It's sad when animals have to be put down but when you have more critters than there are homes for them what do you do? We have so many feral cats out here right now we're having to livetrap them and give them over to AC. I feel so bad for them when they come to take them away, especially knowing that them being feral they won't even have a chance at adoption, but I don't see an alternative.
And don't be too harsh on the hoarders. I think they really do start out with the best of intentions but just don't realize their limits. I pity them and their animals. It's not the number of animals you have, it's your ability to take care of all of them. We have a very small place and I own 3 dogs (one a huge dane), 3 cats, an umbrella cockatoo, a guinea pig, a dwarf hamster, a rainbow boa, a pink toed tarantula, and my fish of course. Some people think that we have waaaay too many but they're all clean, fed quality food, loved (hah, try spoiled rotten!!!
)... I'm happy having lots of critters around and I refuse to take in any I can't take excellent care of so who's to say I'm wrong?
I ran a rescue for 13 years so believe me, I get the anger on here. It was soo hard sometimes smiling and "oh yes, I completely understand" when I'd like to rip their faces off for what they've put a poor animal through. The only way I could keep that smile was to keep telling myself that if I told them what I really thought they'd take the animal with them and then what would happen to it? Best to smile and get custody of the animal first to save it.
Working animal control is a tough job too. Just try your best to concentrate on every success you have like when one of them finds a great home and be there for the animals as best you can. If you don't hold onto the good in it the bad will undoubtedly wear you down in no time!
And have em check that dane for erlichea (terrible spelling of that, sorry). I've seen several danes that seem healthy enough and eat like horses but stay looking like they're starving to death and that's turned out to be the culprit. I even had one vet look at one of my rescue danes say that that's just his "body type".
Being able to see ribs, hipbones like blades, and a dull, harsh coat is NOT any dog's "body type" so if you get a vet that says something like that find another one till you find one that gets it right!
