Pound Pups
This morning, I was talking with a manager here where I work. He had taken his son to the pound located in the county next door to ours. He said they picked out a puppy (an Australian Shepherd mix) and they get to pick it up today after it gets fixed. That's great! I 100% agree with adopting a dog from a shelter.... especially ones that are "kill" shelters like the ones around here. Unfortunately, we don't have many "no kill" shelters around where I live. There is a pound located within walking distance from my house, saddly it's a kill shelter too. In our newspaper, on a monthly basis, it will list all the cats, kittens, dogs, & puppies that have been killed. Sad. This was not what I was going to write about, I actually had a reasoning behind my story. But... kill shelters make me very upset too.
So I suppose your thinking now... ok, hurry up with your point. Well here goes... as I was talking to this manager that went to the pound, he made a comment about all the pitbulls caged up, at least 25-30 or more. (He knows I have one, because of all my pictures in my office.) He said that the pound keeps the pitties for 7 days, to give the owner time to pick up their dog, but after that, they kill them. The pitties don't even have a chance for adoption. *Uggh* This makes me so angry. He also made the comment that some of these dogs, he was even afraid to go near their cage. Ok, I can agree that in that county, there probably were some vicous pits because that county is notorious for drug dealers and gangs, so what would you expect? But the fact of the matter is... NOT ALL PITS ARE MEAN!!!! Come on people.... can you not get it through those thick skulls? I told him to look at my pictures.... does she look vicous to you?!? And of course he said "no, she's pretty". My automatic response was.... see not all pits are mean.
6 comments:
I'll tell ya another thing that is sad about a lot of dogs who actually almost get a chance to get adopted out.....
are those with food aggression. Many don't get the stamp of approval if they show food aggression :( Which is unfortunate, because many of them are probably just responding to the situation of being in a shelter and/or past neglect.
Ruby, our new rottie had problems with food and treats when we first brought her home. We were a bit worried at first because she would growl if we got too close while she was eating. But, we also noticed that growling was about as far as she went, except if Bridget tried sticking her nose in. But, just after a couple of days, she improved, and after just a couple of weeks, she is showing no signs of food agression towards us, and only rarely around Bridget if it is a special food treat. It is sad to think that IF our local shelter did temperment tests, she probably wouldn't have made it up for adoption. She is a VERY sweet and loving dog! A gentle giant!!!! :D
Hey Lady, I didn't know you got a rottie. You said you were looking for another dog for Bridget, but didn't know you got one.
Food aggression seems to be when a dog doesn't know when it's next meal is...so naturally they will try to possess it to their best ability. Once they see that they have it freely every day, then that agression soon leaves and you might even see both dogs eatting out of the same bowl at the same time.
You're right about the temperment test as they wouldn't 'think' to think about the obvious. Thank God they didn't do one on... him/her?
Congrats on your new addition!
I agree with that 100%. Many dogs at the pound are probably starving and don't realize when their next meal will be. I watch Animal Cops on Animal Planet all the time and it shows the food aggression test on some dogs. I think they should give it several days of enough food and then test the dog, when he realizes that another bowl of food will be there.
what municipality is gonna assume the responsibility for adopting out APT's? I am not being obstinant, but I think you have to tackle this issue from another angle. I am just playing out the legal responsiblity role... i can see it now, all it takes is one mishap and BOOM there goes the neighborhood. Lawyers from Philly are showing up at city hall w/ papers to sue the local government for gross negligence and a slew of other civil improprietaries...(i dont know if tghat word applies but it sounded good) lol.. Out...
So what does it mean.... when (this same manager I was speaking of in the post) several years prior had adopted a dog and it was great to them, but to anyone else the dog became very vicious. The man's son was starting to have friends over, so the man was in fear for the other kids. The vet advised him every time he visited to have the dog put down due to all the aggression. They kept the dog 5 months and returned it back to the pound only to find out that the dog had been returned 4 times for the same issue.
Now, they put ALL pits down, regardless if there are no signs of aggression, but they allow another dog to be adopted out FOUR times... that has a serious problem with aggresstion!?!?!?!?!? What's up with that?????!!!!
I once we can start talking about the real issues here(generalized not personal), maybe their can be some ground gained in your 'mandate' to protect an awsome breed of dog.
I any of you girls(whom i respect your writings for being a 'real' perspective) have ever had one of these dogs that was on the edge... I had one for 10yrs and accepted the responsibility for her... to the best of my ability. I knew had I given her away, she would end up dead one way or the other... prematurely. Adopt an agressive pit and then get back to me.
In the business world, you rarely hear the customers tell you what your doing rite... but you sure as hell know when something went wrong....
Same goes for pits.... u never hear about the docile ones, but when they tear something up... they do IT COMPLETELY AND YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT IT FROM THE MASSES...
This is something we just have to face and begin to attack from a different perspective. And 'I' think the 1st step is to realize its a people problem and not a dog problem and chip away at it from there.... Then concilations can be made to reinstate 'responsible' owners w/ a dog of their choice.
Another thing.... a person can be a responsbile owner of a lab and the same person can get a pit and be an irresponsible owner... do you agree w/ that?!
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