I don't agree with spraying animals with water, but the dad totally deserves that.

can I ask why? only curious because I recently ran in to someone who didn't believe in crate training for dogs, especially puppies in order to potty train them. they also didn't believe in keeping the dog outside (to go potty) if the dog didn't want to be out there. her problem? the puppy never went potty outside...

I don't understand why you got down voted so much for sharing your opinions #4.

Because that's the kind of opinion that discourages people from properly disciplining and training animals.

Most places only hold owner surrenders for 48 hours before the animal is put down.

I'm sure you understand now.

I've met people like that and their dogs are always, ALWAYS unruly and difficult to handle, even for the owner. I personally don't spray with water because it's not a training technique I prefer, nor do I believe every dog MUST be crate trained, but animals are not machines. What may work for one, may not work for another. My current two are crate trained, but none of my past dogs were and the old man Collie we lost a year ago tomorrow was kept in a large pen in the kitchen while we were gone because it's what he did best in. Whatever works best for each individual animal is what should be used (within reason, obviously), in my opinion and, if water or crate training or whatever is going to be the best method to help an individual learn the rules and his manners, then that is what should be used.

6: The father could have easily said 'no'. The OP didn't force anything into him and some people would rather have someone they know to look after their pets than a random person. Just like how parents have family members watch after their children sometimes. They're not simply handing off their responsibilities unless it's a constant thing, and they were clearly on a business trip. Not vacation.

As #8 stated, most prefer to leave their pets with someone they know and trust. Also, family usually wouldn't charge a fee. Who doesn't like to save $? Sorry OP, your Dad is evil. I hope your friend makes it home to you safely.

Are you serious? You know, the father CHOSE to accept the responsibility of looking after the dog too, when he agreed to care for it for a few days, he shouldn't have "pushed that responsibility" on the pound. He fully abandoned his responsibilities in this case, the OP however, did not, because he took responsibility and made arrangements for the dog to be looked after while he was away. Although who he chose to look after the dog turned out to be a total douche. Everyone needs help with things sometimes, asking someone, especially family, to look after a "responsibility" of yours for a few days is not unreasonable. That's what family does, they support and help each other. I would never put my dog in a commercial place. I'm sure many are good reputable places, but I don't trust a place I don't really know to care for my dog, also that fee you mentioned can be unreasonably expensive. I'd much rather my dog stay with a trusted family member, although the father in this case turned out to be not very trustworthy. Also, would you say the same thing about parents who get babysitters and family to look after their kids, would you criticize them for "pushing a responsibility they chose to accept?" Having kids means you have to help them with things sometimes, even when they're adults, maybe this father shouldn't have taken his child's pet to the pound and "push a responsibility he chose to accept.

or maybe, just maybe, his FATHER should have refused to take on that responsibility if he wasnt willing to handle it.. You know, like an adult.

It's clear you either don't have dogs or only see them as unimportant animals. Boarding a dog in a strange place with strange people is incredibly stressful on them. One of my dogs could handle it, but the other could not. When I have to go somewhere overnight, I have someone they know come stay here. I have even flown someone in from out of state because she is practically family I know I can trust her to make sure my boys are taken care of like they deserve.

Seriously? I'm glad my father means a lot more to me than that! He may anger me in many ways but I still love him..

I love my father, but if he sent my beloved dog to the pound, me not talking to him anymore would be about the best outcome he could hope for. You don't do that to someone, ever. Dog poops in your house while you're watching it? Probably your fault for not taking it outside. Put the dog outside or on a hard-floored area if you have to, to discourage messes and make them easier to clean. Dropping the dog off at the pound is completely unnecessary and unreasonable to do, especially for a dog that's not even yours. Maybe if the dog did something awful like biting a person, you take it to the pound. Even in that extreme case, you then TELL the owner that you did it *immediately*, so they can try to get their dog back. OP's dad did neither, which makes him an incorrigible asshole. Had the OP knocked a few of his teeth out it would've been wholly

#24 even dropping the dog off at the pound for biting someone is extreme. The pound isn't a great place, behavioural problems can always be corrected instead of inflicting abandonment issues on them.

I'm assuming you don't have pets, #19? The bond between a pet and an owner is usually very deep (especially with social animals like dogs which can return the affection), so to many people a pet is almost like another family member. If it came to choosing between saving my father or my dog from a house fire, I'd of course always choose my dad - but if he willingly gave away my pet for a really stupid reason to a place where he could be EUTHANIZED... I don't know if I'd ever talk to him again, even if he apologized. That's just an incredibly selfish and heartless thing to do. What if the shelter decided to put OP's dog down because they were over capacity, and all because the poor thing had a bowel movement in the wrong place? That is just ****** up.

I read a story from someone where their family decided to take their kitten, who had disabilities, to a shelter while they were away. The kitten required extra care and so the person had grown very very close to him. Moments after they gave him to the shelter he was put down. It's hard to convey the amount of love they had for this kitten that was obvious in how they wrote about him. Cutting people who do that out of your life is totally justified. Even if OP's dog survived and they can get him back, the dad CHOSE to put him in the situation that something like what happened to the person with the kitten could have happened.

Dropping off an animal at the shelter where I grew up is a death sentence for anything that is not a young puppy or a very small selection of breeds. I can guarantee that ANYONE that dropped off one of my family members to be killed would be out of my life for good. Even if they were dropped off at one where they held them longer than 48 hours would see them out of my life for good. I trusted this person to take care of one of my beloved family members and he so easily abandoned said family member? I could never trust this person again. Not my mother, not my father, not my brothers, sisters, or even husband would have a place in my life if they dropped my dog off to be killed at a shelter and they all know it. Thankfully, the ones I would leave animals with know and love my animals as well as have animals of their own they love like I love mine so they understand how I feel, but I just have no room in my life for people who could so callously drop my animal of at a shelter after I trusted them with one of the most important beings in my life. *ETA: My husband would be just as livid as I would be so I have never actually worried about him getting rid of one of our dogs.

I second this!!! Update pleeeaase