifty quid to get it vaccinated, far less any money at all to treat even minor illnesses.

These are the dogs who clog up rescue centres all over the country, waiting along with thousands and thousands of others for the home with no children, no other pets and eight-foot fences, with an owner who has experience of managing behavioural problems, works from home, has stainless steel furniture and can write blank cheques to pay for the inherited illnesses the dog suffers from. Homes which don't actually exist.

These are the dogs who I have to put down because I know that it is more responsible of me to painlessly take their life than to condemn them to wait with the rest of the enormous population of "difficult" dogs sitting in rescue kennels all over the country.

Please, please, I implore you. Get advice before you take on a dog - from a vet, a qualified positive behaviourist, the Kennel Club, the Blue Cross, the Dog's Trust, the RSPCA - the information is there for the taking, there is no excuse. Go to a decent breeder, who has a waiting list, or a rescue centre which really grills you thoroughly before matching you with a pet. Find out how to bring your puppies up properly so if you do find your circumstances change then at least they are rehomable. Make sure you can afford to pay for the unexpected. Make sure your expectations are fair.

Please, because I can't keep having to do this :(

Omg why put a healthy dog down?! Why not RSPCA or equivalent so it could go to a suitable home

Flatbread I'm sorry but I completely disagree with you. I think rescue homes encourage bad dog ownership. People think they can give their dog away to a rescue centre if it doesn't suit them. Maybe if people knew the reality that many dogs never get rehomed but spend their lives stuck in a kennel or get PTS then they would think twice.

Don't get me wrong, rescue centres do amazing work but you only have to look at how they are full to bursting point to see that this problem is just too big. There are just not enough homes to go round.

Flatbread you are over simplifying this, what is the alternative if canis had refused well the owners find another vet yes possible actually in truth they find another way of solving the problem if the dog is lucky with a shotgun if the dog is unlucky it is released somewhere and hit by a car.
A few weeks ago I went into my surgery at 2am to find a large terrified and frankly unmanageable bull breed dog loose in the road outside the surgery, I narrowly avoided hitting the dog with the car. I could not get near this dog with a lead and in the end opened the surgery front door got some food and enticed the dog in to safety. I then enticed him into a kennel. The next morning we found a piece of rope tied to a drain pipe that had been chewed through by the dog presumably. It was later discovered that another practice in our area had refused to euthanase this dog the day before.
This dog did go to a rescue, however even with the help of a behaviourist this dog's outcome was not good.
As vets we swear to uphold the welfare of the animals in our care at all times sometimes this means making a decision to euthanase as you feel that refusing would compromise the animals welfare.
There are vets who have been hauled before disciplinary procedures for refusing and then the dog has suffered as a result of someone trying to kill it in another way. They were deemed to have failed to uphold the animals welfare.
Sadly the number of fuckwits who feel it is their right to own an animal is increasing some of them come for vaccinations and we can point them in the direction of good quality training classes. Others unfortunatly only darken our doorstep when it has all gone wrong, with all rescues full to bursting currently it makes situations very, very difficult.

This is so so sad, I'm sat having a weep, I'm so sad for you and the dog. I had to have my dog put down about 2 weeks ago (age 8) as she had a problem with her inner ear that couldn't be fixed. She couldn't stand up and was in a right state. I'm still bereft, I don't understand how some people can be so irresponsible. I would definitely recommend sending your original post to a newspaper, it's very well written and hopefully it might stop others from being so incredibly selfish.

OP I hope you are okay.

I can't see that you had an alternative.

I believe that there are much worse things that can happen to unwanted pets. If you had turned this family away, the dog's fate could have been much worse. You made that call.

How sad. What a really horrible position to be in. That poor dog just needed an understanding owner and proper training.

Situations like this should be properly governed but how would that actually work. I hate hearing about dogs being pts because of so called aggression. Of course a dog will growl when a child shoves it's face to the dog. A growl is a dog's only means of telling us it doesn't like something, they must be allowed to communicate this, it does not mean they are aggressive at all. My soft dog constantly growls at my 6 year old in warning, my boy still winds her up and has on occasion been snapped at when he's pushed her too far, that's his own fault, not the dog's. Really feel bad for you, what a terrible situation.

Maybe people need hands on experience with puppies before getting one. I have a retriever (carefully researched as our eldest is severely autistic). What I hadn't quite realised is how different show and working line retrievers are. So our dog is bonkers, which is fine, we live in a place of beautiful walks and severely autistic son loves walking. I work from home, providing he gets a decent couple of walks and ball chasing sessions a day he's fine. Much more excitable and full on than my (older, rescue) family pets when I was growing up, but after an initial 'woah' I've adjusted. His working line background has made him very easy to train.

