Today, a family made the tragic decision to euthanise their dog. They chose euthanasia today over keeping the dog listed for adoption due to the sudden and cruel comments from online trolls. These trolls didn’t have access to the rehoming family directly so they were in no physical harm, but these hurtful remarks were visible on the post, causing distress to the family involved which lead to the haste decision that was previously only imminent if we didn’t succeed in finding a home in time. We had four days to find a loving home and would have succeeded we’re sure. Instead, we lost the opportunity and Fafnir lost his life.
It is crucial to understand that people seeking to rehome animals are often dealing with personal challenges, mental health issues, or distressing situations such as animals like this one being a danger to the families children. Rehomers such as Fafnirs family often invest in our service, both emotionally and financially, making every effort with us to find a safe and loving home for their animals. Fafnirs family went above and beyond, paying for all necessary vet work, health and temperament assessment and paid Facebook ad promotion to reach the right adopter. Before finding us, they had explored numerous avenues, contacting over a dozen shelters, but none were able to accommodate more dogs for several months and due to Fafnirs behaviour toward children and other dogs he likely would have been euthanised like the other 12% of healthy dogs that enter shelters. Eventually, the family turned to us, their last hope to find a caring home for their Fafnir and now this.
In situations such as Fafnirs, their ad with us represents the animals’ last chance at finding a loving home, not their first. Into Loving Homes is less than 2 years old. Not everyone needing to find a home for their animal has yet heard of us yet.
We kindly ask everyone on our page, new and old to please show empathy and compassion towards the families rehoming their animals. Negativity and hurtful comments only hinder our mission of connecting animals with caring homes.
At our organisation, we uphold a zero-bullying policy, as we firmly believe it helps the animals’ cause and speeds up the adoption process. Our focus remains on finding well-matched and loving homes quickly, ensuring these animals receive the care they deserve.
We grieve the loss of Fafnir today and all the other animals whose guardians, out of fear or distress from online trolling, couldn’t gain the strength to list them for adoption. Let’s honor their memory and become a source of support for families in need of rehoming their beloved pets. If you share our passion for saving and improving lives, we invite you to join us on this journey of compassion and hope. Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of these vulnerable animals, offering them the bright and loving future they deserve.
