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When They Couldn’t Find a Dogsitter, This Family Did the Unthinkable

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Louie Was Surrendered To Apple Valley Animal Services When His Family Couldn'T Find A Dogsitter Before Leaving On Vacation. Photo Courtesy Apple Valley Animal Services.
Louie was surrendered to Apple Valley Animal Services when his family couldn’t find a dogsitter before leaving on vacation. Photo courtesy Apple Valley Animal Services.

He used to have a home, a family, a comfy place to lay his head at night. Now, Louie, or #134846 as he’s known by caretakers at the Apple Valley Animal Services shelter spends his nights wondering what happened to his family.

According to Louie’s Adopt-a-Pet profile, when his previous family wanted to leave town for the Summer, but couldn’t find a dogsitter, they surrendered their 5-year old, 58-pound Labrador-mix to the shelter.

Indoor/Outdoor dog. Crate trained and housebroken. Dog walks well with the gentle leader or Halti He is OK with some dogs and doesn’t like other dogs. Just needs to be introduced properly. Has never seen a cat before. Has been around older kids. Loves to run with his owner (Up to 3 miles) Has always ate Iams from a raised bowl. Has never had any food issues. Has been to lots of doggie training…

His profile, ironically, also says, “He is a very good traveler.”

Can you help Louie find a happy new FOREVER home, with a family that will take him along on vacations? Share this story.

For more information or to adopt Louie, visit his Adopt-a-Pet profile here.

Or email Apple Valley Animal Services at [email protected] and reference Louie #134846.

Image 100572046 13348155
60 Comments

60 Comments

  1. Avatar Of Just A Test just a test says:

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  2. Avatar Of Nicki

    Nicki

    says:

    When you click on the link to apply for adoption it says the pet is no longer available. Hopefully that means Louie has a new home!! 🙂

    • Avatar Of Grandma Judy

      Grandma Judy

      says:

      Hooray for Louie. I simply cannot believe his people did something that cruel. Sure wish Louie could find them and bite them in the tush.

  3. Avatar Of Kathy

    Kathy

    says:

    Brought tears to my eyes reading about Louie. I have 3 Labs and if I could I would love to have my own dog psychology center like Cesar Milan. 99% of the time,the problem is with the human not the dog. I would love to know that Louie has found a good home. I wish that family could be banned from ever owning another pet. They do not deserve to even own a goldfish.

    • Avatar Of Grandma Judy

      Grandma Judy

      says:

      Kathy, we’ve been owned by Bull Terriers for almost 40 years. They have all been house pets. Posy, our most recent child, is asleep on my foot as I write this….and she snores! We would NEVER NEVER NEVER do anything like these dumb people did. One person had the right idea – keep them from having a dog – FOREVER!

  4. Avatar Of Clara

    Clara

    says:

    I think all animal shelters should charge owners a surrender fee. Just maybe, it will make them try harder to rehome their pet. If your dog is picked up you have to pay a fee to get it back. Shelters are over full,rescues are over full. Just where do they think that their 5 yr old lab pit(?) mix will end up? People need a reality check on the fate of our domestic dogs and cats in this country.

    • Avatar Of Michael Kenney

      Michael Kenney

      says:

      You can’t charge owners with a “surrender fee” – most will dump or shoot the dog before paying one more cent. I’ve been taking care of unwanted dogs for 9 years… I’ve heard most all excuses. I politely say, Thank you”, take the dog under my care and ask God to forgive the idiots who dropped off my next best friend. He knows, left to my own devices,I would be in prison – then who’s going to take care of my pack?

  5. Avatar Of Dirk R Dirk R says:

    Disgusting.Should never be allowed to have another dog/pet.

  6. Avatar Of Rosalinda Garcia Dryden

    ROSALINDA GARCIA DRYDEN

    says:

    I am reading and do not believe what i am reading!!!!! For us no sitter no trip or they go where we go or we go where they can go..
    …they do not stay behind. I hope he finds a great loving family that will always take him into consideration. His previous family did not deserve him. What POS would surrender their dog?!?! What i am thinking can not be put here but believe me i hope they had a miserable vacation. Ksrma is a bitch! They do not deserve to have a pet. They deserve to be left out in a car tied up with no watet in the middle of the desert. A thousand open little wounds and i would add vinger and salt to each wound. And believe me i am being nice. Good luck sweetie hope you find a home soon. Lets get him a home…..we can do it…..share all your contacts.

