Five of the Most Common Reasons the Akita Ends up in a Rescue or Shelter

There is nothing little about the Akita, which is one of the reasons so many people love this breed and all that it has to offer its families. This is a beautiful Japanese breed that is designed to love with plenty of affection, and to want to play and enjoy time with its family. This breed is a wonderful one to have around the house, but those who don’t know much about them before buying or adopting one end up making it necessary for so many Akita rescues to pop up all over the country. One of the worst things a person can do when getting a dog is get one without doing any research on the breed and what it takes to raise one. Unknowledgeable owners make it necessary for rescues to need to find families for these animals since they have been abandoned due to their owner’s lack of understanding as to what it takes to raise a breed so large. Of course, there are also Akitas that lose their families to death or old age, to illness and too many other factors – including financial reasons. These dogs are not dogs that were given up because their families no longer wanted them. Some have no other choice. That’s why Akita rescue groups want you to understand the breed, learn about the breed and then make your decision.

They also want you to know that rescuing an Akita is far better than buying one. There are so many reasons a previously loved Akita will make a great addition to your home, and many of these are very common reasons that you should already know. You should already know that a rescued dog is going to be more appreciative. It’s going to be trained already, meaning you don’t have to do that on your own. It’s going to save a life, too. Too many dogs are killed by overcrowding thanks to the number of rescues that need to house animals without forever homes, and the more people who adopt the more dogs whose lives will be saved.

If people love their animals so much, why do they give up this beautiful breed to rescues? The answers might actually surprise you. According to some of the world’s biggest Akita rescue groups, the most common reasons people give up their dogs are as follows.

Death of the Owner

This is an unfortunate and very sad incident. When an owner dies and there is no one to take care of their animal, they have no choice but to take in this dog at a rescue. It happens, and it’s not a pleasant situation. These are typically dogs that have been well taken care of, loved and treated wonderfully. That’s good though, because that means that you are more likely to end up with a dog you love and adore, too.

Divorce

When a couple divorces, they might argue about who gets to keep the dog – and sometimes it is not because they are so in love with the animal that they can’t decide who gets it. Sometimes the decision is one made because neither really wants to take the dog with them, and so they choose to give it up. Additionally, some couples who are divorcing make the decision to give up their large dog because they are moving into a new place and can’t have a dog there. For example, perhaps the person keeping the house in the divorce does not want the dog, but the person moving out does but simply cannot have a pet in his or her new apartment or rental home. It’s a sad situation, but it does happen on occasion.

Behavioral Issues

When a person gives up their dog because of behavioral issues, it frequently has nothing to do with the dog and everything to do with the owner. These dogs are trainable and well-behaved if they are treated right and trained well from the start. If not, however, they can cause problems for their owners. This is mostly due to the fact that their owners are not really into the training or can’t handle the dog. Furthermore, this is a breed that does not respond well at all to mistreatment or aggression, so it could even be possible that the owners of this particular dog are seeing behavioral issues in a dog because they have behavioral issues of their own. With the right owners, this dog might be a dream come true.

Illness

There are often times in a person’s life in which they have to give up things they don’t want to give up because they have no choice. Sometimes a dog owner gets sick and can no longer care for their dog. It could be a fatal disease that requires intensive treatment and the owner of this dog can no longer be home often enough to care for the dog. Situations such as this are heartbreaking because the owners of this dog do not want to give up their family member, but they know that they are not able to give the dog the kind of life it needs as they deal with the journey of illness, and they know the dog needs a better home.

Selfishness

It does happen. It’s unfortunate, and it’s very sad. However, some dog owners simply make it to the point that they realize their life no longer works with a dog at home, and so they give up the dog. It could be that the owners don’t want to care for the animal anymore and would rather travel, and they didn’t think about that before getting a dog. It could be that the dog is just too much work for them, and they no longer want to care for the animal. It could be any number of selfish reasons that rescues are unaware of. But sometimes people just don’t want to take care of the animal they thought they wanted, and so they give it up because it is easier for them to do that.

Photos by Getty Images 

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