There's a dog in this hunt

[snopes]

One of the thousands of canines displaced by Hurricane Katrina is caught in a long-distance custody fight between her owner and her rescuer.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,1879061.story

[DevilBunny]

Seeing as that web page just crashed my computer twice, I'm guessing my curiosity shall just have to go unfulfilled.

[ovalescent]

The original owner didn't spay the dog, but DID get it's ears cropped?

I'm with the rescuer here. Heartworms are tricky to treat, and if the original owner didn't care or know enough to get the dog spayed, then the dog faces a horrible death when it finally succumbs.

But then again, that's just my opinion of the dog's best interests, and might be contrary to US property laws.

Maybe the horrible irresponsible woman can find one of the EIGHT puppies to bring back home. Ugh.

[Morrigan]

She might have picked up the heartworm after the hurricane.

And not all owners get their dogs spayed, ovalescent. But she was breeding and selling-if she was, what kind of testing did she get done? (None, from what I'm reading.) I care extremely for my dogs, and neither is neutered or spayed. Don't judge an owner on whether a dog is spayed or not. Judge on the overall care of the dog. That said, in most cases, the dog should go back to the original owner. In this case, I'm not too sure, for the dog's best interest.

Morrigan

[ovalescent]

Originally Posted by Morrigan

She might have picked up the heartworm after the hurricane.

And not all owners get their dogs spayed, ovalescent. But she was breeding and selling-if she was, what kind of testing did she get done? (None, from what I'm reading.) I care extremely for my dogs, and neither is neutered or spayed. Don't judge an owner on whether a dog is spayed or not. Judge on the overall care of the dog.

Why aren't either of them neutered or spayed? If you're a responsible breeder that's one thing, but I'd like to know your reasoning otherwise.

[landmammal]

I think the original owner's reasoning for not spaying is appalling- "I don't want anyone to spay me."

I wouldn't like being held down and forcibly medicated every month either, but I do it to my dog so she won't get Lyme disease. Dogs don't have the rational capacity that humans do so we have to make decisions for them, and sometimes the decisions are ones the dogs don't like. Does this lady think that a spayed dog lies awake nights yearning for puppies at her teats?

[Magdalene]

Originally Posted by landmammal

I think the original owner's reasoning for not spaying is appalling- "I don't want anyone to spay me."

I wouldn't like being held down and forcibly medicated every month either, but I do it to my dog so she won't get Lyme disease. Dogs don't have the rational capacity that humans do so we have to make decisions for them, and sometimes the decisions are ones the dogs don't like. Does this lady think that a spayed dog lies awake nights yearning for puppies at her teats?

I have to agree. What the original owner fails to understand is that she can choose whether or not to get pregnant, her dog lacks the ability to make any such choices. I'd like to know what wound up happening to those "eight beautiful puppies", to be honest. Not to mention it sounds like Keyes is letting one of her new dogs breed. Since I've seen nothing to suggest she's a licensed breeder, that pretty much tells me she's adding to the pet overpopulation problem and doesn't care. So much for 'loving her babies'.

The heartworm could have happened at any time, so I don't know if the original owner could be held responsible for that one. I think it would depend on if the dog had been receiving heartworm medication--which in that area of the country, would be a year-round thing--or not by the original owners.

I am a lot puzzled by Salk, though. Is she meaning to keep the dog, or not? One minute it sounds as if she was planning to rehome the dog again, the next minute it doesn't. I'm not getting something there.

Magdalene

[Morrigan]

Originally Posted by ovalescent

Why aren't either of them neutered or spayed? If you're a responsible breeder that's one thing, but I'd like to know your reasoning otherwise.

I breed, show and train Shetland Sheepdogs (part of a family run Sheltie kennel). The male will never be neutered (by the time he can't breed, he's too old for the surgery to go through safely) but the female will be spayed once she can't breed for her safety.

I'm just saying not to just people based on whether they spay their dogs or not. Personally, I'm all for spaying and neutering. Too many health benefits to ignore.

Morrigan

[Morrigan]

Originally Posted by Magdalene

I have to agree. What the original owner fails to understand is that she can choose whether or not to get pregnant, her dog lacks the ability to make any such choices. I'd like to know what wound up happening to those "eight beautiful puppies", to be honest. Not to mention it sounds like Keyes is letting one of her new dogs breed. Since I've seen nothing to suggest she's a licensed breeder, that pretty much tells me she's adding to the pet overpopulation problem and doesn't care. So much for 'loving her babies'.

The heartworm could have happened at any time, so I don't know if the original owner could be held responsible for that one. I think it would depend on if the dog had been receiving heartworm medication--which in that area of the country, would be a year-round thing--or not by the original owners.

I am a lot puzzled by Salk, though. Is she meaning to keep the dog, or not? One minute it sounds as if she was planning to rehome the dog again, the next minute it doesn't. I'm not getting something there.

Magdalene

She doesn't sound like a responsible breeder, at all. Responsible breeders don't breed heat after heat, which is what it sounds like she's doing.

With Salk, it sounded (to me) like at first, she wasn't going to keep her, but she worked out the problems (with the help of a trainer) and isn't going to give her up.

Morrigan