newcreature
Puritan Board Freshman
We had two dogs at home: a 3-lb Yorkie-Poo that my husband paid top dollar for at a pet shop as an alternative to a baby, and a 65-lb boxer/ hound mix country dog that we adopted from a family on a farm to be a playmate for the children. Since my husband left in March, our house was foreclosed and I have moved twice with my children.
In the house, we had a back yard and Max had plenty of room to run and jump. He is very active and requires lots of play and exercise. We now live in an apartment and have had to crate train him. He has gone through behavioral issues of using the bathroom in the apartment. Recently, he has been busting out of the crate and destroying things around the apartment. He has caused a lot of damage that I can't afford to pay for. Furthermore, trying to keep up with the vet care for two dogs has been a losing battle. They are both behind on vaccines and routine care. Max seems particularly prone to "stomach bugs" which I can't always follow the recommended treatment plans due to the cost, and have cut corners, foregoing lab work and X-rays. Furthermore, I have lupus and can't always contribute my fair share to walking and exercising him. Sometimes the kids will barely take him out to potty and then bring him back. We were unable to care for this dog.
I have tried to find this dog a home. I posted him online, had people come to the house to meet him, tried rescue agencies, and even posted on Facebook. The children and I have not been able to find a home for this dog. I have been trying since March to no avail.
Today I took him to the pound. It hurt me to do it, but it hurt my kids much more. My 8-year-old son is very upset because he knows that dogs don't go to heaven but he can't seem to understand that they don't go to hell either, they just stop living. My 16-year-old daughter hasn't eaten today and doesn't want to talk about it.
The dog will most likely be euthanized. The children and I were well aware of this. What I really want them to understand is that being a good steward and having dominion means that we would not keep an animal restrained in our apartment that we are unable to properly care for. I want them to grieve, because it is a healthy process. But I want them to get over it well and quickly and realize that this was the best choice for Max and the right thing to do. The dog was unhealthy and unhappy in his current living situation. We still have the little dog, as she is much less of a burden. I know she can't replace the lost dog, but I am prayerful that they will be satisfied to still have a pet at home. Ideally I would have waited until the children were both understanding and accepting before making such a choice, but the dog was breaking out of the crate every single day and destroying the apartment. At the rate he was going we might have been evicted in a month for destroying the property.
Has anyone else out there had to make a choice like this one? How did you handle it? How did you deal with your children?
In the house, we had a back yard and Max had plenty of room to run and jump. He is very active and requires lots of play and exercise. We now live in an apartment and have had to crate train him. He has gone through behavioral issues of using the bathroom in the apartment. Recently, he has been busting out of the crate and destroying things around the apartment. He has caused a lot of damage that I can't afford to pay for. Furthermore, trying to keep up with the vet care for two dogs has been a losing battle. They are both behind on vaccines and routine care. Max seems particularly prone to "stomach bugs" which I can't always follow the recommended treatment plans due to the cost, and have cut corners, foregoing lab work and X-rays. Furthermore, I have lupus and can't always contribute my fair share to walking and exercising him. Sometimes the kids will barely take him out to potty and then bring him back. We were unable to care for this dog.
I have tried to find this dog a home. I posted him online, had people come to the house to meet him, tried rescue agencies, and even posted on Facebook. The children and I have not been able to find a home for this dog. I have been trying since March to no avail.
Today I took him to the pound. It hurt me to do it, but it hurt my kids much more. My 8-year-old son is very upset because he knows that dogs don't go to heaven but he can't seem to understand that they don't go to hell either, they just stop living. My 16-year-old daughter hasn't eaten today and doesn't want to talk about it.
The dog will most likely be euthanized. The children and I were well aware of this. What I really want them to understand is that being a good steward and having dominion means that we would not keep an animal restrained in our apartment that we are unable to properly care for. I want them to grieve, because it is a healthy process. But I want them to get over it well and quickly and realize that this was the best choice for Max and the right thing to do. The dog was unhealthy and unhappy in his current living situation. We still have the little dog, as she is much less of a burden. I know she can't replace the lost dog, but I am prayerful that they will be satisfied to still have a pet at home. Ideally I would have waited until the children were both understanding and accepting before making such a choice, but the dog was breaking out of the crate every single day and destroying the apartment. At the rate he was going we might have been evicted in a month for destroying the property.
Has anyone else out there had to make a choice like this one? How did you handle it? How did you deal with your children?
. In some sense, I don't think a person exists who isn't an oddball. God delights in that variety and created us so, just as He delights in the animals.
