I can't keep my 12 year old pug!

[lizbeth]

I have a 12 year old pug named Pansy. She grew up with my children both of whom are grown now and no longer living at home except for college breaks. My husband passed away last September and I am having to sell our family home. Two months ago Pansy lost almost complete use of her back legs and has become incontinent. The problem is I work full time and cannot get home to change diapers during the day. With me trying to sell my house I cannot have a dog in the house which smells of urine. It breaks my heart to give Pansy away but I just can't handle it anymore. My children know this is what we must do. They can't take her either. Pansy is adorable and sweet and wants to interact with humans. Does anyone have any ideas for me? We are in Savannah, GA.

[tall grass pugs]

Google search for SouthEastPugRescue and call them immediately. Have you checked for UTI? Let us know when you hook up with SEPRA.

http://www.rescuepug.com/---should link you to their site

[luvnpugs]

Google search for SouthEastPugRescue and call them immediately. Have you checked for UTI? Let us know when you hook up with SEPRA.

This is a good suggestion. Please let us know what you decide.

[lizbeth]

Thank you so much I will be in touch with these organizations. I am crying as I type this. Pansy has been such a beloved part of our family since the time she was a small pup. With moving in to a rental property after I sell my house I don't know how that will work either with her incontinence. She is so sweet and would be a great addition to a family who can care for her.

[Rosiepug]

I'm sorry that your husband recently passed away and you find yourself having to sell your home. Is it imperative that you move now? Pansy will be sad to lose you in her time of need.

What does the Vet say is the cause of the loss of use of Pansy's back legs.?
Has she had a accident?
Has she been evaluated for a cart?

Unfortunately at her age and in this condition she will be very hard to place but a Pug Rescue may have a hospice home that could care for her.

We also have a member here who is accustomed to caring for such pugs, may be she could advise you. Her username is MUM, in case you would like to private message her or she may have an email address on her profile.

I again I'm so sorry, such a sad story.

[6 Beautiful Pugs]

Is there anyway you can use an x-pen to keep her in a tile area so she can be without diapers during the day and then you can put one on when you get home?

A 12 year old, incontinent, down in the rear pug is likely never going to be adopted, she will likely be in her foster's home for the rest of her life.

Fosters are not compensated for their work and usually have to work a job as well, so that will be the solution many will have.

Please, I know it's difficult to deal with, but Pansy has given you and your family her unwavering love and devotion for her entire life. Now she is old and needs your unwavering love and devotion.

Working in rescue myself, I know we receive many elderly dogs with issues like this. They come into rescue confused and depressed, missing their families. Please, try to be creative in a solution for Pansy. She needs you now more than ever and with just a few small adjustments in your life, you can accommodate her disabilities and keep your house looking good enough to sell.

I foster and transport for a rescue. Currently I am caring for 4 geriatric fosters, one of whom is completely incontinent, one is fecal incontinent, one has a collapsing trachea and another has severe arthritis and numerous tumors. I work (from home) and drive hundreds of miles per week to shelters across southern California. I know how difficult it can be to find a foster for an incontinent dog and once one is found (and there are few), that foster will now be unable to take other fosters until that dog dies, often years later.

Please, please, try to work out a way to keep your Pansy and care for her and honor her life with the same devotion she has given you all of these years. I know it's hard, but she never complained her whole life, she never turned her back on you when things were tough.

Take care,
Lisa

[Dieselsmom]

Is there anyway you can use an x-pen to keep her in a tile area so she can be without diapers during the day and then you can put one on when you get home?

A 12 year old, incontinent, down in the rear pug is likely never going to be adopted, she will likely be in her foster's home for the rest of her life.

Fosters are not compensated for their work and usually have to work a job as well, so that will be the solution many will have.

Please, I know it's difficult to deal with, but Pansy has given you and your family her unwavering love and devotion for her entire life. Now she is old and needs your unwavering love and devotion.

Working in rescue myself, I know we receive many elderly dogs with issues like this. They come into rescue confused and depressed, missing their families. Please, try to be creative in a solution for Pansy. She needs you now more than ever and with just a few small adjustments in your life, you can accommodate her disabilities and keep your house looking good enough to sell.

I foster and transport for a rescue. Currently I am caring for 4 geriatric fosters, one of whom is completely incontinent, one is fecal incontinent, one has a collapsing trachea and another has severe arthritis and numerous tumors. I work (from home) and drive hundreds of miles per week to shelters across southern California. I know how difficult it can be to find a foster for an incontinent dog and once one is found (and there are few), that foster will now be unable to take other fosters until that dog dies, often years later.

Please, please, try to work out a way to keep your Pansy and care for her and honor her life with the same devotion she has given you all of these years. I know it's hard, but she never complained her whole life, she never turned her back on you when things were tough.

Take care,
Lisa

I couldn't possibly disagree with you more. It sounds like this woman is in a very difficult situation - not just the typical, I'm moving and don't want to take the pug with me surrender that we get in rescue all the time. I can't imagine how difficult this is - having lost her husband and now losing her home. Let alone, trying to care for a handicapped pug.

As the owner of a handicapped pug myself, I can attest it's A TON OF WORK!! And when you work full time (which I do, as well as have my own business on the side to pay for her vet bills), it's even more work than people can possibly imagine. I just don't think this woman has made this decision lightly and without thinking through the possibilities. I don't feel like she's turning her back on Pansy; she's confronted with an impossible situation and is making the decision she feels is in Pansy's best interests. She should be commended for that, not made to feel like a neglectful owner who's too lazy and uncaring to care for her pug now in her time of need.

