Many of us who have rural property can relate to those awful stories. I can’t tell you the number of dogs and cats that have been dumped on our property over the years. It is heartbreaking.
The dumping has happened at our place in town as well. I was drawn to my back door by puppy whimperings late one very cold winter night. We had a young puppy at the time, but she was safe inside the house. Someone had dropped a little puppy over the fence. It was shivering and whimpering at my back door.
It was an inconvenience to us to have to find it a home, but I was thankful that they did try to leave it somewhere they knew it would be taken care of, rather than put the little thing in jeopardy. Ironically, these folks sometimes think they are doing a good deed by dumping them on someone that will handle the problem.
Around here, with an 80% kill rate at the local shelter, the chances may be better with "dumping." And I'm only being partially sarcastic here.
I try to give the “dumpers” the benefit of a doubt and tell myself these folks are just stupid and think the animals can survive on their own. Or, like you said, they think someone will be happy to take care of their responsibility. But then an older, infirm dog gets abandoned, and I can't talk myself into either theory.
I have a dream that I catch one of the “dumpers” and relocate them to a remote area. Oh, I won't leave them forever, I'll observe how they decide to get food, water or hope they can find a friendly house that won't run them off.
It's just a dream. I'd never do such a thing, I don't think.:)