    • Avatar Of Stray

      Stray

      says:

      I agree with every word you wrote and would not voice my opinion right now because it would not be posted !

  7. Avatar Of Linda

    linda

    says:

    Here’s a thought. Lets send Louie on vacation and ship the family off to live at an animal shelter. Good grief, how cold and thoughtless can you be?

  8. Avatar Of Linda Walker

    Linda Walker

    says:

    Louie you deserve so much better. Some people don’t have a big enough heart or brain to understand you feel pain and sadness as much as they do. Apparently they didn’t feel much, if any. I hope you get the family you deserve.

  9. Avatar Of Maryann Pepe MaryAnn Pepe says:

    I’d rather stay home and watch my puppy and let the rest of the family go on vacation.These rotten low-lifes should be fined and charged with animal abuse!!!

    • Your comment was much more polite than the one that crossed my mind. I hope a better family comes to Louie’s rescue & that the family that dumped him at the shelter is prosecuted for animal cruelty & abandonment. In addition, their names should be made public & put on a “No Adoptions Allowed” list & circulated amongst every shelter in the country. They’re not qualified to have pets in their lives.

      • Avatar Of Cathy Miler cathy miler says:

        I agree with the prosecution and felony charges, but would go one step further: Post a Facebook Page of the faces and names of people who do this or, if FB doesn’t allow, post on their FB page and other media. And then have names published in local newspaper and their employers notified.
        Picketing in front of their homes would help deter people from even thinking about this. It’s the silence that surrounds all this–and we must make sure there is NO silence or we, too, are abetting such behavior.

  10. Avatar Of Maria

    maria

    says:

    i feel bad for him i guess there vacation was more important..i hope he gets a good loving home..

  11. Avatar Of Mary J

    Mary J

    says:

    If people can’t afford arrangements for taking care of a pet, then they shouldn’t go on vacation!!!!!!!
    I retired from my pet sitting business and had many last minute callers looking for a dog sitter.
    Their failure to plan ahead for the dog, doesn’t make any sense. Planning for care for the pets, is part of the vacation planning.

  12. Avatar Of Cobbie cobbie says:

    Just came upon this web site. Can’t believe there are people (?) like this out there. I have had the pleaseure of the company of 7 German Shepherds in my lifetime & would give up my left arm before I would give up a fur baby. May Louie find the loving home he deserves. He is a part of the family, not a disposable couch or a chair. May this family rot in hell for practice !!!!!!!

  13. Avatar Of Cobbie cobbie says:

    Just came upon this site. CANNOT believe that there are people (?) like that out there ! ! ! I’ve had 7 German Shepherds & could not even THINK let alone GIVE ONE UP for my own pleasure. My pleasure is being with my fur baby. May that family rot in hell for practice !!

  14. Avatar Of Lisa Bilgrien

    Lisa Bilgrien

    says:

    His family sounds like a bunch of losers who don’t deserve any pets at all.

  15. Avatar Of Tricia

    Tricia

    says:

    There are several reputable dog sitting services they could have used. If they didn’t have enough money to hire a dog sitter they didn’t have enough money for a vacation. I understand sometimes a family needs to rehome a pet, death, illness but to dump your pet cause you want to go have fun??? hope they get put on a no more pets list cause they obviously don’t understand a pet is fir a lifetime.

  16. Avatar Of Kate

    Kate

    says:

    What happened to him? He is no longer listed.

  17. Avatar Of Col. K.d. Frazier

    Col. K.D. Frazier

    says:

    People who do this with their fur kid don’t deserve to have him to begin with . Just goes to show what P’s O. S. lowlifes that they are .
    There are MANY vacation places that welcome dogs now … I’m betting they didn’t look too hard to find a place for him to stay .
    Just look at this poor guy .. looks so sad . He knows that he’s been abandoned by his humans … just makes ya’ want to cry ..or slap the humans right up aside their thick skulls …
    Hope he finds a new family that will love him and treat him like the little kid that he is …

  18. Avatar Of Lee

    Lee

    says:

    Doggie daycare????????

