I have a doggie issue

Well, two really. I posted a bit in another thread, but the deal is that I found two english bulldogs yesterday. Just so you all know, I already have 4 dogs. I live in the country and dogs are dumped all the time, so that is why we have so many already. I took the two new dogs to the vet today and to see about their health. Well, there are quite a few issues. They both have mange (the kind that can't be passed to my other dogs thankfully). They are about 6 months old and about 20 lbs underweight. They are full of worms too. The female has a bad hip issue (dysplaysia plus injury I guess). The male dog has had eye surgery but it was not real recent. however, the stitches were still there. The vet thought the surgery bill had not likely been paid and that is why the stitches were still in. The vet said the female may need to be put down because of the hip issue. I went ahead and had them wormed and they got a mange shot. I will have to go back quite a few times for more shots, if we keep them. Quite a few weeks I think. Even though we are not sure what we will do, I had to start them on the medicine so they will feel better, you know?
The biggest issue is that I have found out that the owner is a new neighbor who has four kids, no job and her hubby is in jail. She also has another dog who looks pampered. He is fat and healthy and his fur shines.
I was trying not to judge this woman, but I already had a bad feeling about her. She keeps going to neighbors asking for cigarettes and also flirting with my hubbies work helper, who is engaged and the woman knows it. She does not knwo they are here, as of yet.
We tried to find english bulldog rescues, but so far none close at all. Jeez people who don't care for their animals really upset me!
I don't know what we will do, but thanks for listening to me unload about it.

Ughh, this is a hard topic for me as well. I am a huge animal lover. I have been through tough times and couldn't afford to care for the cat i had at one point many years ago. But what I did was bring her to the nearest shelter and let them know that I could not take care of her (i did this the minute I knew that I could no longer properly care for her) so there was no opportunity for her health to decline. I understand that people have hard times, but if you care for your animal you will care enough to give them up to someone who can take care of them if you can't. In some areas there are programs that low income people can apply for to help with the cost of some vet bills that are funded by local area organizations. It's a tough situation that's for sure, it's too bad the dogs have to suffer for it. I don't know what I would do in that situation, I think I would have to struggle not to get angry at the neighbor.

We did have one of those organizations that helped people with vet bills, but they ran out of money. I live in the Ozarks and many, many people are very low income here.
You are right though, it is much better to surender an animal than make it suffer without propper care.

I would come out and ask her if she is willing to pay you back for the vert bills. If not I would find the dog(s) a good home and leave it at that.
I get alot of animals dumped in my yard, dead end road in a semi rural wooded area.

Is there a Humane Society in your area- that is animal neglect to allow an animal with mange to go untreated. She doesn't deserve the dogs back. Go online to check for any rescue groups in your area and also for Humane Society or no kill shelters. You are going to get blessed for the good you have done though. We must be a lot alike, I couldn't stand to see them suffer either. When I read yesterday's post- I told my hubby- I bet they had mange. Sorry I was right.

Thanks yall. Waiting for hubby to come home to talk about it. I did take a picture of them. The female is on the left, the male on the right looking at the camera. The picture doesn't show too well how skinny they are, but you can see how cute!

Oh they are adorable -

1. Because of the frogpond report her as a bad neighbor at rottenneighbor.com (I think that was the address.

2. If they are indeed hers report her for animal neglect/abuse.

3. Ask your local vet for assistance

4. Contact breeders who may know of additional shelters/homes for the dogs (unless you want them)

5. If it was me I would slap her silly but it would only cause problems

Oh the poor babies - how could anybody be so cruel to them? I'm so glad they found an animal lover like you to take care of them.

I really need to find a good home for them. Six dogs is just too many for me to handle, and afford.
Thanks for the ideas everyone, keep them coming, if anyone has more.

Those two are so cute you won't have a problem getting rid of them.
People like you make this world a better place to live.
Thanks for stepping up and doing such a good thing.

Sometimes pet stores will give you a discount on supplies if you tell them what's up.

Missouri
Stan & Sandy Aspey 816-475-2052 St. Joseph, MO
Heart of America Bulldog Club

THey might be able to help.....not sure how close or far that is???? they might know of someone?

Bulldog Club of America Rescue Network, Inc., phone: 410-549-2554 or 800-594-4289

That is about 3 hours from us Brandi, but I may end up calling them. They only take pure bred dogs. How do you think you prove that on a dog that needs rescued?
I suspect I will be making lots of calls tomorrow.

Yall are being a big help. Thanks so much! I am overwhelmed by this and other stuff that is all happening at once. When it rains it pours!

I hope that you can find help from the rescue group Honey..

As for the neighbor? I dare not start in on her...

I am thinking I don't even want to deal with the neighbor. My husband says she has enough troubles and we shouldn't bother turning her in. The other dog she has looks pampered. Do yall think it would be wrong to never tell her we have them and just move ahead with trying to find a home for them? I feel like we should tell her, but don't want to deal with her, nor do I want years of issues ahead with her kwim? I have no clue how long her hubby will be in jail either, but I would hate for him to come home and be after us
BTW kath I LOVE that new avatar!

LOL Thanks Honey.. I wondered if anyone would notice..

I'm afraid if it were me.. I would deal with the dogs and not tell her anything. But then.. I am nefarious enough to help someone steal a dog that was being mistreated.... so I am the wrong one to ask

i wouldn't tell the neighbor that you have the dogs, apparently she doesn't miss them that much if she's not out scouring the neighborhood for them. it'll only cause problems for you in the long run.


i would gladly take those two from you if i lived closer.... they are adorable!!!!!!

For what it is worth- we kinda had the same situation a few years ago. A friend found this tiny tea cup poodle wandering around downtown. It was so skinny and dirty- she caught her and brought her to our house cause she knew I loved poodles. We cleaned her up, fed her and took her to the vet. He said it was apparent she had been abused with broken ribs and a broken jaw. The jaw had not been fixed and it made her teeth stick out funny. We decided to be honest and put an ad in the paper. Wasn't long before someone called, I said nope- it wasn't the same dog she was looking for. By that time, I was not about to give her back to an abusive owner. We had her spade and she lived with us a very long time.

Said some day I will have to pay for the lies, but at least I kept her safe.

Some of these rescue groups will come to you to pick up the dogs or meet you part way. They are always good to deal with-so call them/ Let us know what happens.

Oh... I want them!!!!! Not that I have the room or the means. Sounds like some good advice here, keep us updated Honey.

I would not tell the neighbor. If she asks later simply tell her that you did not think they could have been hers because she was not asking about them and also that you know these had been mistreated.

Kath.... I may have done something similar

Honey, Those are some high dollar dogs.

I would get on the net and find a regional place that does recues of pure breds.

and yes, they are adorable. I'd take them in a heartbeat.

Today I will have to start making some calls about them. They are so much better today it is shocking! They are even playing with each other right now and before they didn't have the energy. We are falling in love with them of course, I am such a sucker for animals! My husband even is talking about building the female a wheely cart for her back legs instead of exepensive surgery or putting her down (like the vet mentioned might be the kindest thing to do for her). A friend of mine says she is worried that if I give them to a rescue, they will put the female down like the vet said. It starts to make me think maybe God wanted us to have these animals. I don't know what to think.
Anyway, so far we have not talked to the neighbor. If we decide to keep them, we will have to though.
BTW anyone know how to search for jail records? I might be able to get the man's name and I would like to know what he went to jail for.