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GIVING UP YOUR SHELTIE
Please
use the following form in the event that you need to surrender a Sheltie to our
group.
Online
Application to Submit a Sheltie
Or you may call Sue Moore at
317-885-1838 or
John Mountford at 765-342-5885 for more information.
While we do accept Shelties from
owners, we always try to help Shelties in shelters first. You may need to be
placed on a waiting list. If you are having behavior problems with your Sheltie,
please visit
www.doggoneconnection.com as there is lots of helpful information to assist
you in correcting the unwanted behaviors.
Do You Really Have to Give Up Your
Dog?
There are circumstances when a dog
must leave its life-long home: when an owner becomes physically unable to care
for a dog or the owner is terminally ill; when a dog has shown unprovoked
aggression. These are "GOOD" reasons. "BAD" reasons are: the dog won't listen;
we can't housetrain he dog; the dog chews; we're moving and can't have a dog
anymore; no one takes care of the dog but me; the dog is alone too much; the dog
growled/snapped at my child/me; we're having a baby/my wife is pregnant and we
have to get rid of the dog. Again, please consider visiting
www.doggoneconnection.com for
help.
SHELTERS
Shelters and humane societies were created to care for stray and abused animals.
They weren't meant to be a drop-off for people who don't want to be bothered
with their pets anymore. Shelters, on average, take in 100 new animals or more
each day. Unfortunately, there won't be enough good homes for all of them. Even
the best shelters can't boast much more than a 50% adoption rate. Only the
youngest, friendliest, cutest and best-behaved dogs are going to be adopted.
By law, stray pets must be kept
several days for their owners to reclaim them. They may not be destroyed until
that period is up. These laws don't protect dogs given up by their owners. They
may be destroyed at any time. Shelters don't want to kill animals but they don't
have a choice. There just isn't enough room for all of them. Shelters today are
so overcrowded that a dog could be killed the same day it arrives.
Being a purebred won't help a dog's
chances of adoption either - almost half of the dogs in most shelters are
purebreds. If your dog is old, has health problems or poor attitudes towards
strangers, its chances of adoption are slim to none. True "no-kill" shelters are
few and far between. Obviously, no one wants to see their pet killed so the
demand for no-kill shelter services is high. It is so high that they're forced
to turn away many pets because they don't have room for them all. Sometimes they
have to choose only the most adaptable dogs to work with.
RESCUES
Breed Rescue services are small,
private, groups (or individuals) run by volunteers dedicated to a particular
breed. Most of them operate out of the volunteer's homes. Rescues survive on
donations from private individuals. Like no-kill shelters, demand for their
services is high. They may not have room to take possession of a dog. A breed
rescue can still help to place a dog by providing referrals to persons
interested in adopting a dog, but you must give them the time. They are not
large organizations! They don't have full-time staffs. They don't get paid to do
this. THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PROVERBIAL FARM WHERE THE DOG WILL SPEND ITS LIFE
RUNNING FREE AND BEING CARED FOR. Rescue volunteers love these animals and try
to do their best to save the animals they feel are "adoptable".
Think about it: if YOU can't keep your dog, why should another family take
responsibility for it? If there's a "good" reason for giving up your dog, then
by all means call a rescue. Just remember that you may have to keep your dog
until an adoptive family is found. There is rarely an "adoptive family" waiting
line in breed rescue.
Some Common "problems" and Possible Solutions:
THE DOG WON'T LISTEN
Have you taken your dog through an
obedience class? Have you followed through and continued to spend a few minutes
a day reinforcing the commands so your dog continues to learn? Most of the
"chain" pet stores and often the local SPCAs and Animal Welfare Leagues have
obedience classes for a very nominal fee. There is no such thing as a dog that
cannot be trained to be a well-behaved member of the household. Most canines
thrive when given basic obedience training. Dogs have been bred for thousands of
years to be a "help" to humans, therefore, it's only a matter of a few hours of
your time and a little money before your dog is the "good dog" you've always
wished for. Please give your dog the benefit of the doubt and take them through
a basic obedience class before you give up on them.
WE CAN'T HOUSETRAIN THE DOG
While this can be frustrating and a
challenge, it can be done! First, consider crate training. There are numerous
books and articles on the subject. This is not "mean" to the dog, as they are
den animals by nature and often like to have a crate for their own space. Next,
consider your dog and its habits. Are you giving your dog free access to water
at the wrong times or too much water? Are you paying attention to the "timing"
of accidents? If your dog drinks a cup of water, then urinates in the house 30
minutes later, begin taking the dog out after watering. Practice lots of
positive reinforcement and consistency. Take your dog outside on a regular basis
and when he/she does go, praise him/her like crazy. If there is an accident in
the house, don't rub your dog's nose in it - instead make sure you remove the
mess and all of the smells associated with it. Remember, dogs have a much more
acute sense of smell than we humans. Perhaps you haven't gotten the doggie
"scent" out of the floor or carpet. All pet stores sell special odor killers
that, used properly, are both safe and effective. If you have questions about
house training or crate training contact a trainer or rescue in your area. They
will be happy to help you through.
