to be completely unsympathetic to my SIL's grief over the 'loss' of her beloved dog?

[WestieMamma]

We've had 2 weeks of endless sadness over their 'loss'. Pictures posted on facebook, comments about how their little family will never be the same. How much he is missed. How their hearts are breaking. Endless streams of sympathy from friends and relatives and supportive comments about how he's 'gone to a better place'. Today she's been all 'now I know how you felt when your 15 year old Westie died a few months ago'. It's actually make me have thoughts of hitting her over the head with a jumbone.

Before you all tell me I'm an evil, unsympathetic cow. They got rid of the dog because they have had a baby 'couldn't give him what he needed'.

2 weeks is nothing. I had to rehome my dog 5 years ago (due to children, actually, so you can all flame away as much as you like)

I still miss her. And dh and I do occasionally indulge in a bit of nostalgia, and we have a couple of photos of her around the place.

I also still feel guilty that we failed her (which we did, clearly, as we had to rehome her), which probably makes me talk up how fabulous she was (but only a little - she really was fabulous, but sadly circumstances were such that we couldn't keep her).

some people on Facebook being self-obsessed and attention-seeking.

I fixed it for you. I used fb to keep in touch with family in the UK (am in Australia) and I don't see myself as self-obsessed and attention-seeking.

"You should do your research on the breed and its requirements. Or even just learn about dogs in general before embarking on what should be a life long commitment"

No scope for changes in circumstances?

No one can foresee some circumstances. However wouldn't you want your dog to have the best chance of finding a new home if the worst happened?

They stand a far better chance if they are trained socialized and up to date with vaccinations etc.

And of course if you don't put the work in its gonna be a nightmare. Any idiot knows that.

Well, yes of course dogs should be properly trained and socialized. For everyone's benefit and pleasure, including the dog's!

But I hate the "if you want to rehome you're an evil callous dog hater" that's so prevalent on here.

absolstely laqueen, i just came on to post that they felt guilty. hence the ott posts.
of course they feel guilty, but they will get over it, and the dog is in a better place by the sound of it.

i know someone who keeps getting puppies, and then rehomes them, my they do have bad luck

I just don't know why people do it. What planet do you have to live on to think that puppies are easy and they sort themselves out.

Even those with kids. I mean they aren't unlike babies. They get into things they shouldn't , poo everywhere, chew stuff, cry and damage the house. You wouldn't shut your child in the kitchen , do nothing and hope for the best ffs.

I had a lovely well trained dog and 2 cats as well as a 2 year old and a new born. No help, no family, no friends, dp no help as worked long hours and was away a lot with work. It never entered my head that I would not be able to cope. I just got on with it so I am always amazed that people cannot cope.
More worrying about your sister is if she could not cope with a dog without resorting to tranquilisers how is she going to cope with a baby who doesn't sleep through the night and who will grow into a toddler who will run about the house making lots of noise and will need a hell of a lot more attention than the dog did.

Exactly milly

If you can't cope with a dog especially a well trained one then how do you plan to cope with a child.

If your mindset is to do bugger all with a dog then does the same apply to the children because I can't see how you can have the stupidity not to train your dog yet realise at the sAme time you need to "train " the child. Doesn't make sense.

And surely if you already had a child who was particularly demanding you wouldn't then get a dog on top?

Or you would at least research what breed to get that gots in with your life style.

And if your dog was hard work you wouldn't just go ahead and have a child . There would be that moment of panic surely whereby you realised the situation you are about to be in and say I yourself " time to deal with this before baby arrives"

Just hide her news feed if it annoys you.

The dog we are currently looking after is beautifully trained and socialised. But his owner couldn't cope with him as well as a job and two small children. Not everyone's the same.

And if all options have been explored then no one would blame her.

But in this case it's two idiots got a dog did fuck all for it and now are using the kid as an excuse as to why they but can't do what should have been done on day 1.

That is by no means an ok attitude. And doing the right thing at the end does not excuse any of it.

What do you mean by "all the options?"

Does "I'm finding life really hard- I'm so tired"

"Would you like us to look after Fido for a while?"

"Yes please!!"

count as exploring all the options?

Finding someone to walk during day or pop in to feed. Seeing if someone could take it during the day.

Pet sitting services, friends, family etc yes .

We can't be arsed to train it let's advertise it on gumtree, face book or sedate the poor thing all day- does not count.

"That's right...some people are just crap, and can't be arsed to do things properly - whilst other people can."

Wow. So acknowledging that you can't cope, and finding a solution is being crap?

Spot on laqueen

Most people would have sympathy for people in situations that they couldn't help, just trying to do their best. No one foresees a marriage breaking down and having to be housed somewhere pets aren't allowed for example.

But the amount of people I hear have got a cat when they have previously said they struggle to pay bills or feed the kids, let it have kittens cos "can't afford to have the op" then moan some more that they are skint cos they now have six cats to feed.

Seriously use your brain, don't get a cat