I don't think it's failure to admit that your sitation has changed. You're not to be blamed for it. Maybe this just isn't the right time of your life to have a dog, as hard as that sounds.
*sigh*
It's so easy to say, but so hard to actually take action on. And I'm afraid that I'd spend the rest of my life wondering what had become of them. But...I think that stress would probably be less than what I'm dealing with now.