I've just been watching This Morning and they brought some dogs on that had been abandoned over the Christmas period...

I'm aware this happens - all too aware. I'm not naive, but I'm in tears sitting watching this.

Perhaps it's because the pups are nearly the same age as Bubble and I just can't imagine dumping her (or any animal) but how on Earth can people do it?

One staffy x puppy was tied to someone's gate on BOXING DAY! So they kept the puppy for one whole day but the 3 month old retriever x puppy was left in a box outside a petshop on Sunday (when all the shops are shut!) in the freezing cold. Thankfully a passer by noticed him and handed him in but the poor little fella would've surely died otherwise.

I just fail to understand how people can dump their animals at Christmas time. Why must they still buy them as Christmas presents?!

Furthermore, how do people dump a 2 year old dog at Christmas?! You've had that dog for one Christmas already, they're already a part of the family (or should be!) and yet, money's tight now - or the house is too busy. Dump the dog, we'll get another in the new year... how?!!

I worry when I'm out with Bubble that people will think she was a Christmas present or a whim buy... of course she wasn't either.

Takara was bought for my 18th birthday present but that was because otherwise we couldn't have afforded to get her - I was fully aware, I chose her and we had discussed it.

I don't know why it's got to me so much... because I know this stuff happens and I know it's this bad... I just still fail to understand how anyone can do it. It would kill me to rehome any of mine even if they were going back to their breeder or I'd found a fantastic home - but there's no way I could just leave them somewhere.

They have homeless dogs on Paul O'Grady show alot, and he ALWAYS ends up rehoming one. Olga is beautiful :love:

Those are the lucky dogs though-i bet they all had people wanting to rehome them before the show was over.

It is sad Lottie

I get so depressed about all this sort of things all the time. I just can't get my head around how people must think to do that - but then I know we aren't all the same.

Sometimes I end up going into shutdown because my mind can't take any more and believe me - I'm not one of the ones that see that much of it.

The people who run the little rescue centres - who struggle financially and emotionally and physically - because they just don't have enough hands and money to help all the phones calls of help that they get all the time day and night.

The big places have trained staff on, and they do shifts - so someone can take over - or they have rules that they have to stick to - but the small ones - don't have that to fall back on.

I worry about pets and people being abandoned and in these conditions - its too depressing. Humans shouldn't we be proud of ourselves

It breaks my heart... :cry:

Wow they had the dog 1 day, Why the hell would you do that??

We got Patch as a rescue and would never ditch him or give him away, some people are cruel

We're hoping to take a dog out from the pound shortly. He's a spaniel between 18mths and 2 years old. His owner died and we are waiting for him to be signed over by the police. We have put a reserve on him :)

It does tend to be the cute ones that get taken on to these shows and then calls come in for them. The little retriever has already been offered a home - just 10 minutes after he had been on This Morning.

It's nice that they have had offers. They also had a few staffy crosses on it so hopefully they'll get homed too.

I wish more shows would do that, I know I'm sad but i watch houston animal rescue and they hold adoption days once a mth and dog of the week, advertised on local radio stations, is there any chance do you think of us being able to organise a similar thing???

Wow they had the dog 1 day, Why the hell would you do that??

We got Patch as a rescue and would never ditch him or give him away, some people are cruel

Why? because they are *insert expletive of your choice here* 's... frankly.


My last six cats, and my last five dogs all came via rescues.

My dog, Destruct-o-pup, came to me because she was a victim of "Novelty-Worn-Off" (NWO) Syndrome, the woman had not had her 6 weeks before deciding she didn't want her.

My gorgeous (And very naughty) Dexycat came to me after the lady who bred him had to take him back from the person she'd initially homed him to...

My handsome (and very cheeky) Thiri Tiddlepuss was initially taken in and fostered by mc55 and her Hub, after seemingly having been turfed out onto the streets to wander, and to fend for himself.

