sproggie14 Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 A friend of mine has been working over in Vietnam with a Bear rescue. Since she has been there she has fallen in love with numerous dogs and helped some to get neutered or find better homes. This is her latest dilemma. I know some fugees have brought dogs over from other countries so I thought who better to advise her Sorry this is so long but I've been having a dilemma for the last five months and I really don't know what to do. Let me start at the beginning So here in Vietnam we live in a rented building with a vietnamese family who live in the building next door. They used to have three dogs Mun, Min and Mon (talk about confusing!). Mun hated us when we first got here as he was basically kept on a chain and used as a guard dog, he was terrified of us and would bark and growl. However one week and a kilo of sausages later he came to trust us and became the biggest, soppiest baby ever. Now the vietnamese have a dog eating culture, particularly around their new year. Mon went missing over new year and never came back :cry: We're pretty sure she's been eaten. The breeding here is out of control and there are puppies everywhere that just get fattened up then sold for food. Mun was actually the father to many of these puppies so we got the family to allow us to castrate him The family only have him as a guard dog. Their eldest son does seem to care for the dog but he's moving away to the city in September to go to university. The youngest son either ignores of teases the dogs and the father has been seem to abuse the dogs (he picked up Mon and threw her repeated on the ground). He's been fed less and less lately, I can see his hips and ribs sticking out. We're sneaking food to him in the nights. He is sometimes left to run around but recently he's being left tied up in the sun for days on end. He only has water because we give it to him. Worse he holds himself and doesn't go to the toilet while he's on the chain, so that can be three days or more until we cave in and let him off (we're trying to to interfer too much as he's not our dog). He loves us, we have such a close bond, if we ever move out of the house I don't know what will happen to him. Plus when he is off there are massive trucks that fly by and moterbikes zooming everywhere, i'm terrified he'll get run over. To make it worse, a gorgeous puppy down the road who we called Daisy got taken today :cry: she was the happiest dog in the world of only a few months old with a full life ahead of her. Instead they got massive metal forceps, picked her up, stuffed her in a cage on a moto and too her away to the meat market :cry: I'm so upset and angry There's no security out hee, I've lost count of dogs I've loved and lost in Asia. I coudn't bear for something to happen to Mun. So the question is when I come home in December - do I bring him with me? Pros 1) He would be a lot safer in the UK 2) He would be loved and cuddled the way he adores, he never gets any affection from his current owners 3) The current owner has offered him to us already, they don't care if he leaves 4) The only member who cares about him is leaving him, he may be better with us 5) Regular food, water, grooming, walks, vet care 6) He is so used to being tied up for days on end we suspect he would adapt to house life well, and probably even be ok with quarantine kennels Cons 1) 6 months quarantine 2) Money - it'll cost us 3000pounds to put him through quarantine, that's without the flight price. 3) He would have a total lifestyle change - would he really cope? 4) Commitment to him for the next 7+ years, aware that will not be able to take another job abroad in that time. 5) He may be replace by another dog I don't know what to do. He's a beautiful, faithful, perfect dog and I can't bear to be without him and I couldn't bear for anything to happen to him. But am i being selfish? Would it really be best for him? How can I afford to bring him home? If I truely knew it was for the best,i'd find to money somehow, maybe try fundraising. Opinions anyone. What would you do? And in case you weren't crying yet here they are together Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 It's a no brainer for me, my heart would definitely rule my head and I would bring him home and deal with everything else afterwards. If she does some fundraising let me know because I would happily donate I couldn't read all of the story because it was too upsetting but I read bits and then I looked at the picture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elricc Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 It's a no brainer for me, my heart would definitely rule my head and I would bring him home and deal with everything else afterwards. If she does some fundraising let me know because I would happily donate I couldn't read all of the story because it was too upsetting but I read bits and then I looked at the picture Totally agree it would prey on my mind if I left him to his fate, you can't save them all but you change the world for the one that you do, my spanish dogs have adapted no problem . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nettie Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 (edited) There's no way I'd be able to leave him behind. I'd probably also suggest they ship him back to the UK asap that way he would be finishing quarrantine at about the time they returned to the UK. I'm sure he'll love life here, he sounds like a fab dog. Edited April 26, 2008 by Nettie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 If there was no way I could find someone in Vietnam to take him in and care for him, knowing 100% that he would be ok, then I would also look to somehow get him home. It sounds as though he has become your friend's dog really now anyway and I don't think she's being at all selfish for wanting to ensure he doesn't suffer, quite the opposite. Nettie's idea of sending him to the UK now so that they can be reunited almost as soon as they return to the UK in December is a great one if it can work that way. I'm sure six months in quarantine would be far preferable to what he has endured so far and what he could endure again without your friend being there. Thank goodness she met him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kola Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 that's a terrible situation, but my heart would rule my head, i would bring him to the uk, set up a web site with his story on it and donations to go to a welfare organisation in vietnam which helps dogs like him (if there is one) left behind go with your heart and save one Amanda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 I'm servant to a Greek dog - I rest my case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmagic Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 If she can find the money to bring him here and can guarantee him a home, then I would say go for it. There are many dogs who have made that journey and gone on to lead happy lives. A replacement dog is always a possibility but if the dog dies through neglect, if they are going to replace him, they will do so anyway. As he has not been a feral dog I am sure he will have no problem adjusting. As long as she can make the commitment to him for the future. I have read of so many people who bring dogs to Britain and then cannot give them a home, for various reasons, when the quarantine is finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sproggie14 Posted April 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 I'm servant to a Greek dog - I rest my case I was hoping you'd reply Billy. I know obviously Malc is loving his life here now but did it take him a while to adjust? How did he get on with quarantine? Do they get treated well while they are in there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 I meant to say as well, it needn't necessarily stop them from working abroad again - provided doglet gets his pet passport when he's over here, they could travel to certain countries which are included in the scheme, or travel back via those countries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 My friend brought a dog over from Spain a few years ago, he was tied up beside a power generator in sweltering heat, had no food or water and was covered in ants, he was an OES with a full coat. Because of the awful conditions he had come from being in quarantine was like a holiday for him, he did suffer from the cold as his coat had to be shaved off so he always wore a coat, he coped very well in the kennels despite them being badly run, although he probably got by because either my friend or her husband went in every day to see him and make sure he was warm and dry ( and this place was run by a vet ). He settled in very well to life in Scotland and never had any problems adjusting to being pampered, sadly he died a few years ago, he passed away whilst having an afternoon nap with his head on his dads lap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 There is no doubt in my mind, I would most definitely bring the dog over here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmagic Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 She should check out quarantine kennels carefully. Some are better than others. If they are near where she is staying she can visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nettie Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 (edited) If she would like I could probably get a Q kennel recommendation or I also know someone who has kennels in Normandy in France where he could spend his Q time, basically he would be free to go for walks and exercise outside and would then be passport qualified. This might be a good idea if they are going to send him out ahead of their return. It would not make any difference to them whether he was in the UK or France but for him in France he would have a lot more freedom, the lady who owns the kennels sometime takes dogs that are long stay, ie qualifying for their passports, into her house if they get on with her own dogs. So that's another thing to think about. What I don't know are the rules in taking a dog from Vietnam into France but can probably find that out too if your friend would like. I'll try and find the link to her kennels. Edited April 26, 2008 by Nettie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nettie Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 Too late to edit previous post but its Brittany not Normandy, there's my French geography for you! Anyway the site is http://www.cani-excel.com/pet_quarantine_alternatives.asp She can probably answer any questions since they are pet relocation specialists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts