- Nov 30, 2011
- 260
- 18
- 139
I need backup, y'all. My mom died in Septhember, leaving behind a small terrier. She is the sweetest dog ever, and of course I took her in. I love her to bits.
However, she kills chickens.
At first, I thought we could handle the problem. Keep her on a leash outside, never let her be unsupervised, etc. The problem is, she is OBSESSED with chickens. She sneeks past us and gets out. She gets in the basement where the sick-chicken pens are. She NEVER misses an opportunity to chase, spy on, torment, and catch the birds. The way our house and yard are laid out, there is just no way to keep the dogs and birds separate. My other 3 dogs dont bother the chickens, except once in a while to chase one and see it fly.( I still dont let them out unsupervised, however.)
Friday we went out for lunch and put the dogs in the ouside run. When we came home, my mom's dog had got out of the run and attacked 12 of my 19 birds. 7 were dead or almost dead when we got home, and 5 more injured. One of those injured was my beloved Molly, the last survivor of our original 6. She passed away last night.
So the dog has got to go. I've had other animals that got obsessed with something or other, and I know that once they get something in thier heads there is no stopping them. I have done some research on the internet and most people say, you can manage a dog like that, but you can never really trust them. I know my family; we are sort of airheads, and there is no way we could mamage the dog perfectly and never make any mistakes. The mistakes we have made already lead to chicken injuries and deaths. My 13-year-old son is home with the dogs on days I have to work, and it is too much responisbility to put on him. Too much worry to put on me. I am an EMT and I can't be at work all day, wondering in the back of my mind, what is going on at home.
I have been giving this much thought all weekend long, going back and forth, trying to find a way to make everything work out. As Molly was dying in my arms, I realized, THERE IS NO WAY TO MAKE THIS WORK OUT. The dog has to go.
It is still a very painful decision however. I have been crying all weekend over it. I promised my mom I would look after her dog, but I never in my life thought this would happen. I thought I could portect everybody and keep everyone safe.
So the dog is going to the shelter today. I am heartbroken. I feel like a real **** for not keeping my pormise to my mom (which as my husband pointed out, is rather stupid because my mom never kept a promise in her life, as far as I know.) I feel even worse for abandoning the dog in a shelter. I'm certain she will find a new family soon, because she is a very nice dog in all other respects. But still......
So please, everybody, tell me I'm doing the right thing.
However, she kills chickens.
At first, I thought we could handle the problem. Keep her on a leash outside, never let her be unsupervised, etc. The problem is, she is OBSESSED with chickens. She sneeks past us and gets out. She gets in the basement where the sick-chicken pens are. She NEVER misses an opportunity to chase, spy on, torment, and catch the birds. The way our house and yard are laid out, there is just no way to keep the dogs and birds separate. My other 3 dogs dont bother the chickens, except once in a while to chase one and see it fly.( I still dont let them out unsupervised, however.)
Friday we went out for lunch and put the dogs in the ouside run. When we came home, my mom's dog had got out of the run and attacked 12 of my 19 birds. 7 were dead or almost dead when we got home, and 5 more injured. One of those injured was my beloved Molly, the last survivor of our original 6. She passed away last night.
So the dog has got to go. I've had other animals that got obsessed with something or other, and I know that once they get something in thier heads there is no stopping them. I have done some research on the internet and most people say, you can manage a dog like that, but you can never really trust them. I know my family; we are sort of airheads, and there is no way we could mamage the dog perfectly and never make any mistakes. The mistakes we have made already lead to chicken injuries and deaths. My 13-year-old son is home with the dogs on days I have to work, and it is too much responisbility to put on him. Too much worry to put on me. I am an EMT and I can't be at work all day, wondering in the back of my mind, what is going on at home.
I have been giving this much thought all weekend long, going back and forth, trying to find a way to make everything work out. As Molly was dying in my arms, I realized, THERE IS NO WAY TO MAKE THIS WORK OUT. The dog has to go.
It is still a very painful decision however. I have been crying all weekend over it. I promised my mom I would look after her dog, but I never in my life thought this would happen. I thought I could portect everybody and keep everyone safe.
So the dog is going to the shelter today. I am heartbroken. I feel like a real **** for not keeping my pormise to my mom (which as my husband pointed out, is rather stupid because my mom never kept a promise in her life, as far as I know.) I feel even worse for abandoning the dog in a shelter. I'm certain she will find a new family soon, because she is a very nice dog in all other respects. But still......
So please, everybody, tell me I'm doing the right thing.