Thiri hadn't been chipped, he hadn't been "chopped", (Not chopped! At ONE YEAR old!!! My God!!) He also had a wound on his flank, which had clearly not been treated professionally, it was very crudely dealt with (thankfully it's healing well)

As I said to mc and her hubby, when they brought him, "it looks like he's another victim of 'NWO' syndrome."

Now that the holidays are over, I'm looking to get both the issues of chipping and "chopping" sorted out. He is going to be chipped and "chopped", as soon as the arrangements can be made to get him fitted in.

Sadly I don't think that this situation will improve until and unless people stop thinking of animals as 'cute presents' and start thinking of them as life long responsibilities. I've volunteered in different aspects of animal rescue for over a decade and I'm afraid that this sort of thing no longer surprises me. It's shocking that some people really don't see the issue, but is so predictable that I'm waiting for it before it even happens.

Some people are (as PT so eloquently didn't put it) expletives. There's no point in trying to teach them to act differently if they don't have a conscience enough to know that their actions leave very much to be desired and those who actually do care are already responsible enough to never do this sort of things in the first place.

It's a fair bet that almost everyone who uses this group is also amongst the converted too- how the hell we get through to those who need to change their actions but aren't listening I have no idea.

My destruct-o-pup, Thiri Tiddlepuss, and Dexycat have all got a warm fireside, and scruffles for life. I just wish I could provide a home for all the other waifs and strays that no-one wants.

Old-dog had 15 long, happy years with me:- Jazzycat had 17 years of "adventures". I had both Jazz and Old-dog from seven weeks old (didn't know in those days about taking them too early from the mother) and they lived their lives out with me, with my commitment to them for life, just like the commitment for the current three furry monsters :hihi: is a lifetime commitment.

Sadly I don't think that this situation will improve until and unless people stop thinking of animals as 'cute presents' and start thinking of them as life long responsibilities. I've volunteered in different aspects of animal rescue for over a decade and I'm afraid that this sort of thing no longer surprises me. It's shocking that some people really don't see the issue, but is so predictable that I'm waiting for it before it even happens.

Some people are (as PT so eloquently didn't put it) expletives. There's no point in trying to teach them to act differently if they don't have a conscience enough to know that their actions leave very much to be desired and those who actually do care are already responsible enough to never do this sort of things in the first place.
It's a fair bet that almost everyone who uses this group is also amongst the converted too- how the hell we get through to those who need to change their actions but aren't listening I have no idea.I think you've hit the nail on the head there Medusa.

Both (my) Gadget & (my parent's) Gizmo were victims of the 'Post Christmas Clearout' - both are wonderful, loving, obedient dogs found stray in January.

While Gizmo is snuggled up between my Mum & Dad, clearly ecstatically happy and grateful that he has a loving family now, it breaks my heart to think of him out in the cold and snow with no-one to love him :(

I've lost count of the amount of times my Dad has said "but he's so adorable and loving, what kind of bar steward would get rid of such a little angel?"

But it's as simple as you say... some people are just ****ers!

Its brilliant for the dogs that get rehomed but i always think its a bit i dont know how to say it but kinda sad the dogs with all the publicity everyone wants.

If people were so desperate for a dog why dont they visit the local centre, the only plus it helps raise awareness and the limited few get rehomed although i sometimes quiestion if it is for the right reason.

Poor little mites though i look at all the snow and feel so sorry for all the dogs in the pound let alone any that have been dumped.

Rain was right as humans we have a lot to answer for :rant:

Saw it too, fills me with despair. had to stop myself phoning re whippet as we are moving soon but think I would have done if settled, mind you puppy is only 5 months old but she is as good as gold!!

It always breaks my heart too when I hear of people dumping their animals. I find it the worst to understand, when they have had them several years and then just abandon them usually because they have moved to another place that won't allow them or they just heartlessly leave them behind. The biggest bugbear of mine is when people get rid of their animals just because they are having a baby! My circumstances have changed several times over the years but I have NEVER ever considered giving up any one of my many animals, for me, they come first and even if I were in the position that I had a baby, or I moved again the animals would stay put with me! But there, you'll never stop these people doing this, we just have to try our best to lessen the load by rehoming as many as we can.