I truly believe that one of the most heartbreaking decisions a dog owner can ever make is to give up a dog. Whether they are giving the dog up for financial reasons, a change in their living circumstances, or because the dog has a serious behavior problem, the end result is the same: They feel anxiety, guilt, shame, frustration, remorse, or all of the above regarding their decision. Most of the dog owners I speak with who are in this position feel trapped by the reality of their situation and judged harshly by their friends and family. I feel a great deal of sympathy for these dog owners because I know arriving at this decision didn't come easily AND if they thought there was anything else that could be done, they would have done it. People who reach out to me when they are giving up a dog aren't looking for recriminations from me; most aren't even looking for sympathy. What they are looking for is validation that this is the right path to take and they are most often looking for suggestions as to how to place their dog effectively.
It's not uncommon for a dog owner to give up a dog because they can no longer afford to care for him or because their circumstances have changed. In our current economic climate, everything has become more expensive and for some, caring for a dog may be a luxury they can't afford. Some families have to downsize, moving into a housing situation where dogs aren't allowed. I have a lot of older clients who have to give up their dogs when they move into assisted living or skilled nursing environments that don't allow pets, or don't allow dogs over a certain size. My first question is always, "Is there someone in your family or circle of friends who can take your dog?" My follow up to this if the dog came from a breeder is, "Have you contacted your breeder about taking your dog back?" The reputable breeders I know will take their dogs back at any time for any reason. They don't want their dogs to end up in shelters or rescues, preferring to care for the dogs themselves, or place them elsewhere. For people who acquired their purebred dogs from a pet store, mass puppy website, puppy mill, or puppy broker, returning a dog to the breeder isn't a viable option. At that point, they would need to look at breed rescue groups. And for people with shelter dogs or dogs they adopted from rescue organizations, they do need to reach out to those places first. Some rescues want their dogs back if it isn't working out, much like reputable breeders. For many dog owners, however, their calls and emails aren't answered, or if they are, they are turned away and told that the shelter, rescue group, etc. has too many dogs and they can't take on another at this time. It's also unfortunate that dog owners faced with this predicament will be made to feel like complete jerks for even considering giving up their dog. Telling a dog owner in this situation that they shouldn't have gotten a dog in the first place isn't helpful. At all.
As you might imagine, the worst case scenario is when a dog owner needs to place their dog who has issues in aggression. These dogs are difficult to place regardless of the type of aggression displayed, but the most difficult are those who are aggressive toward people, in particular, those who have bitten someone (or those who have bitten multiple times). These dogs pose issues in liability. Rescue groups are reluctant to take them because they don't want to assume the liability. Shelters often tell dog owners with aggressive dogs that surrendering the dog means euthanasia. Trying to place an aggressive dog with friends or family isn't easy either given the inherent liability. If you can get someone to take your dog, you'll want to draft a letter where you are very transparent about your dog's aggression, outlining each instance of aggression, including every bite and what steps you took. You'll sign this letter and so will the person taking your dog. You should get the letter witnessed or notarized as well. Why go through all of this extra work? Well, unfortunately, the odds are that your dog will bite again and if the bite lands the new owner in court, you'll be in court as well. If you have the letter saying your informed the new owner as to the risk and you signed off on your liability, you will likely be removed from any lawsuit that arises involving the dog. Sobering, I know.
At this point, you might be saying to yourself, "Why don't they just call their vet and euthanize the dog themselves if it's that risky?" Well, the simple answer is that they love their dog, in spite of his aggression. Frankly, most of the aggressive dogs I meet aren't aggressive all of the time; they are aggressive when triggered and often those triggers aren't completely predictable. It's also unfortunately the case that some veterinarians draw the line at "euthanizing a healthy dog." The fact that an aggressive dog who bites people isn't mentally healthy or sound seems to escape them. Luckily, most veterinarians have incredible compassion for dog owners with aggressive dogs and understand that dogs who bite people are a risk to the community at large and have no issue with humane euthanasia. Nonetheless, making the decision to euthanize your own dog is one of the most difficult decisions you will ever have to make, even if you know it's the right one for you AND for your dog. Aggressive dogs aren't happy dogs. They are profoundly anxious. Most don't want to bite, but they are unable to stop themselves. Many resist muzzles and other management tools that could keep them in their homes a bit longer, or render them more adoptable, making quality of life an issue for everyone. Sometimes dog owners just need to hear that they aren't bad people for making the decision to euthanize their aggressive dog. If they call me, I won't tell them that's a bad choice; who am I to judge them? I don't have to live with that dog and I KNOW after 35 years in business, aggressive dogs are difficult to live with and often end up cutting you off from your family and friends because they don't want to deal with your dog. Dogs are important, but you can't cut off all of your human support system.
So, no easy answer here. Basically, you need to look at your dog's specific aggressive issues and determine what the best course of action might be. For those whose dogs aren't aggressive, but they still can't keep them, the decision to be made will often depend on the timeline of how quickly you need to place them. If you can, for example, keep your dog until the rescue group has an opening or finds a home for your dog, that's terrific. For most dog owners looking to place their dogs, however, time isn't on their side. Frustrating and sad, but a reality nonetheless.
It's true that, on occasion, I've been able to help place a dog that a client needed to rehome. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it's quite satisfying to help a dog and their owner find the right situation that works for them both.
As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.
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