I had to give up a foster puppy and I'm sad :(

[readmoreoften]

On my birthday about 2 weeks ago we found a 4 week old wet puppy in an old tire behind my house. He had a serious upper respiratory infection. We gave him to a vet friend who checked him out and said he would be unadoptable because of his illness. We said we'd foster him until he recovered. So the past 2 weeks have been catering to the sick little fellow and we really bonded.

Unfortunately, we know the mom (we leave food for her.) She's an abandoned, abused pit bull. It's breaking our hearts, but we can't take him. We have no money to make our bills and I can't care for a puppy right now (I have an academic deadline that requires 12 to 16 hours a day until May 1st.) When he started regaining his health he was showing signs of having been bred for aggression: he'd go from being a sweet adorable 6 week old flopping puppy to a blank-eyed, snarling, snapping lunatic in an instant. Training him (and my girlfriend is experienced with aggressive breeds) was a full-time job.

He's healthy and at the vet now and they're preparing him for adoption. I stressed to them that he needs a home with people who know how to handle an aggressive dog. We told him that if they couldn't find a home for him and they were going to have to put him down to contact us first and we'd try to find him a home ourselves. :(

I miss the little fellow. He's adorable and charismatic...sigh...but he has horrible timing.

[hobbit709]

1. I know how you feel

3 years ago we found a puppy and we just couldn't keep him-we had 8 dogs at the time. Luckily a friend of mine agreed to foster him. By the second day he was sleeping on the bed with her. She brings him over occasionally and he remembers us and greets us with kisses.

[readmoreoften]

3. This little guy has been an all night bed sleeper with us since he was 4 weeks old.

His tail was always wagging and he's a happy pup. He was practically potty trained in 3 days, slept through the night. But it looks like vet is going to recommend that he be taken somewhere else or killed. They say he's too aggressive for their vet to take the liability for adopting him out (he does get snappy when he gets excited, but I'm really sure with the right owner he'd be fine--he's only six or seven weeks old.)

It's breaking our heart. We're barely making our bills. I just can't take him. I want to throw all my other responsibilities away, but I just can't. :cry:

We're in Austin. Do you know any good no-kill shelters for aggressive breeds that might help us place a puppy?

[hobbit709]

5. Call these people-Animal Trustees Of Austin

http://www.animaltrustees.org/
They should be able to help you.

[Branjor]

6. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah....

Will take dogs even with aggression and behavior problems.

http://www.bestfriends.org

They often fly to other places to rescue dogs. This little guy doesn't have to die!

[Eurobabe]

2. Oh, that is sad, will hope he gets a

loving forever home. I hate people who breed these dogs to kill, don't you? It's sick.

[demnan]

4. I'm sorry for you

but we can't save them all. It hurts but you did the best you could for the dog and maybe he can be retrained because you stepped in and helped him at the right time.

[truedelphi]

7. You make me think of this wonderful lady in Marin who fosters

kitties.

She really does a good job of helping a local animal rescue (Marin Cat Connection)

I know when I came and got my sweetie to give him a permanent home, she cried as she handed him over, though she wouldn't admit it.

I hope there is a deserved happy ending to your tale.