|
Thread |
Last Poster |
Posts |
Pages |
Last Post |
|
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page |
|
|
|
|
|
Author |
Message |
Starfire
Member
05-31-2003
| Thursday, January 29, 2004 - 5:15 pm
Seamonkey, I can't agree more it was done very well dealing with a sad subject. Putting animals down can be very hard to do. But until people become responsible(nueter,spayed) This will have to go on. People who are involved with shelters are very caring people. I have a shelter puppy (85lbs) right now laying on my foot as I type! lol
|
Theowl
Member
06-05-2002
| Friday, January 30, 2004 - 9:54 am
I volunteer at our Humane Society. It's a very small operation, because our county is small, and the officials don't believe we need one, so about 25 people (only about 10 actively) got together and we are run only on donations. We have 10 pens and a barn, and at this time, we have 22 dogs and puppies and 6 cats and kittens. So now, here's my story. When the weather is nice on Saturdays, we take the animals to the lawn at Wel-Mart for "Doggy Adoption Day". Last week was the first one I couldn't go to, so I don't know the small details, but we have a Doberman/German Shepard mix about one year old named Toby. A little girl ran up to him, and I guess startled him and he jump. Jill, the lady in charge, said he scratched her enough to bleed. She was taken to the emergency room, but they just cleaned it up, no stitches. The police told Jill he had to be quarentined, but we could to it at the shelter. Now for the sad part. I haven't stopped crying since Jill told me last night that we have to put Toby down. She said that now he's not adoptable, because we're not sure about him with kids. Yesterday before she told me this, I spent some quality time with him (it was my day to clean and feed) and told him I was sure he didn't mean to hurt the little girl. He was jumping on me and so playful and we really had a good time. Then Jill told me this last night, and I just can't handle it. What I need from you, is either some suggestions on if there is anything I can do to save Toby, and if not, how I can handle losing him. Jill tried to make me understand that we have adopted out 130 dogs, and he's the only one we have to lose, which is good. I always said that if we became a "kill" facility, I'd quit, because I can't handle it. Toby isn't quite like my own, but I get so close to all the dogs there. I even made them chezy treats at Christmas. If anyone has any suggestions for me, either way, I'd love to hear them. Thanks!! Edited to add, Thanks Admin!! I wrote this last night, but it wouldn't post. I finally went to bed, and woke up this morning with Admin telling me to copy it. My mind was not clear enough last night to think, so here it is.
|
Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Friday, January 30, 2004 - 2:24 pm
Awww {{{Owl}}}. I know on a lot of those shows on TV, I'll see how the people at the shelter will put the dog through several tests to check its behavior. Did he jump up on the girl and that's how he got scratched? Or was it a defensive/aggressive move? You mentioned he was jumping up on you too. Jumping is a behavior that can be trained away, though I'm not an expert on how to do it. Can't he be adopted out to a person with no children? Another thought is, I've been watching a series on Animal Planet called Cell Dogs. Its a wonderful program that several prisons have where inmates take animals from shelters and train them to be service dogs. The inmates have all kinds of time to work with them. These are dogs that would have been put down for one reason or another. I have no idea how to find out which prisons have these types of programs, or if you even have one reasonably near you. But it may be worth checking out. I'd be fearful someone will put him down before you have a chance to save him. I hope it all works out. {{{Toby}}}
|
Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Friday, January 30, 2004 - 2:39 pm
Came back to add (too late to edit). I Googled "Cell Dogs" and found one message board with a link that had a list of some of the prisons. http://www.pathwaystohope.org/prison.htm Unfortunatly its a long page, and you may not be able to see it or scroll down on WebTv. It also has a list of links towards the bottom of various programs. If you are interested in pursuing this, let me know and I'll do what I can to help research your area.
