Very Sad Day At The Vet Today

[~Anne~]

Rebanne - so I guess you might think that checking out the offer would be too much effort?

Why would you rather put the dog down. If an offer was made, wouldn't it be better to consider it?

[Rebanne]

Rebanne - so I guess you might think that checking out the offer would be too much effort?

Why would you rather put the dog down. If an offer was made, wouldn't it be better to consider it?

no not too much effort. But keeping in mind my dogs are my pets, not race dogs, if I had decided, for whatever reason I had to put a dog down, it would be because I thought it best for the dog and quite frankly would be most p!ssed off with a stranger telling me I was a bad person for doing so. I would have tunnel vision, it is such a hard decision to come too, I would not be in any state of mind to listen anyway.

I have had racedogs offered to me when I've been at the track, that didn't impress me at all, they had no idea if I was a good home or not but because I made "clucky" ( what a handsome lad type things) noises at them they thought I'd want to take it home.

[LizT]

Rebanne - so I guess you might think that checking out the offer would be too much effort?

Why would you rather put the dog down. If an offer was made, wouldn't it be better to consider it?

no not too much effort. But keeping in mind my dogs are my pets, not race dogs, if I had decided, for whatever reason I had to put a dog down, it would be because I thought it best for the dog and quite frankly would be most p!ssed off with a stranger telling me I was a bad person for doing so. I would have tunnel vision, it is such a hard decision to come too, I would not be in any state of mind to listen anyway.

I have had racedogs offered to me when I've been at the track, that didn't impress me at all, they had no idea if I was a good home or not but because I made "clucky" ( what a handsome lad type things) noises at them they thought I'd want to take it home.

I've been in similar situations with horses where people have contacted me offering me a horse because if I don't take it its going to be PTS. Sorry, but can't take on every one elses rejects, can I?

I once had my ex's cousin on the phone late one night asking me to take on a blind foal colt that was going to be PTS. I spent a good deal of time kindly explaining to the young girl why this was really the best thing for the poor foal.

Without really knowing the whole story behind Lucy, the Greyhound, no one should really judge. But I do believe the OP is right in her estimation that at least Lucys ending was not a violent or stressful event.

[~Anne~]

Sorry, I was referring to the situation with the woman referred to in the OP, as is rubiton I think you'll find.

Taking a much loved pet to be euthd for ill health, age or other legitimate reason is a different matter.

This is a Grey that is excess to needs. Rubiton gave a scenario referring to *that* particular case.

Edited: damn iPhones correcting my typing!! :laugh:

Edited February 23, 2012 by ~Anne~

[~Anne~]

Without really knowing the whole story behind Lucy, the Greyhound, no one should really judge. But I do believe the OP is right in her estimation that at least Lucys ending was not a violent or stressful event.

Actually we can. Didn't I read that she had said GAP was full and couldn't take the dog? That suggests it was healthy, just excess to her needs.

Secondly, after working in the industry I can assure you that this was very common. I think an assumption can be made easily and probably fairly accurately in this instance.

As I said, it can be sugar coated in many ways but the fact remains that orgs like GAP and similar exist for the very reason that is assumed here about the reasons of the dog being killed.

[Rebanne]

Sorry, I was referring to the situation with the woman referred to in the OP, as is rubiton I think you'll find.

Taking a much loved pet to be euthd for ill health, age or other legitimate reason is a different matter.

This is a Grey that is excess to needs. Rubiton gave a scenario referring to *that* particular case.

Edited: damn iPhones correcting my typing!! :laugh:

I can't reply for the woman referred to. We don't know that her heart wasn't breaking while doing so or that she couldn't have cared less. Some people not agree with some of my reasons for PTS some of my animals. But I firmly belief that there are things worse then death, I have seen living hell, humane death is not one of them.

[~Anne~]

It isn't the single death that is the concern though. It is the industry and the culture.

The single death of a dog in a pound isn't overly horrid either but the culture that allows the deaths to occur in the numbers they do and for the reasons they are is though.

[erinonthefarm]

I can think of plenty of things to be more appalled at in the animal world than a dog humanely put down at the vet!

THIS

About 8 years ago the remains of greyhounds were found in the forest near where I lived. They had been decapitated so they couldn't be id from their tatoos, I just couldn't believe someone could do that for the sake of money.

[~Anne~]

I can also recall a greyhound named Houdini who was found buried alive with his ears cut off. This was many, many years ago now though. He lived with a staff member of the RSPCA until he died of old age.

[SeeGee]

I can also recall a greyhound named Houdini who was found buried alive with his ears cut off. This was many, many years ago now though. He lived with a staff member of the RSPCA until he died of old age.

My naieve brain can't comprehend this. May the perpertraters rot in hell.

My God.

[jerojath]

It isn't the single death that is the concern though. It is the industry and the culture.

The single death of a dog in a pound isn't overly horrid either but the culture that allows the deaths to occur in the numbers they do and for the reasons they are is though.

My thoughts exactly.

