On Wed. evening someone poisoned (with anti-freeze) three of my beautiful dogs. Sam ( Great Pyrenees) and Buster (German Shephard mix) died in the middle of the night the third, Fred (collie mix) I had to put down Thurs. morning.
Sometimes the pain feels like it will never end. I have three small children who are dealing with it I think better than myself. I haven't been able to sleep in my bed because it reminds me of that night. I was in a fairly deep sleep and heard thrashing around which at the time I thought was just the dogs playing. I remember thinking it sounded really rough but I was tired and didn't get out of bed. They weren't playing they were dying. We offered a reward for any information. One of the tips we received seems like it might be the guy. Unfortunately, we aren't getting much assistance from law enforcement. I feel very alone. We went out yesterday and picked up another dog from the local shelter. I'm having a hard time bonding with the dog.
Basically, I am tormented over their deaths and miss them dearly. We never received a single complaint from any of our neighbors which makes it all the more bewildering.
Finally, I feel like there isn't anyone around me that understands the sorrow I am experiencing which makes me feel even more crazy. I keep thinking this is some kind of nightmare and I'll wake up shortly.
Thanks for listening,
Sam, Buster, Fred's mom,
kendra

Kendra
I am so sorry for your loss, my god I can't believe someone could do something like this to your precious dogs! Don't feel guilty for not getting out of bed - you had no idea that something was wrong.

It's going to take some time to bond to another dog this soon after experiencing something as tragic as this. So don't rush yourself.

Take care and god Bless...you're definitely not alone on here, we all have felt the pain you are feeling..

Hugs,
Karen

I can't take any more of this and I am leaving here!
I can not comprehend how pet owners can leave their beautiful precious loved pets-cats/dogs etc-outside for whatever elements is out there and then come on here grieving when something happens to them. I am a RESPONSIBLE pet owner and my pets are strictly INDOOR pets and I make sure their home is SAFE for them so nothing can happen to them. I LOVE my pets dearly and I take every possible measure to be assured of their safety. I've read several posts in the last few weeks that just totally angers me and I didn't post anything in response to them but today I must.

I'm out of here, I can't take any more of this!


Wanda

Wanda,

I took in and loved three very large dogs for 5-10 years respectively. I live out in an underdeveloped area...basically country with a subdivision rising up in the middle. Two years ago I would walk out my front door and see cows. We have a huge yard, fenced in. They loved being outside. These were huge dogs. Sam was 120 lbs. It wouldn't have been possible to keep them indoors nor would they have wanted that. Normally they were brought in if they were barking otherwise they would prefer to sleep under the stars. I'm glad I didn't take that from them.
Sincerely,
Kendra

Wanda,

I wouldn't call having your dogs in a fenced-in yard irresponsible....I'm sure that Kendra wouldn't leave her dogs out in the rain either. This is not the same situation as someone letting dogs or cats roam outdoors or something like that. I think you saved your ranting for the wrong post....

Sincerely,

Karen

Yes we have a gate which closes off the kitchen. They were always brought in during bad weather, especially thunder or when it got hot outside. They spent a good amount inside as well. But it wasn't good for them to be couped up in my kitchen for long periods of time and with three children I couldn't have all of them running through the house at the same time. Buster, Sam and Fred enjoyed running and playing in our yard not staying in the house.

Wanda,
I know that you are very emotional when it comes to babies dying needlessly, and I, too, have had to bite my tongue on more than one occasion (which is very difficult for someone who is as outspoken as I am when it comes to responsible animal care...I was already 'scolded' here once before for really letting someone have it, so now I really try to just ignore such posts). I understand how you feel when it comes to people who intentionally let their babies go outdoors, unleashed and with no fence to keep them from harm, and then want to blame the people who hit their babies with their car, or the neighbors dogs for attacking them, etc. At the end of the day, we are the ones who are ultimately responsible for their safety and well being, and we must do whatever we need to do to protect them, if we don't, then we only have ourselves to blame. With that being said, Sass cannot control other people's actions and in no way is responsible for what happenned to her babies. If her dogs enjoyed being outdoors, then there was no reason to keep them in all day as long as they were safely contained, which she stated they were. My Sasha loved to bask in the sun during warm spring days( our yard is obviously fenced), and I would always allow her to stay out there as long as she wanted to, and I like to think of myself as the "ultimate pet owner" when it comes to care and responsibility. If someone would have poisoned her (God forbid), then I would not hold myself responsible for that...the offending party, as in Sass' case, would truly be the one to blame for a change. I have definitely read some posts on here that your words would ring very true to, but I agree with Karen that this isn't one of them....however, they are words that come from a hurting heart that is full of emotion for all of those precious babies that die too young due to people's irresponsibilty and I cannot fault you for that.
{The hardest part for me when I hear those type of stories is that I would have done anything in this world to have had my baby here with me for just one more day...ANYTHING....and others can be so careless and just throw their babies lives away...such a waste.}
Your friend in grief,
Kim

SO sad, when innocent lives are lost. It is NEVER right to kill a fellow creature (I see them as brothers & sisters, not below, but beside me)...we're all here because of a pet loss...

