[Eclipse]

http://www.bismarcktribune.com/artic...ate/124874.txt

Dog who alerted family to fire being put up for adoption

FARGO (AP) - Hunter, a black lab whose barking awoke a family in time to escape a house fire, is now looking for a house of his own.

Melisa Sherrard said she and her two sons must spend the next three or four months in a hotel until damage to their home is repaired. Hunter and Riley, a dachshund-Pomeranian mix, are being put up for adoption.

"We tried him (Hunter) in the hotel for two days, and that was very interesting," Sherrard said. "We couldn't keep him in (the hotel). It's very tough for all of us, especially the kids."

The 4-year-old Hunter and 1-year-old Riley are being boarded at Sheyenne River Kennels in West Fargo, said manager Jamie Floan.

Hunter was a hero about 3 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving, when he woke up Sherrard and alerted her to a fire in the living room of the family home. No one was hurt.

A third dog, 11-year-old Amber, a cockapoo, will remain with the family, Sherrard said.

She said she had tried to place Hunter and Riley with friends, without success. She hopes to find a farm where Hunter can run off his energy.

"The kids haven't adjusted to it yet," Sherrard said. "That will be a while."

Adopt-A-Pet of Fargo-Moorhead has the dogs listed on an emergency list for a foster home or adoption.

The cause of the fire was believed to be a malfunctioning power strip.

 

[Pescas]

I hope the dogs get a good home. I dont think I would give away the dog that saved my familys life though, what a way to pay him back!

 

[Sevenseas]

Great way to show gratitude.

 

[Amy SF]

I sure hope the dogs find homes with people who really appreciate them.

 

[kpickell]

That's depressing. They write it as if they didn't have a choice in the matter. They very much do have a choice. 3 months is a short time and there are options available outside of getting rid of the dogs.

 

[isowish]

wow.

 

[bekajoi]

I can see where they are coming from, though. He was in a big house with room to run around, then moved to a hotel. Not a pleasent atmosphere for a dog.

They tried to have friends house him. They tried to find him somewhere he can be. They aren't saying "thanks, now get out". They are having a hard time with it, but are trying to do what is best for the animals.

What else would you expect of them? What would YOU do? I'd do the same thing. Whatever was best for the animals, in the end.

 

[Sevenseas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bekajoi

I can see where they are coming from, though. He was in a big house with room to run around, then moved to a hotel. Not a pleasent atmosphere for a dog.

That's why they should take him for walks.

I wonder why the third dog could stay with them if it's so intolerable.

 

[Eclipse]

Temp rehoming would seem like the best option. Given the large coverage this is getting hopefully someone will offer to take the dogs until their home can be repaired. Doesn't look like these folks have gotten much local sympathy for their situation. Around here, there was a fund raiser for a family who had a house fire.

 

[lurcherloon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bekajoi

I can see where they are coming from, though. He was in a big house with room to run around, then moved to a hotel. Not a pleasent atmosphere for a dog.

They tried to have friends house him. They tried to find him somewhere he can be. They aren't saying "thanks, now get out". They are having a hard time with it, but are trying to do what is best for the animals.

What else would you expect of them? What would YOU do? I'd do the same thing. Whatever was best for the animals, in the end.

I think if I was in that position I'd be asking round all the rescues etc for a temp foster home until I could sort something out. Mind you having 6 dogs it would be difficult but I sure as hell wouldnt let any of them go. How about renting a house instead of staying in a hotel?

 

[kpickell]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bekajoi

What else would you expect of them? What would YOU do? I'd do the same thing. Whatever was best for the animals, in the end.

I would do what was best for the animals. Getting rid of a dog is not in the it's best interest. If it were me I'd probably keep it in the hotel with me, take them for walks in the morning, drop them off at doggy daycare during the day so they have lots of playtime, pick them up in the evenings, take them for a walk and settle down back at the hotel. There's nothing that says a Labrador will be destructive in an hotel room, but a lab that's not getting the exercise and stimulation it needs certainly will be. If don't have the time for walks, they can hire someone to do that for them. Failing that I'd take out a loan at my bank and rent an apartment on a month-to-month lease. Failing that, I'm lucky enough to have family that would gladly take my dogs in an emergency, but if they refused then I'd find someone who would watch my dogs for the three to four months it would take to get back into a house.

 

[Iria]

I agree that this is not in the dog's best interest, but I know people who have lost their homes, and they're probably much too busy/stressed out right now to be able to give the dog the attention it deserves. Imagine having no home, probably no money, apparently no sympathetic friends or family (I don't care if you don't like dogs, pet-sitting for a few months is the least someone could do to help out a friend in need), and then a gaggle of kids and dogs needing your care. As someone else said, I'm surprised that the kennel or the community hasn't already stepped up to take care of the animals. No wonder the family is panicking about their ability to care for the dogs; their choices are running out.

The article mentions that the kennel is trying to find a foster family. I bet this article is just publicity to find such a family, and they put the adoption line there to make them sound more desperate.

 

[Poppy]

You would hope that a group of fellow citizens would offer their services - to babysit the dogs temporarily, have them for overnights, walk them if needed - just plain help out! Poor pups - change can be very stressful.

 

[Tymps]

Quote:

How about renting a house instead of staying in a hotel?

Maybe they can't afford to rent any of the houses in their area?

 

[bekajoi]

And maybe their insurance will ONLY pay for a hotel, not a rental house. Many rental homes are more expensive by the month than owning... I'm sure they are doing all they can.

It's a tough spot to be in, and I'm sure they are doing what they can. But it is NOT fair to a large animal to be kept in a small space for the majority of the day. (hotel rooms are SMALL, especially for a large breed dog) Chances are good that the kids are in school and both parents are working. The dog doesn't have anyone to be with during the day, which would make the small space bearable.

I'm just saying until you have been there and had to make a tough decision like that, we're in no place to judge.

 

[jenna]

well. bleh. i hope hunter and riley, at least, go to the same home.

 

[Jessica Alana]

It's kind of shady that out of 3 dogs, they get rid of the biggest and the smallest, but keep the medium sized one; and say it's because of lack of space.

 

[Sevenseas]

I think that if you want to take a companion animal, part of that is that you have some kind of a plan for emergencies. Anyway, it might be more important for the dog to be around his family than have a huge space, especially if he gets to be walked enough. But it's convenient to frame your interests as the companion animal's interests - people are good at doing that sometimes.

 

[froggythefrog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poppy

You would hope that a group of fellow citizens would offer their services - to babysit the dogs temporarily, have them for overnights, walk them if needed - just plain help out! Poor pups - change can be very stressful.

It's strange how people often don't realize what others need or how badly those things are needed. I wonder what the friends and neighbors said. "Sorry your house burned down. No, we can't keep your dogs for a few weeks. Good luck."

 

[CaptainSwab]

Wow that is depressing. It makes me want to cry in fact. My dogs aren't heros or anything but there is no way in heck I would ever want to get rid of them.

I am sure there is more to that story but it really is hard to imagine that a community can't step up. We just had a large fire sweep through the area I live in. 5 fire fighters lost their lives and some homes were lost. Some students at my school lost their homes too and people have offered to put up their animals (this includes horses, goats, and dogs), given them clothes, food, etc.