Yes, Pansy will be sad and confused, as is any dog who is surrendered to rescue. Yes, Pansy will probably never be adopted to a forever family; she will likely be a permanent hospice foster pug. But there are lots of special foster families who take in these hospice pugs - and it's basically the pug's forever home; they couldn't have found a better forever family than their hospice foster family. Hospice fosters are well accustomed to special needs pugs and are willing to take on the challenge.

I agree with the first couple posters - contact SEPRA, they do have hospice foster homes who will take great care of Pansy.

Good luck with your decision, and I'm so very sorry that you're facing this situation - it's got to be one of the most difficult decisions of your life.

[Rosiepug]

Is there anyway you can use an x-pen to keep her in a tile area so she can be without diapers during the day and then you can put one on when you get home?

A 12 year old, incontinent, down in the rear pug is likely never going to be adopted, she will likely be in her foster's home for the rest of her life.

Fosters are not compensated for their work and usually have to work a job as well, so that will be the solution many will have.

Please, I know it's difficult to deal with, but Pansy has given you and your family her unwavering love and devotion for her entire life. Now she is old and needs your unwavering love and devotion.

Working in rescue myself, I know we receive many elderly dogs with issues like this. They come into rescue confused and depressed, missing their families. Please, try to be creative in a solution for Pansy. She needs you now more than ever and with just a few small adjustments in your life, you can accommodate her disabilities and keep your house looking good enough to sell.

I foster and transport for a rescue. Currently I am caring for 4 geriatric fosters, one of whom is completely incontinent, one is fecal incontinent, one has a collapsing trachea and another has severe arthritis and numerous tumors. I work (from home) and drive hundreds of miles per week to shelters across southern California. I know how difficult it can be to find a foster for an incontinent dog and once one is found (and there are few), that foster will now be unable to take other fosters until that dog dies, often years later.

Please, please, try to work out a way to keep your Pansy and care for her and honor her life with the same devotion she has given you all of these years. I know it's hard, but she never complained her whole life, she never turned her back on you when things were tough.

Take care,
Lisa

I couldn't possibly disagree with you more. It sounds like this woman is in a very difficult situation - not just the typical, I'm moving and don't want to take the pug with me surrender that we get in rescue all the time. I can't imagine how difficult this is - having lost her husband and now losing her home. Let alone, trying to care for a handicapped pug.

As the owner of a handicapped pug myself, I can attest it's A TON OF WORK!! And when you work full time (which I do, as well as have my own business on the side to pay for her vet bills), it's even more work than people can possibly imagine. I just don't think this woman has made this decision lightly and without thinking through the possibilities. I don't feel like she's turning her back on Pansy; she's confronted with an impossible situation and is making the decision she feels is in Pansy's best interests. She should be commended for that, not made to feel like a neglectful owner who's too lazy and uncaring to care for her pug now in her time of need.

Yes, Pansy will be sad and confused, as is any dog who is surrendered to rescue. Yes, Pansy will probably never be adopted to a forever family; she will likely be a permanent hospice foster pug. But there are lots of special foster families who take in these hospice pugs - and it's basically the pug's forever home; they couldn't have found a better forever family than their hospice foster family. Hospice fosters are well accustomed to special needs pugs and are willing to take on the challenge.

I agree with the first couple posters - contact SEPRA, they do have hospice foster homes who will take great care of Pansy.

Good luck with your decision, and I'm so very sorry that you're facing this situation - it's got to be one of the most difficult decisions of your life.

Rachel, I don't think anyone so far has condemned this lady as a neglectful owner. First thoughts are as always, how can we keep you together and if it is not possible, then there are Rescues that take hospice pugs. Twelve years is a long time and she is obviously stressed in her current position, we're just helping her explore possibilities that she may not have thought of. I believe everyone has great sympathy for the plight this lady finds herself in and I hope we can help her with a solution.

[Clara's mom]

Thank you for trying to do the best thing possible for Pansy. Please try other pug rescues because I am pretty sure SEPRA is full(but still email them)would you mind if I email a good friend of mine in MD and see if she can help? She helps out with rescue and takes in the pugs and bullies that are old and wobbly. I know her father hasn't been well,so that might also determine if she can help or not. I will email Shelley and see if there's any room at the inn.

Take care,
Trish

[6 Beautiful Pugs]

I did not mean to be harsh, I'm sorry if it was interpreted as such.

I too have lost a husband (and been through divorces), had extreme financial hardships, chronic medical problems myself (I have Lupus), run my own business, raised 4 kids and 2 foster kids, I have nine pugs in my house right now, 4 of which are forever fosters. I love my fosters dearly, and pay for their medical myself so as not to tax the rescue anymore than it already is. I see this every day.

I know how difficult it is, I deal with it myself.

I have tons of sympathy for her situation, but I'm hoping we can think of creative ways to keep her and her dog together and still manage to address both their needs and issues.

I am very glad she is looking into a rescue instead of dumping her at a shelter, a horrible fate for any old dog...much worse than death. I'm just hoping we can keep one more family together and keep one more space open in a rescue.

Take care,
Lisa