Here is my experience (not everyone, just me :->).

I am a card carrying animal lover. I run a rescue facility for horses. I've had very unfortunate experiences w/loose dogs belonging to my neighbors. My horses & cats have been chased (& killed) by dogs both running loose & also who "just got out for a minute". Talking to the various owners over the 9 years I've lived here is a temporary fix at best. Most of them mean well. They just don't see the problem.

When the poor dogs are locked up or tied up in their own yards (a sad existence that must be, tied up all the time) the barking never stops. The owners are immune, I guess. But it's misery for anyone who wants to sleep, watch TV, or enjoy their own yard. Further, I do not especially like cleaning up dog poop from my yard, filling in holes they dig to get in my yard under my fence, having to go elsewhere to ride my horses (since the neighbors' irresponsibility made my farm unsafe). I don't like that I had to spend $1,000 to build a fence to keep the neighbor dogs out(then they dug underneath). I talked til I was blue in the face. It didn't work. I'd NEVER poison any animal. It's not the animals' fault, & they do not deserve the death penalty.

When an 11 year old girl was thrown from her horse on my property & broke her arm (while one dog owner watched her dog chasing the horse & did nothing), I had enough. I nagged law enforcement MERCILESSLY. It was the (very real) threat of litigation against the county that made them take action. The owners were warned by animal control, they ignored the warnings, & finally the dog was removed. Looking back on all this now, it was a very long & painful process. Again, I myself would never, ever kill. But many of the other neighbors suggested it as a simpler, easier way to solve the problem. I have seen neighbors shoot dogs chasing their cattle, etc., without taking a single step to contact any owners. That sickens me. That dog is someone's friend.

There is NO EXCUSE for killing any animal, period, & I am certainly not defending this. I am terribly sorry for the loss of these 3 dear pets. I'm just saying, there are 2 sides. Just because nobody complained, doesn't mean there wasn't a problem. If they're not under your watchful eye, you do not know what they are doing, period....it's a sad, sad thing, any way I look at it. That's all. I'm so sorry it had to happen at all. It's a heartbreak...

in my 10 years of pet-loss support, this issue has come up so many times i cannot even remember the number.

keep in mind that the decision of an owner to keep their pet indoors or to allow them outdoors is just that...the owner's decision. some decisions result in tragedy, that is part of the reason why people come here. sometimes there are accidents, that is just part of life.

at this site, there is no wrong or right. we are all here for a common reason, and that reason is to help one another get through the grief of losing a pet, a friend, a furchild. please keep it kind. thank you.

Sass1,

I am so sorry for you losses. Just reading your post made me angry. Who in their sick, twisted mind would do such a thing? I just cannot believe it. I can't even imagine the pain you are going through, especially since you could hear them outside not even knowing what was going on. Then seeing them when you got up.
One thing to keep in mind is just because you didn't receive complaints from your neighbors doesn't mean they may not harbor resentment or anger towards your dogs. Not all people let on that they have a problem with their neighbors animals so keep that in mind.
I just feel so angry and sad for you and I wish there was something I could do.

Know you and the dogs are in my prayers and I certaintly hope you catch the bastard/s who did this.

In regards to the posting by Clairecares I guess I don't see another side to this story. And honestly I take offense to you even mentioning it. In my mind I can't understand someone killing an animal no matter what. And I would hope that if my dogs ever did bother someone then I would have been notified. Sounds to me like you did notify this person over and over again. That is not my situation. We don't know yet if this was someone out to hurt us or if this was done by someone angry at our dogs. I have always been VERY sensitive to any excessive barking. If children were out playing near our fence and the dogs were bothered by this I brought them in so not to disturb others. I never CHAINED THEM UP or restrained them in anyway. We have a huge covered porch.
My dogs loved being outside they didn't want to stay inside all day long. Contrary to what seems to be the idea of some indivduals on this site by leaving them outside in a huge fenced in yard I've committed some upspeakable act.
The person who did this to my beloved pets is evil, bottom line no other side to this story.
I think it might be a good idea for me to leave this site. It's sad that I should have to justify my love for Sam, Buster, and Fred. Or that I should even have to defend the most natural of actions.....letting my dogs play in our backyard.
Please remove me from this posting site.

Kendra

sorry to have to do this, but i am closing this topic before it gets even more out of hand.