|
Theowl
Member
06-05-2002
| Friday, January 30, 2004 - 9:20 pm
Who, thank you so much for that info!! Jill isn't home now, but I'm going to call her tomorrow about Cell Dogs. I just got here and haven't checked out the website yet, but I will after this post. She said that she thought he jumped at her in an aggressive manner. I wasn't there, but I wish I was. I asked her about being trained as a police dog, but she said that he was too old. I couldn't talk to her anymore after that. I went over today to clean and feed, I didn't know how I was going to handle it. Jill came and took care of him for me, but when I was done and she left, I went in to see him. He jumped on me again, but he was just so happy to have attention!! He also scratched my face, and I KNOW it wasn't aggressive!! I think I've got until Tues. before it's too late, but maybe if I get something going, I can have her wait. I'm going to the website now, and Thank You sooo much for that!! from Toby 
|
Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 12:14 am
I sure hope something works out Owl! If there's anything I can do to help research, let me know. I'm not a huge expert in researching on the Net, but I can sure do my best. If my DSL/computer makes searching easier, maybe we can hook up tomorrow on AIM or something? Maybe in the meantime, if someone else is better at reasearching..... . Just let me know what I can do. OK? I wish I knew which prisons had programs in your area. I guess there's no national organization. Each prison does it individually. So I guess its a matter of just going by each facility? How old is Toby? I wonder how old a dog has to be to be a service dog? From what I've seen on these shows, if a dog doesn't make it through as a service dog, they get adopted out to a good family. The big thing would be that they would be trained in obedience and stuff.
|
Starfire
Member
05-31-2003
| Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 9:08 am
Theowl, you could train him not to jump up on people. That could show that he is calmer. When he tries to jump on you raise your knee up so he will hit his chest on your knee. At the same time very firmly say "off".After a couple of times he will learn its not ok to jump on you. Also when he acts hyper don't pay attention to him but say "settle down" over and over till he calms down. Then love on him. I learned these and other things when my boxer/shepard mix went to doggie school. She is a bigggggg dog. and needed to learn some manners. The motto at the school she went to is "don't blame them if you don't train them" And its very true. We pratice every day or else she (Tia) would become a slacker. Hopefully these things will help him calm down and he can be saved. Also, if he is not use to being out and about with strangers and other dogs that can make them agressive. You might try socializing him. I take Tia to petco to socialize, and if she is a good girl a new toy!!
|
Theowl
Member
05-23-2002
| Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 10:13 am
Thank you for the e-mail, Who. I wanted to answer here so Starfire and others (thanks Spygirl) could read it,too. I talked to Jill, and she was no help at all. I told her about cell dogs, and that training him would help him, but she wouldn't listen. She said he is beyond training, which is bull....!! I know one on one would help him, but our situation there isn't good for helping dogs one on one. There are 20 other dogs barking and carryng on. I got so upset I couldn't talk to her anymore, so I came home and called her. The same thing. Another member is fostering a Pit Bull, and she called in a trainer, and the trainer said he couldn't be trained, so Jill thinks the same with Toby. The PB is going to put down, too. She just keeps saying "look at all the dogs we DID save". I don't know if that means out of every 130 dogs that we adopt out, one doesn't matter. But he DOES matter!! We got him on 4/18/03, and he was 6 months old then. Since then, he's been with at least 15 other dogs at one time, and in a pen with various different dogs, one at a time. I admit, he hasn't had the best life, just like all the dogs we have, but it's better than out on the street. But he deserves a chance!! At some of the adoption days we've had, some young men have wanted Toby, but they wanted him for mean purposes, like to fight. We wouldn't do that. I think the only thing I can do now, and what I am seriously considering, is dog-napping him. I have a fenced in pen in my back yard, but I don't know if that would be good or not. My 5 dogs would really hate that, but they can go in the house when I work with Toby. Then when I can get him calmed down, and maybe even trained, I could adopt him out. I don't know if that would be against any laws, and if Jill would call the police on me. But that would at least give him a chance. Thanks for the advice, and that's kinda where it stands now. He's got until Thurs. but Jill said "the sooner the better". I know I've got to act quickly here, because I'm afraid of the sooner part.
|
Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 10:29 am
Sending postive thoughts to Owl and all the animals!
|
Rosie
Member
11-12-2003
| Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 10:38 am
Ms. Owl you have a heart of gold and are running on adrenaline right now. It is so difficult not to become totally involved with these poor little critters. I love dogs and cats. I adopted a kitty from a shelter and have put up with all of her weirdness knowing that eventually she would settle in. As to your immediate problem, can you contact a local vet to see if they might be able to assist you? In our community, local vets work for free at the shelter and often help out with specific problems. Hopefully, your local vet can recommend some action, other than putting the doggie down, to the shelter and Jill. The vet would also be objective on this matter and hopefully Jill would listen to the vet. Don't know if this will help you at all but just had to tell you that I think you are a wonderful person.
