To be considering putting my dog down

[Bestdoggoever]

Please be gentle. I just want to do what is right for him. I rehome my dog from another family a couple of years ago. When I got him he was very nervous and neglected, and would flinch a lot. He is now a confident happy dog, but due to circumstances completely beyond my control, I am moving into accommodation that will not allow him. I am very worried about rehoming him again, because of all he has been through, and because I couldn't be there to protect him if anyone tried to hurt him again. I am considering having him put down. However I am worried that I am being unduly influenced by my own past, in which my mom broke several of my bones and left me malnutritioned. I suppose I know there are fates worse than death, and I want to protect him. He is only four and my boyfriend thinks I am very wrong to be considering putting him down. But so just want what's best for him. Thank you

As someone else mentioned contact the dogs trust. They will ensure he is well looked after and if he can be rehomed he will be rehomed to someone suitable. They have amazing centres with some long term residents who are well loved by their carers as well as fostering options as well.

Halfsack, try reading OP's posts. Maybe then you will manage not to be quite so crass. No-one with half a brain would believe that this has anything whatsoever to do with convenience.

Could u advertise for someone.then ud get to meet,vet them a bit.even hunters do this now!put flyers in supermarkets.at least then Uve tried and u urself seen people.

I am sorry for the loss of your brother.

Rehome the dog, he is young and has the chance of a good life ahead of him in the right household.

I would not trust a vet that wanted to put a healthy animal to sleep, especially just because its owner was moving home.

Bloody hell people can you read OPs posts. This poor woman was abused as a child, managed to fight hard enough from a rough start to get to uni leaving her beloved dog with her brother. Her brother died. She is bereft. She is confused. She is trying to do her best for a much loved pet and just doesn't know how. And so many people are putting the boot in. FFS. This is mumsnet at its absolute worst.

You are being extremely unreasonable. Give the dog chance. Look for alternative accommodation, look for a family to take the dog, support the RSPCA to rehome the dog etc
I doubt the vet supported killing a healthy dog!!!

dolcezza, you're the disgrace. Have you bothered to read OP's posts? You do realise that she is a survivor of child abuse whose brother has just died?

None of which is any excuse for animal abuse. Plenty of other people manage to get through such life experiences without killing healthy pets.

You seem a troubled soul who is afraid for your dog.
At 4 he is still young and The dogs Trust are very good. My brother got a most nervous big dog from them a few years ago and has helped him and worked with him and loves him so much. There are others out there who are kind and could love your dog and give it a good home.
Hugs and hope things improve x

What Confidently said x100.

Let's try and put OPs feelings above that of the dog, yeah? He's not reading the bloody thread, is he?

Come off it, dolcezza, it's perfectly clear that there is no element of animal abuse involved. Look at OP's posts, look at ConfidentlyUnhinged's post two above yours and try to put your brain in gear.

I get it Sour, truly, but when it affects decisions like this where there is a loved and healthy pets welfare at stake then sometimes it does need a bit of straight/sense talking aswell as understanding and sympathy to the owners situation and experiences. It's way more likely than not that a dog like op describes will find new owners who will never have to be in a position to re-home and be just as happy, loved and cared for, maybe more so. Especially as it's still only 4 years old and only been with the current owner for 2

That being said i think some of the comments are uncalled for.

Vets put 'healthy' dogs down all the time. Dogs with severe behavioural problems such as fear biters are not healthy, and they are not easy to rehome.
Thousands of unwanted dogs are put down every week. Its sad, but thats the way things are. There aren't homes for them.

Fearful dogs cant be fixed, the behaviour can only be masked. They will revert to fearful behaviours if they feel overwhelmed. And they are a high risk for biting.
Unless someone here can offer a knowledgeable home for a fearful dog, they really cant comment.

dolcezza, you are not reading the same thread as I am.

The OP is fearful for her dog's welfare and is trying to figure out the best way forward while her past experiences cloud her expectation of his future/how a new owner might treat him.
No animal abuse on this thread that I can see.

No no no no, god no. Do NOT put that dog down. He has done nothing wrong! Ask him for to be rehomed and no doubt he will be picked up by a loving family who will care for him, much like my 4 year old spaniel when we rescued him. Please do not put a healthy, happy dog to sleep.

I'm totally on board with gentle challenging @GahBuggerit (great username by the way) but that's not what some people are doing. Some people are being very critical and cruel to OP with no shred of empathy (or human decency) I really do despair at times.

