Why do so many dogs end up in the shelter?

Answer 1

I've read of so many excuses. I think a lot of people don't realize the responsibility that comes with dogs. Or they get a dog because "OMG, it's such a cute puppy!!" and then it grows up to be a big dog who is ill trained. Or those the people who don't spay/neuter their dogs, and lots of puppies come. People also say "We're moving", or "Expecting a baby" or "We don't have time anymore".

Damn people. I wish people could take a class before they even could get a dog.

Answer 2

Stupid people!!!

Some people are so imature (and pathetic) that they have no respect for other living things and see other living things as subservient and only there to be used.

Such people get an animal and dont look after it. They let it breed often accidently because they can afford drugs, alcohol and cigarrettes but cant afford to get the dog neutered. Others just churn out pups like a commodity even if only cross bred just to try to get some money. Some are given away just to get rid of them others are dumped. Unfortunately many of the people who do take the puppies do so Without stopping to think about when it growns up and end up dumping it when th enovelty wears off or they cant be bothered. I dont have a problem with Heinz varieity dogs- i love muts -but if they cant guarantee a good life for the puppy dont breed it but unfortunately irresponsible idiots out there are causing so much grief for so many defenceless animals.

Answer 3

we just got two rescue great pyranees who were given up because the farm they used to live on had to close due to money issues.

another reason people give up their pets is the owner who may be older passes away or had to be sent to a retirement home no one can take care of the pet.

sometimes, people buy pets and they love it when the pets are babies, but once they get older they find out it is a lot of responsiblity and can't handle it.

i've heard of cases when a couple who has a dog and they find out they will be having a baby, they worry that the dog may not take too kindly to the new born.

also, when families change homes and have to live in a smaller house or apartment that does not take dogs, they give them away.

someone in the home finds out they are allergic to dog hair since many dogs do shed.

divorces....... i've known of cases where the couple has to split everything and no one wants to take the dog with them.

when the dog gets old and sickly, some people cannot afford to spend on medication as this takes a certain amount of money to care for a older and sickly dog.

a few people have told us that the dog cannot be trained and is too aggressive. dogs have personalities and sometimes when you get a young dog, you may not know its personality. in some cases, some of the dogs have been treated very badly by their previous owners and have a difficult time being with people and may not be safe for kids.

in a week, we are getting a rescue horse and in the future will get more animals that need good homes and where they can be happy and wanted.

Answer 4

first thank you for finding a new soapbox, and a good question at that i have to add! many dogs end up in a shelter because they owners do not take the time to research the breed, or what is involved in proper dog and puppy care. and as soon as it becomes troublesome and things aren't as easy as they thought they drop the dog off. many dogs in a shelter just require someone to be consistant and train them. that's all. puppies are cute, then you get them home and then what? they pee all over, poop and chew things. plus people don't have them vet checked or vaccinated and they get sick and now they don't want to pay to have them treated. so they leave them at a shelter so it can be someone elses problem. these are the kind of people who never have been taught better, or think of dogs as being for their own enjoyment and dispose of them as soon as they don't serve the purpose.


as to why puppies end up in a shelter, it's because people have been taught to believe that dogs are better pets if bred once, or to wait until a first heat to have them spayed. now you have a litter of pups you have no idea what to do with.

now sometimes due to a death, and very few unexpected circumstances some people are left with no choice. but honestly it's rare.

aside from the rare reasons most dogs end up in a shelter because of lack of education, selfishness, and just plain lazyness.

Answer 5

Because people get a dog or a puppy because they think they need/want one. But as soon as they start having to actually care for it, then things change. They go into it blindly, without thinking it through. The dog starts chewing up everything. Peeing all over. Digging up the plants. Running up vet bills. The landlord says it has to go (because they didn't bother to ask first). Barking constantly.... just to name a few. Suddenly, it's not so cute anymore. People just need to realize that getting a dog is a life time (life of the dog) commitment. It's not a status symbol or a toy. It's a living breathing creature that needs constant attention and love.

My dogs will be with me until they die. Sometimes they drive me crazy and I start wondering what I got myself into, but the same can be said for kids too! I wouldn't give away one of my kids because they are causing me problems (even though my teenage daughter has me tempted!) and I certainly wouldn't do that to my dogs either.

Answer 6

I agree w/ krivera_f. People come up with every and any excuse they can to get rid of a dog. Dogs or any pet, for that matter should be treated as a member of the family not property. I really hate it when people use the "our dog kept jumping on our small child" as an excuse. If you teach your dog not to jump on anyone from the very beginning then it would know not to jump on your child. And teach the child not to tease the dog and they can live peacefully. Also giving all those excuses about the responsibility of cleaning up after, walking, bathing, vet care, etc. It makes me wonder if these people would ever considering taking their children to an orphanage if it were to be to big of a responsibility. My dog is like my child. He'll be w/ me until one of us dies.

Answer 7

because people say OH, Look at the cute little puppy! it's so cute!

that is, until it poops on your bed, marks everything in the house as it's own, chews the couch into little splinters or what have you. One of my mom's friends got a jack russel's terror last year and she just "can't understand why she's so hyper." I looked at her and asked her if she was kidding, somehow she missed EVERYTHING about the breed, but you see it everywhere, oh, that's a cute dog/cat/bird/snake/turtle/flyingpurplepeopleeater, i want one, i have money. so the person with more money than smarts goes to the pet store and gets an animal they know nothing about.
once they learn a bit about said animal (usually the hard way) they don't want it anymore. this is a big problem in certain areas, invasive exotic species are everywhere, people let unwanted pets go on our wildlife refuges (just go out to haulover canal on the merritt island wildlife refuge one evening, you'll see.) and in other unsuitable habitat, at least the ones in shelters have a chance (albiet only about 15%) of being adopted and saved from certain death.........

Answer 8

Most people don't understand what they're getting into when they get a puppy. If the pup is fortunate they get it house trained without making it afraid of people. Then , though, many people think the dog is grown up and they don't need to train anymore. That's when the dog becomes an adolescent. That's when it's hard and many dogs get kicked out.

Answer 9

Because people treat pets like property, not like the living members on the family that they really are.

Also, because a lot of people breed to make money and then get stuck with half of the litter. So instead of taking care of them like they should (especially since they are the reason that they puppies are in this world anyway), they just take and dump them off at a shelter.

Answer 10

Most of the time from irresponsible owners, either buying a dog before doing research, and finding out it has needs they cannot accomodate, or irresponsible owners who do not have their animals neutered/spayed. It's a very sad situation, and way too common in America.