I Need To Vent-Animal Lover

Montpelier, Ohio
May 31, 2016 9:56am CST
I am a definite animal lover. I have been doing rescue for over 15 years and I mainly worked with small dogs at present, more specifically chihuahuas. I have been trained to work with all kinds of aggressive breed dogs, and have worked with the big guys to the little one. This morning on Facebook I was looking at one of the pet sites and saw that someone had posted an English Bulldog for FREE! While this could be a great opportunity for someone looking for a new family member, it can also set the dog up for failure and even death. There was a lot of commentary on how the owner should have at least asked for something to rehome the dog. My concern on top of that is the issues with the breed. This particular breed is known to have a lot of health issues that someone who is not financially stable may have a hard time paying for. Let alone the cleaning and attention that these dogs needs especially as they age. We recently had a little of puppies that we were caring for and of course we started worming them at the normal time. One of the puppies could not pass the worms right away, so we ended up giving mineral oil to help them pass. They did. However, because it took an extra day (one day!) for the worms to work their way through her system, she ended up with a horrible gut infection. After two weeks of vet supervised treatment, four vet visits, three ER vet visits ($150 each), she passed away. We did everything to save her life, and just couldn't. I have wormed thousands of dogs over the years and never had one die in this manner. It was sad. My point is that a lot can happen and I wish owners that need to rehome would be more particular than just finding a home. Where I live, a lot of dogs are being stolen and using as bait dogs and this is a prime opportunity for someone to get a free dog. What are your thoughts?
3 people like this
2 responses
@msiduri (5687)
• United States
1 Jun 16
"Free to good home" used to be a good way to make sure a family pet that couldn't be taken on a move or for some other reason (a newly discovered allergy maybe) went to a good family. It's a shame that this has changed.
1 person likes this
• Montpelier, Ohio
1 Jun 16
It is. Now it is an attractant for animal abusers. Or you will see people who want to flip dogs to make a profit pick up these dogs. Even dogs that are rehomed for a minimal fee, you will see them being flipped within days or weeks on others sites for a higher amount. So sad for the animal because you never know the care they are getting in between times.
1 person likes this
@paigea (36315)
• Canada
1 Jul 16
Yes, it isn't good enough to just find a home; any home is it. Going back to another of your discussions, check out this website . It is for dogsitting at your home. It was portrayed on our local news and though I have not had a customer through them as yet, I am sure it is a reputable site. My aunt used to dog sit in her home too and she had no trouble keeping busy as some people prefer that to leaving the dog at a kennel.
When you're on vacation, give your pup a stay in a real home. Bookings include premium insurance, 24/7 customer support, and belly rubs.
1 person likes this