Thinking of returning my dog to the rescue

[HappyMealWithLegs]

I’ll start by saying I am prepared for a flaming. Didn’t think I would be in a position to write a post like this but here we are. I will try to put as much information as I can, sorry if it is really long.

2 and a half years ago we adopted our dog, he is now 10, he’s a greyhound. At the time I was able to work from home 3 days and go into the office 2 days, my daughter also worked from home 3 days and was at college 2 days, so one of us was around all the time and it worked out fine.

In April, 2 weeks into lockdown my husband had his hours cut at work. It was either take the reduced hours or be made redundant so he took the reduced hours and took on another job in a supermarket. We are down a lot of money each month. Husband is now working 6 days a week pretty much from 7am until 10pm. I had to increase my hours and am now in the office 5 and a half days a week (Saturday until 1pm). On top of that, my daughter changed jobs (in a bid to help out with money partly) and is working 32 hours in shift patterns that change. Basically, the dog is now on his own 6 days a week from 7 in the morning until I get home at half five. We sold my car at the beginning of May for a few hundred quid and that paid for us to get a dog walker to come in for one hour every day – this obviously is still terrible in terms of how long he is alone but was better than nothing. That money has run out now. I have to get up at five every day to walk him for an hour to try and tire him out so he sleeps when he is alone but I KNOW this isn’t a solution and I feel guilty. The guilt is making me feel sick every day.

Dog is now messing in the house (wee and poo ) because he is alone so much, not his fault but he can’t hold it. To make it worse our house is rented and I’m terrified he is doing permanent damage to someone elses property. Nothing is going to change – we are behind on rent and will have to continue working like this until we can get straight.

I feel like we have been backed into a corner and have to return the dog to rescue. I don’t know what I want from this post really. Has anyone done this? Am I the worst person in the world? The stress of the situation is making me ill – tough, I know, I took on the dog but I can’t see a way out of this situation without returning him. What would you do

This is a tough one because I do think a home life that isn't perfect that the dog knows and loves is potentially better than going back to the kennels.

I know you have exhausted things like borrowmydoggy but have you contacted your vets and asked if they know of any organisations/charities or even volunteers that might be able to help out?

Sorry if its already been mentioned, buy have you looked on www.borrowmydoggy.com/

It's a website that puts people with dogs that would like walking in touch with people who love dogs and would be happy to walk them, but for whatever reason cannot have their own, or don't want the full time responsibility. Greyhounds are generally very good to walk and well behaved on the lead and you may find someone locally with time on their hands who would be happy to walk the dog (for free)

I think it would be kinder to pts than him end up in kennels for a long time and at 10 he’s not going to attract many people particularly with his continence issues .

I would contact greyhound specific rescues (forever hounds etc), he will stand a better chance of going to a volunteer foster home rather than kennels as he is a family dog.

Of course you can't fit a dog flap for a greyhound, it would need to be massive and no doubt invalidate your home insurance.

I send sympathy to you.

Agree re borrow my doggy or do you have a local resilience group on Facebook. Dd and I have been walking a dog for an elderly lady shielding and a couple of people have been walking for someone who has had to move to hospital residence.

I am furloughed and not a dog walker but happy to get out and help. Lots of teenagers and others also volunteered.

There are a couple of people here who have said they would consider having him but you don’t appear to have replied to them

I wouldn’t reply to strangers on the internet wanting to take my dog either.

There are a couple of people here who have said they would consider having him but you don’t appear to have replied to them

I did reply to be polite, but I don't see it any differently to advertising a dog "free to a good home" on facebook and that is something I would never do and abhor people doing.

Do contact the rescue. Loads of people rehome the oldies, the prefer them and love giving them a lovely retirement (although yours doesn't sound like he id ready for retirement yet!)

You are doing the right thing to think of your dog. The rescue will help you decide what is the right thing for your dog.

On a different note all of you offering to take the dog - pop into your local greyhound resuce there are a lot of dogs needing homes in very similar situations. Go through the rescue then you can be assured the dog will have life time backup.

I am sorry for the situation you find yourself in through no fault of your own. I hope things get easier soon.

