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I have the products of two different 'no kill' shelters. Argon, who came from the one I worked at, went 1 year without a home, from puppyhood to 1 year. Then there was a failed placement for four years (living on a chain, he fell through the cracks), and back to the shelter for 2 months before I took him. When Argon was a baby, in the shelter the first time, he went on walks in the community, went to off site adoptions, had time to play outside and hung out frequently with the voluneteers and staff making their rounds. He played with toys. Was it perfect? No. But, given what they had to work with, I think they did a pretty good job with him. He's a little on the shy side, but a pretty well rounded dog.
Gambit, on the other hand was pretty much brought in as a puppy, dumped in a 10x10, and left to rot with his brothers. He spent 5 months in a bare kennel, fed and cleaned, but never loved. He never went off site, never walked on a leash or even wore a collar, was never handled, and believe me it shows. He's a neurotic mess, and I'm having serious doubts about my ability to fix, or even mediate, a lot of his issues. It's heartbreaking to look at a physically healthy dog, and know that his brain is damaged, if not destroyed from lack of early stimulation.
So, I can see both sides. Would it have been better for Argon to be PTS after a month, or six months or a year? No. He was happy and loving life both in his kennel and out of it.
Would it have been better for Gambit to be PTS earlier to spare him suffering now. I don't know.
I don't know how Gambit's original shelter decided when a dog should be PTS, if at all. I know Argon was evaluated regularly.
Gambit, on the other hand was pretty much brought in as a puppy, dumped in a 10x10, and left to rot with his brothers. He spent 5 months in a bare kennel, fed and cleaned, but never loved. He never went off site, never walked on a leash or even wore a collar, was never handled, and believe me it shows. He's a neurotic mess, and I'm having serious doubts about my ability to fix, or even mediate, a lot of his issues. It's heartbreaking to look at a physically healthy dog, and know that his brain is damaged, if not destroyed from lack of early stimulation.
So, I can see both sides. Would it have been better for Argon to be PTS after a month, or six months or a year? No. He was happy and loving life both in his kennel and out of it.
Would it have been better for Gambit to be PTS earlier to spare him suffering now. I don't know.
I don't know how Gambit's original shelter decided when a dog should be PTS, if at all. I know Argon was evaluated regularly.