@Bestdoggoever www.angels4dogs.org/ are worth contacting if you're in the South East. They won't judge and will do all they can to help

Yes YABVU. I'm sorry for what you've been through but don't let the struggles you've had in your own life deprive this poor dog of the chance for a happy future. I volunteer with animals rescues and most "problem" dogs can be successfully rehomed with great families, it just means that the rescue centre will spend a little extra time searching for an experienced household where your dog can be rehomed without children (they won't rehome a traumatised dog with children if he has shown any issues in the past). You have given up on your dog far too early - he deserves to be rehomed to an experienced family who will take the time to work with him and develop a bond of trust. There are plenty such families out there, I see happy rehoming stories like that every day, just be upfront with the rescue about his past so they know he needs a very special home. Whatever you do, do not take away this poor dog's life just because of your own anxieties and experiences - there will be another home out there who will find it very rewarding to work with him.

As a side note if you rehome through a reputable rescue centre you do not need to worry about someone else harming him or hurting him - most rescues do home checks and have a very thorough vetting service to make sure no animals are rehomed with animal abusers.

How sad OP. In my opinion, there are far worst fates which can await an animal than being PTS. An unsuitable home, for example, is worse.

For example, it is FAR worse to keep a dog at home without company for 8 hours a day than have it PTS. That should be illegal and dogs should be taken from people who keep them like that and PTS if they cannot be rehomed.

Rehoming is a great idea, but there are far too many dogs out there, and if your dog is quirky I can understand your concern that she may not end up in a good place.

I wish people would put their animals to sleep more, awful though that sounds. Lots of dogs are just not suited to being rehomed. And I see adverts all the time for horses of 20+ years old, looking for a new home because their owner cannot be arsed looking after them any more and is too tight to have them PTS.

I'm also surprised at how many previous posters think that vets won't put an animal to sleep. They mightn't like doing it, but as a vet PP said, they are obliged to if the owner asks.

There are a lot of unpleasant ignorant opinions on this thread dresses up as 'caring' about animals.

OP - I can understand this is tough for you.

I suspect that the vast majority of posters blithely suggesting rescue centres have zero experience of the reality of life in a shelter for some dogs. I would euthanise my own dog before I would put her in a shelter. If ignorant posters think that means I don't deserve my licence, I'd suggest that they need to evaluate why their own sentimentality is more important than an animal's lived experience, and whether people willing to prevent an animal suffering by making an extraordinarily difficult decision, should be the target of your virtue-signalling vitriol.

For some dogs, shelters are worse than death and Dogs Trust like all reputable rescue organisations recognises this and will only accept dogs that will tolerate life in the shelter environment and have a reasonable chance of being rehomed. For these reasons it is definitely worth contacting them, but if your dog has anxiety issues, they may well decline to accept him, regardless of what PP think. Rehoming through reputable rescue centres is not that easy.

If he's a breed then a specific breed rescue may be able to help, and it's worth attempting to rehomed him yourself directly also.

Good luck OP

OP I completely understand where you're coming from. Even though I adore animals and have three rescue dogs and two rescue cats of my own. There is no cruelty in quietly putting an animal to sleep quietly and calmly. I can see you adore your dog and are worrying about him now you've lost your brother and the plan you had for the dog to be cared for while you were at uni. I also understand that there are thousands of dogs sitting in rescues looking for homes. I'd hate the thought of my dogs (especially the two that had a hard time previously that took a good while to relax) having to go back to rescue. I think the outraged brigade on here are being thoughtless. I think that the vet probably understands your predicament much better than your critics on here.

I wonder if it's worth trying to find someone to foster him for you while you're at uni? My friend fostered a dog for someone while they lived somewhere that they couldn't take a dog, she had it six months. Most people are only at uni 30 weeks a year - in the holidays and next year you could find somewhere you could take him..

Oh and what the Vet above says!

I'm so sorry about your brother OP xx

Ultimately if you can't find the RIGHT home for him (with you or anyone else) then YANBU to consider having him PTS. He is your responsibility and that's what being a responsible pet owner is about. If you are having him PTS because you can't be bothered to try and find that home for him then YABVU.

OP, is the dog a Staffi or similar that you think may be more likely to be rehomed by someone not looking for a pet, or that will be overlooked in a rescue centre?

Don't PTS. Most rescues are very good at assessing the needs of a dog, and people are home-checked and interviewed to ensure they are the right fit for the dog. The overwhelming probability is that he will be happily rehomed to people who love him.
Please do contact the RSPCA, Dogs Trust or similar.