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?

"we don't talk about Zorr-ro-ro-ro, we don't talk about Zorro..."

I do feel sorry for MIL because she obviously loved the dog. But you are not unreasonable to feel relieved that he is no longer in their house and you and your DC can now visit and spend time with grandparents. Hopefully with time, your MIL will see that it's perfectly reasonable for FIL to insist enough is enough. I hope they and your SIL don't get another dog as they all have been pretty irresponsible.

Checked your original thread OP. This dog had previously bitten your FIL before it went for him again recently and he needed stitches! Honest to God why on Earth would anyone put up with a dog like that in their home?

Well at 9 years old I guess training would have been very difficult but it doesn't seem as if Zorro improved any in the time he was in your PiL's care. Sometimes people are selfish in not making the best decisions for animals.

Even though you say the person who has now taken the dog is aware of the dogs history, I hope he takes it very seriously and doesn't allow the dog off leash anywhere or has the ability to control it if it decides to lunge at someone. You may feel relieved (completely understandable) but it's very worrying that this dog is still around to bite someone else. Being attacked by a dog, especially for a child can have horrific consequences.

There are actually a lot of cretinous people in the dog rescue community that would even want a dog not put to sleep if it had killed someone, that’s how brain dead and how much of a cult they are.

Completely agree. Some of the lunatic comments I’ve read on these XL bully stories that have made the headlines have led me to assume it’s a cult mentality. Absolutely bizarre.

Id be more annoyed that they gave the dog away TBH. It should of been PTS, they have essentially just handed a loaded gun to someone.

What are you talking about common sense. The dog is dangerous.Several people have already been attacked. Anyone with any common sense would not have such a dog with that history near children anyway.

@Kerrieanne85 That dangerous dog should have been PTS.
If it required sedation not to be aggressive, it would be highly irresponsible to pass it on to attack and hurt someone else.

Was it a foreign 'Rescue?' - a lot of these have form for aggression according to local vet as they haven't been socialised around people properly- or was in an XL Bully type?

Either way- if a dog needs sedation not to bite, it's a dangerous dog and has no place in a home {Or anywhere}

There are enough lovely dogs around - aggressive ones are just a danger to people and other dogs/animals.

Golden Retrievers can be extremely aggressive.

A neighbour's one savaged a poor Postwoman's hand so badly she needed surgery and lots of physio. Her hand was bitten to the bone in several places - we gave her first aid and took her to hospital. The poor postwoman was deeply shocked and in pain.

I was the one to see it happen- the dog attacked silently.

Vile thing.

They are not all ''nice''- seems aggression is definitely in some lines of Golden retrievers.

Who the fuck gives a dog like this away? He is dangerous and needs to be PTS.

I sincerely hope the new owner of Zorro has a comprehensive list of his attacks. Unbelievable that this dangerous dog is still at large.

@oakleaffy Zorro was bought by SIL as a puppy. Unfortunately at the time she was drug addict not seeking treatment and Zorro was around wild parties and all sorts and she didn't train him properly.

Thank god she's cleaned up and changed her life completely however SIL is also diagnosed manic depressive and this is why MIL has been so reluctant to have Zorro PTS, both MIL and SIL are very emotionally reactive and this issues has been going on for YEARS

After reading all your responses, I do see how this is actually a sad outcome for Zorro, he’s now in a new home with not the most familiar face (although he has seen FIL's friend a few times)

DH hasn't spoken to his sister directly but he did text SIL's fiancé. His reply to DH was "about fucking time too!"

Zorro was bought by SIL as a puppy. Unfortunately at the time she was drug addict not seeking treatment and Zorro was around wild parties and all sorts and she didn't train him properly.

I had a suspicion there was something you weren't letting on in your original thread, this explains a lot

Sounds like Zorro had an appalling start in life, and your awful SIL and MIL have compounded his problems.

Hovever, my friend rescued a Staffie {Not a pedigree} from a heroin addict {Pup was left alone all day} but thankfully he is a gentle, well mannered dog who has never bitten anything but his food. {He is about 13 now}

Bad breeding can play a part, but a terrible start can definitely bring out the worst in any dog.

I hope these women NEVER get another dog again.

They are not suitable dog owners.

One PP has said this dog Zorro is a monster. He isn’t a monster, just a very sad dog who isn’t enjoying life. Happy, content dogs don’t bite. What the hell did your SIL do to the poor dog to make him so aggressive?

He does need to be PTS for the sake of the people who have taken him and for his own sake. He must be really confused being passed around and will probably be even more unpredictable.

That's what I was thinking. Especially being told that the dog will never darken pils house again.
Will probably be ill and need to be pts

Not wanting to put a dampener on your happiness, but I'd be concerned the dog was going to be used for fighting. It would have been much kinder to PTS in the presence of people he knew than to give him away to lord knows what kind of life.

@Kerrieanne85 Dogs definitely take after their owners.

An emotionally reactive person is bound to have a frantic, untrained reactive dog.

A calm, gentle patient person {as my friend is who rescued the Staffie from the heroin addict} has a calm, gentle dog.

An awful woman we knew {Neighbour years ago} was shouty and aggressive and all her dogs were like her. Extremely reactive. {aggressive}

Bit people, quite severely {One was a postwoman}

Ah, the mystical mythical ''Farm''.

Strange how so many aggressive dogs go to live in ''farms'' - where a farmer usually needs extremely biddable well trained dogs for the sake of his or her family and stock.

@k1233 I will admit, this has crossed my mind and truly hope not. FIL was in the middle of talking to DH about everything when MIL blew up and screamed she didn't want to hear anymore about it. The conversion ended then and subject was changed.

DH will speak to his dad tomorrow

Did this dog have a full pain check? You mentioned tablets to keep calm, but were these vet prescribed?
I hope that the new owners get a pain check and a behaviourist at the very least. The dog really needs to be PTS if this has been tried.

I’m not sure if the dog had a full pain check, I believe the calming meds were prescribed by the vet though

I remember your thread. I'm glad your FIL stepped up. I hate to say it but in this case put down would've been better.