My family run an animal sanctuary in Birmingham, England. Even though we love what we do, we feel that some people need to realise that a pet should be a long term commitment. They should not be seen as just a bit of fun which they can then get rid of when they get bored.
Many people arrive at the animal sanctuary with their pets, which are mainly dogs, with many excuses as to why they are no longer able to look after or care for them. I am sure many of their reasons are valid but am also aware that many others are just an excuse to offload them.
The excuses they give are varied:
I have recently divorced from my husband and can no longer afford to keep this dog as a pet
The dog has started to bite my children
The dog is too difficult to handle and is destroying my furniture
We have recently moved into a flat. One of their rules is that no animals can live in these flats
The dog barks to much and it is upsetting the neighbours
Our other animals do not like the dog
The dog is affecting my health
I am too ill to look after my dog
It is not our role to question these reasons but what we then need to do is...