Langley Advance

Site updated Tuesday, November 28, 2006 10:09 AM

Animal Welfare: Pet owner rushes to find dog a home

Turning to Langley Animal Protection Services upset, rather than helped, a
frantic dog owner.

by Roxanne Hooper

A Langley City woman is beside herself, scrambling to find a caring home
for her beloved dog Teddy, before she moves to Ontario in early December.

With little more than a week left before her departure, 29-year-old Deanne
Marson feels she's exhausted all possible avenues in her efforts to find a
home for the family's four-year-old dog Teddy - a lab, chow, Newfie cross.

"I have tried everything I can to find Teddy a home, and I don't have the
resources ($800) to fly him out to Ontario, and then he has no home there
to live either," she said.

Her husband, Ray, found a job with a copper and zinc mine in Timmins,
Ont., and moved there three months ago with their five-year-old daughter
Marissa. They are currently living with Ray's mother and waiting for the
rest of the family.

That left Deanne, their seven-month-old son MacKenzie, and Teddy behind in
Langley to pack up and sell their home.

Deanne and MacKenzie will finally be leaving on Dec. 9, but as
heart-wrenching as it is for the family, she said, they can't take Teddy.

Marson spent almost three months contacting friends, family, co-workers,
and even the SPCA and Petfinders in attempts to find someone willing and
able to adopt the dog.

"He's an all-around lovable dog," she said. "Actually he's more like a lap
dog than a big dog."

But big, he is. He weighs about 75 pounds and stands about two feet tall,
making it more difficult to find someone able to take him.

When all other avenues failed, Marson was forced to turn to the Langley
Animal Protection Services earlier this month. It's that encounter that
has Marson infuriated.

She filled out a surrendering application form, and this past weekend was
informed the shelter has no room for Teddy.

Marson said it's not the overcrowding that has her upset; she's maddened by the subsequent comments.

"[A shelter employee] tells me that I should have not taken on a dog if I
knew I was moving and then find out the price of getting a dog out to
Ontario. Well, sorry, I didn't know that we would be leaving four years
after we got the dog. And due to where we are staying in Ontario, I cannot
have Teddy stay inside, and have nowhere else to put him."

Marson claimed the staff then suggested she should face the reality and
put Teddy down.

"Honestly, what kind of shelter would tell you that?" she questioned.
"Teddy is a perfectly healthy, happy-go-lucky dog. Teddy is a great loving
dog and loves kids, loves people and other dogs_ I just wanted to know he
was in a secure place before I leave."

Livid with the shelter's response, Marson has fired off letters to the
Township and media, hoping to bring attention to the situation.

But, it doesn't do anything to solve her original problem, which is
finding a loving home for Teddy.

While the dog is accustomed to living indoors in a townhouse, Marson said
it would be ideal - because of his size - that Teddy find a loving home
where he can also get outside and run freely.

The Marsons adopted Teddy from a Langley breeder when he was 13 weeks old.
He is fixed, has all his shots, and has some training.

"He's a good family dog," she said, noting that he was obedient, as well
as playful and protective of both their daughter and their infant son.

In the meantime, LAPS shelter manager Sean Baker said he was astonished to
learn of the alleged staff comments Monday, and would be talking with both
the employee involved and Marson in efforts to get to the truth.

"It's really unfortunate that it's come to this on this one," Baker said.

In the meantime, however, he explained that the shelter's first priority
is to take in stray dogs. Only if space is available does it accept
surrendered dogs needing new homes.

He admitted the shelter is currently overpopulated with 24 dogs squeezed
into 20 kennels and many more out in foster homes.

Baker also noted that large dogs, and particularly chows, are often
difficult to adopt out. But with that said, he will see if there were
other ways the shelter can assist Marson in finding Teddy a new home.

published on 11/28/2006