Top reasons that people surrender their dog, and possible alternatives.
1) If you are surrending your dog due to allergies in the family.
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Your baby is not likely to be allergic as they say children really do not
develop allergies until at least 2 years old.
There are a series of shots that you can take that will help with your allergies,
ask your doctor for details.
There are special furnace filters that can help with allergens.
There are also special attachments for your furnace or devices that you can get
to help with pet dander. Call your local Canadian Tire or hardware department
for answers, or call your heat provider for details.
Use the Internet, “googling” your issue in your area offers many options
usually.
2) You have just had a new baby and do not have the time for your dog.
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You can hire a dog walker to help during the transition stage.
You can also drop your dog off a few times a week to a doggy day care in
your area. (check your pet stores or vet for details as to where they are
located)
If there are no dog walkers in your area, place an ad in your local classified to
hire one, you will be surprised at how many people will do it (get references)
or post an ad at the local vet.
Take your dog with you on walks with your baby, you may find they will both
enjoy it.
Use the Internet, “googling” your issue in your area offers many options
usually.
3) My dog has become aggressive towards cats, dogs or people
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Seek training, ask your local vet for information.
Muzzle your dog while you walk to protect others until the solution is found.
IF your dog is extremely aggressive especially with a bite history (after being
assessed by a couple of vets, euthanasia might be the ONLY human option)
Use the Internet, “googling” your issue in your area offers many options
usually.
4) Financial difficulty
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Try contacting your local food bank to see if they can donate some food to
you.
Contact your vet to see if they have any options, or pay plans for vetting when
needed, you would be surprised at how helpful they can be to help you keep
your pet.
5) Moving to a smaller home
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Bring your pet with you, and take them for more outside time walking to get to
know your new neighbourhood.
You would be surprised how quickly your pet will adapt, vs how poorly they
would adapt in a shelter environment without you, possibly facing a certain death.
6) Divorce (life change)
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Try to work out either time-share with your pet.
Seek family members who may be able to temporarily foster your pet until you
get your life back in order.
7) Under Socialized
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Bring your pet everywhere possible with you until they get used to new situations
and muzzle them if necessary until they are better in new situations.
Seek training options or options from your vet, if you don’t like what your vet has
to say, then seek advice from another vet.
IF you do end up calling a rescue for help after having tried everything that you can
think of, including looking on the internet and asking your vet, please know that most
rescues are full, but may be able to help if you can at least keep your dog until a better
home is found.
IF you DO surrender your dog to a shelter (especially in the states) know there is a
real chance your dog will be put to sleep and not in a humane way, as you may think.
Do your research on the shelter you are taking your dog to, then do your research on
gassing shelters and heart stick shelters. Is this a way you want your pet and
companion to leave this world.
DISCLAIMER:
Friendly Giants Dog Rescue, by no means takes responsibility for tried and failed
possible solutions, we are only trying to offer solutions that may not have been tried
or thought of. Please contact your local vet. They are a wealth of information and
alternatives to surrendering your companion.