Dog neglected by owner, but attached. Should I take over care?

That is a very tough situation for you to be in! Moving to a new home can be stressful for a dog, but if Coco was there for six weeks without a problem, then that shows she can adjust. I would discuss honestly with your son that you would like to keep her, and let him know how close you've become with her over the last six years, and how much it would hurt you to have her live with him. In six years, you have developed a very deep bond with Coco, and you could discuss with your son that he could come and visit with her anytime he likes, and she could visit with him. I think it would be quite hard for you to give her up after all this time, and you need to be honest with your son about your feelings.

I hate to hear that. There are many resources which you can print off line about proper pet care. Sometimes proper education is the key. If cost is a concern, you can also go online to look for assistance programs for qualifying individuals. I hope this is at least gives you some ideas. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

This sounds like a friendship and ethics/legal discussion Rather than a veterinary question. I would encourage you to discuss your concerns and desires with your friend. If she is not being reasonable about establishing an arrangement then you will probably need to contact animal control in your area to determine the legal requirements of ownership in your state. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. This can certainly be a confusing situation for Pepper, which may explain why he was confused when he returned the last time. If Pepper is going to a bad environment, I would try and talk this over with his previous owner and ensure him that Pepper is much better off in the environment he has been in the longest. Unfortunately, if he gave you temporary care of his dog, technically Pepper still is his dog. You could also ask the man if you could adopt Pepper from him and pay him an "adoption fee" and make it so that if you adopt Pepper, he no longer has ownership and is no longer allowed to take Pepper for visitation. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

This is a good question! I can certainly understand why you would want to take Bella Marie with you when you move out, and it is possible to take her with you. It will be an adjustment for her to go from living with three dogs and your mom to just you, but she can adjust. If you are concerned that she may get lonely and can afford to do so, after you are settled in your new home, you can get another dog so Bella Marie has company in the home. If she is your shadow, she is very attached to you, and I'm sure she would miss you if you left her behind. I think it would be fine to take her with you, just understand it will take her time to adjust to a new home and situation. Give her lots of love and attention, and consider getting another dog if Bella Marie appears lonely and it's something you can afford.

That sounds like an awfully big change for Spring, so he may experience some anxiety and stress about being chained up, especially if he hasn't before. Spring likely won't forget you if you return to him, as dogs have gone years before seeing their owners again and are usually happy at their return. Looking into seeing if someone else can watch him that can give him more time, or seeing if a rescue can take him temporarily into foster care may be better off for his mental and physical well-being. Being chained all day long with little exercise or care likely isn't the best for him. You may try contacting a local shelter in your area to see if they have any programs such as temporary fostering that may be a better option.

I think your sister has reasonable concerns. Most dogs are highly adaptable to new situations, but some dogs can become very attached to one person, and could get very anxious when that person leaves. If you are gone, there is a chance that your dog would bond with the other person taking care and may never really bond with you. There are also concerns that this is a huge responsibility for someone else to completely care for your dog. Do they want to do this? Will they be able to take care of your dog as well as you? Are they able to take it to the vet when needed? If you are traveling more than 50% of the time away from home and cannot take your dog, then I am not sure that it would be a smart decision to get a dog that you will have to worry about all of the time. You also wouldn't get to enjoy his company while you are gone, and you may find you don't enjoy traveling as much with this new life to worry over.