Article: Dog Owners Hide The Truth From Shelters

A dog-friend of mine pulled a large dog (not a GSD) and he was a sweet mellow fellow. She had him about two weeks and she thought they were bonding very nicely. She fell asleep on the sofa one afternoon and the next thing she knew she had a dog standing on her attacking her face.

This happened years ago and she has permanent scarring to her face but thank God she had no damage to her eyes. After the fact the previous owner admitted that the dog was turned in to the shelter because out of the blue he would start growling and trying to bite family members. They loved their dog and didn't want it put down so they didn't say anything. If they loved their dog they would have taken it to the vet and after checking some basic health issues, then if needed stayed with him while he was released from his personal demons. But as she said, she is very grateful that it was she that took the dog and not a family with small children.

ILGHAUS, Yikes! I totally agree that in that case the owners did exactly what was described in the article and for the described reasons - horribly selfish and destructive.

Overall though I'm going to agree with Timber1. I think it's an interesting article but I disagree with their conclusions and interpretation. I find that for most people surrendering a pet to the shelter their biggest priority is finding a reason that exonerates them. Favorites seem to be moving and allergies but I see a lot of "impossible to train" "too wild" and things that condemn the breed e.g. "When we adopted him we were told he was a Spaniel mix but we've since been told by our vet that he's part Border Collie so we don't want him because he's too hyper" or "we found out he's a pitbull and we have children so we have to get rid of him."

I also think that there's a huge different between people who are surrendering their dogs to a shelter and those that are having them treated at a vet hospital. A "problem" dog is very much in the eye of the beholder - the shelter dumpees are beholding problem dogs,
committed owners see "quirkiness"!

sighhhhhh

Some yrs back, my (then)6yo daughter took in a lovely stray, a young female that looked remarkably like a Briard!!!! And what a sweetie, BUT we had to try to find the owner before I'd agree to let her keep it.

A woman claimed the dog explaining they'd adopted her from the shelter for her 5yo son. That naughty boy wouldn't spend enough time in the kennel with Angel so the bad-bad puppy dog would get bored & continually escape out that hole in her kennel!!!!!

I suggested they bring Angel inside & he'd spend more time with her. I also suggested they take care of the dog together, given her son's very young age. OhNooooo. He agreed to take care of the dog if they let him get one & they didn't want to teach him to duck responsibility. Angel (that naughty puppy!) couldn't come inside b/c she shed looong hairs all over the place. ICK!

This woman, who honestly did not appear brain dead, actually blamed a 5yo child & a puppy for the situation (which included escaping out of an unrepaired hole & SHEDDING!). Naturally, she didn't want to part with Angel b/c her son loved her so & he really should live up to his responsibilities...

I checked back with her a few months later & Angel had disappeared for good though she was certain such a sweet loveable girl found a nice home. There wasn't any point to losing my temper, so I held onto it(with GREAT difficulty), but this fool had no idea whether that poor dog found a nice home or was sold to a research lab, grabbed up to bait fighting dogs, caught in a trap or run over.

Yeah...Irresponsible owners lie. Sometimes to place an otherwise impossible animal...Other times to give themselves credible(to them) excuses for dumping their 'beloved' pets.

My heart goes out to those very rare owners that truly had no choice but to give up their animals. My Spanky is one such. Her owner very suddenly & unexpectedly died.