What do you do?

sarahp

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A lady came into the shelter today asking if we did discounts for the vaccinations. They are $10 each, so not exactly expensive in the first place. She said she was on a fixed income so $10 was expensive for her. She said she also had to get her 2 dogs fixed because they were puppies.

Apparently she's depressed and crying all the time, so somebody got her 2 puppies for her birthday
What sort of idiot gives someone with no money 2 dogs that don't have vaccinations and haven't been fixed? They're only 3 months old, and she was an older lady, and I can't imagine she lives in a very big place, so the pups are going to need a lot of attention and walks.

I gently said to her that if she couldn't afford already discounted vaccinations, then maybe it was better that she didn't have the puppies. How could she afford vet visits if they got sick or injured? She said she just hoped they didn't and they were everything to her, and were her babies. It sounded like she'd only had them for a couple of weeks.

I know the dogs won't get the best care, and will very likely end up in a shelter - she said to me if they care gets too be too much, she'll just bring them into us to be rehomed. So sad
 

goldenkitty45

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I agree 100% with you - this lady doesn't need any more then one pet if she can't afford spaying/neutering, shots. What about the food she has to feed.

The person who gave her the pups probably meant well, but put no thought into what the reality was.
 

butzie

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Sarah,

How big are these puppies? If they are a big breed, food will be an issue.

IMO, I would just have the shelter fix the puppies. I would ask the lady, who I think that you thought was genuinely concerned, who gave her those puppies. Did they think that she really needed pets? Or did they just give her two of a litter that they couldn't keep/sell? Sorry, sometimes I am cynical.

I would start there first and then figure out if, this friend, thought that the pups would be good for an older lady. Would they be good dogs at a retirement home? Other times, I am an optimist.
 
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sarahp

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Butzie - it wasn't someone I know, it was someone who came into the shelter today when I was volunteering.

She can get free spay and neutering since she's low income, so she took that information, and I'm glad she was trying to look after the dogs. She was just also trying to get the shots free as well. The shots would have cost $25/dog, which isn't a huge fee. I just hope the person who gave her the dogs realises how much extra stress this will cause the poor lady in the long run.
 

tara g

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Well that story just makes me happy and sad. I'm happy the lady is trying to do what she can for these dogs that someone gave her, but at the same time I'm upset someone just threw these puppies on someone with a fixed income, without consulting her on whether or not she'd be able to fit them into her budget. It's at least nice she's TRYING to get them fixed and vaccinated, instead of just saying "Whatever, I cant afford it so I wont bother."
 

carolpetunia

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I hope she can keep her puppies, because having a pet to care for is so good for people who are older and lonely. But it's a shame that she wasn't given a gift card from a vet along with the puppies, y'know?

I don't see this poor woman as someone who "shouldn't have pets" -- I see her as someone who's going to need some help in order to keep them. If there's anything your shelter can do to make it possible for her to take care of them, I'd sure do it.

If I knew who gave the puppies to her, I might even contact that person and explain the problem... see if he or she might help with the ongoing costs.
 

lillekat

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Oh that's tough
I can't believe that people can be so stupid! Who on earth would give two growing puppies to someone who can't afford them, especially if they haven't been sterilized or vaccinated?! Still - it's a comfort to know that she did come to you to find out about the vaccinations and sterilization - she at least knows what they need. Yes, caring for them will be really tough and it's a shame for all involved really, but she has said that she would bring them to you if/when it gets too much. There are so many people who buy kittens and puppies without thinking about the long term implications and then they finish up thrown out on the street when they're not cute any more. So there are both up and down sides to this story. Kudos to you for standing up and suggesting that they be rehomed if she can't afford them... she will probably take that advice.
 

capt_jordi

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So someone who goes out and captures ferals and strays and brings them in to get their shots and fixed for free or very little is a saint.
But a women who is trying her best to do the right thing instead of just letting the dogs run around unfixed and without vaccinations shouldnt have pets?

Sorry but thats just how I see some of the mindset so far

I think she just needs a bit of help with the pets. I agree that you should try to contact the person who gave her the puppies and see if they will help and also see if your shelter could work out any sort of payment plan for her.