[~Anne~]

CharlieG, Houdini was far from an isolated case. If you do a google search about Greys with their ears cut off you'll see many stories. Houdini was the only one I personally met though.

Now with chipping introduced in the Grey industry, it would have ceased.

[newfsie]

I find the entire greyhound and horse racing industries abhorrent.

Nothing but disposable animals with the odd success story.

Sorry, have witnessed both industries first hand and would dearly love to see these revovling doors of death, injury, and discarded lives stopped.

I can't dress it up, its tragic & preventable

fifi

I'm with you Fifi.

I am too,

[korbin13]

Australia is currently in the grip of 'Black Caviar' fever.

How popular is greyhound racing?

I am of the understanding that gambling in Australia is more popular than ever just not sure of how much of that is greyhound racing.

I just can't see horse racing going anywhere.

[WreckitWhippet]

Microchips are not going to make an ounce of difference to those in the industry who don't give a crap. I've already heard trainers talk about how they will dispose of dogs

[voloclydes]

lets see the figure quoted was 8,600?ish greys in vic alone... with only 400ish being rehomed..

even if every one on dol took one dog... there would still be more dogs than homes...and the next year another 8,000ish?

its a huge industry.... and i am not sure there is another answer..

i give the woman full credit for doing what needed to be done tho. the dog may not have been suitable for rehoming and there are worse things than a dignified end. much worse.

[tarope]

I put my Rottie to sleep,because I didn't want her any more.

I made the above statement not to be sarcastic or funny, it was directed at those who see nothing wrong with killing a young healthy Greyhound who didn't race well and is no longer wanted. So what's wrong with me doing the same with my dog ? The answer is it's a bloody despicable act, unfortunately this is the attitude of many people who see their dog as an object only.

I should mention my darling Rottie is alive and well and a very much loved member of our family, as it should be. :)

[Blackdogs]

I think it would be beneficial to take the money out of the industry. Sure you can race a greyhound, but you cannot bet on it. It's no longer a commercial sport.

This way we can preserve the athleticism of the breed without involving people who are motivated by things other than the dogs themselves.

Um people who breed show bred greyhounds are already doing that. Racing greyhounds around a fenced in track after an artifical lure is a modern day event. Been happening less than a 100 years and the breed is many, many hundreds of years older then that. Sure my dogs wouldn't win a race but they haven't been bred to do that. They are hunting dogs, not race dogs.

Does everyone who shows their dogs hunt with their dogs as well?

There's a reason why many breeds have split into show and working categories. For most ANKC show dogs, there is no test of working ability.

Same for greyhounds, very few dogs are actually allowed to hunt legally.

eta some of the race track failures could have been very good hunters. Racedogs need to be fast enough to win a race, doesn't mean they would make a good hunter.

Well, whatever the form takes, Greyhounds were bred for speed so retaining this quality through measurable sports would assist to retain this trait.

[asal]

but it DOES matter, no racing industry means that greyhounds don't NEED to be re-homed or shot or euthed in the first place.

One less batch of unwanted dogs.

fifi

No showing or breeding, agility, obedience, means that no adults or puppies need to find a home either, it's not just the racing industry that has unwanted or excess dogs, although they probably contribute a large %.

I can see that there has been a shift by some owners/trainers, towards having less dogs, breeding less puppies and putting 100% into the few dogs that they have. There is still the old school of breed masses of them and hope to god that one can run and the rest are destroyed and I really don't like that.

I wonder if the dog in the OP had not been a Greyhound, if people would have objected in the same way to it being euth'd. I very much doubt that Lucy was the only unwanted dog to die at that clinic today

I can't speak for anyone else, but I would have been devastated regardless.

I've also met trainers who keep few dogs and really put their all into them. My next door neighbour has his now retired racing Grey whom he loves and is very proud of .

Either way, I'm not judging the woman's actions. I'm just so very sad for the loss of a young life. Admittedly, this is the first time I've ever seen anything like this first hand, so maybe I'm a bit sensitive.

the number of people who chose to euth perfectly healthy dogs because they no longer want them is simply staggering.

my daughter did work study at a vets..

she was apalled and the vets said it broke their hearts.

but at least they didnt dump them in the streets. but the anguish of many who have to actully do the deed isnt any less

one was brought in because she didnt match the new furniture.

Edited February 23, 2012 by asal

[Greytmate]

Without having been there and actually having a long conversation with this woman, how can any of us judge her for having this dog PTS? How do we know what is happening in her life that would make it impossible for her to do anything but what she did?

Without really knowing the whole story behind Lucy, the Greyhound, no one should really judge. But I do believe the OP is right in her estimation that at least Lucys ending was not a violent or stressful event.

i give the woman full credit for doing what needed to be done tho. the dog may not have been suitable for rehoming and there are worse things than a dignified end. much worse.

I'm judging her, and I have every right to judge her.

The woman used "GAP is full" as an excuse! What a misleading thing to say . Dishonestly trying to present herself as a person that didn't have the option of putting the dog in the program. She is a miserable low-life that doesn't value dogs unless she can make money from them. Disgusting. That's my judgement and I stand by it.