One day I was on the beach and was approached by someone with a a young retriever pup. She asked me about mine and said she was having real problems with hers, she said he was aggressive and going for the children, said he was a first dog and was going to have to go back. He was a really young pup, 5 months? And from what I saw and her description it sounded like he was playing - not being aggressive at all. I suggested some books that explained about dogs learning not to bite etc and dog play, but it was almost as if she wanted me to validate her choice and say that he sounded aggressive. He just sounded like a completely normal pup. She didn't sound as if she could cope with pup behaviour but he didn't seem aggressive. I felt very sad tbh, I was taken aback by how full on a pup was, but would never have got rid if him.

I've also been surprised by the number of people with huskies etc as first dogs. It makes such a diffence if there's an owner who knows what they're doing. One dog (or perhaps owner) at our local park is such a nightmare I avoid going at the same time now - I've seen that dog actually hunt down other dogs, but the owner seems oblivious to what is going on and completely ineffectual. At another park I go to there's a shepherd who can be a bit tasty, but the owner is excellent - very in control, always on the ball, always one step ahead and her dog has a great time.

If she hadn't put the dog down - and the owner was desperate - what would have happened? There have been RSPCA cases where people have battered, drowned, stabbed and even shot 'unwanted' animals. Blue juice is a 'better' option here. God knows what suffering unwanted or inconvenient pets go through.

Why did the dog license go? If you have to pay a hefty fee (ok discounts for the elderly, disabled etc) and laws to clobber people who don't have a license or train their bloody pets. Maybe that'll stop some people getting them on a whim.

Why not RSPCA or equivalent so it could go to a suitable home

did you not read the OP? 'He had tried local and national rescue organisations, all of which were full'. The RSPCA isn't a no-kill rescue anyway.

If every vet turned away these cases and refused to put dogs like this down, owners would simpy have to find a solution.
Yes -and in too many cases it would be horribly inhumane.

Firstpost - well done. That alone shows why the OP did a good thing posting. One less litter of amateur-bred pups.

Flatbread - on first reading I sort of agreed with you - there must be a better option. But on reading more of the Op's posts it is pretty obvious that she is a rational intelligent person so if there was a better option she would have taken it.

The implication that she euthanised the dog for the fees is, frankly, ridiculous. According to google it costs about £50. Presumably a good £10 of them are for the drugs. Plus the cost of vet nurse, heating, lighting, mortgage on the building etc so maybe a profit of £20. But the Op isn't a partner so she doesn't get the £20. Her boss does. And he has to pay her annual salary from these profits. So maybe a true profit of £10. Would you really do something that upset you greatly to make your boss £10? I wouldn't. (And I really like my boss. - For all we know the Op could hate hers.)

The suggestion of advertising on mumsnet isn't great either. Someone like me would probably come forward. I am a really nice person and really feel for the dog. I also have never had a dog, have no true knowledge of dogs, work, have a young child who takes up all my spare time, have a husband who is not a dog person. But like I said I'm a nice person who means well and found the story really sad.

But realistically it would not end well.

It's nice of other people to give you explanations of how appaling your behaviour is flatbread. I just think you're being rude and horrid.

Sympathies OP. We've been in the same situation many times :(

The worst case I 'helped' with was a litter of 7 beautiful bright 2 day old puppies who were brought in to be PTS because the owner 'couldn't be bothered with the hassle of homing them'. Refused to spay the bitch because it was bad for them. A few months later another litter turned up on the doorstep, abandoned at some point before surgery opened but almost certainly the same owners.

A couple of weeks ago I spotted a man putting a cardboard box on the carriageway of a busy road so I stopped and went back. 6 tiny kitten in the box :( He'd gone by the time I'd walked back so I took them to the surgery where they were hand fed by the nurses but didn't do very well.

What in all honesty can you do? Refusal to put to sleep will end up in abandonment and various unpleasant alternative deaths.

Lonecat, we don't know what the outcome for the dog might have been. What we do know is that this young, healthy dog was put to sleep, as almost a 'first option' rather than the last one.

There are rescues close to where I live that have space for more dogs.

But it seems the owner didn't need to try hard enough, because there are enough vets out there just willing to kill a young, healthy dog. And then somehow justify that it is for the dog's benefit.