  19. Avatar Of Joanna

    Joanna

    says:

    I have four rescued dogs. Last one is named Khkoe left by idiots just like these people when they were moving. They left her in the house. Now she is very unsecured and scared. These people did so much harm. I hope they will never be able to have another pet. We travel a lot with four of them and hotels always accept them.

  20. Avatar Of Lilly Turner

    Lilly Turner

    says:

    What is wrong with the human race?!!!

  21. Avatar Of R

    R

    says:

    I’m at a loss that this family can even enjoy themselves knowing their poor pup is frightened, alone, and could potentially be killed…
    This family abandoning their precious pup hurts my heart — While I feel terrible for the pup, I do believe he’ll find another fur-ever home… It’s the children that my heart breaks for being stuck and paralyzed with such horrible, selfish, and emotionally damaging parents. I can’t imagine my child’s classmates returning to school in September and finding out this story!
    A Vacation is a privilege.
    If you have the money to Vacation, then you have the responsibility to find the proper resources to care for your entire family.

    The Marriott Residence Inn chain, are pet friendly, and available throughout the county with a reasonable $100 fee for entire stay. They are like little apartments with a stove, fridge, and sometimes, even washer and dryers. I’ve vacationed in NJ, PA, NC, SC, and several different locations in FL.
    With a teenager and two pups, I travel confident that my family is together in a safe and clean environment.

  22. Avatar Of Sue

    Sue

    says:

    Im sure they had kids, so this family is teaching their kids that pets are disposable and you can get a new pet!
    what a shame there are idiots like this!

  23. Avatar Of Bailey Katts

    Bailey Katts

    says:

    Idiots…………….Nothing more to say about these people!!!!

  24. WHY OWNED A PET IF YOU CANT FIND ANY SOLUTIONS WHEN PRBLEMS COME ! JUST LIKE AANYOTHERS I WOULDNT GO !! POOR THING ! SO HELLESS THEY CANT DO ANYTHING ! ITS OUR RESPONSIBLITIES TO LOOK AFTER THEM ! BITCH THESE OWNERS ! I JUST CANT UNDERSTAND PEOPLE ! WHY GET A PET !?? HOPE HE CANFIND A NEW HOME !

  25. Avatar Of Allison Ellzey

    Allison Ellzey

    says:

    I fear flying with my pets because of the horror stories I hear of them bring left in the heat. If they can’t sit with me, screw it. I’m not going.

    We’ve learned to plan plan plan but have close family friends just come stay at your house while your gone! It most likely won’t hurt their work schedule, and it won’t stress out the dogs.

  26. Avatar Of Jody York

    Jody York

    says:

    If my dogs can’t go I don’t go plain as that. 2 of my dogs
    Are diabetics and I’d rather not come home to a dead dog
    Because they had the wrong amount of insulin

  27. Avatar Of Margaret Mc

    Margaret Mc

    says:

    It could have been worse as some folks do…by going on vacation or simply by just moving out then they leave a big bowl of food and leave the dog in the yard probable tied to a tree…

    People can be very cruel and heartless about their pets. Obviously he wasn’t that important to them. I would NEVER think of going on vacation 1) where I couldn’t bring my dog, 2) and if I did I damn well make sure she’s taken care of AND the person caring for her will send me pictures while I am on my vacation!

  28. Avatar Of Becky Anderson

    Becky Anderson

    says:

    This is one of the worst things I have ever heard. If you are going on vacation where you can’t take your dog along–you darn well better figure the cost of a dogsitter or kennel into your “trip expense budget.” I’ve gone on plenty of camping/kayaking vacations where my biggest expense WAS my dogsitting or kennel bill. If you can’t afford to have your pets taken care of, you shouldn’t be going. These people are despicable and should never own a pet again! It just makes me sick to think of how this dog must feel. I sure hope he finds a good “forever” home.

  29. Avatar Of Marian Bonanno

    Marian Bonanno

    says:

    How sad…..Nunya, I hope you don’t own an animal. My dog is part of our family. I could never surrender him.

  30. Avatar Of Sheryl

    Sheryl

    says:

    Where is Louie located? He is breaking my heart. I can be his momma. I have a Yorkie.

