We have come to call the dog Greta. She has now been with us for a week. She was the stray that my husband found. Every person that has been interested in her have changed their minds. The shelters locally cannot take her. The humane society will charge us $50 to drop her off. Then she will likely be euthanized because they are over full right now and she is not spayed.
I contacted a German Shepherd rescue last night and they said they would take her. I explained that we picked her up off the street and needed to find her a home. The man said that was great they would get her to a good place. I said that we could not afford to spay her or keep her much longer. He said that was okay they could still help.

Then today I get a message from the rescue saying that they would take her. But she would have to be spayed, up to date on vaccines, on heartworm, plus we would have to pay a $20 fee to surrender her. Total it all up and it would be about $150 for them to take her!

Is this normal?? I can see if she was a family pet. But she is not. And what happened to we can help you out??
It may not sound like a lot of money to spend to some but I am not working right now. My family, my bills and my birds kinda come first. I thought they would understand.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this.? Am I being unreasonable??

no you aren't. your family and yourself have to come first. the new rules for rescue are out of hand. my assumption is, the things you just listed out are the reasons she is a stray in the first place. whoever owned her and for whatever reason, couldn't keep her, were probably not able to meet the criteria to have her taken in by the rescue and did not drop her at the humane society because they "couldn't bear to have her put down". who knows, they may not have been financially able to keep her and thus couldn't even afford the drop off fee.they probably hoped someone would find her and keep her. as for the rescue... if you went and had all of this done, why not keep her yourself? you should not have to pay for all that stuff so someone else can waltz in and adopt her. i hate to say things like this, it tears me apart... it is probably better to have her put down,(it would be better than the alternative) but $50 is alot of cash, especially when it should not be your responsibility in the first place. i also hate to falsify stuff, but, maybe you can put in a call about a stray that is a nusince animal (begging, at garbage's)and have her picked up. it looks like she, sadly, will have to be put down either way. with a family to support... that will eliminate the drop off fee. i know that sounds callous, cruel and uncaring but that way you are looking after your family and unfortunately doing the dog a favor with a humane passing rather than abuse, injury, illness, starvation, accident with a vehicle.... a multitude of horrors are what these poor animals on the street face every hour. i wish so hard that discussions like this never have to happen, but it sounds like probably having her picked up is the kindest thing you can do for her. please don't be angry with me for my reply.

BB - you response was very to the point and very accurate.

Val - call your vet, explain the situation and ask him/her how much it would cost to have the dog put down. There is nothing wrong with doing the humaine thing in this situation. Putting the dog down is the humain thing to do. Also, you need to do it before you hate yourself either way.

This may sound terrible, but it comes with years and years of taking in a lot of strays. I tell myself when I see a stray "you can't save them all" and move on. It is hard to do but it is so true.

Good luck with what ever you have to do.

You did not upset me at all. The thought has crossed my mind. I do really really like her and think that she can be a great pet. I am just so annoyed with the fact that they want to charge me so much. Like you both said if I did all those things why shouldnt I get to keep her? If I didnt sneeze so much I might.
Tonight she was climbing my back privacy fence. The slats are not up and down but horizontal so she was using them like a ladder. ARGH!!!! I have 4ft chain link on the other sides.

I will tell you that I am giving her till Sunday for someone to claim her. I put up flyers tonight at the pet stores in town.

It may come to what you both have suggested. I am strong enough and mature enough to handle it if I have to. Not sure about my husband though..

well, this may sound really mean but... he's gonna have to "suck it up princess." i hope he would not expect to keep her if you are allergic. if it is the idea of it, i guess maybe he should read the posts and perhaps that will help. being softhearted is often a very hard thing to be... your heart wants something but your mind says otherwise. getting a heart and mind to agree on something is sometimes a sad, hard job for the person who has to listen to both of them and make a tough choice. i hope someone claims her, but if not i am glad she has had the good luck to be helped by a loving, smart and compassionate person. my ultimate respect to you. (((hugs)))

no you are not being unreasonable and yes it is normal.

it costs ALOT of money to shelter an animal.

right now, shelters are so overwhelmed with dogs and cats and other animals.