Any chance of a MN lobby? Even the "dog dislikers" should support a campaign for some sort of control over dog owners, I say owners because they are, of course, the problem, not the dogs.
For every person who have had dogs shitting in their street, dogs knocking over their kids, been bitten by a dog or have had their dog attacked in the park, and for the dog lovers to protect dogs and reduce cruelty, lazy breeding and neglect.

The fact is a dog can be an anti social problem as much as the yobs who own them. There is also the issue of people not being able to afford their pets (never understood this, I would seek the help that is out there and share what I had rather than get rid of a member of my family) and for the sake of all communities for al the avove reasons. MN is a powerful force and most people on here have strong opinions, even the haters would like to see anti social owners being controlled. Isn't there a small chance that a big public campaign for some sort of government intervention and control may happen with MN behind it?

'It had growled very aggressively when a child had put its face near his' This is very normal behaviour. Dogs see close face to face eye contact as a threat. My own terrier growled at a toddler who's eejit parents let him crawl along the ground face to face with him I class my dog as child tolerant not child friendly and rarely allow very small children to pet him, of course the parents did not know this because the hadn't bothered to stop and ask and were several feet behind us when their child threw himself to ground in front of my (luckily) leashed dog.

Of course this is not your fault you did what you thought you had to at the time. The fault lies squarely with the owners and the breeder, but I just wanted to point that out in case someone reading the thread panics because their dog has done this, it is not a sign of an imminently dangerous dog, just a sign that the toddler needs to be kept under control.

I used to volunteer in an SSPCA centre (this is a while ago). They would always accept new dogs in. What people didn't realise was new dog in, means a current dog getting put to sleep. Rescue centres are full. There are nowhere near enough places for all the dogs that need them.

Flatpack You obviously care deeply, why don't you set up a rescue centre? One that guarantees to put no dog to sleep, and to take any dog that is offered? Why not?

As others have said, if vets refused to euthenase it wouldn't solve the problem. Owner s (generally) use that as a last resort, they will have already tried fb/gumtree/friends.

Sk if vet refuses what are the options? Abandon dog somewhere a long way from home, or kill it yourself. Which is uour preferred option?

Peronally I think dogs should be like cars.

You should have to apply for a licence. Said license could be taken away for offences. It should be a criminal offence to own a dog wihtout one. Owners should have to take out insurance for medical care for their dog and third party liability in case their dog harmed a third party.

Good point Dooin. I think the Op did what she had to but I know from this site how many people do panic. There is a difference between a twat having an untrained Akita and a family dog standing his ground and asking for his tail not to be pulled/have things put in his ears/share his bones or theopups favourite, being forced to wear hats.

I don't get no kill rescues. What happens to all the dogs and what about the dangerous ones?

Expensive dog licences are the answer.

'Instead of coming here with a moany, preachy, woe-is-me post, why didn't you write a post before you killed the dog to see if anyone was willing to take it on?'

'Oh Yes! Brilliant idea! 'Excuse me distressed dog owner, i'll just consult mumsnet and see if I can rustle up somebody totally appropriate for this animal. Then i'll get out my magic wand and make all the ickle puppies happy again'

If we gave prizes for absurd posts you'd be a winner Flatbread. Please stop insinuating the Op's in it for the money. It's plain enough that's not the case.

I think if people had to kill their own pets, chances are it would haunt them for ever. Many would not be able to do it and would work out a solution for keeping the dog or really try to find a rescue, that can take them in.

Having a vet kill the dog gives the decision some validation (well, even the professionals thought it was an ok thing to do) and it is very likely that this owner will get another dog down the road because it wasn't so hard to get rid of the first one.

That is very sad. When I was a teen I worked in a vets on a saturday and I was horrified by holding healthy dogs while they were put to sleep and then carrying them out afterwards.

When you say designer dogs with silly made-up names, do you mean the ones that are meant to be good for allergies like cockerpoo and labradoodle?

Sorry, Flatbread, are you seriously advocating pele having to kill their own pets?

In some ways, I think you have a point about the availability of euthanasia validating some people's decisions. However, the alternatives are cruel, horrifying and far, far worse.

I am saying that it is not morally justifiable for a vet to kill healthy young dogs with no real behavioural problems, just because the owner cannot be arsed to keep them or do the legwork to find a rescue (and they are many with spaces available, it just means travelling a few hours to get to one).

And frankly, why would an uncaring owner bother to make any effort at all if Dog-rid vet practice down the road will kill the dog for 50 quid within 20 minutes?