  31. Avatar Of Cathy

    Cathy

    says:

    Probably could not afford to board him while they were gone. Probably couldn’t afford a pet sitter either. But, they are going on vacation for the summer with no thought of being responsible dog owners nor any thought to saving enough to keep this member of their family well taken care of. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them show up at the shelter expecting to still find him there and want to take him back “home”.

  32. Avatar Of Ruth Ann

    Ruth Ann

    says:

    Louie is better off without his first owners. Wonder what they would have done to their kid if they couldn’t find someone to take care of them! Pets should be treated as part of the family. Not a disposable thing.

    As far as nunya goes that said “Dude it is just a dog”. I wonder how he would feel if when he gets old his family puts him in a nursing home and never goes to see him and then says “Dude nunya is just a grumpy old man”.

  33. Avatar Of Carson

    carson

    says:

    Nunya is an ass. Just like the people who gave this beautiful pooch up.

  34. Avatar Of Nunya

    nunya

    says:

    Dude, it’s just a dog….

    • Avatar Of Stephanie

      Stephanie

      says:

      Dude $#@& you. It is not just a dog. He was part of that family. Dogs have feeling and will defend their family. Who will defend him?

    • Avatar Of Fred

      Fred

      says:

      And your just an ass .

    • Avatar Of Pegs B

      Pegs B

      says:

      nunya why are you even here making comments with those feelings. Dude.. people on this site think of you as JUST AN IDIOT. NO I mean useless human.

    • Avatar Of Marian Bonanno

      Marian Bonanno

      says:

      And you aren’t a human being with a heart or a shred of empathy.

    • Avatar Of A. Burt

      A. Burt

      says:

      Dude, it says a lot about a human who abandons an animal that is dependent on them. You get a dog, it’s for life. They are not disposable. Maybe your momma should have disposed of you at some church steps and allowed you to have someone raise you with some manners and compassion. Fuck you asshole.

    • Avatar Of Julie James

      Julie James

      says:

      And so r you get a life

    • Avatar Of Deborah Deborah says:

      Nunya, I pray that you never get a pet of any kind. Yours was perhaps the most callous and heartless comments I have ever read. Dogs are totally devoted to their family and will risk their own lives to protect them. They protect our troops stationed in the mid East. They search for missing children, enter burning buildings to save humans. They are in many ways far superior to most human animals. Learn to think before you blurt out another inane comment.

    • Avatar Of Charitable

      Charitable

      says:

      And, you are just an idiot!!! Don’t take your “precious” time to even leave your insensitive, stupid, comments!

  35. Avatar Of Lora Cotton

    Lora Cotton

    says:

    There should be a National registry for people like this!!! Anyone who voluntarily surrenders a dog (without an “approved” reason) or is convicted of any form of animal abuse would go on that list. Then, whenever they would attempt to adopt or purchase an animal, shelters/breeders would have to check the registry before approving. Hell, we required sexual predators to register, I think we should require animal abusers to as well!!!!

  36. Avatar Of Brack

    Brack

    says:

    Their names and faces should be posted on every social media page there is!

  37. Avatar Of Lisa R

    Lisa R

    says:

    What the HELL IS WRONG with people??? I would SERIOUSLY SERIOUSLY LOVE TO KNOW THE NAME OF THIS FAMILY!!!! SCUMBAGS of the lowest form!!! :-\

  38. Avatar Of Starla Starla says:

    what the hell is wrong with people? I just don’t get it…

  39. Avatar Of Tonya

    Tonya

    says:

    I rarely go on vacation without my pets. I tend to use the website “vacation rental by owner” – you can put in pet friendly as well as other criteria and find a rental that works for you. They rent homes, condos, etc. and most are pet friendly, but do require a pet deposit and/or pet fee. You can even email the owners to ask about a fenced yard before renting.

    • Avatar Of Noreen

      Noreen

      says:

      thankyou for that tip. I take mine on vacation with me too…they are our “kids”…they stay with us for life. Would never give one a buddy for nothing.

  40. Avatar Of Pa

    Pa

    says:

    I hope that Louie finds a family that will love him and think of him as part of the family. I hope this family has a real miserable summer vacation.

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