My MIL recently got a puppy. There was something wrong with the puppy's eyes, so we took her to a specialist. It turns out she has cataracts and a malformed retina. My MIL no longer wants the puppy because she doesn't feel that she can deal with a dog with poor vision who could possibly go blind. SO... I took the puppy home with me last friday. I'm trying to find her a home. I have a neighbor who may want her. She has been looking for a dog and her husband used to be a vet. Great news! My question is: is there anything I should do besides hand her the dog? I plan on asking her to return the puppy to me if for any reason she can't keep her. This is my first time rehoming a dog. I'm lucky that it's my neighbor and I know her. I wish I could keep her myself, but I already have 2 dogs and two boys (2 and 4). I've learned over the past few days that a 3rd dog is more than I can handle.
Here is a pic of her
Isn't she a scruffy little cutie? she's about 4 pounds at 9 weeks.
thanks for any advice
Sarah
*UPDATE* It didn't work out with my neighbor. chloe's eyes are too bad and with she and her husband working all day she's afraid that chloe could hurt herself. She also has another dog and 2 grade school aged children. So chloe is here until she finds a home. I'm in NY if anyone knows of the perfect match.
She is absolutly adorable. Its great that you found her a home so close and to someone you know. And you are a good person for asking her to return the pup to you if she no longer wants it.
Awww. Since it's with someone you know and are confident will make a good owner, I wouldn't do much else.. NO, actually, I would ask that she be spayed, and if she is old enough, I'd do it before she left my hands. I would provide low-cost spaying info when I gave them the puppy if she's not old enough yet.
On the other hand, I think your MIL would find that a blind dog is not an extra problem. Really. They get used to their surroundings, they have that doggy sense of smell, and often nobody can even tell they can't see! Missy was mostly blind toward the end of her life, and the only way anyone could tell is that she couldn't catch toys or treats in the air, and when you threw a toy for her, she did not run after it until she heard it hit the ground. She had no problem going for walks on the leash or playing with toys in the house or the yard. I would say her blindness caused ZERO extra effort.
If your MIL got the puppy from a breeder, you should speak to the breeder. I'm guessing the puppy didn't come with a take-back clause in a contract. Nevertheless, the breeder should be informed that he/she produced a nearly blind puppy.
My childhood dog eventually went blind, and like Missy, didn't have any trouble coping without sight. He had the layout of the house memorized and could get from room to room without any trouble or need for assistance.
The home you've found for the dog sounds like a good option, given that you already know the potential new owners. Because that the husband used to be a vet, I would think that getting the couple to have the puppy spayed would not be a problem. However, it's a good idea to discuss the issue with them and to find out if they've ever had unfixed pets before.
The puppy is adorable. Let us know how the re-homing process goes.
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"Thought is an invisible and subtle power that mocks all the efforts of tyranny." Alexis de Tocqueville
Right out a little agreement, With spay-neuter as a must. if they can not keep her to return her to you. As long as a dog gets to know its surroundings before it turns blind it will do fine. She is a cutie.
Being her hubby was a vet, its perfect. They will know what to do.
Hi and thanks! I already spoke to the breeder. She is very upset about how this turned out. She's a very sweet woman. She has given my MIL a full refund. I spoke to her about flying the puppy back. I asked her if it would be okay if I found her a home here to save her the stress of flying. she said that would be fine, but she would take the puppy back and rehome her there if I was unable. I'll let you know what my neighbor says.
I'm glad to hear the breeder cares about the health of the puppy and is willing to take responsibility for the puppies she breeds. Sometimes despite research and planning, breeders produce a puppy with a health problem, but breeders who work to produce healthy pups produce far fewer unhealthy ones than do breeders who just breed willy-nilly.
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"Thought is an invisible and subtle power that mocks all the efforts of tyranny." Alexis de Tocqueville
"Thought is an invisible and subtle power that mocks all the efforts of tyranny." Alexis de Tocqueville
