Sanctuary vs Rescue??

[bettenandi]

I need some help with a dog, Chloe, that I 'rescued' and gave to my sister. I took her in when the owners opted to euthanize instead of treat (I was working emergency) after she was hit by a car. She is a pure-bred yellow lab; definitely the American type.
She immediately showed behavioral issues; she would steal things and absolutely refuse to give them back. It sounds petty, I know, but when you need your work shoe and a dog is sprinting around an acre of land literally keeping you from work, its frustrating.
One day while my sister was walking her, Chloe got away and attacked another dog. The injuries were minor and the neighbor extremely forgiving. My sister took her to training and she did well. About a year later, she went after another dog (she had been fine with other dogs in between), in the process of my sister holding her back with the leash she turned and bit my sister.
Chloe was sent off to a 4 week intensive training course that cost my sister about $2000. She came back a new dog, she would still steal things, but would drop on command.
It has been two years since she returned and since then my sister has had two children (yes, she has been busy ). Last week the dog turned and attacked my 20 month old niece. She ended up with stitches on her hands and a new fear of dogs.
I will be honest, and I am sure some people might get angry, but I told her that she needed to put the dog down. She has attacked animals and people and is a liability. They tried training her, and it didn't work.
My sister refuses to euthanize her, but will not keep her in her home. No rescue groups have been willing to take her as she is not an adoptable dog with her history. My sister is convinced there must be a sanctuary or no-kill rescue that will take the dog. I have not found one.
Any ideas???

[gayrghts]

I need some help with a dog, Chloe, that I 'rescued' and gave to my sister. I took her in when the owners opted to euthanize instead of treat (I was working emergency) after she was hit by a car. She is a pure-bred yellow lab; definitely the American type.
She immediately showed behavioral issues; she would steal things and absolutely refuse to give them back. It sounds petty, I know, but when you need your work shoe and a dog is sprinting around an acre of land literally keeping you from work, its frustrating.
One day while my sister was walking her, Chloe got away and attacked another dog. The injuries were minor and the neighbor extremely forgiving. My sister took her to training and she did well. About a year later, she went after another dog (she had been fine with other dogs in between), in the process of my sister holding her back with the leash she turned and bit my sister.
Chloe was sent off to a 4 week intensive training course that cost my sister about $2000. She came back a new dog, she would still steal things, but would drop on command.
It has been two years since she returned and since then my sister has had two children (yes, she has been busy ). Last week the dog turned and attacked my 20 month old niece. She ended up with stitches on her hands and a new fear of dogs.
I will be honest, and I am sure some people might get angry, but I told her that she needed to put the dog down. She has attacked animals and people and is a liability. They tried training her, and it didn't work.
My sister refuses to euthanize her, but will not keep her in her home. No rescue groups have been willing to take her as she is not an adoptable dog with her history. My sister is convinced there must be a sanctuary or no-kill rescue that will take the dog. I have not found one.
Any ideas???

yes i'll find the contact person's name at home... i'm at work right now... i think he's in texas, i'm not real sure... he's got a large expanse of land.... tons of kennels with dog houses in each, dogs get indoor time as well depending on how the dog is... they can be separate from all other dogs or with other dogs depending on the dog.... i'll find it tonight... i promise....

[iluvk9]

This from the Labrador Lover: ANY dog that bit my child would not be sent to a sanctuary. I know it isn't your call, as it is your sister's dog.

I could accept the stealing of things, as Labs love to do that, but the biting would not work for me.

[Marinepits]

Agreed, Joyce.

There is a new sanctuary that opened in northern CT, but I don't remember the name. Let me see if I can find it.....

[Marinepits]

Here it is: http://www.ourcompanions.org/index.htm

Best of luck!

[bettenandi]

Thank you all very much. I will give the information to my sister.
My niece went in to get her stitches out today and two of the bones in her finger are actually broken. Poor baby!!

I appreciate everyone's input and understanding.

[amazincc]

I think there's also a place in Utah... "Friends Of Animals", maybe? I can find the link for you, if you want it.

Poor baby, your little niece...

[iluvk9]

That poor baby.

Will your sister be telling the sanctuaries that Chloe bit a child?

You might want to TRY and mention to her that no-kill shelters don't really mean they take in every dog, especially with a bite history. The private, no-kill shelter I worked at often HAD to euthanize HA dogs. Rehoming or sending them to a sanctuary was never an option.

I know I am preaching to the wrong person, but maybe this will give you more information to share with her.

[katiek0417]

There's a place I know of in TX that deals with lab rescue. They deal with aggressive dogs, as well, Tammy might be willing to take her and see if she can't work with her....

[bettenandi]

Katie K - who is Tammy? Do you have a contact?

