Surrendered to shelter, couldn't handle those ears?

You're right, there is no definitive way to tell, but going by body language, tone of voice, and actions witnessed at most of the surrenders I've been involved with, 80%-85ish% of the time you can tell. Those who have no choice usually say heart felt goodbyes (most while holding back tears), and wait until the animal is completely out of sight to leave. If they don't get all emotional, or say goodbyes, you can still see it in their faces, in their eyes. I'm willing to bet that there was no judgment from the shelter about your father. You do enough surrenders, you can generally tell.

Those who dump, are in and out in no time flat and usually hardly stick around to fill out the paperwork. When the opportunity to say goodbyes comes, they are gone.

Am I going to say that every case is the same, no. Am I going to argue that all of my judgments were right 100% of the time, no. Am I possibly jaded and jump to conclusions on Reddit with no full story, maybe, but 2 years in a shelter would probably do that to you even with the best intentions.

Personally, take all the people out of the equation, at the end of the day, as long as the animal is safe, I never have held a grudge against anyone who surrendered (wrongfully or rightfully). But it doesn't change that it upsets me when people do it wrongfully.

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