yet their funds are extremly low, lower than they have been in decades. We have had to totally turn off the electricity in our dog kennels

if people do not donate money to local shelters, those shelters have no money, they operate 100% on donations from the public.

right now, people are losing homes and jobs and donating is the last thing on their minds, which is perfectly understandable, but that means local non profits suffer and the services they offer are less and less.

it sucks because animals suffer but its unavoidable.

many of these shelters do not own the vets they use, the vet has their own practice and donates their services to the shelter, either for free or at a discounted price.

the vet is not getting clients right now either so they possibly can not afford to give these services for free or discounted prices, so they charge more which costs the shelter more ... that money has to come from somewhere ...

did you make it very very clear that she is not your dog and that there is no way you can keep her, you have no ability to keep her, and you are trying to do what is right by finding her a home? like really really stress that as firmly as you can without being rude.

they dont like to charge people like this, trust me, ive worked in admissions and we hate having to do it, we know people cant pay it and thsoe thn can dont ussually want to.

maybe you could call various vet offices and talk to them, many vets are willing to take in strays.


or try to just find her a home ....

I totally understand. Please don't take this wrong, but if you are allergic to her, she needs to go asap.

I had a cat and because I didn't want her to be euthanized, I kept her in spite of my constant sneezing and running nose. But then something happened. Because of the constant strain on my immune system and congestion, I started getting colds, ear infections and sore throats. I kept the cat anyway. T

hen I started having what I thought were panic attacks. It wasn't panic attacks; I was developing asthma. I tried and tried to find her a home, and it almost cost me my health. Finally I took her to the spca. She was adopted, but I knew the chances that she wouldn't be were good when I took her. Please don't risk your health.

Oh man Val, I feel so bad for you and your hubby Here you are trying to do the right thing and there's all these dam roadblocks in your way.
I was going to suggest putting flyers with pics in all your local pet stores and vet offices. Maybe with her story saying something like "Please help me. I need someone to love who will love me in return. I am a very good girl and I promise to be a faithful companion and friend if only you give me a chance. My former humans abandoned me and some very nice people found me and took me home,cleaned me up and are providing me with food, shelter and love, but there is no way they can keep me.I only have a few days left. Local shelters suggest they put me to sleep forever!! Please help!! I am housebroken, love people(if you can see that she does, and kids if you know about that )and will return all the love you give me."
I think seeing pics of how pretty she is, she is GORGEOUS, and hearing her sad story in her words will tug on some animal lovers heartstrings.
Another thought is that you could do the same type thing and leave a can for donations to get her spayed and vaccinations etc so that the rescue place will take her?
Best of luck Val. And know that you really are doing all you can do. Your health and pets you already have come first.

Hey, I like the donations idea! She is a nice dog, young, not a "bully" breed, female, and is light colored. Those all make her more adoptable than a lot of others. Maybe if you can raise the money, you can get her into the shelter.

Best of luck. You're very kind hearted.

I do understand that shelters are stuggling. I volunteered for several years in college at a no kill shelter helping dogs after they were spayed or neutered. I get that it costs lost of money to vet and help a dog.

Helwa- I sent a very long email explaining in clear words that she was not our dog and that we were just trying to get her in a better situation. I also explained this to the guy on the phone and he said he understood. Then to get a long email saying we would have to have all these things done before the would concider her? I was a bit taken back. Then I had explained that I was feeding her Pedigree. I got an earfull about how horrible it was to give her. I had no idea. Just trying to feed the poor dog. I felt pretty judged.

I just wanted to help her. I had no idea that it would end up being so hard. I really respect the people that do this their whole lives.

We decided after a long arguement to try and find a home within the next week. She is not allowed in the house unless it is horridly hot or storming. I cant keep sneezing all night long

We put up flyers last night at 4 pet stores in town. My husband is sending out an email to his work after getting it approved.
My last resort is craigslist.

Thank you for the help and advice.

yea sounds like the people doing their admissions are just jerks ... who cares what she is being fed so long as she is being fed.

i think it would be best to screen heavily and find her a home, have you tried to see if area vets would be willing to take her?

I am pretty sure that with the huge amount of strays in our area that this is not really an option. However I am going to post more pics of her at the vet offices.