The problem with my sister is that she has never had to euthanize her own pet before. Granted, she is 36 years old, but her first personal pet is her lab Smudge who is still limping around at 14 years old. Her cat died naturally.
So, she can't wrap hear head around it.

She has called several no kills and they won't take Chloe for the very reason you said; the lab rescues don't want her either due to liability and the fact that they would be taking in a problem dog they could never adopt out. My sister is being VERY up front - I basically told her I would kick her *ss if she wasn't. I let her know that she could be causing harm to someone else's child without disclosing, not to mention the pediatrician called animal control, so Chloe has a 'record' now.

Again, thanks everyone. My niece is doing better, she has an infection now despite the antibiotics

[msvette2u]

I hope she can either find a spot willing to take Chloe, or else, euthanize her herself.
I have refused known biters, and will continue to, plus I'd euthanize a dog I felt was going to be unstable.

If you haven't done so, you might want to try the angle that, someone else may very well wind up putting Chloe to sleep, and she's known your sister longer so it would be easier on her to be in your sister's arms, than a stranger's...it's hard on the owner but sometimes, the "right" thing to do

[bettenandi]

I'll try having her look at it that way. It is a good idea. I've tried to distance her since I knew it was upsetting, but let me see what she says this weekend when the quarantine is over (strange that a dog gets quarantined in the house where it attacked a child...for attacking that child?!?!)

I'll keep everyone up to date

Thanks
Andi

[mistee06]

I think euthanizing her would be the best idea. Tell your sister that even if she does get her in a no kill or a sanctuary that it doesnt mean she'll have a good life. She has the possibility of staying in a kennel all day. not getting the attention and love that LABS need. They DO NOT do well in kennels. In our shelter we have never successfully kept a Lab type dog longer then a few months. If its not adopted within that time period when their okay they start to go kennel crazy. They bark continuessly. They cage bite. They start to get upset when brought back into their kennels and mouth (sometimes even biting) staff members. Ones that were great with other animals often start attacking them.

Euthanasia would be the best option if she is getting rid of her. If she cant bring herself to do it, with a donation usually a shelter will do it for her. I cant guarantee that, but our shelter does with a $40 donation, and one of us goes with the pet to make sure its as comfortable and loving as possible.

[iluvk9]

I think euthanizing her would be the best idea. Tell your sister that even if she does get her in a no kill or a sanctuary that it doesnt mean she'll have a good life. She has the possibility of staying in a kennel all day. not getting the attention and love that LABS need. They DO NOT do well in kennels. In our shelter we have never successfully kept a Lab type dog longer then a few months. If its not adopted within that time period when their okay they start to go kennel crazy. They bark continuessly. They cage bite. They start to get upset when brought back into their kennels and mouth (sometimes even biting) staff members. Ones that were great with other animals often start attacking them.

Euthanasia would be the best option if she is getting rid of her. If she cant bring herself to do it, with a donation usually a shelter will do it for her. I cant guarantee that, but our shelter does with a $40 donation, and one of us goes with the pet to make sure its as comfortable and loving as possible.

Excellent points.

[airwalk]

when the quarantine is over (strange that a dog gets quarantined in the house where it attacked a child...for attacking that child?!?!)

First..not strange at all. The 10-day rabies observations is exactly that...an observation to ensure the dog doesn't have rabies. We often will home quarantine a dog when the bite is within the family because the family would have no reason to lie or try to hide if the dog starting showing symptoms.

Now...I'm with Joyce as a lab owner..lab's may get mouthy and they may steal stuff and be dorks...thus labradork...but an attack on another animal or a bite of a human of this nature is outside of their temperament norm. With the training she has invested..this tells me this is a dog with a temperament and genetics problem. Not something fixable.

and yep sanctuary may very well mean many days in a kennel without contact, no sofa, no tug, no retrieve...just breathing...not much of a life.

[gayrghts]

I found the sanctuary info....

I have no idea about them other than i've talked to this guy in AIM's a few times....

so please check references etc...
Name of the place is : smiling dog farms

we now have a very brief, rudimentary website... it will soon be expanded but at least we have one now that tells about who we are and what we do...

http://www.smilingdogfarms.org


his email is HELLERICH@aol.com

his name is jay

i'll PM with his phone #

I asked him:

are you able to take on a lab that's bitten a 20 mth old child.... and appears to have some fear aggression....

its basically you or pts i believe.....

the owner doesn't want to pts.... but also can't trust the dog anymore around her 2 kids....

the dog bit the 20 mth old's fingers....

and its not the first bite.... also bit the owner once and has some other issues....


He said.......
sorry for delay in answering... been buried... yes we can take... how soon does the dog need to come?

jay