The Farm

Maybe your parents used this excuse with you, maybe they didn't. Unfortunately, yesterday I had to tell my children Salty found a new home on a farm. I don't know how I got through it without crying, but somehow I made it sound positive enough that they accepted his new home. Ryan said "Now he can bite and kill all the wolves to save the farm animals!" I have wonderful kids.

You see, Salty C. Dog has bitten 4 different people. Three of those people, he drew blood with his bites. One person has a lasting scar. I called a bunch of different animal rescue organizations. When I mentioned his past offenses, no one would touch him. All they would say is that it was too much of a liability and most dogs like that can't be trained out of biting. I was devastated. He couldn't stay here; he's bitten Ryan and he charged at Aurora as though he was going to bite her. I was afraid of putting the baby on the ground, afraid that she would move in a way that would set Salty off.

A couple of the rescue people advised me to other rescue people. After talking to the 5th rescue, I was frustrated and asked what my other options were. The person on the phone said the most shocking thing: "Maybe you'll have to put him down." This was a rescue group. They work so hard to ensure this sort of thing doesn't have to happen! What?!?!?!?

After a week more of debating and hoping for another option to fall into our laps, the decision had to be made. I was bit by a dog at age 9. I'll be darned if I allow that to happen to my children--or anyone else's child ever again. It was the worst decision to have to be made. Salty had to be put down. I cried.

Yesterday, Rob and I placed Salty in a carrier and sent him off to his final moments. I couldn't believe this was happening. Every moment seemed to break my heart. He didn't want to go in the carrier; it was as if he knew what was going to happen to him. We took his collar off and hugged him. He really was a good dog. All that he had been through--the terrible reason he ended up in the shelter we got him from, the scar left on his backside and the pain it caused him when the temperature changed drastically--none of that seemed to stop his tail from wagging. I don't know why he bit people. Nobody he ever bit was ever attacking him or even paying any attention to him, but he charged after them viciously. It was as though a switch flipped in his brain. I wish it had never happened. I miss my dog!

The house seems so lonely without him. Sassy has been looking all over for him; that's the hardest. She went outside after he left and kept sniffing for him. Then, when she came in, she laid down on his bed and seemed so depressed. Coming home from running errands is different now, too. Sassy is not as vocal about our return as Salty was. I just hope we can do better by Sassy. I feel like we let Salty down. As though we just didn't have what it took for him to be a great dog.

We loved you, Salty. I'm so sorry it came to this :(