Goodbye Gadgitt

When Steven comes home today (he has to work b/c of the holiday on Monday) he is taking Inspector "Gadgitt" to the shelter. We are surrendering our rights to him.

While at the Purls meeting last night I get 5 missed calls and a voice mail saying to "Come home now, Gadgitt bit Samantha". I rush home (on the way I called and was told it was under control and I didn't need to rush, nor come home but I did anyway) she has 2 small 'holes' on her palm and Steven's finger is bitten up too.

This is the final straw. We've had him since Feb 14, 1999, he was 6 weeks old when we brought him home. His birthday date is Jan 2, 1999. He is a biter, we've known that, we've put up with it for 8 yrs now. He didn't start biting and got nasty until he was about a year old. He should have been removed from us when he first bit Kayla way back when, or when he bit Steven early on. Even after he bit Joseph in the cheek. But we always just brushed those off as we got into his space. But enough is enough. He thinks EVERYWHERE is his space. None of us are safe around him.

I have to keep him locked up when people come over. I have always been very open with people that HE BITES.

I had called this AM to make an appointment with the vet to have him put to sleep. The vet wanted me to have him neutered. Which I suppose could calm him down, but my feelings have always been that this is just who he is, a biter. She (vet tech) made me feel like SHIT for wanting, in my eyes, to protect my kids from him. I had her put him on the books for tomorrow.

After that I called Steven crying. This is such a hard thing to do. I think know that had I been home when it happened I probably would have killed him myself and not have any emotions about it today. But I wasn't.

Then I spoke with my friend Melissa. She helped me so much. I have no decided that we (Steven) will take him to the shelter. They can assess him. (our thought was always that we didn't want him to go to another home only to bite them) They can neuter him and take the time to see if it works. (again, I don't want him in my home with us and the kids during that time, vet said it could take up to 6 months)

I know it's the 'easy' way out, but if it does work and he can go to a new home (maybe one without kids, though he still bites us) and can live out his last 5-6 yrs great. But I can no longer put my family at that risk of getting bit again. Thank God all the bites have been minimal. I think b/c he has such a small snout.

So I'll give him one final hair cut (I've always done it b/c of the biting), take a final picture of him and cry some more.