My husband and I are in Vancouver on Bunac visa's and just told my dear old mum that we might possibly, maybe thinking about possibly staying a little longer than originally planned, maybe Just thinking about you understand! She has gone Ballistic! Oh dear! Not what we were expecting at all. She is looking after my dear old dog who is on his last legs and was unable to travel at the last minute and is not happy at the prospect of having him any longer. I am very sorry and guilty about this but we didn't see another way round it other than not coming at all. We are both working full time and this year seems to be flying past at the speed of light. We have made some great friends and the prospect of going home in January is not a happy one. We want more Vancouver. Any suggestions on a way to placate my dear old mum?

Send her the money to have your dog put down?

make alteranate arrangements for the dog to stay with someone else, then get them to go pick up the dog.

(A little less final than Aviators )

That's right - that flying chappie is such a jerk!

Is she just upset about the dog, or upset about you staying away?

It does sound as though the kindest thing for both the dog and for her would be for some friend to take it off her hands (+/- have it put to sleep?)

Old dogs can be hard to look after when they are your own and you love them dearly, let alone one that's been foisted upon you.

You do know, I assume and I think I'm correct in saying, that you cannot stay after your BUNACs have expired except if you go around the flagpole and enter as visitors or unless your employers apply/receive LMOs for you both. You will not be allowed to work under the BUNAC visa after expiration.

As far as your "dear old mum" is concerned I think you have to live up to your obligation to her. You left her with an old, dying dog which she didn't anticipate but to help you out, went along with it for one year. Now you want to renege on whatever agreement you made with her. From what you wrote it seems she will now/also have the responsibility of probably putting the animal down.
If you want to placate her do the right thing by her and get someone else to take care of the dog at the end of its life.

Hey! Still it is one solution, I would not send the money though.

why the heck did I put that when the blooming post referred to was one above.

Can someone send the money to put me down - sorry TG

and?

sorry Aviator

This one, this is the best answer so far.

The dear old dog is probably smelly and widdling everywhere if it's old. Your dear old mum now has all that dog walking, and pooping and scooping, and carrying cans of dog food back from Tescos, and vet's bills,

Oh yeah, she might even be upset about missing you.

If you are on BUNAC your dear old mum can't be that old can she?

Yes - I was a little miffed!

Well no she's not that old 63!!! I do get it that she's probably more upset that we are trying to stay longer than looking after the dog and she said when she visited we would be mad to come home so it's her own fault really!! We had the dog all ready to come over but he had a stroke but fully recovered but the vet wouldn't clear him to travel and mum said she would take him and now we love it here and its all a big mess!

We are applying under the BC PNP so we might not even get in!

Thank you for all your replies even if some of them are a little mean!

Not being mean - just economical with the sympathy!

It's easier (better?) to tell parents important news items face to face, otherwise they just worry themselves sick until they can see you. And that worry usually manifests itself by nagging.

Re: the dog dilemma - Just come up with a plan to deal with the situation.

hmm - you could go home for a visit - chat to your mum, get the dog re homed or . . .. . and then come back . . .

maybe you could offer some one some financial assitance to have the dog??

Could he still not fly now??