To be happy SIL's dangerous dog had been given away

[Kerrieanne85]

Hi everyone

This post is a follow on/update from a previous post I had on WWYD/AIBU back in November 2023.

Quick recap:
Back in Nov 2023 I made a post as myself, DH and DC were supposed to be going to FIL's 70th birthday party but they were housing a dangerous dog who had a history of biting numerous people.

Zorro (the dog) initially belonged to my SIL & she never trained him from day 1. Zorro had bitten numerous family members and had even bitten SIL's fiancee so badly that he was on crutches for 7 weeks. SIL then decided to give Zorro to in-laws as she had a 9 month old baby. Zorro is given tablets 3 times a day to keep him calm and is fine with just MIL & FIL, but very nervous when there are people in the house.

MIL refused to have him put down even after being advised to so we decided not to attend FIL's big 70th party as it would be a full house and we didn't want to take the risk of Zorro getting stressed.

Fast Forward To Today;
In-laws came over to our house late morning for early Sunday Roast. They left around an hour ago. FIL again asked to visit them more often so he can spend time with D.C. DH explained to him that we don't go to their house because of the risk of Zorro. FIL then tells us during the meal that he has gotten rid of Zorro.
Zorro attacked FIL last week when he was making tea in the kitchen. The following day Zorro then went for a SIL's 14 month baby. Thank god he didn't get her but he did lunge aggressively towards her.

FIL then put his foot down once and for all and told MIL that the dog was going for good and there was nothing MIL would do about it.

MIL was sitting there at the table with a bright red face like a beetroot. She had tears in her eyes and blew up at FIL. She started shouting at him for "talking about Zorro" she said her heart is so broken and he's being insensitive to her for even speaking about it to us" she stormed out into the garden to compose herself.

DH and FIL stayed in dining room eating and discussing the situation, DH telling his father that this decision has been long overdue. MIL couldn't compose herself and wanted sympathy. I went to check on her outside but she kept saying how angry she was that FIL was talking about it.

I normally try and keep peace but to be honest I am so happy that Zorro is no longer around. He wasn't put to sleep but given away. I feel comfortable now that DC and everyone can visit In-laws without any fear of a dangerous dog.

They left with MIL being sad and somber, I think she was expecting DH, me and FIL to give her an abundance of pity but for the first time no-one really did. We didn't talk about Zorro in front of her again as she asked.

AIBU to be relieved Zorro is finally gone?

YANBU to be relieved that this thing is no longer a direct threat to your family.

Your PIL though are absolute cretins to pass on a dangerous dog to another family. A dog which has history of attacking/biting and had to be drugged to "keep it calm". WTF?

YANBU OP.
Good riddance (and actually, it should have been put down).

Relief would be appropriate. Happy is just spiteful. Probably your MIL didn’t want to mention it because she knew you would be ‘just so happy’ about something she’s clearly very upset over.

And for the record, I think the dog should have been put down not given away.

Oh and let me guess... unregistered XL bully type?

He wasn't put to sleep but given away. I feel comfortable now that DC and everyone can visit In-laws without any fear of a dangerous dog.

So he attacked one person and the following day he went to attack a 14 month old baby and he's bitten numerous people in the past and they just gave him away? Who did they give him too and why didn't they make the sensible choice to put him to sleep? It's great your kids won't be attacked but all they've done is make him someone else's problem and now it will be their kids he's going for.

I doubt they've been honest when rehoming him as no one voluntarily takes such a dog knowing that he's bitten multiple times...

I hope the new owners knew the truth and not some bullshit story about him needing to be rehomed because they changed jobs or something.

You SIL clearly is a terrible pet owner. Hope she does better with her child.
Also hope that the dog, who obviously should have been put down, or taken for proper training, doesn't rip the face off it's new owner or someone else. Bet hey, glad that you are happy this may happen.
What a shit state of affairs. Poor dog

I've got 3 dogs. If any of mine did those things I'd have PTS.

Tbh yes a relief the dog is no longer a threat to your family, but now they will be a threat to someone else's.

Your sister in law has failed the dog by not training it at all! I hope he has been rehomed with someone who has experience in rehabilitation and actually takes time to try and change behaviour.

This sounds like a very positive update, and will be better for everyone concerned. I wish my PIL could read this and do the same with their Golden Retriever, it has a history of being very aggressive towards strangers and went for DS when we staying with them. Unfortunately the dog has always been priority, even over their own grandchildren. I'm glad your FIL eventually saw sense and had Zorro rehomed.

Breed? And I hope the new owners understand the risk this dog poses!

Let me first say I am a die hard dog lover and have not been without a dog in the last 30 years, all bully breeds because they are my favourites. Now, I 'inherited' a dog from my cousin once upon a time and he was unhinged. We did everything we could for him for 5 years but in the end he was just too dangerous and unpredictable and I took the most heartbreaking decision of my life to have him put to sleep. I was absolutely hounded day in and day out for my decision by people from a well known dog rescue forum, called a vile murderer, scum etc etc but I tell you something, I made the right decision. He was my baby but my god he was dangerous and I could not in good conscience pass him on. The Blue Cross, Battersea and my vets all agreed with me and to this day I know it was the right decision. Zorro sounds much the same and honestly I don't think they should have given him away but had him PTS - I know that sounds awful but some times there are worse things than death and Zorro sounds like an anxious hot mess bless him :(. That's no way to live.

So now someone else's family are at risk? Surely no real reason to be happy about that? Ddog should have been pts... Ils should have surrendered it to the police. They aren't great people imo.

Sadly, that is a dog who was failed so badly by the humans in his life, he’ll never be safe. And now they’ve passed him on to someone else. Unbelievable. Poor animal. And poor whoever the fuck he mauls. Christ I hope it’s not a child. 💔

This monster went to attack a baby and presumably took chunks out of your sil fiancé due to the fact they were on crutches for 7 weeks, and it's not been put to sleep yet? Is your sil family all mentally ill or something, that they think this is OK to give this monster to another family? Do they not see the news about babies being killed by dangerous dogs?

I think it's a terrible outcome. Why is this monster still alive?

Feel how you want feel, don’t expect other people to feel the same (like your mil).

She loved the dog, rightly or wrongly - neither here nor there. Like child murderers, paedophiles, serial killers, terrorists etc Somewhere, somebody loves them!

If it’s an adult only home and they know the risk- it’s their responsibility. Rescues do rehome biters, many are successfully rehabilitated.

@Hollyhobbi do you support the death penalty for child murderers?

Poor people who have been bitten and will be bitten or worse by this bloodthirsty animal!

Hmm, I wonder whether FIL really did give the dog away or whether that's just what he told MIL? If she can't even bear him being talked about she certainly couldn't cope with learning he was no more...

I really hope you're right. They especially sil and mil sound unhinged.

I'm wondering the same thing.

I really hope this dog has been PTS.

OP is it one of those bully breeds? Or a wee chihuahua?

Hopefully what he actually did was get the dog euthanised. It does sound like he'd absolutely had enough if he's tolerated it for ages and now Zorro is gone after two incidents, including at least one very near miss.

Well, this isn’t the nice happy ending OP thinks it is, that’s what I’m thinking.

I really hope your SIL never owns a dog again. Who has the dog been given to now?