|
Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 4:33 pm
Awww! I just noticed this thread today and am heartbroken about your situation and the poor dog's. I know you can't save every dog, but this seems so unfair! I think you need someone for whom she has respect to take your position, and Rosie's idea is a good one! I hope you are able to pull off a miracle, Owl!!  
|
Djgirl
Member
07-17-2002
| Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 6:15 pm
Good luck Owl! I completely agree that it was probably lack of training. I can also tell you that it's never too late to train a dog. A lot of dogs exhibit aggressive behaviour when they're with other dogs. It's unfortunate that this incident happened, and you were unable to witness it first hand. I would take Rosie's advice as well, and see if a vet could come and take a look at him first before he gets put down. I wish you all the luck and best in the world for this! YOU are truly an angel! 
|
Theowl
Member
09-28-2000
| Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 11:15 pm
I decided that when Tom got home, I was going to tell him I wanted to adopt Toby. I was all set for an argument, but he said he was thinking the same thing!! I called Jill and told her that we wanted Toby, and she didn't like it. BUT she said OK!!!! I'm just so happy I can't stand it!! I know I have ALOT of work ahead of me, but he WILL be worth it!! I'm sure there is info on the internet about training dogs, and there are books also if I need it. If it doesn't look like I'm doing too good at it, I'll find a trainer somewhere. Spirit is NOT going to be a happy puppy at all!! Toby will be in his pen except when we walk him. Spirit, Suzie, Shannon, Sandi and Stucky will all be in the house when I'm with Toby. Maybe they won't know?!?! Toby gets out of quarentine on Wed. the same day I go over to care for the animals, and I'll bring him HOME then!! I'm SO Happy!! Thanks to all of you for your advice and encourgement!! You really helped me keep my head on, and let me spew!! I'll keep you all posted on Toby's progress!! Thanks again!!
|
Spygirl
Member
04-23-2001
| Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 11:57 pm
TheOwl has a doggie named Toby, too!! I'm glad it worked out for you and I wish you and Toby all the best. He's lucky to have you.
|
Theowl
Member
09-28-2000
| Monday, February 02, 2004 - 12:03 am
Thanks SpyGirl!! I thought about changing his name to Stoby, but that doesn't sound too good. He's been Toby for so long, at least he can keep one thing the same. 
|
Abbynormal
Member
08-04-2001
| Monday, February 02, 2004 - 12:17 am
That is great news Owl. I will report to Skyler, of course that was his first suggestion. He thinks Miss Kathy can never have too many dogs! Call me on my cell tomorrow nite when you get a chance. I need to find out a little about this Jill lady. I am wondering if I went to school with her.
|
Theowl
Member
09-28-2000
| Monday, February 02, 2004 - 12:33 am
Hi Abby(Normal??)!! I couldn't get into your folder today, so kiss Skyler for me before his first day back to school!! I hope he's in bed now!! Jill is from Texas. She moved here about 12 years ago. She's nice, but VERY outspoken!! She doesn't think having Toby live is a good idea. I have NO idea where that came from!! I've never seen a dog that didn't scratch!! If she kept their toenails cut, it wouldn't have been as bad. I can't wait to get him home!! I'm sure he'll settle down alot. He it such a beautiful dog!! Skyler will love him, I'm sure. 
|
Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Monday, February 02, 2004 - 3:08 am
Oh Owl! I'm so happy for you and Toby. God bless Jill for going against what I'm sure she feels is her better judgement. Please get him the heck out of that place as soon as you can! Toby, behave yourself. You are getting a huge gift in MsOwl. I believe in you and know you won't let her and your new family down. Owl, please keep us updated. We now want pictures and all too! I want to know when Toby is offically safe in your own hands.
|
Starfire
Member
02-12-2003
| Monday, February 02, 2004 - 10:19 am
Owl thats great news!! I just wish I lived near you! Thanks for all the updates. Please keep us posted, we care about Toby and you! Sending good wishes your way.
|
Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Monday, February 02, 2004 - 11:38 am
Oh, Owl! What a heart you and your dh have. I am so tickled for Toby. Hope this works out all the way around. But it sounds like things might be getting tight around your place. So I hope you are able to train him and then find a wonderful home for him.
|
|
|
|