Guest summerbreeze Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 My mother made me bring my dog, Meadow, and my foster dog, Rubio back to the shelter 2 weeks ago. Haven't been able to get more than 2 hours of sleep per night and I frequently find myself waking up in tears. Her reason for bringing them back: "we" couldn't take care of them. Truth is - SHE didn't want to deal with them. Meadow had separation anxiety, so I convinced my mother to take in a foster dog, Rubio. That solved the barking and messing in the house issue. I was almost ready to ask mother to consider adopting Rubio, but then our vet told us he had bone cancer. Mother thought he was going to be a major problem and that we weren't home enough to take care of him if his cancer spread into his spine and caused him to have seizures or something similar. I am only away from home about 5 hours a day, and one of my teachers at school said I could bring both my dogs in with me - my school is very small - only about 5 kids in each class. It's sad to walk in and not have them waiting at the door, the house seems . . . empty, and my bed is cold at night without my favorite "heat sources". I feel completely horrible and utterly responsible for not having put up more of a fight for my dogs. I just wish there was something I could do to get the shelter to let me have them back, mother is willing to do just about anything to get me to sleep - let's just say i haven't been in the peachiest of moods lately. It's getting so lonely without my little velcro dogs beside me 24/7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest seniorhoundlover Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 I am so sorry that you are going through this. If you and your mom are really serious about getting your dogs back, try calling the shelter and explaining that you have made a hasty decision. They may let you have the dogs back. But be sure that this is what your mom really wants - this can't be a temporary solution to make you happy. It's not fair to the dogs to bounce them around like that. As someone who often takes in the dogs that have been returned, it is very hard on them to keep changing their families and situations - it is not something that you can explain to them. Maybe you and your mom have a few things to iron out first before you're ready to have dogs in your lives. Good luck with whatever happens - I can hear the pain in your message and feel for you. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LadyChester Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 I'm sorry to hear what happened with your dogs. I had to give up my pets when I was a kid due to allergies. It was the worst thing I remember from my childhood. But I must ask - were they greyhounds that you took to a shelter??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Snowy8 Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 I agree with Seniorhoundlover, I too have taken in numerous of greys that have been returned, and they do not understand what they did wrong. Make sure this is something that your mom wants to do also...and then make a commitment to each other & your grey. Adoption is a life time commitment, not a "well its not working out" commitment. We have so many that come back for all the wrong reasons. No one tries to work the issues out, they just bring them back. You don't say how old you are, but its obvious you have a very big & soft heart for these puppers...I had to give my horses up when I was 19 yrs old & it was the most horrible thing I think I ever went through, so I can feel your pain all the way over here. I wish you all the best in the year 2005 & I truly hope you can work things out & get your puppers back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patricia Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 Quote Patti-Mommy of Lady Sophia 7-28-92 - 8-3-04... LaceyLaine 8-2-94-12-5-07... Flash Gordon 7-14-99 - 8-29-09... BrookLynne...Pavé Maria... and 18 Bridge Kids. WATCHING OVER US~SOPHIA~QUEENIE~LACEY LAINE~ CODY ANGELO~FLASH GORDON. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Advocatus Diaboli Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 But I must ask - were they greyhounds that you took to a shelter??? 1194764[/snapback] Greyhound Friends of Hopkinton, MA ( www.greyhound.org ) has Meadow (a grey) and Rubio (a grey or galgo) listed on their site. They are in no danger, GHF does a great job with their hounds. Are you close enough to the kennel to help out as a volunteer? I hope you find peace with the decision soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest summerbreeze Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 But I must ask - were they greyhounds that you took to a shelter??? 1194764[/snapback] Greyhound Friends of Hopkinton, MA ( www.greyhound.org ) has Meadow (a grey) and Rubio (a grey or galgo) listed on their site. They are in no danger, GHF does a great job with their hounds. Are you close enough to the kennel to help out as a volunteer? I hope you find peace with the decision soon. 1195279[/snapback] Yes, they were both greys, and the ones you see on the GHF website are the two I had. I don't know if GHF would allow me to volunteer. To answer snowy8's question - I'm 16. Giving up your horses must have been almost too awful to bear. I have one and I told my mother that wherever my horse goes, I go with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest argolola Posted January 2, 2005 Share Posted January 2, 2005 I'm so sorry. I know this hurts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest auntiesara Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 What a sad situation. I expect that Louise would be happy for you to volunteer. You can use volunteering with animals for creative writing assignments in school or even in College applications to show that you have an interest that makes a difference! Tell your Mom that there is hope for the one with bone cancer if he gets immediate treatment, although he will need a lot of nursing care. If she would like to ask any questions here a lot of us would be happy to try to help. Sara. