New on Board, need advice

by **BethMcLean** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 8:52 am

Ok ...

My pitbull is the one who has survived cancer... she's riddled with tumors on her belly, shes had several operations to remove some of them, they just keep coming back. She's 9 and although has lived a charmed life she's getting up there and has bouts of arthritis. The westie's her puppy (not literally) and just 1 year old.

I dont think the incident happened on my front porch. The dogs managed to nudge our back sliding glass door open (I had it cracked because of the skunk smell) AND somehow open the latch on the back porch (I specifically checked it before we left because I didnt want them to get any further than the back porch. Now, one of my kids friends could have come up and opened it, but it's not a real possiblity.

I think that the westie got off the front porch to see the neighbors dog and my pitbull got nervous about it and went to investigate. I dont know what would have set her off. We've lived in places that we've had neighbor dogs and she's always gotten along for the most part with them.

The only thing I can say about the bite is that if it were bad enough, I would think that the police would have been called in to investigate or ticket me or something... I wasnt able to reach my neighbor yesterday so I dont know how bad it is.

You know, I used to buy into the stereotypes- back before I met this dog and I still got nervous the day we brought our oldest son home she jumped into the car seat to see the baby... but it was pure joy on her part and she's been an excellent mommy to my kids. I trust her with the children and she's never given me a reason not to. I dont know the circumstances behind the incident and I dont think I ever will fully.

by **BabyReba** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:17 am

Oh, I'm really, really sorry you're going through this mess. But I have to say that at 9 years old and with some health issues, if you choose not to keep her, please do bring her home, treat her good for a few days, then take her to your own vet to have her euthanized.

You only want to place your pit bull with a reputable rescue (otherwise, lord only knows what could happen to her) and a reputable one will not adopt out a dog that has a bite history. Even if it does not seem to have been a major incident, it's a huge liability that a good rescue knows better than to take on.

You also do not want to put your poor old dog into a shelter, where she's very unlikely to be adopted out--and if she is, again, you have know way of knowing what kind of home she'll end up in and how the kennel stress will affect her.

And lastly, you really don't want to let the poor old girl get put to sleep iin a shelter, alone and confused and abandoned. Please, take her home and have it done at your own vet. It may be painful for you to have to deal with it, but it'll be much less painful for your dog. Really, it'd be selfish to not do this just to save yourself the heartache.

If she's never shown aggression to humans before, you can (and probably should) try to keep her yourself, but if your husband refuses (which is really not fair to the dog after all this time, if she has been as good as you describe her to be), I'd strongly urge you to have her put to sleep yourself.

by **BethMcLean** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 4:37 pm

Well, I went to get the westie out of the pound today and I may not be able to get the pitbull out. I had to get a release from the village I live in and they told me they may not issue me a release for her, even to have her euthanized myself. She's never had a history of doing this, I dont know what happened (I spoke briefly to the neighbor but he's pulling the pit bull card on me) and may never know. He had to go to the hospital for the bite and I put a claim into insurance. If having her put to sleep is the only way to avoid litiagation, something that may well result in her getting put to sleep anyway (we live in a hoity toity snooty falooty neighborhood) I might just save a second heartbreak and have her put down. Believe me I hate it! It's killing me and the kids. My first husband had her for about 6 months before we started dating... she didnt take to me right away since I took her spot in bed, but after we spent a winter in GA without heat and I let her sleep under the blankets with me, I was her favorite person in the world. She was my only rock during my husband's terminal illness and death and other than my kids that I have with him, she's one of the only things that I have to remind me of him. I love her very much and this whole situation sickens me!

by **MinionZer0** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 5:41 pm

Actually they are banned in some portions of Australia.

by **BabyReba** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 10:01 pm

Wow, this is a really, really sad story . . . I'm so sorry for you and for your girl. :sad:

by **moochesmama** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:00 pm

I know I may have sounded harsh or critical in my last post...but I know this must be a very hard time for you :sad:

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