"I killed my pets to move in with my fiancé…"

Q: About a year ago, I made the heart-wrenching decision to leave a great job, house, friends and family to move to Hawaii with my fiancé.

As part of this transition, I also chose to have my two beloved chow chow dogs put to sleep.

I adored those dogs, but I justified their sacrifice to the greater good of a successful relationship.

After six months, I am still tormented by memories of my dogs. The depths of anguish and loss make me think I got rid of them for purely selfish reasons, which is the kind of behavior I thought I reviled. I feel that I have gone from dog-lover to dog-killer in one trans-Pacific flight.

A: I am truly sorry you feel so wracked with guilt about your decision to put your dogs to sleep.

Sorry if this comment is late to the thread but I felt the need to put in my 2 cents worth.

Of course I disagree with killing an animal for pure selfish reasons. However, in addition to the strict quarantine laws for Hawaii, maybe it also has to do with the dogs' temperaments. From what I understand, some dogs just won't take to another owner. I know someone personally who had to put their dog down for the fact that his girlfriend was constantly concerned about being attacked. It was a pit bull and just could not be trusted with anyone else. Yes, it is a shame that this woman felt she had to do this, but without more information about her situation, I don't think it would be right to condemn her for this act.

Chows also seem to be a type of breed that can attack with little provocation. The chow owners I see walking their dogs in my neighborhood usually have a muzzle on them, or keep them leashed very close as they pass by me. Being the vicitim of a dog mauling myself, I usually give a wide berth anyway, just to stay on the side of caution.

I agree. If the dogs weren't needing euthanasia I wonder what kind of vet would do that without cause/reason. I know people who go to enormous lengths to find a place for their dogs. I can't even imagine doing such a thing.

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