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trevdog Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Has your mother talked to them and explained the problem? Maybe they need to talk to her about the proper care and what to expect. How old is Rubio, does he truly have bone cancer? Sometimes it is misdiagnosed as TBD or something else. If your mother is truly sincere and willing to take them back, maybe she needs to talk to them. I had a similar experience with my grey Ossie. He bit my hubby 2x in the face about 3 months after we got him. DH was furious and demanded I return him, which I begrudgingly did. I was unable to sleep or think about anything else but missing him. I talked to his foster mom, and found out he was doing well, she asked more questions and came to the conclusion DH had done some things wrong to cause the reaction and also Ossie wasn't happy being an only dog either. DH and I had a long talk and he agreed to give it another try. He was talked to by Ossie's foster mom, she explained what he had done wrong, why Ossie acted like he did, etc. He also agreed to at least foster another grey to see if it helped. Almost a year later, everyone is doing well. Long story short, the group had to see that DH was truly committed to working with Ossie and doing everything he could to make it work, not just me alone. My point is if you really want them back, your Mom needs to be committed to taking care/time of them properly and understand what it means too. It's possible they might agree to at least try it again, but it's up to your Mom to talk to them. I don't know that they will agree to it, but sometimes a group will make an exception if the person is really sincere. I'm thankful I got another chance with my boy... I know some people here didn't exactly agree with what I did, but a day doesn't go by that I don't appreciate having my special boy back. He has totally changed the way he acts around DH, and actually hangs on him when I'm not around for constant attention. Good Luck with whatever happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest summerbreeze Posted January 4, 2005 Share Posted January 4, 2005 Thanks so much for all of your suggestions and support - it really means a lot because most of my family was glad to see them go - they didn't think they were very intelligent dogs - only due to the fact that they didn't know "sit, stay, come, and lay." I tried to tell them that both were older dogs and it would take some time before they learned. Turns out, Rubio knew a few commands in Spanish, and would come flying in a heartbeat if I called, "Rubio, venito, vamanos!" He would try hard to sit when I said "sientese", but the position seemed uncomfortable for him (maybe a little bit of arthritis in his hips and back?) When he had to go outside, he would stand at the door, look at me, then look at the door, and would wait patiently until I took him out. And boy, did he ever love to run - he was so enthusiatic when we went out for our jogs around the block. Although, I think his favorite activities were wrestling on my bed and moving my stuffed animals from room to room. Meadow wasn't quite as playful, but she was just as smart as any other dog - she knew what "wanna go out/for a ride/walk/run" meant. The day we got her, I asked "do you wanna go home with me". Her response:jumping up and down, running to the door them back to me. I must mention that she was very vocal and loved to "talk". Not bark, but she would make some pretty strange noises. I'm sorry, should probably stop babbling now, but I can't help but reminisce over the wonderful life of owning a grey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest summerbreeze Posted January 4, 2005 Share Posted January 4, 2005 As for volunteering: I'm definitely calling and asking Louise if I can start this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ChrissyB Posted January 4, 2005 Share Posted January 4, 2005 I'm so sorry you are going through this. Don't rush through your grief. Be sad as long as you need too. Hopefully they will be rehomed close to you and you may even be able to visit them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest summerbreeze Posted January 4, 2005 Share Posted January 4, 2005 I think Meadow has been adopted, b/c she's no longer on the website. If she did, I hope her new family goes back for Rubio - they were attached to eachother. In a way, if she was adopted, I'm happy that she won't be spending anymore time in a kennel, but sad and upset because she was MY dog (well, I think it's our animals that own us, not the other way around), and it took me so long to figure out her likes and dislikes, and what worked best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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