THE DOG CHEWS ON EVERYTHING
All dogs chew. Whether they chew on
the appropriate item is up to you. A puppy must chew (as any baby cutting teeth
must). It is up to you to provide the appropriate item for that chewing. Your
vet can recommend the best type of chew items for your pup. An older dog can be
trained to chew on the proper items as well. Again, you must provide these items
for your dog. Finally, crate train your dog. If you allow the dog "free reign"
of your home without supervision you are asking for trouble. Most dogs are safer
in a crate when you are not at home.
WE'RE MOVING AND CAN'T HAVE A DOG
There is housing in virtually every
city and town in the United States that will allow dogs. Before you're so sure
you can't find affordable housing that will accept pets please look in the local
newspaper, or speak with an apartment broker in the area.
When taking this dog into your life, you made a commitment that you would love
and provide for it the rest of its life. Would you be so quick to move into
housing that would not take your children? Then why are you so quick to move
where you can not take your dog?
NO ONE TAKES CARE OF THE DOG
You have our sympathy. This often
happens in households where all members are not committed to the upkeep of an
animal. No one wants all of the responsibility. However, this is hardly the
dog's fault, and a very poor reason to have a dog destroyed. Make no mistake-if
you take the dog to a shelter, it will probably be euthanized for the
unpardonable sin of being a member of the wrong family. You will be killing the
dog because you no longer want the responsibility. Make sure this is the kind of
person you want to be and the example you want to set for the rest of your
family.
THE DOG IS ALONE TOO MUCH
We all want to spend as much time
with our animals as we can. Many dog owners leave their animals for 8 to 10
hours while they're working or at school. While this is not the best of all
worlds, it certainly is better than the alternative of taking the dog to the
pound. Many cities have several options to provide dogs some play time during
the work day. There are pet sitters http://www.petsit.com who will walk your
dog and spend some time giving him/her attention and many cities now have Doggie
Daycare centers.
THE DOG GROWLED/SNAPPED/BIT
This is a tough one. Whether the dog
is actually aggressive or not is a judgment call that you, and only you, can
make. Did the dog growl or snap without being provoked? Were you attempting to
take something from the dog? Did this happen when food was involved? Was the dog
protecting itself from unintended abuse by a child? Ask yourself these
questions. If you can honestly say the incident was unprovoked then you have
very little choice but to take the animal to your vet and have the dog
euthanized. You can not, in good conscious, allow this dog to be adopted by some
other family where it could injure another human being (especially a child). It
is far more humane to make the arrangements with your vet, take the dog to the
vet, and allow the dog to end its life without the fear and confusion "dumping"
the dog at a pound will cause. This is the act of a loving, caring, and
responsible person.
If you still decide that you must give up your dog,
please read on…
If you must place your dog in
another home, you are in a better position to do this than most shelters or
rescue groups. Knowing the dog's temperament, you can screen potential families
and identify the best match for your dog. And you can ensure that the transition
is as smooth as possible, without any time spent in strange and traumatic
circumstances.
Screening Potential Families for your Dog
You are in the best position to find
your dog a new home that is right for him (and be sure his new family feels the
same way). By being honest about your dog and asking a few questions, you'll be
sure that your dog and his new family are a good long-term match.
Beware of running a "free to a good home" add in the local paper. Many cities
have several individuals who abuse and neglect animals. There is an active
network that funnels hundreds of pets from "free to good home" fliers and ads
into laboratory research and dog fighting rings, where they suffer slow agonies
and a painful death. YOU OWE IT TO YOUR DOG to get him/her spayed/neutered
before they leave your care. Don't add to the problem of overpopulation that
rescues are fighting so hard everyday. And by spaying/neutering your dog, you
decrease their health risks.
For anyone who is interested in adopting your dog:
1. Visit their house, making it clear that this is just a visit. Do not plan to
leave the dog! This allows you to see the conditions that your dog will be
living in.
2. Ask questions! Keep in mind that this not only gives you some additional
information, but it also makes sure that they have made a thoughtful decision.
Ask:
o Have they ever had a dog before. If so, what happened to the dog(s)?
o Do they have a fenced yard. If not, how will the dog be controlled when
outside?
o Where will the dog sleep? Where will the dog be when alone in home?
o Have they considered the costs involved (food, medical bills etc.)?
3. Give potential families a realistic picture of the dog's temperament and
history, and be sure that you are comfortable with their ability to work with
it. Consider:
o Activity level (and any unusual habits like bolting or jumping)
o Level of training
o Health history (and be sure to provide a vaccination record)
o Good with children? Other pets?
o Other habits (chewer, likes to sleep in bed, etc.)
4. Verify their contact information. Try to get a home and a work phone.
5. Ask potential families what veterinarian they have used in the past, and call
him/her. Ask if the family has consistently provided required health care
(vaccinations, spay/neuter, etc).
6. If the family rents, contact their landlord to verify that dogs are allowed.
7. Charge a fee (if you'd prefer, donate it to a rescue/shelter). This helps
ensure that the potential adopter isn't a buncher (a person who collects free
dogs and sells to research) and the person/family is willing to pay for
necessary medical expenses, food etc.
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