Earlier today, I heard a very heartbreaking story about the almost daily occurrence of people who choose to dump their pets at the veterinarian office, without a care in the world of what happens to it. First of all, a veterinarian's office is a place to take your animal for treatment. Yes, veterinarians love animals, but their office is essentially a doctors office for your pets. They are not a sanctuary, they are not an animal rescue or shelter, and they certainly aren't the equivalence of a pound.
I'll take a moment to give people the benefit of the doubt. Life happens, and sometimes you are no longer able to care for your pet. In theory, a veterinarian's office is better than the side of a highway, right? Not exactly. Of course the veterinarians are going to try and find it a good home. Where the problem lies is that they do not always have the resources to take on unwanted pets, and quite frankly, there are many suitable rescues and shelters available to choose from.
I also understand that although you may be financially able to take care of the basic expenses such as food, water, annual shots, etc., expensive vet treatment can happen when your animal gets sick or needs an operation. But is simply dumping your animal at the vet's office (without the intention of bringing it back home) really the necessary route to take? If it's simply an issue of not having the necessary cash on hand, that does not mean all hope is lost. You can pay by credit card, a credit program offered by your vet, or even our foundation, if your veterinarian is a sponsor. Wouldn't you feel so much better if you could treat your pet, and let it come back home to its family (you)?
Of course, there are those people who simply don't want their pets anymore. To that, I'll say this: your pet's life is not worthless just because you no longer want or have a need for it. There are many people looking to own a pet, and there are also many people who choose to strictly adopt from a shelter or rescue. Many shelter/rescue advocates even encourage others to follow suit, as opposed to buying from a breeder or a pet store. Point being, where there is an animal in need of a home, there is somebody out there looking to adopt it.
In addition to going to a rescue/shelter, you can use the power of the internet. There are countless ads on Craigslist dedicated to animals in need of a good home. You can even make a post on Facebook, Twitter, etc. It doesn't take a whole lot of work to snap a picture from your phone, and write a quick ad. The ad doesn't even need to be anything fancy! A simple "Dog in need of a good home" and a valid phone number should suffice. Of course, if there are any issues (the animal doesn't like other animals/children, the animal isn't vaccinated, the animal isn't neutered/spayed), you should disclose them, but it's not like it takes a lifetime to do.
If the internet isn't an option, why not use the old fashioned "word of mouth" method? Call up a few of your friends and family members. If they can't help, encourage them to let their friends and family know. I'm sure there's got to be someone in your social circle, or even there's, that would be willing and able to take little Sparky off your hands.
All in all, with the many options that are available to you, there is certainly no excuse to just throw your pet away. So, please, don't do it. :(
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