To think PTS is not the worse thing that can happen to an animal.

[Arashi]

I breed dogs and have done for 20 years. In that time I've had 8 litters (including one now). I always keep a puppy, I am licenced, extensively health test, vet the homes, offer life time back up including offer free puppy training classes for my pups and lifetime "issue" support (I'm a qualified behaviourist). I have a waiting list and most people are on it an average of 18 months. I keep mine until they die of old age not replace them when their breeding days are done. They are part of the family and I love them all dearly.

I also am loosely involved in the breed specific rescue in that I offer my behaviour assessments free, have fostered on occasion, and provide transport around the country.

There is a woman, let's call her Susan, who I know vaguely from the agility circuit. She has a tendency to buy herself a large breed working dog, clearly not train it or invest time in it and then by the time it's 2/3 years old and large and unruly (and occasionally aggressive) she gets rid and gets another puppy and the circle starts again. Each time she swears she's train it better. She currently has an imported German Shepherd. The pup is 13 months and is extremely fear reactive. She is unpredictable, reacts to both dogs and people and honestly is a serious accident waiting to happen. She has bitten Susan (stiches required) who now wants to rehome her

I have been asked by the organiser of the agility group - Jane - if I could take the dog. As I have pups on the ground I said I could but not for another 6 weeks when they have gone as I just won't have the time right now. I provided a couple of rescues I thought might be able to help quicker but there is some concern about her worsening in a kennel environment and finding a suitable Foster home isn't easy. Susan doesn't want to wait and is proposing to PTS. Jane has rung me in a panic saying that if the dog is due to be PTS on Friday and I need to help. I've explained I can't and the reasons and as part of the conversation I said the exact words "PTS is not the worse thing that could happen to that dog"

Jane has gone ballistic and I mean ballistic. She has "reported" me to the charities I work with as unsuitable to work in rescue as I believe it's OK to kill animals. Is saying I clearly just want to kill them to make way for people to buy my puppies. And has banned me from the agility group.

It all seems a bit overdramatic but surely it is not that "controversial" of an opinion?

Was just about to write something like this.
Jane's a fuckwit ignore her

I’ve worked with a few Janes.

Quick to blame someone else for not taking a dog they aren’t willing to take themselves.

I have also euthanised a dog for severe aggression. Do I feel guilty? Yes, however the dog lived a highly stressed and very controlled life, always locked away or muzzled around anything that wasn’t me as she was downright dangerous. Not my fault, I rescued her for the behaviour and tried my best to turn it around but she was a genetic emotional wreck.

One day my guard slipped and she did bite someone, I had her PTS and I had loads of Janes saying you could have done X,Y or Z…yet I didn’t see any of them living with a biting rescue german shepherd or doing anything to help 🤔 The majority of them couldn’t have handled a savage toy poodle never mind anything else. The real life version of keyboard warriors.

You're absolutely not being unreasonable. A good death which prevents being passed from pillar to post and the high risk of abuse and/or harm to the dog and anyone or thing around it is not cruelty, it's kindness if there are no other options.

I do agree in a lot of cases. An older animal that is sick or injured should not be put through traumatic surgery or treatment. An animal disabled from birth. An older pet that cannot be quickly and happily rehomed, rather than being put in a shelter alone and afraid. An animal with severe behavioural issues that cannot be easily rehomed.

So Jane is furious you won't provide the solution to a problem Susan made. Susan choosing to put the dog to sleep, not you. What the hell is wrong with people?

I think it's a terribly sad situation, the dog has done nothing wrong, it simply had the misfortune of being owned by a selfish, halfwit. If a suitable foster cannot be arranged then I agree PTS is for the best, as awful as that is. A large, reactive dog cannot be re-homed by just anyone and it would be dangerous and irresponsible to do that just to avoid the solution Susan has chosen.

Jane and Susan are both unreasonable, you have said you can take the dog but just not right now. Perhaps Jane could direct some of her anger towards Susan who is refusing to keep the dog for another 6 weeks.

I agree with everything you have said @Arashi . It is a really tough call but sometimes it's the better outcome. I have a very elderly pony, in fine form atm, but hadca bit if a "scare" with her in january. It's on my mind a lot as you say, I'd never forgive myself for leaving it too late.

Jane is an emotionally manipulative bully.

Susan should be ashamed.

I'm sorry you've ended up taking the flack for their failures.

Hug your puppies and try not to get caught up in their dramas.

How dare she blame you for Susan's irresponsibility.

Why after all this time is Jane only getting involved with Susan's antics?

I think Jane is guilty she's not done anything sooner and won't take the blame.

CF.

I couldn't agree more. I often feel guilty looking through rescue pages and thinking 'just PTS' when the rescue is spending thousands on cancer treatment and the dog is clearly so sad and hasn't a family to look after them, or a little puppy is very damaged at birth.

There was outrage recently when a family wanted an old dog of a deceased family member PTS. I may be guilty of anthropomorphism, but if I was a very old dog and my beloved owner of many years died, I would prefer to be PTS.

I think some doggy people project their own emotional issues onto dogs. I also suspect money is talking in this case.

How is Susan even part of am agility group with untrained dogs?

I have a solution. Jane should adopt it. Susan should be banned from keeping any animal.

You are actually being beyond reasonable because I have some concerns about you adopting the dog. You sound like a really nice person and I think it was generous and kind to offer / get talked into it. A dog that is 14 months old can be retrained - but it is far from easy and best done by someone whose total focus is on the one dog. I know someone who kindly did the same thing for an 8 month old neglected lockdown Rottie. Except he had no skills (unlike you) and the dog has now lost him all his friends, ruined his other dogs life, bitten him too many times to think and attacked other dogs in the local area. And he still won't do the right thing for the dog and everyone else.

So no, PTS is the kindest thing if the dog can't be suitably and reasonably rehomed, and Jane is an idiot.

If Jane is so upset and outraged she should step up and take the dog, an animal being put to sleep is definitely not the worst thing that could happen to them.

Whilst I agree the PTS isn’t the worst thing that can happen. I do think there is a real difference with people buying dogs that are too much, not training properly and then killing the animal to deal with a problem that has caused directly by their negligence.