Its great when you see an older person with pets, you can tell exactly how much joy those pets bring to their lives.
 

white cat lover

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See, now, I'm all for giving people like her an already altered & vaccianted trained small adult dog. We have worked with placing dogs like that to low income people at the shelter here.....but giving her two not at all vetted puppies was stupid.
 

lillekat

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Originally Posted by capt_jordi

So someone who goes out and captures ferals and strays and brings them in to get their shots and fixed for free or very little is a saint.
But a women who is trying her best to do the right thing instead of just letting the dogs run around unfixed and without vaccinations shouldnt have pets?

Sorry but thats just how I see some of the mindset so far

I think she just needs a bit of help with the pets. I agree that you should try to contact the person who gave her the puppies and see if they will help and also see if your shelter could work out any sort of payment plan for her.

Its great when you see an older person with pets, you can tell exactly how much joy those pets bring to their lives.
Ferals and strays are one thing, pets are another - in a way. Particularly with cats, if they're feral, then they pretty much take care of themselves. Getting them sterilized and vaccinated is more or less a one time thing (possibly more for vaccinations because they will walk into the same traps sometimes). But a puppy is another. You know how much time and effort and money you have to put into raising a kitten to adulthood - add to that walking every day - now when you're elderly, then that's just a lot of work, sometimes work that you can't manage. It's not just the money that's the problem, it's the work that has to go into raising them. if she can't manage it, then those puppies aren't going to get everything they need. What if she doesn't have someone to help her out with them? What then? Do you just let them sit in a home where yes, they are loved, but are sick, restless, destructive.... the list goes on. If they get destructive, just think how much more money she will have to pay to repair and or replace various household items. I can say I definitely agree that she would be better without them for several reasons - THEY would probably better off too - but that is just a solution for later on. She has said that she would take care of them, I can see. But I can also agree with you, that at least she is doing the best for those dogs that she possibly can, not just throwing them away like trash as so many other people do.
 
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sarahp

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Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

I don't see this poor woman as someone who "shouldn't have pets" -- I see her as someone who's going to need some help in order to keep them. If there's anything your shelter can do to make it possible for her to take care of them, I'd sure do it.
All we do is low cost spay and neuter and low cost vaccinations. We gave her the number for financial assistance for spay and neuter, but there's no free vaccinations, and there's no low cost vets around for if they get sick.

Originally Posted by capt_jordi

So someone who goes out and captures ferals and strays and brings them in to get their shots and fixed for free or very little is a saint.
But a women who is trying her best to do the right thing instead of just letting the dogs run around unfixed and without vaccinations shouldnt have pets?
It's different because people CHOOSE to look after ferals, they have a choice about whether they can afford to do it, and it's only a one off charge. She got 2 puppies given to her (not her choice) which are going to need a full course of puppy shots, and will be expensive to feed for someone who thinks $10 for a shot is a lot of money.

I felt bad for her, but I don't think 2 puppies are good for someone in her situation. If she just needs company, then get her an older, quiet dog.
 

capt_jordi

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Originally Posted by sarahp

All we do is low cost spay and neuter and low cost vaccinations. We gave her the number for financial assistance for spay and neuter, but there's no free vaccinations, and there's no low cost vets around for if they get sick.



It's different because people CHOOSE to look after ferals, they have a choice about whether they can afford to do it, and it's only a one off charge. She got 2 puppies given to her (not her choice) which are going to need a full course of puppy shots, and will be expensive to feed for someone who thinks $10 for a shot is a lot of money.

I felt bad for her, but I don't think 2 puppies are good for someone in her situation. If she just needs company, then get her an older, quiet dog.
I do agree that an older quiet dog would be more suited for her. But just because she got these two dogs handed to her, doesnt make her a horrible person like some people are saying. And that just because she is in a rough spot she shouldnt have a single pet no matter what... She is trying to do her best with them.

I should have added that in the first time but wasnt thinking all that clearly yet before coffee..
 

abbycats

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Originally Posted by Tara & Rob

Well that story just makes me happy and sad. I'm happy the lady is trying to do what she can for these dogs that someone gave her, but at the same time I'm upset someone just threw these puppies on someone with a fixed income, without consulting her on whether or not she'd be able to fit them into her budget. It's at least nice she's TRYING to get them fixed and vaccinated, instead of just saying "Whatever, I cant afford it so I wont bother."
I agree, at least she is making an effort to get the proper vaccines and fixed.
 
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