I have decided to pony up the money for shots. There are so many stray cats in our neighborhood that I would hate for her to get anything. I have a credit at the vet for over paying a bill so it will cost me about $50ish. Sigh.. This is harder than I thought.

Aww. I wish I had some extra $$ to send to you.

And ignore the rude person on the phone. You're doing your best.

What kind of a shelter is that anyway? The shelters here accept donations of all kinds of dog and cat food. Without it, they wouldn't have enough food for all the animals. Better a belly full of donated food than nothing!

I know this is going to sound strange but...most pet stores have mobile vets that come. They do not work for the store but do vaccines for a reasonable price. I was able (when I found Gaia on the side of the street) to get her rabies and her other shots for about $30.

val call around for low cost clinics you can get shots dirt cheap ...

you are a wonderful person and i know you love animals and are probably already attached to her, if you have the $ to be able to take care of an emergency should it happen (family or pets), go for it, but don't leave your self in a bad position regarding "your own" ok? i just learned that lesson the hard way, it had never occurred to me that i hadn't had that lesson yet.

Oh I have good news! My husband has 2 guys at work that want her! Even if she does not have shots. Yay!! Hopefully this will pan out. The 1st guy has kids (older) and a lab already. He wants her to be a mostly indoor dog. We are taking her to meet the families dog to make sure they get along. If so then she will have a new home. If this one doesnt work out there is another man who wants her.
Also the rescue called and there is a lady out in Colorado who could take her after Labor day. So there is hope that she will find a home soon. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So I am not spending another dime except for food and dog biscuts. Big sigh of relief..

Yaaaaay!! That's the best news I've heard all day! I bet you are sooo relieved. I can only imagine how attached you and your husband have gotten to her after having her a week. And now to know she's going to a good home. Yaaaaay!! again!

Keep your fingers and toes crossed and lick your keets for luck!

Keeping my fingers crossed for you and Greta!

fingers crossed and all 6 keets licked! you should be very proud of yourself.

oh that is fabuluos new val!!!

She has an interview with one family tonight! The man has had german shepherds all his life and really likes her. He has lots of land in country for her to run and play. He is coming by at 6pm tonight. If he loves her she will go home with him. Then he is taking her to get her shots and get spayed tomorrow!
So... keep licking keets that she goes tonight!

I would lick Cookie for you but I really don't need my tongue pierced.

I haven't posted, but I've been following the thread. I hope all goes well tonight, good luck!

Greta has a brand new home with a lovely family. They are an older couple with a farm. So she will have lots of adventures. I am a tiny bit sad. My hubby is really sad to see her go. But we feel like it was the best decision.

Oh that is sooo awesome! She'll be so happy
I know you must be sad, how can you not be? It's so easy to get attached. But you DID do the right thing.I'm sure hubby knows that too, but maybe he was more attached because he's the one who found her and they kind of bonded?
He'll be ok. Lotsa hugs((()))

That's just wonderful news. She'll have a great time. And she is very very fortunate that she was found by such great loving foster parents such as you and your husband.

darkness is very right! perhaps, since your honey knows the people, maybe the occasional visit can be made? i feel for him... dogs are so easy to bond with if they know you are a dog person. it is also hard yo see them go, even if you know in heart and mind that it was the best for the dog and for you. go to a toy dept somewhere, lately i've been seeing big stuffed dogs around. they are kinda shaped like they are laying down. my husband had one in the hospital when he went for his chemo and radiation, it made a perfect pillow too. we got him a "black lab".

I am glad this seems to have worked out, but are you guys really licking your birds? lol

It is sad that the shelters are suffering so horribly, and jeez - a surrender fee merely makes people want to lie and say, "this was a stray."

I donated my old beater car and my previous old RV to the Seattle Humane Society, which is a no kill shelter. Years later they still send me thank you notes. I'd give more if I could.

It is definitely very sad that as a society we are at the point where we have to say "this wonderful, friendly, companionable animal has to be killed because we can't afford to feed it." At the same time you look at the fancy state dinners our senators have. We spent our government money on all sorts of unnecessary things. We need to lobby to have living creatures get some sort of a priority.

I definitely agree we have to feed people too - I don't mean that. What I'm saying is we don't need crystal goblets and golden tableware for our politicians.