No, they're not just for the elderly.

Predominantly, yes, but when my Mum volunteered for them she walked for an elderly lady for around 6 months (then stopped because she was a cf) and then fostered 3 cats for a student who needed temporary care for them for around 3 months.

Unless they've changed massively since your situation would be right up their street IF they have a volunteer available to either walk or look after him during the day.

Sorry, tried to quote.

Was referring to OP's response to the poster who recommended cinnamon trust

I also used to volunteer with them and their primary point of focus is elderly people and those with terminal illnesses.

Their website says exactly that. I am not being awkward here, if it was a solution I would be looking into it, but it isn't. The below is copied directly from their website.

What is the Cinnamon Trust?

Cinnamon Trust is the only specialist national charity which seeks to relieve the anxieties, problems, and sometimes injustices, faced by elderly and terminally ill people and their pets, thereby saving a great deal of human sadness and animal suffering. The Trust was founded in 1985 by Mrs Averil Jarvis whose determination and dedication has ensured that the manifest need is fully addressed.

How are you behind on rent with three people working 6 days a week? Even if you were all on minimum wage that should be fine.

You know what my rent is do you?! You know what the rest of my financial situation is? No, I didn't think so.

Honestly i'm not dignifying that with any further response.

If he's going to go anyway because nobody is letting him out, I don't think need to worry about reinforcing behavior so protect the floor and use puppy pads/ washable incontinence sheets for now. Simple solution enzyme cleaner is good to remove odours that may encourage marking.

You could try local Dog FB group, somebody may have lost their dog & appreciate one they can borrow. I'm not sure if borrow my doggy provides the Walker with liability insurance as they do become responsible.

Best to reach out to his rescue earlier, if there local it maybe they can find someone in their network to help & gives plenty of notice that a dog maybe returning so they can make space or find a fosterer. They have the contracts for this reason as wish to guarantee the dogs welfare for its lifetime as recognise adopters situations can change.

In my local greyhound rescues, older dogs are often homed fairly quickly even when some younger dogs have been long-term stayers as they seem to tug on more heartstrings. So he may get homed faster 2nd time round plus an energetic oldie is likely to be seen more of a bonus.

I don't think kennels are as stressful for greyhounds as can be other dogs as usually raised into that lifestyle so its familiar than a shock to system, they tend to like the routine, doggy company & get regular walks, attention from staff & volunteers.

I don't think kennels are as stressful for greyhounds as can be other dogs as usually raised into that lifestyle

I agree with you here. I know people are going to pick up on this and say I am using it to justify "dumping" him but he honestly has never minded kennels. On the occasions he has had to board in kennels he absolutely loves it. He spent 8 years of his life in kennels (at the track and then the rescue). It is what he knows. That doesn't mean I have decided either way but I am just agreeing.

Just be honest with yourself and everyone else. You don't want him anymore. Every suggestion offered has been shot down and you've been arsey to boot. You crack on.
Pointless post.

Contact your vet op. I became a fosterer for a charity via a vet nurse... I had a few dcats while their owners were in a refuge for example.. Maybe temp foster care incase your circumstances change and you are able to have him back.. You could offer expenses /costs. You yourself could ask ddog walking businesses if they may be interested in fostering him

And as usual this topic lives up to its reputation. .

OP, ignore anyone wanting to stick the boot in, or the likes of Suggesting people you offload your dog to a random stranger you know only from a username on the internet.

There is a vast difference between someone who buys a puppy and rehomes it a couple of months later because they can’t be bothered any more, and someone who has had a dog for years and is left in an impossible situation needing to consider what is best for the dog.

Sometimes, life changes. We’re in a global pandemic with tens of thousands of job losses, salary cuts etc, and life has changed for a lot of people. That is nobody’s fault.

I have never rehomed an animal in my life, until I had to rehome my African Grey parrot after I fell seriously ill and couldn’t give him the attention he needed. In my case I rehomed him to a parrot sanctuary in the Lincolnshire wildlife park as I could never have rehomed him to another person as in truth most people don’t realise how much work they are. But it broke my heart to have to do so. But I had to do what was in his best interests, not mine. It would have been easy to keep him caged permanently but what would he have gained from that?

Sometimes you have to ask the question: Who is this for? And in this instance it is clearly your dog you’re thinking about.

As for the idiots suggesting a dog door, erm, a burglar door do you mean? .

I haven't been remotely "arsey" at all. I have defended myself against accusations that I want to dump my dog. I haven't been rude ONCE, despite the many nasty posts aimed at me.

I haven't shot down any suggestions that are reasonable. Fitting a 3 and a half foot greyhound "dog flap" is feasible in your opinion, is it? Is approaching a charity that specifically help elderly and terminally ill people reasonable? I have already said that I registered with Borrow My Doggy months ago and nobody contacted me. What reasonable suggestion have I shot down? I've said that I am going to speak to the rescue. I've already said IN MY OP that I have nobody who can help. Do you really think that my OP reads as though i'm a person who is too stupid to contact every friend, neighbour, family member that I thought could help?

You just want to stick the boot in knowing absolutely nothing about me, or my situation. I've dedicated half my life to helping animals, to find myself in this situation is unbearable, completely awful and to say that I "don't want him anymore" is just CRUEL.

Thanks AlternativePerspective, I appreciate that. I did expect a kicking but not that it would hurt so much when the boot got stuck in!

don’t really know what people are expecting tbh, some of the suggestions are about as useful as - catch a genie and wish for it to look after the dog while you’re at work...

@AlternativePerspective

And as usual this topic lives up to its reputation. .

OP, ignore anyone wanting to stick the boot in, or the likes of Suggesting people you offload your dog to a random stranger you know only from a username on the internet.

There is a vast difference between someone who buys a puppy and rehomes it a couple of months later because they can’t be bothered any more, and someone who has had a dog for years and is left in an impossible situation needing to consider what is best for the dog.

Sometimes, life changes. We’re in a global pandemic with tens of thousands of job losses, salary cuts etc, and life has changed for a lot of people. That is nobody’s fault.

I have never rehomed an animal in my life, until I had to rehome my African Grey parrot after I fell seriously ill and couldn’t give him the attention he needed. In my case I rehomed him to a parrot sanctuary in the Lincolnshire wildlife park as I could never have rehomed him to another person as in truth most people don’t realise how much work they are. But it broke my heart to have to do so. But I had to do what was in his best interests, not mine. It would have been easy to keep him caged permanently but what would he have gained from that?

Sometimes you have to ask the question: Who is this for? And in this instance it is clearly your dog you’re thinking about.

As for the idiots suggesting a dog door, erm, a burglar door do you mean? .

Great post Some seem to be the hard of reading on here, what do they hope to gain by such nasty and idiotic responses, the op is trying her best.

please try Tailster to see if anyone on there could help you
we run a dog sitting service and dog walking and other pets if you are worcestershire or shropshire we could help. we are animal lovers first and a business second. we have had dogs for the day often

Hello OP I am an animal lover myself and I know the guilt and it must be tearing you apart. Have you thought of leafleting around your local neighbourhood and offering a dog type of sharing scheme (like borrow my dog) or perhaps going on walks with your dog and approaching dog owners. Me and my neighbour did a dog walker share thing (dog walker charged 15 for the two of them, rather than 20) for the hour walk. I really feel for your poor dog, being uprooted and confused and no longer being at home isn't fair and I hope there is a resolution without it coming to that. Perhaps you could even offer to trade off with people in your local area, you walk your dog and their dog every evening or every 2 days and they do the same. I think if you really want to keep the dog, then you can make it work. Could your dog go to a family member for a few days? Are you able to share your area so maybe other posters could help? A lot of people for the foreseeable are now wfh, but don't want to commit to a dog but would like the perks (ie walking)... As I said if you want it to work, I believe there is a way.

Hi OP

How heartbreaking for you this must be. I know nothing about dogs, but I am wondering whether you have sense that the current employment situation may change in the future? Is there any chance that things will get better some months down the line? In which case, would fostering be feasible to give everyone a breathing space at all?